My family and I enjoyed a holiday staycation to celebrate the start of the kids’ winter break and my husband’s milestone birthday. Now in its second holiday season offered, the 12 Days of Drover is a unique, elevated holiday experience exclusive to all overnight Hotel Drover guests to enjoy holiday activations featuring live reindeer, photos with Cowboy Santa, a festive hot cocoa station, boozy hot cocoa for grownups, and fire roasted s’mores tucked away in The Backyard.
Opened in March 2021, Hotel Drover is a new(ish) luxury Autograph Collection hotel by Marriott in downtown Fort Worth. This stunning hotel is built in the middle of the revamped Mule Alley in the Fort Worth Stockyards and Marine Creek. Mule Alley is now filled with shops, upscale saloons, new breweries and restaurants, the beautiful Hotel Drover, and Tannahills Music Hall. The area sparkles with lights at night, and the Hotel Drover neon pop cowboy lassos you into its modern Fort Worth ambiance and design.
In December, The Backyard at Hotel Drover transforms into an intimate, rustic-luxe, Western winter wonderland filled with twinkling lights and elegant family holiday experiences during the 12 Days of Drover. As you wander through the stunning patio dripping with Christmas lights, a charming courtyard with a massive Christmas tree welcomes you. Past the lit oak trees, the outdoor covered bar and heated pool, you’ll make your way to The Backyard where the holiday magic awaits.
Highlights from our holiday experience at the 12 Days Of Drover:
Decadent Hot Cocoa
A beautiful hot cocoa station with all the festive fixings made with real hot chocolate, real rich whipped cream, chocolate shavings, sprinkles, and marshmallows.
Deluxe S’Mores and Fire Pits
An elevated s’mores station serving up bags filled with all the goodies and supplies you’d need to roast s’mores at the fire pits, followed by a self-serve candy bar tower if s’mores aren’t your thing. For adults, there is a coffee truck serving up boozy hot cocoa.
Take your s’mores kit and grab a seat and gather around the cozy fire pits to roast your marshmallows, enjoy your cup of cocoa and take it all in.
Photos with Cowboy Santa
Cowboy Santa makes an appearance each night during the 12 Days of Drover for complimentary photos and a chance to visit and pet real reindeer. Cowboy Santa did a great job of posing for photos in a stylish branded sleigh while interacting with kids.
Traveller Tip: Be sure to scan the QR code immediately after your photo is taken so you can access and download your photos for a keepsake souvenir of your visit!
Christmas carolers provided fun, lively musical entertainment throughout the night.
Dining at 97 West Kitchen & Bar
We celebrated my husband’s milestone birthday with a dinner reservation at the hotel’s on-site restaurant 97 West Kitchen and Bar. We dined outside on the patio overlooking the lushly lit backyard and the creek where we could still hear the carlors singing just steps away from our table. I ordered the pecan smoked salmon served with a purple potato puree, while John had the grilled ribeye with fingerling potato hash and we all shared a family fixin’ of fried brussels sprouts with pork belly burnt ends cooked in Round Rock Honey and an apple cider vinaigrette. Our dishes paired well with the Pinot Noir. The kids were easy and ordered the kids Mac & Cheese and the 97 Texas Burger.
We finished with John’s birthday dessert, a 97 West chocolate ganache cake sent from the kitchen. Thank you chef!
Chocolate Ganache birthday cake from 97 West
Christmas Moments Throughout the Property
As stunning as the Hotel Drover already is, they take it up a notch with their Christmas installations and holiday moments (aka instagrammable moments) throughout the property. The installations are modern and witty, rustic and luxe, and subtly branded with the hotel’s stylish logo design. The best time to enjoy the grounds and explore the property and amenities is early in the mornings before guests show up and go about their day.
Front Courtyard
Lobby Library Display
An assortment of children’s Christmas books are available in lobby areas
Lobby Fireplace
Elevator Moment
Back Patio
Bar Patio
Extras
I love hotels that go the extra mile and offer extras to make your stay memorable and inspiring. Hotel Drover was designed with the whole family in mind. The Lil Ropers package add-on makes your child’s stay at Hotel Drover in the Fort Worth Stockyards extra legendary.
LIL ROPERS*
– Traveling with a Lil Roper Includes –
Child size robe & stool in-room (Upon Request)
Plush Horse Companion
Drover Style Wild Rag
Library of books and games
Family concierge with local recommendations for kids of all ages
Children’s menu at 97 West Kitchen & Bar
*Contact concierge for package pricing.
In conclusion, the service, staff, well-appointed rooms and amenities, and overall experience at Hotel Drover was superb. Staying during the 12 Days of Drover made it even more festive and memorable. I look forward to making this an annual holiday staycation tradition with my family. If you’re looking for a special, intimate, and unique experience to celebrate the holidays, this is it!
I enjoyed our stay at this hotel so much that I will have to write an entirely separate post on the amenities itself.
There are still several dates of 12 Days Of Drover packages available! To book your stay:
Photo: Hotel Drover website
Stay between Tuesday, December 13 and Saturday, December 24 to enjoy 12 Days of Drover, open only to overnight Hotel Drover guests and patrons of 97 West Kitchen & Bar. Book the 12 Days of Drover special package to enjoy rooms starting at $399 on select dates plus four tickets to first annual Stockyards Rodeo Rink AND $100 resort credit (USD) redeemable in the New Year.
Featured dates for rooms starting at $399 include Tuesday, December 13 and Sunday, December 18 – Wednesday, December 21. Blackout dates apply and rates subject to change at any time. Book HERE
Merry Christmas!