4 Best Hotels in Downtown and the River Walk, San Antonio

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. Enjoy fine dining from NONNA Osteria featuring northern Italian cuisine, and the Fairmount 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.

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 has all the pluses—and minuses—of a very large hotel. You may 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.  There's a fitness center and indoor/outdoor pool. The Tributary restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. Market Cafe Bocadillo has packaged items to go for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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. 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 restaurant. 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.

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. The on-site fine dining restaurant, Landrace, boasts renowned chef Steve McHugh, who works with Texas farmers and growers.