Just because you’re going to Dallas doesn’t mean you have to stay at one of the big chain hotels. Hotel ZaZa is, if you can believe it, a bit of the south of France, transplanted to the south-central United States. It’s a conceit that seems difficult to carry off, but in this case it certainly works, resulting in one of Dallas’s most extraordinary hotels. The oversized guest rooms are individually decorated, all in a plush and urbane style, with chic contemporary furnishings and luxe amenities like king beds, Italian linens and sprawling bathrooms with whirlpool tubs and separate rain showers. It’s the concept suites, though, that have made the ZaZa uptown Dallas’s hottest hotel. Each is decorated after a different theme, from Far East (Japanese Zen) to the Cuban-style West Indies to the Texas Suite, complete with cowhide-print upholstery. The ZaZa suite is the flagship, some two thousand square feet of Parisian luxury. And if that’s not enough, there’s the Magnificent Seven — seven palatial residential suites with private kitchens, perfect for entertaining. The Dragonfly restaurant and Poolside Bar are among the Uptown area’s top spots, featuring on the one hand the cuisine of Chef Dan Landsberg and on the other an al fresco garden atmosphere with a view of the Dallas skyline. Meeting and conference facilities cater to the discerning business traveler, while the ZaSpa offers beauty and spa treatments to leisure guests. The best of Dallas nightlife and entertainment are at your doorstep, with the ZaZa’s concierge only too happy to oblige with a recommendation.