Some hotels are simply built, while others seem to grow from the spirit of a place. Hotel Drover makes its presence known well before guests reach its doors. A majestic promenade, lined with painted horse statues and anchored by Fort Worth\u2019s historic mule barns, frames Mule Alley\u2019s crown jewel.<\/p>\n
On a recent evening, lively chatter and music echoed from the hotel\u2019s spacious backyard as locals braved the lingering heat to mingle as part of the Backyard Unplugged series, which runs on weekend evenings.<\/p>\n
The Drover team busily handed out cowboy hat-shaped fans as Spirit Night celebrated the return of TCU with purple-tinged cocktails like Riff Ram (our pick that evening), Super Frog, and Spirit Splash. A lively pair of singer-songwriters alternated between ballads and uptempo numbers while shoppers perused Tucker Brown apparel.<\/p>\n
As Hotel Drover celebrates five years in the Stockyards<\/a>, the milestone is being marked by continued investment in the resort and guest experience. In addition to launching a special anniversary room offer<\/a>, Hotel Drover and 97 West Kitchen & Bar are making a multimillion-dollar investment in resort enhancements, including an expanded Pour Horse bar and additional seating along the outdoor drink rail overlooking Marine Creek.<\/p>\n Balancing luxury hospitality with a community gathering place has been central to Hotel Drover from the beginning, Stockyards Heritage Development Co. COO Kristin Assad tells PaperCity.<\/p>\n \u201cOur goal was to make Hotel Drover the living room of Fort Worth,\u201d she says. \u201cThe hotel was designed to be very approachable and something for everyone, and I believe we\u2019ve been successful in achieving that.\u201d<\/p>\n A sculpted, welded cowboy greets guests at Hotel Drover. (Courtesy of Hotel Drover) Long before Majestic Realty partnered with the Hickman family to revitalize the area, Holt Hickman dreamed of building a luxury hotel in the heart of the Stockyards, Assad says of the early vision that eventually helped shape the $240 million investment in the district.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was not a luxury hotel in Fort Worth that was anything like it,\u201d Assad says. \u201cThe idea was to fill that void by creating an anchor here in the district, centering it, and building all the restaurants and retail around it. We wanted our hotel to be truly authentic and respectful of the heritage.\u201d<\/p>\n As the hotel took shape from 2018 to 2021, the planning team described the 160,000-square-foot property as a \u201cranch home,\u201d with spaces designed to feel like welcoming rooms in a private residence. The fruits of those early discussions and renderings are clear today, from the lobby\u2019s sprawling library to event spaces that make use of reclaimed barn wood. The hotel now hosts as many as 100 weddings and roughly 550 private events a year.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re inviting people into our \u2018home\u2019 as guests,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s how we tried to approach it, and there\u2019s nothing like it in Fort Worth or Dallas.\u201d<\/p>\n 97 West Kitchen & Bar was designed around \u201cfamiliar flavors prepared exceptionally well,\u201d with distinctly Texan dishes served in the heart of Hotel Drover. (Photo by Hotel Drover) An early 2021 opening meant sourcing materials and recruiting workers during a pandemic \u2014 all while introducing locals to a new level of luxury in Fort Worth. Recognition soon followed, with Hotel Drover earning the No. 1 spot among Dallas-Fort Worth hotels in Travel + Leisure\u2019s World\u2019s Best Awards in 2022, 2024, and 2025. The hotel also earned Michelin Keys in 2024 and 2025 and has been Great Place to Work certified since 2023.<\/p>\n The inaugural year saw the launch of now-established Hotel Drover traditions, from Easter in The Backyard to the 12 Days of Drover that kicks off every winter with the Legendary Tree Lighting. Assad recalls the \u201camazing energy\u201d of those first weeks and months, adding that it was \u201cheartwarming to see the approval from locals, city officials, and everyone here celebrating the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n Dignitary visits, A-list celebrity events, and pop culture moments tied to the luxe retreat have regularly made their way into PaperCity coverage over the past five years. From the 2022 Yellowstone Season 5 red-carpet premiere<\/a> to Parker McCollum\u2019s recent music video<\/a> and a visit from Her Imperial Highness, Princess Takamado of Japan<\/a>, Hotel Drover has emerged as a backdrop for some of Fort Worth\u2019s most memorable cultural moments.<\/p>\n Taylor Sheridan helped put Hotel Drover on a national stage when the resort hosted the star-studded Yellowstone Season 5 premiere celebration in 2022. (Photo by Hotel Drover)<\/p>\n Alexie Estrada, Area Director of Marketing for Hotel Drover, tells us that hosting the premiere of Yellowstone\u2019s fifth season was a \u201ctruly all-hands effort\u201d that showcased the luxury retreat\u2019s ability to host a major entertainment event. Estrada was only months into her role during that especially memorable fall.<\/p>\n \u201cWithin a matter of weeks, we hosted a high-profile gala and draw party for the Women\u2019s Tennis Association, the Lone Star Film Festival Gala honoring Taylor Sheridan, Ryan Bingham, LaMonica Garrett, and then, that Sunday, the Yellowstone Season 5 premiere celebration. Looking back five years later, it was one of those early moments that demonstrated the impact these experiences could have in elevating Hotel Drover and Fort Worth on a national stage.\u201d<\/p>\n Visit Fort Worth\u2019s president and CEO, Mitch Whitten, says Hotel Drover, which has hosted around 420,000 overnight guests over five years, has become a defining force in Fort Worth\u2019s growing national profile<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHotel Drover has achieved another milestone in Fort Worth\u2019s rising national profile. Just like Dickies Arena has done for music, Drover has put a modern face on our western story and captured the imagination of visitors from around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n Hotel Drover has hosted more than 450 weddings since opening in 2021, with as many as 100 couples tying the knot at the luxe Stockyards retreat each year. (Photo by Hotel Drover) As we recently learned over lunch with members of the Hotel Drover and Stockyards team, things are about to get busy along East Exchange Avenue. Stocktoberfest<\/a> runs September 18 through 20 at 131 East Exchange Avenue, featuring $6 steins of Karbach lagers and special events, while Wild West Wine Fest on September 26 caps off Hotel Drover\u2019s Backyard Unplugged<\/a> season.<\/p>\n We\u2019re excitedly counting down the days until the return of Fashion Week Stockyards Style<\/a>. The October event showcases the best in local fashion \u2014 all based in Mule Alley, of course \u2014 through trunk shows, sip-and-shop events, and a thrilling runway show on Saturday, October 3. Hotel Drover\u2019s Annual Legendary Tree Lighting then kicks off the holiday season in late November with a tree lighting and visits with Cowboy Santa.<\/p>\n
\nThe Vision Behind Hotel Drover<\/p>\n
\nFive Years of National Awards, Galas, and Red Carpet Premieres<\/p>\n
\nThe Next Chapter for Hotel Drover and the Stockyards<\/p>\n