
Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center
Best for families and lakefront leisure — choose Gaylord Texan for its seasonal Paradise Springs Water Park, indoor atriums and a wide variety of family dining and activities.
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Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center is a large, lakefront convention resort in Grapevine with indoor atriums, a seasonal water park and extensive meeting space — read this if you want a family-friendly resort with on-site activities and big-event capacity. Loews Arlington is a newer, upscale resort-style hotel in Arlington’s stadium/entertainment district — read this if you want close walking access to Globe Life Field, AT&T Stadium and nightlife for event or sports trips.
Updated · about 19–20 miles (≈30–32 km) apart

Best for families and lakefront leisure — choose Gaylord Texan for its seasonal Paradise Springs Water Park, indoor atriums and a wide variety of family dining and activities.

Best for event and sports travelers — choose Loews Arlington when you need easy walking access to Globe Life Field, AT&T Stadium and the Texas Live!/entertainment corridor.
When Gaylord Texan wins: If you want a resort anchored by Lake Grapevine with multi‑day family programming, a dedicated seasonal water park, indoor garden atriums and huge meeting or wedding ballrooms, Gaylord Texan is the stronger pick.
When Loews Arlington wins: If your priority is proximity to stadiums, walking access to Arlington’s entertainment district, a contemporary Loews hotel experience and a hotel with meeting-space scale closer to the arenas, Loews Arlington is the better option.
Bottom line: Both are large, upscale properties aimed at groups as well as leisure travelers. Pick Gaylord Texan for a lakefront, family‑friendly resort with on‑site attractions; pick Loews Arlington for location-first stays tied to stadiums, concerts and the Arlington entertainment corridor.
| Category | Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center | Loews Arlington |
|---|---|---|
| Overall vibe | Resort-scale, family-focused, lakefront convention resort with indoor atriums and seasonal water park. | Large, modern upscale hotel anchored in Arlington’s stadium/entertainment district with contemporary Loews service. |
| Location | Grapevine on the south shore of Lake Grapevine, minutes from DFW Airport and downtown Grapevine. | East Arlington, steps from Globe Life Field and a short walk to AT&T Stadium and Texas Live! entertainment. |
| Size (rooms) | About 1,814 guest rooms (including ~127 suites). | 888 guestrooms. |
| Target audience / age policy | All ages; family-focused (children welcome; kids up to 12 stay free in existing beds). | All ages; family- and event-friendly (not adults-only). |
| Pools & water features | Seasonal 10-acre Paradise Springs Water Park (lazy river, slides), outdoor pools and a year‑round indoor 20m heated lap pool. | Two outdoor pools and a waterslide; recreation focused but without a large seasonal water park. |
| Restaurants & bars | Multiple on-site restaurants and bars including Old Hickory Steakhouse, Zeppole, Riverwalk Cantina and poolside dining. | Five restaurants, 3 bars/lounges and 24‑hour room service; dining geared to hotel and stadium crowds. |
| Spa & wellness | Relâche Spa & Salon — full-service, ~25,000 sq ft with 12 treatment rooms and spa amenities. | Full-service spa offering massages and facials plus a 24‑hour fitness center. |
| Meeting & event space | Extremely large convention campus — hundreds of meeting rooms and more than 490,000 sq ft of flexible meeting/exhibit space (Longhorn Exhibition Hall etc.). | Extensive meeting space too — conference center with 75 meeting rooms and ~266,000 sq ft of conference space. |
| Signature amenity | Lakefront setting with indoor garden atriums and a seasonal water park reserved for overnight guests. | Walkable access to major stadiums and Arlington entertainment venues; large event footprint near arenas. |
| Airport proximity | About 6 miles from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). | Preferred airport: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW); roughly 13 miles from DFW (hotel listing). |
Gaylord Texan sits on the south shore of Lake Grapevine with easy access to Grapevine’s downtown, wineries and DFW Airport.
Choose Gaylord Texan if you want a lake setting and resort activities while staying reasonably close to DFW Airport.
Loews Arlington is located in the heart of Arlington’s stadium and entertainment corridor — steps from Choctaw Stadium and a short walk to Globe Life Field and AT&T Stadium.
Choose Loews Arlington if proximity to stadiums, concert venues and on-foot entertainment is your priority.
Gaylord Texan is a large resort with a wide variety of rooms and suites designed for family and group stays.
Gaylord’s scale and suite mix make it easier to find multi‑room or family configurations for larger groups.
Loews Arlington provides a modern hotel room inventory tailored to leisure and group travelers attending events.
Loews offers a contemporary guestroom experience with the scale to host large groups close to the stadiums.
Gaylord Texan offers a broad lineup of restaurants and bars across casual poolside, Italian, steakhouse and Tex‑Mex venues.
Gaylord provides more variety for families and resort stays, from casual poolside meals to a formal steakhouse.
Loews Arlington lists five restaurants, three bars/lounges and round‑the‑clock room service to serve guests and event crowds.
Loews centers dining on convenience, multiple on-site outlets and service for event attendees.
Gaylord Texan’s headline amenity is its seasonal Paradise Springs Water Park and year‑round indoor lap pool.
If on-site water attractions are a priority, Gaylord Texan’s water park and atrium pools make it the clear choice.
Loews Arlington offers multiple outdoor pools and a waterslide as part of its recreation offerings.
Loews provides solid pool recreation for downtime but not a large seasonal water-park complex.
Gaylord Texan supports wellness with a large full-service spa and 24-hour fitness plus nightlife options like Glass Cactus.
Gaylord balances full-service spa and family nightlife; some late-night venues are 21+.
Loews Arlington features a full-service spa, 24‑hour fitness center and bars suited to pre/post-event crowds.
Loews pairs spa and fitness offerings with immediate access to Arlington’s nightlife and event venues.

Gaylord Texan — seasonal Paradise Springs Water Park, indoor atrium pools and many family-oriented activities on site.

Loews Arlington — walking distance to Globe Life Field, AT&T Stadium and Texas Live!, ideal for sports and concert trips.

Gaylord Texan — significantly larger exhibit halls and meeting-square footage (including Longhorn Exhibition Hall and multiple ballrooms).

Loews Arlington — modern Loews design and a hotel layout optimized for event attendees and stadium crowds.
Gaylord Texan — its Paradise Springs Water Park, indoor lap pool, atriums and family dining make it a stronger pick for kids.
Loews Arlington is much closer — it sits in the stadium/entertainment district within walking distance of Globe Life Field and a short walk to AT&T Stadium.
Gaylord Texan has the larger overall meeting/exhibit footprint (hundreds of meeting rooms and more than 490,000 sq ft of flexible space); Loews Arlington also has substantial conference facilities (about 266,000 sq ft and 75 meeting rooms).
No — both properties are all-ages hotels; Gaylord Texan markets itself as family-friendly and Loews Arlington is not adults-only.
Explore how Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center stacks up against other hotels nearby:
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