Hotels

San Antonio has the greatest number of historic hotels of any city in Texas. Those who enjoy staying in hotels that capture the feel of yesterday will have a lot to choose from. Even low-end hotel chains are reclaiming old buildings -- many examples are covered in this section -- so don't judge a place only by its affiliation. All of these, as well as most of the new luxury accommodations, are in the downtown area, which is where you'll likely want to be whether you're here for pleasure or business. Prices in this prime location tend to be high, especially for hotels on the river, but you'll likely be happy with your accommodations. And if you're willing to forgo your own wheels for a bit, you'll economize by eliminating car-rental and parking fees. Most of the city's tourist attractions are within walking distance or are accessible by efficient and inexpensive public transportation. Moreover, many restaurants favored by locals are within a short cab ride from downtown.

Hotels keep going up in the downtown area, but the pace of construction has slowed in the last year. Room rates haven't increased much for most large properties, but they do fluctuate with availability and depending on whether or not there's a large convention in town.

In recent years, a number of the old mansions in the King William and Monte Vista historic districts -- both close to downtown -- have been converted into bed-and-breakfasts; several of them are reviewed in this chapter. For information about additional bed-and-breakfasts in these areas and in other neighborhoods around the city, check out www.sanantoniobb.org, the website of the San Antonio Bed & Breakfast Association. Several of San Antonio's inns can also be booked via Historic Accommodations of Texas, P.O. Box 203, Vanderpool, TX 78885 (tel. 800/HAT-0368; www.hat.org).

San Antonio also has two top-notch destination resorts on the outskirts of town, the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and the Westin La Cantera Resort. Most of their customers are either families or golfers who come here to hole up and relax and maybe play some golf, with sightseeing as a secondary potential goal.

Expect most downtown hotels to fall into the Very Expensive or Expensive range, especially if they sit right on the river. With a few notable exceptions, detailed below, only chain hotels on the outskirts of downtown tend to be Moderate or Inexpensive. You'll do better to stay in a B&B in a historic area near downtown (the Monte Vista neighborhood gives especially good value), so you won't have to give up many amenities. Although they're not formally called concierges, B&B owners and innkeepers also do far more to guide their guests around town than employees given that title in many large city hotels. You can also expect B&Bs to provide fax and other business services, and these days, most offer high-speed and/or wireless Internet connections.

With a few other exceptions, detailed here, the vast majority of the other lodgings around town are low-priced chains. The most convenient are clustered in the northwest near the Medical Center and in the north central area, around the airport. For a full alphabetical listing of the accommodations in the city, mapped by area and including rate ranges as well as basic amenities, phone the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau (tel. 800/447-3372) and request a lodging guide. The "Accommodations" section of www.sanantoniovisit.com is also a good resource.

Wherever you decide to stay, try to book as far in advance as possible -- especially if the property is located downtown. And don't even think about coming to town during Fiesta (the third week in Apr) if you haven't reserved a room 6 months in advance.

In the following reviews, price categories are based on rates for a double room in high season, and don't factor in the 16.75% room tax. Often, rates will be a little higher for Fiesta.

Deal Well, Sleep Well

In large hotels, room rates vary quite a bit based on occupancy, so don't automatically write off hotel choices because of their price category without doing a little checking on prices. The prices listed here are the hotel's "rack rates" -- the room rate charged without any discount -- and you can almost always do better. The San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau's annual SAVE (San Antonio Vacation Experience) promotion features discounts on hotel rooms (more than 50 properties participate) as well as on dining and entertainment. Some bed-and-breakfasts and hotels offer better rates to those who book for at least 4 days, although a week is usually the minimum. Even though most leisure travelers visit in summer, rooms tend to be less expensive then; in general, rates are highest from November through April, when conventions converge on the town. Rates also are at their highest when the city's many festivals cause a run on rooms.

But even during peak times, hotel rates vary widely. Some hotels in San Antonio host business clients during the week, whereas others cater to tourists who come on the weekend, so you never know when a property is not fully booked and willing to give you a good deal. In addition, ask about any discounts you can think of -- corporate, senior citizen, military, Internet, AAA, entertainment/hotel coupon books, your Uncle Morty's high-school friendship with the manager -- and about packages such as family, romance, or deals that include meals or sightseeing tours. Bottom line: Always ask for the lowest-priced room with the most perks available. Reservation agents are eager to sell rooms, so you shouldn't have a problem getting a good deal.