21 Best Hotels in San Antonio, Texas

With a clean, contemporary design and excellent location, the Canopy by Hilton has almost everything you would want for a comfortable stay right on the River Walk. It's a stellar location, with the Alamo, La Villita Historic Arts Village, and San Fernando Cathedral only a half-mile away. Guest rooms are spacious and well-appointed with a sharp yet colorful design. If you want a balcony facing the River Walk, be sure to request it when booking. There is a fitness center, but no pool. The on-site Domingo's restaurant offers breakfast, lunch,  dinner, and weekend brunch, with a wide variety of American and Tex-Mex specialties in a lovely River Walk setting. The on-site Otro Bar is known for their agave cocktails in a bright, colorful elevated terrace overlooking the River Walk, perfect for conversation and relaxing with a drink.

One of the best values among River Walk hotels, the Drury Inn & Suites is located in the historic 1921 Petroleum Commerce Building. Ask for a room with a terrace overlooking the river. This isn't a posh or luxurious getaway, but if you're on a budget or want a kid-friendly hotel, you can't beat it. There's a heated rooftop pool and whirlpool and in-room amenities include free Wi-Fi. There's also a free breakfast buffet and an afternoon reception with two free alcoholic beverages as well as a free dinner buffet.

This Fairfield Inn looks like every other in the chain, but it's clean and comfortable, with easy access to all of San Antonio's downtown sights. The good location also puts it two blocks from Market Square and a quick VIA bus ride to the River Walk and the Alamo. There's a fitness center, an indoor pool, and a free breakfast that is a mix of hot and cold items.

A towering complex with a central location on the busiest part of the River Walk, this Hilton is steps away from many top restaurants and attractions in the city. Ask for a balcony room on the River Walk side and watch the tour boats and river shuttles go by. Noise at night can be a problem on some lower floors. It is within easy walking distance of the Shops at Rivercenter, the Alamo, and the convention center, while the Briscoe Western Art Museum is one street over. As a large convention hotel, it doesn't offer much local flavor, but the service and amenities are top-notch, like the outdoor pool and River Walk dining. The hotel is home to Durty Nelly's, a popular River Walk Irish-pub nightspot. Across the river is a boarding dock for GO RIO Cruises. 

A 15-minute drive northwest of downtown, you'll find this full-service resort at the base of Texas Hill Country; it's the official hotel of SeaWorld. The hotel has a full golf course, tennis courts, a spa, and even children's programs. The huge, multilevel pool is a favorite with kids. SeaWorld is only a mile away, and there are package deals available, plus free shuttle service to and from the park.

This exceptional boutique hotel is the only all-suites hotel on the River Walk. It takes visitors away from the hustle and bustle and gives them the space to relax in luxury. The decor is contemporary but warm, with rooms and common areas featuring exposed brick and stone walls. The service is solid and not too fussy. Spacious suites are beautifully appointed, some with city views and some with River Walk views. The hotel also has a full-service spa as well as a rooftop heated outdoor pool and hot tub. The on-site Ambler restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a weekend brunch, plus a daily happy hour.

There are no superlatives left to describe the wonder that is Hotel Emma, located in the original 1894 Pearl brewhouse and providing luxurious guest rooms and exemplary service. Guest rooms and suites have baths featuring handmade Spanish porcelain tiles, beds with luxury linens, and a stocked Ice Box (an homage to South Texas neighborhood icehouses) and in-room pantry with South Texas treats. Guests receive a complimentary La Babia margarita at check-in and complimentary Electra cruiser bikes to get around. Enjoy chef John Brand's marvelous creations for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or brunch at on-site restaurant Supper, then relax at the dramatic city bar Sternewirth Tavern & Club Room off the lobby. 

The hip Hotel Havana is a boutique oasis on the north end of the River Walk with colorful Cuban-inspired flair and bold artwork housed in its rather modest outward appearance. Originally built in 1914 as a hotel residence by a local grocer, the hotel has changed hands numerous times over the past century, transforming the grand Mediterranean Revival building into a secluded destination along the far reaches of the River Walk. The quaint (in a good way) ambience attracts a new sort of urban-chic traveler. Rooms are sparse but meticulously outfitted with vibrant vintage furnishings and decor, and each room has its own unique touches. A stay at this chic-yet-cozy accommodation isn't complete without a stop at its riverside restaurant, Ocho, which sits just overlooking the river as a sort of robin's-egg blue aviary serving up a sexy selection of cocktails and a menu of Latin-influenced snacks and dishes.

The first boutique hotel in San Antonio, Hotel Valencia Riverwalk is renowned for its sleek and modern style, a captivating blend of Spanish colonial and modern Mediterranean design. It incorporates warm rustic woods, elegant ironwork, and handcrafted tiles and textiles. In the guest rooms, the focal point is the curved iron headboards. The luxury hotel features in-room spa services, a fitness center, and a third-floor open-air European-style courtyard. The baths boast Italian white virgin marble and waffle-weave bathrobes. The Valencia at Home shopping experience offers signature scents and Egyptian cotton bedding, clothing, and accessories. The on-site restaurant, Dorrego's, brings a taste of Argentina with classic dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner in a River Walk setting. Late evening, the restaurant serves a late-night small-bites menu along with cocktails, wine, and beer in an expansive bar setting.  

Many all-suites and extended-stay hotels provide plenty of space but fall short on style, but this spot challenges the status quo with their customary and luxurious bedding and cozy and sleek furnishings in every room. Located on one of the quiet sections of the river, the hotel is a short walk from the city's entertainment district and about a 20-minute walk from the convention center. The property has a pool and 24-hour fitness center. There is a free hot breakfast buffet each morning, too.

A steady stream of conventioneers, vacationers, and locals pass through the Hyatt's soaring 16-story atrium, following a water feature that takes them directly from the Alamo in front to the River Walk in the back, or up the Hyatt's famous glass elevators to their rooms and meeting spaces. During the week, the intriguing geometry in the stacked, multilevel lobby feels spacious. On weekends, traffic, particularly in the elevators, gets crowded. Rooms and suites, however, provide plenty of space and feature business-friendly (large desks, free Wi-Fi) and leisurely (large flat-screen TVs, in-room Chromecasts) touches. There is an on-site family-owned and -operated DASA spa and a heated rooftop pool with a sundeck. For a view that's nothing short of poetic, request a room facing the Alamo.

Location is everything at this lush, 6-acre oasis in the middle of downtown San Antonio. There's a 24-hour fitness center, jogging and bicycle routes, a heated pool and whirlpool, a seasonal poolside bar, and a firepit. It's three blocks from the Alamo and a few steps from the River Walk's myriad attractions. The seven-story hotel does a brisk convention and meeting business, so book promptly. The on-site Anaqua Restaurant and Grill serves American fare at breakfast and dinner. 

With more than 1,000 rooms, more than 70,000 square feet of meeting space, and a 40,000-square-foot ballroom, this 38-story hotel (attached to sister hotel Marriott Riverwalk) has all the pluses—and minuses—of a very large hotel. You will likely have all the services you could want and you're in the heart of the action, but if you're looking for a secluded getaway, this isn't it. The Tributary restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. There's also a bar and a café.

Since its 1859 opening, the famous Menger has lodged the likes of Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, and Oscar Wilde, and today you'll still be the envy of many an overheated tourist strolling immediately across the street from the entrance to the Alamo into the cool lobby and up to your room (perhaps with a view of the Alamo). Inside, the hotel has an old-world, elegant three-story Victorian lobby, a sunny dining room, and a small but lush courtyard. There's a large outdoor pool heated from November through February. The Colonial Room restaurant is a Victorian-era gem, with a popular Sunday brunch and famous mango ice cream. Menger's must-see bar, built in 1887, is styled after the pub at the House of Lords in London.

The ultimate spa getaway on the River Walk, luxury accommodations and services are offered at this hotel in the shell of the 19th-century L. Frank Saddlery Building. Mokara has sleekly modern yet warm rooms and suites, with 12-foot ceilings, whirlpool baths, and separate walk-in showers. Plush linens and posh toiletries are similarly luxurious. Rooms also have hardwood floors, large leather-top desks, Harman Kardon wireless speakers, and espresso machines. River Walk–facing rooms have private balconies. The 17,000-square-foot, European-style Mokara Spa offers a hair and nail salon, massages, facials, scrubs, soaks, and other therapies, plus a 24-hour fitness center. The spa also has a rooftop pool and café. The hotel's fine dining on-site restaurant, Ostra, is on the lower level, directly on the River Walk.

Originally built as a school in 1852 and then converted to a hotel for the HemisFair, the 1968 World's Fair, today the Omni La Mansión del Rio is replete inside and out with Spanish tiles, archways, exposed beams, and soft, earthy tones. Many rooms share balconies or verandas looking out on the River Walk, and some have private balconies—be sure to request a river-view room. Location is a big selling point for this hotel, on a quiet section of the river but still within easy walking distance of the entertainment district. Some rooms feature River Walk views; others have a view of the lush European-style courtyard with fountains and native foliage. The excellent on-site Las Canarias restaurant is right on the River Walk. El Colegio bar is a cozy, welcoming spot with a good selection of offerings. Omni La Mansión del Rio is a sister property to the Mokara Hotel & Spa across the river—they share valet parking, the excellent Mokara spa, and the popular Ostra restaurant. 

Since 1909 this storied downtown hotel has been a favorite of ranchers and business travelers. It's located in the entertainment district, across from the historic Majestic Theatre and about a block from the River Walk. It's generally a better value than hotels directly on the river, especially for a historic hotel. On-site dining includes Market on Houston, a casual café and well-stocked marketplace open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the speakeasy-style Bar 414, featuring Prohibition-era and handcrafted cocktails and blues music. There is a 24-hour fitness center and outdoor heated pool, too. The hotel is on the National Register of Historic Places.

You too can feel like royalty in one of the city's most historic places to stay: the opulent St. Anthony transports visitors to days gone by while offering modern amenities in a great downtown location. The magnificent lobby features glittering chandeliers, stately columns, and fabrics in "St. Anthony Green," originally "Dorothy Draper" green, after the famed designer who created the then-private St. Anthony Club (now a casually elegant full bar with daily happy hour). Elegant touches of this striking green appear in the hotel's rooms and suites, which feature plush bedding, Italian marble, and gold accents. Chef Stefan Bowers and entrepreneur Andrew Goodman are behind the award-winning Rebelle, the on-site fine dining restaurant featuring premium fresh seafood and Sunday brunch. It's no wonder the St. Anthony has attracted a range of the rich and famous over the years; past guests include the likes of John Wayne, George Clooney, Olivia de Havilland, General Douglas MacArthur, the Beach Boys, and U.S. presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Lyndon B. Johnson. 

Built in the 1920s and named for the woman who inspired the song "The Yellow Rose of Texas," this historic boutique hotel sits across from the Alamo on a triangular piece of land. Originally built as a medical school, it's neo-Gothic design stands out from other downtown landmarks. Sleek furnishings and whirlpool tubs in marble bathrooms make it a posh destination steeped in period romance.

This eminent luxury three-story hotel made the Guinness Book of World Records when its 3.2-million-pound brick bulk was moved six blocks in 1985 to its present location; it's now the pinnacle of high-end boutique hotels in San Antonio. It offers beautifully designed rooms and suites with free Wi-Fi and premium amenities, such as pillow-top bedding, baths with marble and brass appointments, and plush bathrobes. The fine dining establishments on-site are NONNA Osteria, featuring northern Italian cuisine, the Silo Prime steak house, and the Rooftop Oyster Bar. The hotel is not right on the River Walk, but it's fairly close; it's near the convention center and La Villita's shops and restaurants, too.

Located across the San Antonio River from the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, at the Thompson you are in the heart of the arts district, and fairly close to major sights like the Alamo and the Pearl (both about a mile away). Luxurious, beautifully appointed rooms range from a cozy 600-square-foot studio to the 2,100-square-foot penthouse suite with everything a penthouse suite should be. Rooms (including 33 suites) feature floor-to-ceiling windows, blackout curtains, luxury bedding, spa-inspired showers, and even a clothing steamer. The full-service 5,000-square-foot spa has five treatment rooms, sauna and steam rooms, and a fitness center. The Cenote Pool Deck is a retreat with a lounge area and pool bar; private luxury cabanas are available and include TV and VIP service. The Moon's Daughters is an enchanting, indoor-outdoor, 20th-story rooftop lounge with a full bar and Mediterranean-style menu and, always, those amazing views. A unique feature of the hotel is the eye-catching artwork that graces virtually every space, featuring works by local and international artists. The on-site fine dining restaurant, Landrace, boasts renowned chef Steve McHugh, who works with Texas farmers and growers.