Opened in 2017 in a fast-growing southside neighborhood, this $40-million hotel kicks up the Embassy Suites image a few notches. Highlights include the swanky Nineteen17 lobby bar/restaurant, showcasing organic fare, including honey from an on-site hive; a gourmet-to-go lobby shop; and the full-service PurSol spa, with treatments that include the city’s first salt cave for inhalation therapy. The hotel draws on the area’s rich history in a variety of ways: Its conference rooms are named for the nearby chain of missions, for example, and its event space is the converted airplane Hangar 9 from Brooks AFB. Add all the usual Embassy Suites features—well-equipped accommodations designed for business travelers and families, made-to-order breakfasts, and an afternoon reception—and you’ve got an exceptional place to stay. It’s just about a 10-min. trip by car to downtown, and you don’t have to worry about finding (or paying for) parking here.