7 minute read
Relax at Tanglewood Resort
Relax at Tanglewood Resort on Lake Texoma
Iconic Tower, Luxury Rooms, and Plentiful Activities Make Every Stay Memorable
By Lisa Tang
Tanglewood Resort and Conference Center offers luxury accommodations and a variety of activities next to Lake Texoma on the Texas-Oklahoma border. The destination has something for everyone — from fishing and boating to golf, tennis, swimming, a spa, and fine or casual dining with live entertainment.
The resort is located within roughly 90 minutes or less of the Dallas-Fort Worth area and just a few minutes northwest of Denison and Sherman in Grayson County. It offers 248 spacious and comfortable guest rooms and accommodations for business conferences or personal relaxation.
Construction began in the 1960s and continued later with the addition of the iconic lighthouse tower, the conference center, a world-class golf course, and luxury villas.
Amenities and Service
Tanglewood’s luxury villas include a kitchen stocked with cookware and dining ware, a dining area, a living room, large TVs, a balcony with table and chairs, and a large master bedroom with a hot tub.
The large windows give the room an airy, open feel and let in plenty of natural light while three-inch blinds provide plenty of privacy. The rooms are climate controlled and provide ample seating for relaxation and private dining.
The resort’s quality service is also worth noting. Tripadvisor recently recognized Tanglewood as a 2022 Travelers’ Choice Award winner, placing it in the top 10 percent of listings worldwide. The award celebrates businesses with great reviews
Dining
Two restaurants offer casual and fine dining. The Tanglewood Bar & Grill offers a full menu of American favorites such as sandwiches and hamburgers, soups and salads, fish and chips, and other hearty main courses. The fare is much fresher than at popular chain restaurants although the prices are comparable.
Lakeview Steakhouse provides a serene setting with a pleasant view of the lake — sometimes with live music. The menu is traditional but large enough to provide choices for all types of diets. The shrimp cocktail was delightfully succulent and complemented by a tasty sauce. The hummus and pita bread appetizer also earned high marks.
Main courses primarily include steak and seafood choices with freshwater and saltwater varieties. The Bone In Ribeye was tender and well-seasoned while the Rainbow Trout was flavored with a delicate white wine sauce and a crab cake.
The desserts were also delicately flavored and delightfully small. The Tiramisu was about the size of a mandarin orange so little guilt was involved in savoring it. The Reese’s Cheesecake also arrived in a small portion size and tasted as though it was made in-house.
Breakfast at the steakhouse features a self-serve buffet with a variety of fresh danishes, breads, fruit, juices, and hot scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, and biscuits with gravy. The breakfast potatoes were light, crunchy, and well-seasoned and the coffee was plentiful.
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The resort features three tiered pools (opposite page) centrally located between two restaurants, the main hotel and conference rooms, the Lighthouse Tower, and the spa. CouRtesy Photo. The luxury villas (top right) are located just a few steps from most other amenities at the Tanglewood Resort and feature suites with one and two bedrooms. Tanglewood Lighthouse Tower (bottom right) was designed by prominent Southwest architect O’Neil Ford with a full-service bar on the eighth floor and an observation deck on the ninth both featuring panoramic windows. Photos by Lisa tang
Lighthouse Tower
The Tanglewood Lighthouse Tower makes the resort truly unique. It was built in 1974 and designed by the prominent Southwest architect O’Neil Ford who was born in Grayson County in 1905. Two of his most well-known projects are university campuses in Irving and San Antonio — where the Tower of the Americas is also located.
The tower is open to visitors and is easily accessible with an elevator installed less than 10 years ago. The lighthouse’s green and white rotating beacon is visible for miles across Lake Texoma. A fullservice bar on the eighth floor and an observation deck on the ninth both feature panoramic windows.
The Tower Whiskey Bar is a popular destination among visitors who enjoy relaxing and watching the sun set over the lake. Themed rooms on six of the tower’s floors are available to rent for private parties.
Activities
Swimming in the resort’s heated threetiered pool was also a treat. All three pools feature natural stone and irregular shapes. The pool and outdoor lounging area are centrally located between the main hotel and conference center and both restaurants. Changing areas are conveniently located inside on the first floor near the Tiki Bar. An expansive deck outside the bar and grill allows outdoor dining next to the two lower pools. A large outdoor hot tub sits on the third and top level and several sofas and firepit tables are available directly outside the pool gates. A new stage features live music on the weekends. Beyond the lounge area is a spa that offers aromatherapy, scrubs, wraps, and massages.
A new game room offers many activities for the young and young at heart. Ping pong, pool, foosball, shuffleboard, and a PacMan arcade are available without charge. The game room is within walking distance of the swimming pool and restaurants. Yoga classes, a gym, and several large conference rooms are also available. The resort also features an 18-hole championship golf course designed by golf legend Arnold Palmer. The course is challenging with plenty of hills and bunkers and features grasses specially bred for environmental friendliness and hot Texas weather.
Golfers can enjoy the course’s challenging yet enjoyable features as well as a driving range and practice putting green. The clubhouse features a pro shop and a full-service restaurant. Waterfowl such as egrets and Canadian geese are frequently seen enjoying the course’s many waterways.
Nearby Attractions
Both Denison and Sherman feature vibrant Main Street programs with shopping variety, live music events, and museums such as the Eisenhower Birthplace in Denison and the Sherman Jazz Museum, The Harber Wildlife Museum, and the Outlaw Trails Historical Museum in Sherman.
Nearby Eisenhower State Park offers a more natural setting with swimming, fishing, paddlecraft rentals, camping, and scheduled family-friendly weekend activities. Fishing is popular on Lake Texoma which is known for plenty of striped mouth bass. Many visitors enjoy guided fishing tours, lake tours, and jet ski rentals. Horseback riding stables are also nearby.
Tanglewood is also just minutes away from casinos in southern Oklahoma and two and a half hours from Oklahoma City.
For more information about Tanglewood call (609) 438-2929 or visit www.tanglewoodresort.com.
Tanglewood Bar & Grill offers a full menu of American favorites such as sandwiches and hamburgers, soups and salads, fish and chips, and other hearty main courses.The Lakewood Steakhouse offers a variety of appetizers, main course, and desserts that complement the lakeside view. Ribeye Steak, Rainbow Trout, and Shrimp Cocktail. Photos by Lisa tang The view of Lake Texoma from Tanglewood’s Tower Whiskey Bar (opposite page). Pictured is an old fashioned with Maker’s Mark cask strength bourbon and a picturesque sunset. Photo by Katie-Rose Wat-
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