Written by: Cindy N’Kele, Foreign Fresh Fierce @foreign_fresh_fierce
I am excited to share with you another Texas staycation location right here in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex! If you were following me last month, you might have remembered the staycation I did in collaboration with Visit Plano. I shared all the fun things you can do, see and eat in Plano as well as having an upscale experience. Check out my review of how our two day staycation went.
GETTING TO PLANO
Plano is located north of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. It is away from the big cities but still a fun destination city all in itself. From those out of state, there are two airports that can get you to Plano that are of equal distance – Dallas Love Field airport (DAL) and Dallas/Fort Worth International airport (DFW). There are other smaller airports which you can find a list of them here. If you have your own private plane, a very tiny single runway airport can be found in Plano called Air-Park Dallas Airport across from Willow Bend Mall. They have some cool abandon planes but the runway can be used as well.
When you are in Plano, you can already sense the upscale atmosphere as you drive through the city. So many restaurants and shopping areas to choose from making it the perfect destination to have an upscale staycation in the DFW metroplex. One thing that you do not have to worry about in Plano is parking. Unlike other major cities, there are free parking throughout the city.
WHERE TO STAY for a PLANO staycation
Plano has different hotels to stay in the city. However, the perfect upscale hotel to stay at, especially for a staycation, is the Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel! This was the first time I have stayed at a Renaissance hotel and I enjoyed every minute of our stay. This beautiful artsy hotel is located in Legacy West district of Plano. Legacy West is a shopping district with many food and shopping options so you are in walking distance of everything that you need.
When you first walk in the Renaissance hotel, you cannot help but notice the East meets Texas decor. It has an Asian flare with touches of Texas culture too. It is very luxury in style that also has an excellent Covid protocol. Masks are required throughout the property and is carefully followed by not only the guests but the employees too. There are hand sanitizer stations throughout the hotel especially at every elevator which is nice.
Though their bars are closed due to Covid, there is still an option at their Bistro for coffee, breakfast and other snacks and drinks. Our room was on the 15th floor and was so beautiful and luxurious. This was one of the most spacious contemporary style rooms I had stayed in. We stayed in one of my favorite styles of hotel rooms – a corner room where the walls were floor to ceiling windows on each side of the corner. We enjoyed beautiful fiery sunsets each evening. The bathroom was very modern. There were different colorful lighting to change depending on your mood. Renaissance also provided black robes which I loved vs getting a traditional white robe. Just added to the luxuriousness.
My other favorite feature of the Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel is their rooftop pool. Located on the 3rd floor, they have a really big pool area with plenty of lounge chairs so you can socially distance. They have limited the amount capacity in the pool to help with social distancing as well. At the time, when we visited the temperature was perfect with a slight cool breeze. One thing that is nice is their pool is heated so even if the outside temperature may not be the best of pool weather, you have their heated pool and hot tub to soak and enjoy.
LEGACY WEST PLANO
As I mentioned, Legacy West is a part of Plano that is has so many options for dining, shopping and beauty services. It is a newer part of Plano and one of my favorite areas. Every time I come here it gives me Miami’s Lincoln Road Mall vibes. I love that fact that they have nice jazzy music playing through this strip that you can enjoy while you browse and shop the street. You can do everything from shop at Sephora, Victoria’s Secrets, shop local shops such as Neighborhood Goods, Filson and Johnny Was.
We first began our staycation with eating on Tommy Bahama. I have heard of the store but when it first opened in Legacy West I was excited to hear that there was a restaurant too. If you are for a tropical dining options, this is your place. All the drinks have a tropical flare even something as simple as a glass of orange juice. We had the Filet Mignon Flatbread as an appetizer, Mahi Mahi fish tacos and Parmesan Crusted Sanibel Chicken.
If you wanting a more informal place to eat, then head to Legacy Food Hall. This European style Food Hall hosts over 20 places to eat which is perfect for families or groups of friends that all want something different to eat. Everyone can order what they want and then eat together indoors, rooftop or outdoors where there is a tv and stage for live entertainment.
For happy hour, check out Kai Legacy an Asian inspired restaurant with their super cute super chic contemporary rooftop lounge area. Or you can have cocktails and then dinner at Haywire next to Legacy Food Hall. We had dinner here and the food was really good. At this 3 level restaurant, you can enjoy some amazing views of Legacy West rooftop. We had the Herbed Chicken and Bourbon Meatloaf – highly recommend.
It is a great spot for a evening stroll. They have an amazing gelateria called Amorino. I first had Amorino in Milan 2 years ago and loved it. Amorino is known for their flower/rose gelato where the ice cream cone you get is not your normal ball on top of a cone but they make it in a flower something that Italians take pride in and happy to see that they are continuing the tradition right here in Plano.
Enjoy your dessert while watching the water show at the fountains at the center of Legacy West. If you ever been to Caesar Palace in Las Vegas, they are know for their big spectacular water show. Legacy West has one too but on a smaller scale that is still very pretty to water at night.
THE SHOPS AT LEGACY PLANO
Another great place for shopping and dining is right across from Legacy West which is The Shops at Legacy. You could technically walk to the Shops at Legacy from the Renaissance Legacy West Hotel. Our next day we started off our day by having breakfast at the Main Street Bistro & Bakery. This cute little bakery gave me all the French vibes. This bistro is indeed inspired by Paris so you can definitely enjoy your French eats such as croissants and crepes. We enjoyed the Deluxe Breakfast Croissant and the Spanish Omelet. There cappuccino was very good and they use Italian imported coffee Segafredo Zanetti.
For lunch we ate at Mexican Sugar. This was hands down the best Mexican restaurant I have eaten. So good after the staycation we ate at it again the next day at a location closer to my home. If you like Paella which is like the Spanish version of a seafood risotto, then definitely ordered this. It is sooo good and I crave it all the time. We also tried some thing new called the Arepas which was really good too. The drinks were excellent too.
THE WOODHOUSE DAY SPA
After breakfast, I got a little pampering and we to The Woodhouse Day Spa which is also at The Shops of Legacy. This day pass offers different treatments for both men and women. The treatment I chose was a facial but not any type of facial but their signature facial- Minkyti Facial. This combines organic seaweed, along with a unique original massage throughout the facial. I loved the little hand, foot and shoulder massages throughout the whole process. The perfect staycation add-on!
I was so relaxed and my skin felt so soft and smooth like butter. It definitely hydrated my skin which it needed. The techs wear masks during the treatment. In the waiting room, they offer different beverages for you to sip on before and after your treatment. Their mimosa was very good! I definitely plan on going back for another treatment.
HISTORIC DOWNTOWN PLANO
Like any city, Plano has a historic downtown as well that is fun to check out. Downtown Plano’s vibe is what you would typically see in an Texas town but with some modern flares. They have the traditional red brick buildings that hosts different bars, restaurants and local shops to visit.
There is live music in this area by the train tracks. So if you live in Dallas, you can actually take the Dart Rail to this part of Plano. One of my favorite spots to eat is Urban Crust. They have some of the best pizza and drinks and they have rooftop seating as well. You also visit the train museum called the Interurban Railway Museum. Though the museum is closed due to Covid, you can still see the train and learn about some history. it is located in the middle of a park.. Across the street visit Georgia’s Farmers Market as well for fresh local produce.
I hope this post gets you excited to visit Plano, Texas real soon in the near future. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me via Instagram direct message. If your are a tourism board and you would like me to visit your city to review, please email me at info@foreignfreshfierce.com.
*Sponsored Post: This post was sponsored but all thoughts and feelings expressed were 100% my own without any outside influences.
Photo credit: Nancy N’Kele
