The first hotel in Flower Mound, the Courtyard Marriott at Riverwalk opened on Sept. 29. The first hotel in Flower Mound, the Courtyard Marriott at Riverwalk opened on Sept. 29. It features 137 rooms including The Bistro — the signature restaurant of the Marriott Courtyard — an indoor pool, gym, meeting space and a “state of the art” lobby with complimentary wifi.
“If you have a house with two bedrooms, your entire family can’t stay there,” Junior Addy Butler said. “I think having a hotel is good.” Room rates can fluctuate from $110 to $175, depending on the day of week and time in the month.
“We’re in an interesting spot with competitor rates because we compete with Lewisville and Grapevine,” director of sales Jennifer Noble said. “If you shop the Grapevine market, their rates are considerably higher.”
The hotel has been in development for at least three years, and was delayed for one year. It was initially scheduled to open on Sept. 15 but opened on Sept. 29. Construction and financing delays and discussion with the town over building a parking garage all caused setbacks. After an agreement with the city, the parking garage is now under construction and scheduled to be complete by March 2018.
One of the main features of the hotel is the 6,000 sq. ft. of event and meeting space. Schools have already inquired about their prom and other activities taking place in the space. Marriott anticipates having an event every weekend. It features a 5,000 sq. ft. ballroom, something not normally seen in Courtyard hotels.
“Usually hotel ballrooms have tall ceilings, but not like this,” Noble said. “This is really unique.” The chandeliers, various light fixtures, doors and trim were all custom made for the hotel. “[The meeting space] is designed with flexibility in mind, so we can handle a variety of different groups,” Noble said. “We’re not just in the wedding business — [we do] corporate meetings, association groups, churches, schools — you name it.”
Among other notable features are the fitness center and the Bistro. The fitness center includes treadmills equipt with TV screens and radios. Upon entering, guests are offered water bottles, towels and complimentary earbuds, all neatly organized.
The Bistro is a fast casual restaurant with a gourmet touch, open mornings and evenings. Breakfast items range from acai bowls, egg omelets, french toast and avocado toast among other meals. It’s described as “classic comfort with a twist”. Dessert options include a dark chocolate salted caramel cookies and carrot cake. They also offer Starbucks drinks.
As for the Riverwalk, Noble says the Marriott will serve as an anchor for the development, and progress on other buildings “should follow suit soon.” The hotel is located adjacent to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital.
“It’s helpful for those who are around the hospital,” English teacher, Lauran Popp said. “If your loved one is in the hospital, you could just go over to the hotel.” A grand opening to the public is scheduled for November with a formal announcement coming in the next few weeks.
“[Town residents are] welcome to come and stay. They’re welcome to come and take advantage of the Bistro, the Starbucks,” Noble said. “We look forward to getting to know the residents here and just being part of the community.”
