Written by: Diana Laskaris & Sue Reddel of foodtravelist.com. Follow @FoodTravelist for their travel journeys. 

Accommodations are an important part of any travel experience. We’ve had positive experiences staying at other Renaissance properties. That’s why we were excited to get a chance to stay at the Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel. For us, quiet rooms for a good night’s sleep, a convenient location, and a comfortable environment are the basic requirements. But, of course, we’re happy when we get more. And our recent stay at the Renaissance in Plano offered us a whole lot more. In fact, it was one of the favorite parts of our stay.

Disclaimer: Our trip to Plano and our stay at the Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel was sponsored by Visit Plano. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly our own based on our experience.

Sometimes we just use our hotel as a place to sleep, maybe as a launching off point for visiting more interesting parts of a destination. But while we enjoyed all of the fun we had exploring Plano, the Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel was just as much a part of the fun as anywhere else we visited around the destination.

East Meets West

The first thing we noticed at the hotel was the blending of the western cowboy and Asian aesthetics. It’s fun exploring creatively used artifacts that highlight this “West of Zen” approach. We encountered branding irons hanging from the ceiling of the Whiskey Moon bar, which also holds a huge selection of both Texan and Asian whiskeys.

Birdcages hang from the ceiling of the signature restaurant OMA, which offers intriguing fusion dishes. Walls featuring origami Texas longhorns or blue and white china plates add to the ambiance.  The owners of the hotel blend their Asian heritage with the Renaissance approach of embracing local culture in a fun and interesting way. We continued discovering new features throughout our stay.

Punch Ceremony

The Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel is much more interactive than many hotels. The idea is for you not just to enjoy your stay at the hotel, but to get involved with it in a fun way. One unique way they help you do that is with a “Punch Ceremony” that happens at 6 pm sharp each weekday. This ritual begins with a guest banging a big gong to call the guests to attention. Then, one of the talented mixologists assembles a unique punch drink that the hotel guests can taste. It’s different every day. We tried two of them, one was a hearty coffee-infused tummy warmer, while the other was a fruity gin potion that felt like a cool sea breeze. It was a super fun way to usher in the evening. And, if truth be told, Sue loved banging the gong.

Amenities Aplenty

We spend a lot of time galavanting around during our travels. But we love to know that there are amenities waiting for us when we can take time to use them. The Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel really shines when it comes to all those “extras.” They help you relax and enjoy yourself.

One of the places we liked scoping out is the pool area. This one is huge. It has a great view of the city, tons of seating and tables, and even some of those loungers built into the pool where you can kind of hang out and cool yourself off in the water without getting up. We know, it’s kind of indulgent – but we love that! One evening we even saw a party going on in the pool area. We kind of crashed just to check it out, and the guests looked like they were having a ball. Why not, it’s a great space!

In addition to the Whiskey Moon bar and OMA restaurant, there is the Texas Teahouse & Market for your grab and go needs. Its fun decor includes teapot lighting fixtures and mugs dangling from the ceilings. The Legacy Salon also offers a stylish little nook to hang out or have a meeting. On a weekend evening, we also sat and listened to live music while a few local artisans displayed their products in the lobby. We love to support the locals and thought this added a lovely way to connect with them.

There’s also an ample gym loaded with lots of space and equipment for burning off those extra calories from the great food and punch ceremony you’ll want to experience at the hotel.

Club Level Luxury

Sometimes we love to be extra pampered when we’re traveling. A great way to splurge at the Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel is with a room that provides access to the club lounge. Here during weekdays, you’ll experience delicious breakfasts, afternoon treats and happy hour appetizers.

We were surprised to learn that much the food is actually made right there. The smoothies, jams and even the muffins were made fresh in-house, and we could taste the difference! We also used the refrigerated goodies, coffee and tea that are available all day to grab & go. Hours vary on the weekends but you can get breakfast any day.

Roomy Rooms

Of course, all of the amenities and common areas are important. But when it comes to the ultimate test, the rooms are where it counts most. The Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel offers a lot in this department too. Our room was comfortably large and, most important to us, very quiet. We used it as an oasis from time to time when we returned from visiting attractions around town. We also loved the ability to make the room as cool as we wanted. As women of a certain age, we tend to like things cooler, so we appreciate it when a hotel gives us the ability to chill out, literally.

Awesome Bathroom

Now, some people don’t care much about the bathroom in a hotel so long as it is clean. But we kind of get a kick out of other things that make a bathroom stand out. And we have to say that the Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel hit this one out of the park. The bathroom was roomy, super clean, and loaded with towels. We are also fans of Aveda products.

But also…wait for it…the shower had controllable mood lighting! Yes, indeed. This is one of the most fun perks we have discovered. Instead of getting up at the crack of dawn to an interrogation grade light in the shower, you can choose to light to help you relax, energize or otherwise suit your mood with different colors. It’s a fun treat you can adjust whenever you take a shower.  And it probably has more impact than we think. All we know is that we used it and loved it.

Service with a Smile

Location, Location, Location

Of course one of the most important aspects of any stay is the location of your hotel. Plano, like everything in Texas, is big. So choosing where to stay depends a lot on what you plan to do, how you’ll get around and what kind of environment you like. For us, the Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel turned out to be ideal. There are several areas in Plano filled with clusters of shopping and restaurants. We found ourselves coming back time and again for experiences located in the Legacy West and The Shops at Legacy areas.

Being at the Renaissance meant that we could easily walk to several of the spots on our “must-do” list. The hotel is located right off the freeway so if you’re looking to explore Historic Downtown Plano Arts District it’s an easy 20-minute drive to get there. But we spent a day downtown and enjoyed great food, art, and attractions, be sure to check it out.  Overall, we were glad for our stay in the Legacy West area because it was very convenient for many of the restaurants and attractions we planned for our visit.

Great Place to Stay

We’ll just put it out there that we think the Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel is a great place to stay. There were more amenities than we could even try. The menu at OMA looked amazing, but our food dance card was full. Just hanging out at Whiskey Moon for awhile with the other guests would have been fun. And swimming in the pool, lazing in the hot tub or working out in the gym was just not in the cards this time. So, basically, it looks like we’ll have to come back for another visit to get the full experience. That’s not something you hear us say often about a hotel. And it’s why we can easily recommend the Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel to you whenever you’re visiting Plano.

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Be sure to check out their Ultimate List of Tasty Restaurants in Plano Texas too!