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

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 open-air 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 on a bright, colorful elevated terrace overlooking the River Walk, perfect for conversation and relaxing with a drink.

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. It is within easy walking distance of the Shops at Rivercenter, the Alamo, and the Briscoe Western Art Museum is one street over. Service and amenities are top-notch, like the outdoor pool and fitness center. The hotel is home to Flume Pizzaria and Wine Bar, and Durty Nelly's Irish Pub.

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. 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.

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 as you stroll from the Alamo into the cool lobby and up to your room (perhaps with a view of the Alamo). 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.