Omni Las Colinas
Irving, Texas
Architect: Mitchell Garman
Aquatic Designer/Consultant: Counsilman-Hunsaker
Landscape Architect: Studio Outside
Pool/Spa/Waterfeature Contractor: Gold Medal Pools
Builder: Batson-Cook
Civil Engineering: Pacheco Koch
Charles Davis Smith
Hometown Getaway
For this resort pool, it wouldn’t be sufficient to entertain the business and leisure travelers who lodged there. The owners also wanted it to help generate local traffic into the bar and entertainment areas on the property, converting local citizens into regular customers.
Visitors are easily drawn in with a pool that overlooks Lake Carolyn, along with a hot tub, hospitality pavilion that includes bars and cabanas and dining/entertainment areas. The space also includes three event lawns, game courts, fire pits with seating, and a leisure garden to stage entertainment and games.
To attract locals, the landscape architect included a pathway along the lake, which links to the hotel. This provides nearby residents with a scenic trail to walk, which also leads to the outdoor bar, restaurant and other amenities.
For inspiration, the designers looked to the hotel’s existing Burmese design, while also integrating touches that were decidedly Texas, such as limestone, native plant materials and local architectural flourishes. All amounted to a modern, clean aesthetic.
For privacy, the pool cabanas needed to be shielded from the lobby. A custom-designed screen with large and small cut-outs helps preserve the privacy of guests on both sides, while adding visual interest and allowing light to the space.
To make the most of the area, the team strategically located the pool along the edge of Lake Carolyn and condensed the hospitality pavilion into a “linear spine.” This streamlined the space required for the pool, recreation and leisure areas.