Deciding where to stay in San Antonio can be difficult; the city is dotted with hotels and motels designed to appeal to all types of travelers: the leisure crowd, business travelers, and conventioneers. You’ll find hotels sprinkled throughout the city, but most are clustered in a few high-demand areas: the River Walk, along I-35, and along I-10.
Because San Antonio has some of the highest occupancy rates in the state, obtaining a hotel room can also be a tough job, especially during peak tourist periods: the summer months, the Christmas season, Eastertime, during April’s Fiesta and other festivals, and anytime the San Antonio Spurs are playing a home game. Large conventions can fill downtown and River Walk rooms at other times as well.
Even with the high demand, though, you can obtain choice rooms, especially if you book early. The city has more than 33,000 hotel rooms; more than 12,000 are found in the downtown area. Most of these properties are family-friendly. Some allow kids to stay free in the same room as their parents; others have children’s menus at on-site restaurants. Most properties can supply cribs and additional bedding, sometimes at a surcharge.
The highest demand is for rooms along the River Walk, or Paseo del Rio, the city’s top tourist district. Not coincidentally, these are also the city’s most expensive hotel rooms. Properties such as the Hyatt Regency San Antonio, the Marriott Riverwalk, the Westin San Antonio, and La Mansión del Rio have long been favorite stops for travelers looking for luxury accommodations. These expensive hotels offer the full menu of amenities and services that you would expect to see in a first-rate property.
Overview
You will find a few moderately priced motels within walking distance of the River Walk, but expect to see three-figure rates at most properties any night of the week. Remember that Friday and Saturday nights are peak times in this leisure market, although weekdays can be busy as well because of the city’s excellent convention facilities, located on an arm of the River Walk.
Beyond the River Walk but still within the downtown area lie some of the city’s most historic and elegant properties. These historic hotels hark back to the days when the River Walk was an undeveloped and undesirable area. The Gunter Hotel and St. Anthony Hotel were preferred addresses in the city, each within walking distance of elegant theaters. Near the Alamo, the Menger Hotel has long been one of the city’s most prestigious hostelries.
If you’re flying into San Antonio, you’ll also find a large array of hotels, motels, and extended-stay properties near the airport. Loop 410 is home to a large concentration of accommodations, many at lower prices than those found along the River Walk. Some of these properties offer shuttle service to the airport.
Many car travelers arrive in San Antonio on I-35 and I-10. Numerous motels are located on the north side of the city along I-35, one of the state’s busiest thoroughfares.
All the properties listed accept major credit cards and offer a selection of nonsmoking rooms. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), all San Antonio hotels and motels have wheelchair-accessible rooms. Unless otherwise noted, the properties in this chapter do not allow pets, with the exception of service animals for guests with disabilities.