Best San Antonio Hotels

If you’re the type of traveler who likes to explore a city on foot—perhaps with a canine companion at your side—then you’ll want to make the Grand Hyatt your vacation base. One of several Hyatt locations in San Antonio, the four-star Grand Hyatt opened in March of 2008 adjacent to the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center and within easy walking distance—one block in many cases—of most downtown attractions. The hotel has taken advantage of its large, open lobby to display a number of art installations—from the dramatic 76" x 87" Lloyd Walsh oil painting of a flamenco dancer to Anita Valencia’s whimsical Perinolas (whirligigs) created from 4000 recycled cans. If you’re an animal lover, the Grand Hyatt is your destination of choice. Not only is the hotel pet-friendly, it has partnered with the Humane Society of San Antonio in a joint venture known as Destination Humane, which enables you to volunteer at the Humane Society during your stay.

As you drive up the winding road that leads to the white stucco and red-tiled roof resort, it feels like you’re on the grounds of a grand, classic San Antonio estate. As you enter Tio’s (Uncle's) Lobby Lounge, with its leather furniture and fireplace, you could be stepping into the living room of a mansion—and no wonder, it’s a replica of the Great Room at the famed King Ranch, one of the world’s largest ranches. Step outside onto El Fortin Lawn with its great limestone arches and enjoy the beauty and solitude found away from the city. A golf-lover’s paradise, the Westin features the 18-hole championship Resort Course at La Cantera designed by architect Jay Morrish and pro golfer Tom Weiskopf. As if that’s not enough, The Palmer Course at La Cantera, designed by the legendary Arnold Palmer, is only a 3-minute shuttle away.

The Hotel Havana has a mysterious past with unexplainable gaps in its history, and the building has gone through many reincarnations since it was originally built in 1914. Most recently, it reopened in April 2010 under the ownership of hotelier Liz Lambert, famed for her Austin property, Hotel San José, who wisely capitalized on the Cuban ambiance, something not found in any other San Antonio hotel. You’ll find clean, spare linens in the rooms—lots of white linens—and then, suddenly, a bold stroke of color catches you off-guard: a pink refrigerator circa 1950, a turquoise head and footboard. For your vacation reading material, be sure to pack a Hemingway novel!

It’s all about price and location at this older property (built in ’96, although it’s been remodeled). If you’re on a family vacation and the express purpose of your visit is to spend as much time as possible at Six Flags Fiesta Texas—one of San Antonio’s biggest tourist attractions—this is the hotel for you. Book a room overlooking the theme park (not all do), so the kids can start planning which rides to go on first. The rooms are standard budget fare, but after a day at Fiesta Texas, you’ll just want a place to lay your head. The hotel is perfectly situated for quick access to The Rim and La Cantera open-air shopping malls, as well as the UTSA campus, and about 10 miles from SeaWorld. Other perks include the pet-friendly policy, free Wi-Fi, and multi-lingual staff.