How would your holiday season improve if you could score chef-created turkey and dressing without lifting a finger?

For the past five months, I’ve lived in a spare hotel next to the Dallas County Appraisal District offices during which I “celebrated” July 4, Labor Day, Halloween, and now Thanksgiving. While I have a kitchen in my 300 square feet, it’s hardly a “cook’s dream,” nor is there room service and only weekly cleaning. It’s a sacrifice I was willing to make to secure my Penthouse Plunge project. But I will be quite relieved to move into my half of the Penthouse on December 3.

All this got me thinking of the best way to spend a holiday rife with huge cooking expectations. The answer was to outsource it. Fire-up the room service menu and order in. In Dallas’ tony hotel/condo projects, I daresay you could send recipes and be rewarded with all your favorites, complete with place settings, without ever having to run a dishwasher. I mean the fridge would still be full – you don’t want to pay hotel booze prices – but that’s a small detail in the grand scheme.

In this crème de la turkey category there are the Ritz Residences and The Mansion on Turtle Creek Residences. Units in both will cost you a bundle of cabbage but at least they’ll also cook it and deliver it.

A Holiday at The Mansion is an Unforgettable One

Currently, there is just one unit available at The Mansion Residences. Unit 7W has great downtown views in addition to its 4,128 square feet of space. Marketed by Pogir Pogir from Briggs Freeman, for a dollar less than $3 million, this home has three bedrooms with five full and one-half bathrooms. That’s plenty of space for a few tearful relations to escape to after Grandpa says something (racist, misogynistic, homophobic, religious, political) that everyone knew he would.

In addition to the Mansion room service, one cool thing about the Residences is how they’re constructed. Nearly all high-rises run plumbing under the floor and through the ceilings of the unit below. This makes moving plumbing laborious if not impossible to relocate. The Mansion Residences have raised floors where plumbing is kept inside each unit’s control.

The kitchen is 20 feet long with plenty of space to cook or assemble your room service order. Note the herringbone floors in the main living and dining areas continues here. As someone who’s recently had floors installed, I know that at double the cost of materials and labor, it was out of my budget.

And while not part of the “party circuit” of most homes, I do love this closet. It’s like a classic Savile Row tailor’s showroom. I know it might be too masculine for most women, the master suite has two full his-and-hers bathrooms with requisite closets. Since the ladies’ side always gets the press, I’m happy to show an equally tricked-out men’s side.

Of course, there’s tons more to see in this unit (full listing here), but we’ve got a unit at the Ritz Residences to see.

A Little Bit (Hill) Country; A Little Bit Ritz-And-Roll

I am definitely spoiled for choise at the Ritz Residences. Coincidentally, there are five units for sale in Tower 1 and eight in Tower 2 (one under contract). For those not committed to buying, there are three units for rent between the buildings ranging from $7,000 to $10,000 per month.

The most “bang for your buck” is found in Tower 2’s unit 205. No, it’s not a high floor, but not everyone likes the nose-bleed section like me.  It’s a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit with 1,753 square feet listed with Compass’ Missy Woehr for $1.099 million.

I like this unit’s open floorplan that isn’t the easiest to find in more traditional buildings. This makes it perfect for holiday entertaining. The reason this listing is a “little country” can be seen in the more rustic lighting fixtures. Otherwise, it’s a classic Ritz kitchen with Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances.

The “country” is more clearly visible in the master bathroom with Austin stone walls, weathered copper sinks, and distressed woods. As you can see reflected in the mirror, there’s plenty of windows to bring light – something Ritz Residences do very well.

Ten floors up and over in Tower 1, there’s unit 1205, one of four units currently listed with Dave Perry-Miller’s Sharon Quist. It’s a 1,701-square-foot, two-bedroom unit with two full and one-half bathrooms listed at $1.449 million. The picture above shows why this unit is different. In addition to being another open concept design, the kitchen is not Ritz traditional.

Whether ordering in or cooking from scratch, there’s a ton of counter space in the C-shaped kitchen with center island and corner pantry. The slab-panel cabinets move away from the ubiquitous Shaker style allowing for a more unique look.

Guests will have plenty of places to look when uncle Steve breaks out that same story you’ve heard a thousand times before at every family gathering There are wrap-around views with patio to escape to along with a fireplace.

Were I in this price bracket the choices would be difficult, though I think I’d prefer the Ritz over The Mansion for one reason.  Since we’re talking about room service and entertaining, I am a big fan of Dean Fearing’s cooking and would love being treated to his well-seasoned and spicey creations at my literal doorstep. Of course if he ever returned to The Mansion, all bets are off.

---

Remember:  High-rises, HOAs and renovation are my beat. But I also appreciate modern and historical architecture balanced against the YIMBY movement. In 2016, 2017 and 2018, the National Association of Real Estate Editors recognized my writing with three Bronze (2016, 2017, 2018) and two Silver (2016, 2017) awards.  Have a story to tell or a marriage proposal to make?  Shoot me an email [email protected]. Be sure to look for me on Facebook and Twitter. You won’t find me, but you’re welcome to look.