Tru by Hilton Frisco Dallas [In-depth Review]

I recently stayed at the Tru by Hilton Frisco Dallas with my family for 4 nights on a group trip. The hotel was clean, modern, and welcoming, and its lively lobby made it a great choice for a group stay.

While I wasn’t impressed by the size of our room, the common areas and service more than made up for it. And the hotel’s location was perfect for exploring the sights within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

Read on to see more about our stay at this hotel.

Hotel Location

The Tru by Hilton Frisco Dallas is on Parkwood Boulevard in Frisco, less than 10 minutes from downtown Frisco by car. In a suburban area, it’s surrounded by shopping and dining, along with many attractions.

The hotel is right in front of the Stonebriar Centre shopping mall, featuring standard mall shops and attractions, including iFly indoor skydiving and Dave & Busters food and gaming.

Tru by Hilton Frisco Dallas is also just behind Riders Field, home to the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders baseball team. I could see IKEA from our window, about a 2-minute drive away.

It was easy to get just about anywhere by car from the hotel, as it’s very close to the intersection of Dallas Parkway and Highway 121, both major freeways in the Dallas area. We hit points in Frisco, Grapevine, and Plano easily from this hotel.

Hot Tip: If you plan to see a RoughRiders baseball game, you can walk from the hotel to the stadium.

Booking

I booked a 2 Queen Beds room at a rate of $120 per night. A great price, though it didn’t match the exceptional value I got from the Homewood Suites by Hilton Austin/Round Rock, TX for about the same price just a couple of weeks before our stay in Frisco.

This was my first stay at a Tru by Hilton hotel. For family travel, we get more for about the same price from Hilton brands that offer larger guest rooms — such as Homewood Suites or Embassy Suites — but we still got a lot of value from our visit.

You won’t catch me complaining about a bill of just over $500 for a 4-night stay — with breakfast and entertainment — for my family of 5.

With a low per-night cash rate, I didn’t consider booking this hotel with Hilton Honors points, although single-night redemptions at Tru by Hilton Frisco Dallas were only about 30,000 points per night.

We value Hilton points at about 0.5 cents per point, so 30,000 points per night are worth about $150, about $30 higher than the room rate I paid without taxes and fees. It wouldn’t have been my wisest redemption, so I’ll happily hold on to my points for another stay.

Unfortunately, Tru and Home2 brands only earn points at half the rate of other brands in the Hilton portfolio — 5 points per dollar spent versus 10 points per dollar spent with other brands.

Although my base points were cut in half compared to a stay at a different Hilton brand, I still did pretty well on points earned due to promotions and my Diamond elite status.

Between base points, Diamond status, and promotions, I earned just over 8,500 points for my stay. The 2023 Double Up & Explore promotion I enrolled in before booking helped me double my base points earned and added another 1,000 points for visiting a new-to-me brand, Tru by Hilton in this case. Also, I still got 250 MyWay points, even though I got a welcome gift at check-in.

Hot Tip: It pays to check for promotions before you book your stay. In this case, signing up for Double Up & Explore earned me nearly 3,500 points.

Checking In

Check-in was easy, as we walked right up to the front desk agent and got our room keys quickly. She explained how to access Wi-Fi and the breakfast hours and then directed us to the elevators just off to the left to access our room.

I received a welcome gift of 2 water bottles. Under MyWay preferences for Tru, you can select to receive water at check-in or get 250 bonus points per stay. Although I have the points selected under my preferences, I still got both the water and points — I’m pretty sure every guest checking in got water upon arrival.

Elite Benefits

Other than elevated points earning, Hilton Diamond status doesn’t go as far at Tru as with other midscale Hilton brands such as Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites. You’re not going to find upgrades here! As a Diamond member at a Tru property, my available elite benefits included:

• Premium Wi-Fi
• Bottled water
• Space-available room upgrades
• 100% points-earning bonus
• Diamond reserved parking

I only expected Wi-Fi and points from this stay, which I got. I got the impression all of the rooms in this hotel were identical, and we booked the largest available.

I didn’t notice Diamond reserved parking until the night before we left, as it wasn’t mentioned when I checked in. But we never had a hard time finding a good spot, anyway.

The Lobby

We visited Frisco with a group and found our room pretty small, so it was fantastic that the Tru by Hilton Frisco Dallas had an extensive lobby. We spent much of our time in the lobby eating, playing games, and visiting with our group. It was a great space for relaxation and entertainment.

There was way more seating than I expected from a fairly small hotel.

The kids in our group were entertained by the varied seating, especially the birdcage swinging chairs and cubbies.

There were plenty of TVs and reading material available. The lobby also featured a pool table, board games, and music most nights — more on that later.

There was a hydration station between the elevators and the lobby, a perfect spot to fill water bottles on our way in and out.

No complaints about the elevators — both were working quickly during our visit.

Opposite the elevators was a board with local recommendations for shopping, food, attractions, events, and more.

There was also a sign informing guests of the hotel’s quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. We didn’t have any issues with noise during our stay.

Amenities

I didn’t expect much more than a room and breakfast at this hotel, so I was pleasantly surprised by the amenities, particularly the lobby entertainment.

Entertainment

The lobby featured a gaming area with a pool table and a selection of board games we could check out from the front desk. The front desk agent, Mo, often played guitar to entertain us.

These amenities made us feel welcome to hang out in the lobby and very much at ease at this hotel.

The pool table was in front of a mural featuring some of Frisco’s major attractions. It also had a view of the swimming pool just outside.

This was an entertainment center for many hotel guests, and we saw kids learning how to play pool from the front desk agent Mo at least a couple of times.

A valid ID from an adult was required to check out pool sticks. Although the sign says 21+ to play, kids were allowed to play with adult supervision.

The front desk had a selection of board games to check out. And we were treated to guitar playing most nights!

Hot Tip: Board games were free to check out. All you had to do was ask at the front desk.

Pool and Patio

Just out the back door of the lobby were the pool and patio. Unfortunately, it was too cold during our February visit to enjoy it!

Pool hours were 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

I noticed a bathroom outside at the pool, a nice touch even though the lobby also had a bathroom.

The patio looked like a great hangout spot for warmer days than the ones we visited on.

Gaming entertainment extended outdoors with a chess and checkers board on one of the patio tables.

Wi-Fi

I didn’t test with Wi-Fi speed, but it was perfectly fine. I did a video call during our stay with no hiccups, and we streamed videos in our room.

Fitness Center

The fitness center was located just off the lobby near the elevators. It was a pretty small room, but I never saw it packed. It had a few cardio machines, lots of weights, and balance balls.

The fitness center had a rack with weights, medicine balls, straps, and a roller.

The fitness center had a hygiene station to get wipes and towels.

There were a few cardio machines, including a Peloton bike, an elliptical, and a couple of treadmills.

There was also a workout mat and balance balls in front of the mirror.

Business Center

A tiny business center was in the lobby right next to the front door. It featured a touchscreen tablet and a printer at a desk looking out the window.

Market

The lobby featured a market surrounding the front desk, mostly filled with snacks.

The market also featured candies and frozen meals. We liked having plates, condiments, napkins, and a microwave available 24/7 in the market whether we bought anything or not.

Cold drinks were always available in the market.

Parking

Parking was free at the Tru by Hilton Frisco Dallas. The parking lot surrounded the hotel, and we always found a parking spot near the front door.

I noticed the day before we left that there was parking reserved for Diamond members. We missed out on using this for all but the last night, but the parking spots we got without reservation were still great.

The Room

We loved the spacious and inviting lobby, partly because we didn’t spend much time in our room other than sleeping. Our family of 5 packed into this room designed for 4, and we stretched the space available. It was a mistake to assume we could make it work as easily as in other hotels with rooms made for 4.

We did OK, but the room was pretty tight for our family size, and I was not a fan of the open storage — not a single drawer in the entire room. I was definitely spoiled coming into this room after having stayed just a couple of weeks before at a Homewood Suites property with a large bedroom and separate living room with a lot of storage.

Though we felt cramped for space, the beds were comfortable, I had a spot to work, all of our family and belongings fit, and I was a big fan of the bathroom amenities. It worked, but we’ve surely been more comfortable at other hotels.

Bedroom

I booked a room with 2 queen beds and brought an inflatable bed to accommodate a fifth sleeper. Usually, that’s fine, but in this case, there was limited space for the inflatable bed, which had to be squeezed between the 2 queen beds.

A large wall-mounted TV greeted us with my name on it as we walked in the door.

We slept great on the beds and found them clean and comfortable with plenty of lighting options.

There was a nightstand with open shelves between the 2 beds.

The alarm clock featured a few power ports, including USB outlets.

I didn’t like the room’s open storage. There were tons of hooks and hangers and a lot of open shelving. I can appreciate the clean, open concept, but when you just need some drawers to stash your clothes, hooks and shelves aren’t ideal.

For 2 — or even maybe 4 — adults staying a night or 2, this room’s storage is probably more than fine. But I think that’s what this hotel room was designed for — not a family with 3 kids moving in for half a week.

There was space to store bags under the beds. That could work, but I don’t like putting my stuff on a hotel floor, and I was pretty sure if the kids did it, I would have tripped over shoes or toys at some point. We didn’t use this space at all.

There was no dresser — only this open shelving under the TV. We all fit our backpacks here, but I prefer to unpack my clothes into drawers when I stay more than a night. I was disappointed to dig through bags for our stay instead of using drawers. And I was thankful none of us brought particularly large bags.

Hooks were available near the front door, which was useful for saving shelf and floor space. We used these hooks to hang up some backpacks and jackets.

What the room lacked in storage, it made up for in lighting. There were lights in every corner and on nearly every surface. Plus, the window was nearly the size of the exterior wall.

In between the bathroom and the beds was a micro kitchen and storage area featuring a minifridge, closet rod with hangers, and an iron with an ironing board.

There was also a table surface where we stored food. There was no in-room microwave or coffee, though both were available downstairs in the lobby.

The minifridge was pretty standard and worked fine for leftovers and fresh snacks.

The desk offered a small workspace with a light and outlet, including a USB outlet. I wanted to like this space but found it difficult to work here. The desk had wheels that didn’t lock and moved around with the slightest touch.

It was also right next to the window, so there was a lot of glare unless I completely closed the window coverings and made the whole room dark. And it was so close to the air conditioning unit that I constantly had cold air blowing on me as I worked unless I turned it off and let the room get hot — there wasn’t a happy medium. I would have moved the desk to a different spot, but it didn’t fit elsewhere.

Bathroom

The bathroom was my favorite part of the room. It was bright, cheery, roomy, clean, and smelled good.

Next to the vanity was a bag containing a hair dryer.

I especially enjoyed the Not Soap, Radio amenities at the vanity. The lemon sugar hand soap and lotion smelled and felt great and super fresh!

I usually find hotel bathrooms lacking in towel hooks, but this room had 3 sturdy hooks on the wall, great for towels or bathing suits. Much better than the usual single, sad hook on the back of the door at many hotels.

The shower featured a glass door enclosure and a rainfall showerhead.

The walk-in shower was easy to get in and out of.

The shower featured amenities from Clean the World, a waste-reduction program that recycles soap and plastic bottles. We loved the citrus shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. They smelled great and got us squeaky clean!

Food and Beverage

Tru by Hilton Frisco Dallas offered a free daily breakfast from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. There was no on-site restaurant, though there was a market in the lobby and many nearby restaurants.

Coffee was available in the lobby 24/7. The front desk agents always had another pot brewing ready to replace it when the one in the lobby ran out. There was also hot water and a good selection of Bigelow teas that were always well-stocked.

The breakfast buffet featured a selection of bread, including bagels, toast, English muffins, regular muffins, and, usually, donuts. There was a bagel cutter and conveyor-belt toaster available.

Protein selections were pretty standard hotel breakfast fare. Most days, it was scrambled eggs and sausage. There were some delicious omelets one morning, though. These hot plates rotated pretty quickly, so it was always fresh.

But the real highlight of the breakfast buffet was the pancakes. It wasn’t so much that they were especially tasty — they were fine — but the machine that made them was an attraction.

My kids went wild over the “robot pancakes.” All they had to do was wave their hand over the top, drop a plate, and 2 pancakes would magically appear.

The machine was pretty handy, and we could choose how dark we wanted the pancakes cooked. The breakfast attendant stayed pretty busy keeping this machine full of pancake mix.

The breakfast buffet had a good selection of condiments, including salt and pepper, hot sauce, cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter.

My family was delighted to see a cereal bar as my kids go crazy over all-you-can-eat cereal. The sign says there should be yogurt and oatmeal — there was usually yogurt in the fridge (refilled nearly as fast as it disappeared). Still, I don’t recall seeing hot oatmeal available on any of the days we visited.

This little breakfast bar got pretty tight on busy days, but most people moved in and out quickly since most of the offerings were grab-and-go.

While the breakfast bar wasn’t roomy, the seating was plentiful.

Nearby Restaurants

Tru by Hilton Frisco Dallas is convenient to many Frisco restaurants. The hotel is on Parkwood Boulevard, with plenty of local fare and standard suburban restaurants. It’s also very convenient to downtown Frisco, less than 10 minutes away via Parkwood Boulevard or Dallas Parkway.

We visited Nerdvana, a gaming bar in downtown Frisco across the street from the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Nerdvana was a fantastic spot for an early dinner and some entertainment. When we walked in, we were asked about our gaming preference — video or board games — and got to choose which video game console we wanted to play. We were taken to a table with a TV screen and a video game console hooked up to privately play games while we ate.

We could choose a board game table, but our kids voted for video games! Either way, Nerdvana offered a fun gaming and dining experience.

Hot Tip: If you visit Nerdvana after the National Videogame Museum (a perfect pairing), show proof of your admission for a discount on your bill.

I also spotted Portillo’s, the famed Chicago-style restaurant, from the tollway. Just 6 minutes away from the hotel, we made a quick run to the drive-thru.

This location is the first in Texas and had only been open a few weeks when we visited. Inside seating was packed, but the drive-thru was a well-oiled machine. It only took us about 10 minutes to get loaded up with beef sandwiches to take back to the hotel.

Nearby Attractions

I was surprised to find Frisco is a great spot for nerds — we visited Nerdvana and also hit Legoland Discovery Center, the National Videogame Museum, and Madness Games & Comics, all less than 20-minutes by car from Tru by Hilton Frisco Dallas.

The National Videogame Museum — just 8 minutes away from Tru by Hilton Frisco Dallas by car — was exceptional. It featured playable historic video game consoles, extensive exhibits, and a retro arcade at the end. We’re already planning a return trip!

This museum was a blast to visit and highly interactive. I got to share many of my favorite childhood games with my kids, including Duck Hunt on a CRT screen in a retro-themed bedroom exhibit. Our admission included coins for the arcade at the end, where I could have stayed for hours just to listen to the perfect selection of ’80s and ’90s music.

The National Videogame Museum is part of the Frisco Discovery Center, which features the Museum of the American Railroad, the Sci-Tech Discovery Center, a theater, a dance studio, a makerspace, and more. You could make a day (or 2) of it at the center, though we only spent about 2 hours at the videogame museum.

In Plano, less than 20 minutes by car from Tru by Hilton Frisco Dallas, is Madness Games & Comics. I wouldn’t consider most stores a travel destination, but Madness is an exception as it’s a nerd superstore — easily the largest games and comic store I’ve ever visited at 20,000 square feet. We got lost in the stacks of games, comic books, toys, and fandom fun.

About 20 minutes away by car from Tru by Hilton Frisco Dallas is Grapevine Mills mall, which houses a LEGOLAND Discovery Center. While it’s not quite a LEGOLAND theme park, we enjoyed a few hours on Legoland’s rides, interacting with exhibits, and watching LEGO 4D videos.

LEGOLAND’s exhibits included a LEGO small-scale replica of Dallas Love Field (DAL), a treat for aviation geeks!

Just across the hall from LEGOLAND was SEA LIFE Aquarium. We didn’t visit the aquarium, but you can buy combination tickets for SEA LIFE and LEGOLAND for savings if you plan to visit both.

Hot Tip: There’s a Meow Wolf immersive art experience — famous in Las Vegas — coming soon to the Grapevine Mills mall.

Service

We were satisfied with the service at Tru by Hilton Frisco Dallas. I usually prefer unobtrusive service where everything just flows well without needing much interaction with staff, but we were charmed by the care of the staff at Tru by Hilton Frisco Dallas. We felt welcomed and taken care of, especially as we spent time in the lobby playing games or eating meals.

The front desk agent Mo was exceptionally welcoming and seemed personally invested in making sure every guest was comfortable and cared for. We frequently saw him entertaining guests by playing guitar behind the front desk or teaching kids to play pool. During breakfast hours, he and the breakfast attendant seemed to never stop moving, always refilling the coffee, yogurt, and pancake machine so that even when those items ran out, there was always more on the way. I felt confident that any needs we had would be taken care of.

Final Thoughts

Though we stretched the limits of our room, we felt comfortable staying at Tru by Hilton Frisco Dallas. The lobby’s plentiful seating and entertainment value balanced out the lack of room space, and we enjoyed our stay here. Everything was clean and well-stocked, and the staff was highly attentive.

If we plan a group trip here again, I may book 2 adjoining rooms rather than trying to squeeze my family into a room that wasn’t designed for us. But with a great rate, excellent location, and exceptional service, I’d be happy to stay again either way.