We were invited to enjoy a Dallas staycation at the Hilton Anatole to review the Jade Waters pool complex and resort amenities. All thoughts and opinions are mine.
Hilton Anatole and Jade Waters Review
Have you ever wanted a break from it all, but you couldn’t exactly book a vacation – but like seriously needed away from stress? That was us. You guys, this year has been hell. We have lived in a hotel for 137 nights, my husband was diagnosed with colon cancer and had his colon removed (so no more cancer!), our house was severely damaged in a toilet incident and our 4 kids have each had issues of their own. It’s been a year, to say the least.
We moved out of the hotel a few weeks ago, except for one problem – our house wasn’t completely finished. While I enjoyed not having to drive 20+ minutes to school in the morning, living without a kitchen is well – hell. So when our friends at the Hilton Anatole asked if we would like to enjoy a little Dallas staycation. The timing couldn’t have come better. While we had been staying in a hotel for a bazillion nights, the Anatole knows how to cater to families.
The kids had no idea that we would be spending the night at the Anatole. We sneaky style packed a bag told the kids to get in the car and to downtown Dallas, we went. We checked in right around 3:30 and lounged in the comfy Hilton beds until 4:45pm. At that time, we heard banging on our shared door – it was the kids. They were all decked in their swim gear ready to hit Jade Waters.
Our 15 year old put together a video review of her stay. That video tech class paid off!
Jade Waters Pool Complex
Jade Waters is the Hilton Anatole’s pool complex. We have visited a few times before, and this visit – like the others DID NOT DISAPPOINT. While the Anatole resort is gorgeous, Jade Waters is the kids fave. With 2 water slides, a tot area, a lazy river, adult pool with swim-up bar, pool lounge area and more – it’s hard to not love this place. I often tell friends, it’s big enough to keep the kids busy for hours on end and never bored – but it’s small enough where you aren’t worried about losing them.
Jade Waters Features
Here is a list of features at Jade Waters. Jade Waters is available exclusively for hotel guests:
Leisure Cove Pool (adults only on weekends)
Kids activities
Splash and play area for kids
Lazy river
Two 180 ft. winding water slides
Private cabanas and daybeds
23-seat Swim-up Bar
Jade Waters Grill & Bar
Family Fun and Kids Activities
We have 4 kids, ages 6 to 15-years-old. We spent 1 night at the Anatole, and doing the calculation, we spent just about as much time sleeping as we did at the pool. In addition to swimming, the Anatole offers a plethora of kids activities. The atmosphere is cheery with great music, comfy lounge chairs, and friendly staff.
We stayed the night before Memorial Day. One of the activities on this particular weekend was fireworks. And all I can say is wow. We enjoyed a 15-minute up-close and personal show. The fireworks were set to music and did not disappoint.
My sister and her family were also staying at the resort. We all did dinner at the Media Grill located near the front registration desk. We have eaten at this restaurant many times and each time, enjoy the menu. Something new they are offering is a kid buffet. This is such a great idea as the kids can immediately eat, the food offered is all kid favorites (think mac and cheese, fruit, cookies) and did I mention they offer 2 free kids meals?
Resort Amenities
Here are all of the resort amenities:
50% off self-parking or $10 off valet
Guest room and public WiFi internet access
Access to Verandah Club and classes (ages 16+)
15% discount on VSpa treatments
Two kids dinners for free in Media Grill + Bar; (kids 12 and under only)
Dessert with dinner at Media Grill + Bar or SER Steak + Spirits.
Two Starbucks drip coffees per day
Local & 1-800 phone calls
JadeWaters resort pool admittance
The following day, we woke up early and enjoyed an amazing brunch buffet at the Terrace restaurant, located near the front registration. We then hit up the pool for several hours, until we had to drag the kids out kicking and screaming. I wish I could say I was kidding with that last sentence, but they all were pretty upset when I said we had to go home. All that said, we came home to new floors with kids that went to bed early from playing so hard. Dallas staycation, SUCCESS!
Dallas Staycation
If you are looking for a place to get away and to enjoy a Dallas staycation – put the Hilton Anatole on your list. Their Jade Waters pool complex is open until October 7, 2018.
The Hilton Anatole, make sure to take advantage of all things that the Anatole offers. Did you know the Anatole has an impressive art collection? Here are a few silly photos my 8-year-old posed for while we toured various art pieces throughout the property.
So if you have been to the Hilton Anatole before, you know about the Nebula. I found this video and am even more fascinated by this magnificent piece of art. The Nebula is a kinetic piece of massive art that hangs and moves in the atrium of the Anatole. When I say massive, I mean massive.
For reference, here are some stats about the Nebula:
More than 100 feet long
50 feet wide
Weighs 10,000 pounds
Consists of 10 miles of aircraft cable
1780 pulleys
More than 4,500 amber reflectors
Floats more than 50 feet above the crowd
Before you see the Nebula in real life, or before you see it again – watch this video on how it was created. It’s simply fascinating and inspiring.
Thanks again to the Hilton Anatole for hosting our family. If you are looking for a family-friendly resort in Dallas, Texas or are looking to do a Dallas staycation, the Hilton Anatole is your hotel. It is located right next to downtown with easy access to the plethora of options of things to do in Dallas. But really, you just need to stay here and not leave. Enjoy the spa, Jade Waters, and the restaurants – and don’t forget to stop and appreciate the art!
Christmas at the Hilton Anatole Dallas is an annual Christmas tradition for our family. With 4 kids, finding somewhere with something for everyone can be a challenge. Our kids are now 5, 6, 11 and 13-years old. Each has an opinion (imagine that.) But one thing we can all agree on is that we love the Anatole, especially at Christmas.
Christmas at the Hilton Anatole Dallas
From the time you walk into the Hilton Anatole in downtown Dallas, you immediately are greeting with CHRISTMAS. The foyers are decked to the nines. The decor throughout the resort is all prettied for the season. It just has that Christmas vibe that says “let’s celebrate.”
Animated reindeer at the Hilton Anatole
Family Christmas Activities
The Hilton Anatole offers a plethora of fun family Christmas activities, such as:
Breakfast with Santa
Lights in the Park
Festive Decor
Kids Popcorn Bar
Rudolph’s Reindeer Barn
Photos with Santa
Scavenger Hunt
Face Painting
Geppetto’s Marionette Theater Holiday Shows
…and much more!
A photo posted by Molly Thornberg (@digitalmolly) on
In Dallas for the holidays or need a staycation? Book a Breakfast with Santa package!
Guest room
Breakfast With Santa for up to two adults & two kids at 9 AM
Self-parking
Christmas At The Anatole Weekend Activities
Holiday movie night at 7:30pm on day of arrival with kids popcorn bar
Gift bag per child given at breakfast with Santa
Breakfast With Santa Experience (Activities Include: breakfast with Santa, holiday scavenger hunt, face painting, Gingerbread Bakeshop cookie-making, stories at Rudolph’s Reindeer Barn, Snapshack photo ops, letters to Santa and more!)
*Photos with Santa are available from 11am – 1pm. Photo packages start from $25 and can be paid for directly to the photographer.
Remaining dates available for Breakfast With Santa are December 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, and 23.
A few weeks ago, we enjoyed a staycation at the Hilton Anatole here in Dallas, TX to review the new Jade Waters pool complex. It was amazing, stress-free and close to home. All things that make this mom of 4 happy.
Hilton Anatole – Dallas Family Hotel
The Hilton Anatole is a favorite of our’s, mostly because this family of 6 requires unique hotel accommodations. Our kids are still little, so it’s not feasible for us to have 2 rooms unless they are connected. Plus, bringing all the kids – the hotel in general needs to be a family friendly hotel. The Anatole definitely fulfills that need. From the roomy, CLEAN and upscale accommodations to family friendly activities and restaurants – we always know that when we stay there, our family’s needs will be covered and a good time is to be had by all.
Jade Waters Review
The Anatole recently opened their new pool complex, Jade Waters. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. Previously, the Hilton Anatole had a beautiful area in the middle of the resort with statues, a pool and running trails. This has been revamped with a resort-style pool complex that does NOT disappoint.
The Jade Waters area is open from 9am – 9pm and is only available to hotel guests (though I did read, hotel guests can pay for up to 2 outside guests to join them.)
Here’s a glimpse at what Jade Waters has to offer:
4,000 sq. ft. Leisure Cove Pool
7,000 sq. ft. Activity Bay Pool and Panda Play Area for the kids
630 ft. Jade River
Two 180 ft. winding water slides
Seating for more than 800 people
Private cabanas and daybeds
23-seat Swim-up Bar
120-seat Jade Waters Grill & Bar
The pool area is extremely family friendly. I have 2 littles who are NOT good swimmers, so we have to keep an eye on them at all times. The pool has a large kids play area with a children’s slide and various water activities. This is all very shallow and perfectly positioned so you can safely let your children play – while you lounge.
There are 2 water slides, 1 enclosed and another open. What I loved about these is that they do not dump into a large water pool – rather you land in a very shallow water pool “runway” per say. This was fabulous because both of my littles were able to fully enjoy the water slide and I didn’t have to worry about them going under or what not at the end of the slide ride. The line moved very quickly, my kids probably rode this at least 20 times each – not exaggerating on this!
My favorite was the lazy river. I could float ALL DAY LONG. The lazy river is only 3 feet deep. Adult-size floats are provided, just jump in a float and relax. This is where I spent the bulk of my time. If you do have younger kids, do consider bringing a smaller inner tube with you – the large ones work but little butts can’t fit in the tube without falling thru.
There also is a hot tub area, a swim-up bar, deeper pool and a shallow area where you can play basketball in the water.
While the pool complex has a lot to offer, it’s not massive in size. It’s perfect – the kids could swim and play, I never felt like they would get lost. There were life guards positioned in various locations and again, felt like my kids were safe – and moms know how important it is to feel like that!
Outdoor Activities
In addition to swimming, there are a plethora of other activities offered at the hotel, both inside and outside.
Outside, during the day – there are games on the green, you can enjoy games like corn hole to giant Connect Four.
While we were there, a DJ was constantly spinning tunes – keeping the pool atmosphere hopping. The kids enjoyed a “pool party” with hula hooping and other fun games.
There are cabanas and day beds available to rent, along with poolside service – plus an outdoor eatery, or you can get food to-go and eat next to the pool. The eatery offers a bar with the best Pina Coladas!
The kids enjoyed eating snow cones, these are available at the to-go eatery.
At 9 pm, after Jade Waters closes – while we were there, there were movies on the green. One night the kids watched Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, another night – Zootopia.
The Hilton Anatole offers several restaurants on-site, as well as a 24-hour cafe. We snuck downstairs on Friday night and loaded up on late-night desserts.
V-Spa
My daughter and I left the boys at the pool for an hour and headed to V-Spa for mom and daughter mani and pedis.
The spa itself is gorgeous, it was so relaxing, fab to spend time alone with my daughter and plus – cute nails are always a good thing.
I was so bummed, we had the wrong time down or we would of loved this. Inside the Anatole is Geppetto’s Theater. It’s a Marionette Theater (puppet theater) that offers a fun variety of shows that are sure to create fun memories for the kids.
We’re going to have to get back downtown to see their STAR WARP show – it’s a Star Wars variety show that looks like a blast.
The Anatole offers a huge selection of art to admire. Make sure to make your way around the building – even though I’ve been to the Anatole a number of times – there seems to always be something new.
The husband took the kids all around hunting for Pokemon. Pokemon Go is used like Waze in our family – it’s open anytime we go anywhere!
Good news, there was a LOT of Pokemon activity around the Hilton Anatole.
Indoor Pool
Off the atrium, next to registration there is an indoor pool that is open until 11 pm.
Staycation in Dallas, TX
If you are looking for a staycation in Dallas, TX – look no further. The Hilton Anatole has you covered. The resort is gorgeous, extremely clean and VERY accommodating for families. Thanks Hilton Anatole for having us out. Stay tuned – the Anatole always does a fun family Christmas event that you won’t want to miss. Here’s a glimpse of last year’s Anatole Christmas Event.
This is our first of many Travel Thursdays. I know what’s it like trying to travel with 4 kids – – finding hotel rooms is never easy. Eating out is always expensive. Finding things for various ages can be a pain in the butt. On Thursdays, i’ll share what we’ve learned about traveling with a large family and a glimpse into our 6000+ mile road trip across the left coast that we took this summer. Stay tuned!
Traveling to Dallas or looking for a staycation this summer? Look no further, our families favorite Dallas hotel – the Hilton Anatole just announced the opening of their new report style pool, JadeWaters. It’s going to be FANCY, Family-friendly and FUN.
JadeWaters is an estimated $15 million project that has converted a portion of the hotel’s seven–acre Sculpture Park and Tennis Courts into a world-class water facility. The project will encompass approximately three acres and include multiple heated swimming pools and recreation areas, as well as enhanced walking paths and green spaces. New food and beverage options will also be added in the form of a new outdoor restaurant and bar, as well as a separate 23 seat swim up bar. JadeWaters is scheduled to open July 22, 2016.
The project’s sophisticated design, architecture and landscaping will draw inspiration from the modern Asian influences present throughout the Hilton Anatole Hotel. Comprised of a leisure pool, beach-?entry family pool, lazy river, luxury cabanas, and splash zone with two 180-?foot slides, the new addition will offer a relaxed upscale atmosphere complete with artwork displayed throughout the pool area. The full complex will be open from July 22 through Labor Day this year, with the leisure pool operation year round.
The Anatole had me at “23-seat swim-up bar.”
In all seriousness, in addition to be a gorgeous hotel, the Hilton Anatole strives to be family friendly – which when carting around 4 kids is a HUGE priority for us. Make sure to check out the art displays and SER Steakhouse during your visit. Both will not disappoint!
If you are looking for some summer fun, check out JadeWaters. Our family will be stay-cationing a week downtown at the Hilton Anatole later this summer, checking out the resort and giving that pool a true “family friendly” test with my 4 crazies. Stay tuned for a review!
Looking for a fun family Christmas activity in Dallas? Consider a staycation at the Hilton Anatole for Christmas at the Anatole! Our family did this last year and was talked about all year – excited that we get to do this again this weekend.
What is Christmas at the Anatole? It’s an interactive experience sure to bring holiday spirit to the young and young at heart. Book a weekend, and enjoy holiday family fun including:
Breakfast with Santa
Geppetto’s Marionette Theater
Holiday movies
Holiday scavenger hunt
Face painting
Gingerbread Bakeshop cookie-making
Rudolph’s story time
Snapshack photo opps
Letters to Santa
And more
Geppetto’s Marionette Theater
FEATURING WINTER WONDERLAND
Take a whirlwind journey to the North Pole in Geppetto’s Marrionette Theater’s holiday show, featuring a cast of over 60 hand-carved marionettes. Children will delight as they meet the Winter Wizard, the North Pole dancing elves, the magic toys of Santa’s workshop and a whole host of other holiday favorites, including Rudolph and Frosty.
Located inside the Hilton Anatole, Geppetto’s is a holiday experience you won’t want to miss!
Breakfast With Santa Package – Hilton Anatole
December 12 and 13, 2015
December 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 2015
9:30AM SEATING PACKAGE OPTION AVAILABLE
Rates from $189!
Breakfast With Santa Package* Includes:
Guest room
Breakfast With Santa for up to two adults & two kids (choose seating below)
Self-parking
WiFi
Christmas At The Anatole Weekend Activities
Holiday movie night
Breakfast With Santa Experience (Activities Include: Santa mix-and-mingle, holiday scavenger hunt, face painting, Gingerbread Bakeshop cookie-making, stories at Rudolph’s Reindeer Barn, Snapshack photo opps, letters to Santa and more!)
*Photos with Santa available for Breakfast With Santa guests from 11am – 1:30pm
It’s been a while since I have had to travel for work. My last full-time job, I had to travel often. It was hell. I had 3 kids at the time, 1 was a newborn. I am so glad I don’t have to relive those days.
While I don’t for see myself having to travel too often (praise Jesus,) I will be traveling some. Last week I headed to San Francisco for Forward with Ford, in a few weeks I’m taking my team to Oklahoma City for one of our conferences.
Tips for the Working Mom Who Travels
If you are a working mom who will be traveling, here are a few tips that I hope will help.
1. Plan Ahead
With 4 kids, I know whenever I leave to go out of town he is going to be taking on extra stress. I try to minimize that as much as possible. I layout clothes for the entire week, putting them in labeled baggies for each day. The kids have to wear different outfits since they are in camp so this helps. I make sure that there are easy to cook meals readily available. I also pre-make any kid lunches to simplify the week.
2. Double Check Your Kids’ Schedules
I totally goofed last week. I forgot the boys had an extra swim day and didn’t pack a swim suit. Thankfully my husband was working from home and only 5 minutes from school. It was a good reminder to double check school calendars and schedules before leaving.
3. Set an Alarm to Call the Kids
Another goof on my part last week… I was in California, totally different time zone. The first night we had an event that went late. I tried calling the kids to say good night at 9pm, well it was 11pm there time and asleep.
I made sure to set an alarm to remember to call them each night. We do try to Skype bedtime routines when possible. It makes the time away a little less painful.
4. Try to Enjoy Yourself
I admit, I have this problem of not wanting to leave my kids. I love them, and DO enjoy time away from them but as I mentioned, 4 kids is a lot. I know when I leave it is someone else who has to take on the stress and responsibility that I typically do.
If you are going to travel, taking time to enjoy the “me time” is critical. Worrying about your kids every minute isn’t healthy or productive. Use the trip to do something for yourself that you typically can’t do. Make the best of it!
5. Bring Home a Souvenir
Maybe it was a bad habit to start, but it’s worth the effort because I know that it’s hard for the kids to adjust when I’m away. Every time I head home from a trip, I bring them a little something (and I always buy a Starbucks mug from each city I’m in.)
This doesn’t have to be much, i’ve brought home candy bars before. It’s just a simple reminder for them to know that I am thinking about them while I am gone.
Kids and Separation Disorder
I will mention this since I’ve gone thru this with multiple kids. When I return from trips, I’ve had kids upset with me and in their sadness have stopped talking to me or clung to their dad – refusing to show me affection. It was AWFUL, and has happened several times.
This feeling the kids were going thru did go away. It took a few days with giving that child extra attention. This is definitely the most sucky part of being a traveling working mom.
You Can Do This Mom!
I know traveling and working is hard and I’m so thankful my trips are few in comparison to some.?You can do this, mom. Plan, enjoy and remember the kids a little something and all will be fine.
