Let's Mess With Texas
[Editor's Note: Hotel Maven bbayne is back with a look at a couple hotels in the Lone Star State. He gives us the background story on two Texas hotels that make his heart grow fonder.]
Ben Carpenter was a young WW II lieutenant stationed there with the 124th Calvary. Their mission was to free Burma from Japanese occupation. As part of the 75th Infantry Battalion (idolized in the 1962 Jeff Chandler movie "Merrill's Marauders"), Texan Carpenter earned a Silver Star for gallantry in action. During his time there, he developed a keen appreciation of the art and culture of Burma, which is reflected in the Omni Mandalay at Las Colinas in Irving.
Ben Carpenter and his son John set out to build this property in 1983. Its fountains, artwork, and gardens reflect the splendor of the Mandalay memorialized in the Kipling poem "The Road to Mandalay". Set in the quiet corner of a financial center that is home to Exxon/Mobil and Nokia, this hotel is as ideal for a conference as a solo guest. Courteous doorman greet you on exit and entrance. Towering rooms boast generous windows that bring in the space and skyline of Dallas.
It all started in Mandalay(don't all roads lead there)? There, a Texan war hero received the inspiration for an American hotel- Dallas' Omni Mandalay. That's right, this place is a ho' down, Burmese style.
What's swank? The charm and Italian cuisine of Trevi's, the flower beds and tropical plants on the grounds, the gondola rides on Lake Carolyn, and the singing piano player on the lobby level. Aperitif is a cozy but classy bar with a t.v. for sports buffs, and we know Texas is full of high school football lovin' dudes.
The suites are appointed like luxury apartments- great view--umm, view of Texas that is, fashionable furnishings, plush bedding complete the room.
Across Lake Carolyn from the hotel, be sure to see the lifelike Mustangs sculpture at Williams Park, particularly at night. The horses appear to be running through a stream, so pack your camera. At this Omni, you'll be glad Ben Carpenter brought a bit of Burma to Texas, and that you parked it here.
Related Stories:
· Omni Mandalay Texas Reviews [TripAdvisor]
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