Fab Location but should be CLOSED temporarily
This hotel should currently be CLOSED for its renovation work. It is greedy and unfair to try and operate a good hotel in an excellent location while such major alterations are undertaken.
We stayed 3 nights during a tour of Texas and New Orleans.
We arrived at 4pm and were allocated a room on the 16th floor. I really could not believe we were expected to stay in a room which felt like it was on a building site. There was deafening drilling and workmen shouting. We were tired and wanted a rest and I was totally determined to change room and went to reception. Mercifully I got in first before the floods of complaints about rooms started – FURIOUS people objecting to the noise (it went on until 7pm that evening, started again at 8.30am Saturday and also at 9am Sunday) and was reallocated a room on the 6th floor which was fine and although the drilling was going on it was only very faint.
Most annoyingly ALL the balconies were sealed off ‘for health and safety’. This was infuriating as I like fresh air and had looked forward to having a private balcony overlooking the Riverwalk and sitting out there in an evening and also some space to dry a bit of washing. Sadly this was not to be and we were restricted to VERY noisy air conditioning which we had to switch off at night.
Also it was infuriating that the disabled access to the pool was also sealed off and getting there meant having to clamber up some rather steep stone stairs. This really isn’t acceptable – if so much needs to be sealed off the hotel should be SHUT while it is done. Taking people’s money for such sub-standard conditions is altogether WRONG.
The direct access to the Riverwalk (highlighted as a plus by this hotel) was also sealed off apart from a dark and rather scary passage through the basement and a walk through builders and scaffolding out onto the Riverwalk.
This hotel did not even offer a complimentary breakfast to compensate for all these massive inconveniences.
We ate in the hotel on the Saturday night as the Riverwalk eateries were all full with long waiting lists (tip: book in advance for the weekend) and whilst we had a lovely meal it was rather expensive.
This hotel’s bedroom was comfortable (apart from as stated above re noise, air conditioning and no balcony access) and we had excellent towels, toiletries and there was a very good hairdryer.
The hotel is only saved by the fact it is in the world’s most tourist friendly city with the fabulous Alamo and Riverwalk, San Fernando Cathedral and general relaxed and warm ambience.
I just think it is OUTRAGEOUS not to advise people of these works and give them a chance to choose somewhere else with none of the inconvenience.
For that reason and because of their naked greed and disregard for guest comfort I would definitely NOT stay in this hotel if I went to San Antonio again. There are DOZENS of other hotels along the Riverwalk to choose from.
We ate 2 nights just around the corner on the Riverwalk at the Texas Land and Cattle Steakhouse, food was fantastic but just to be warned that ‘rare’ means just shot and might well move, ‘medium’ means very very rare and barely seen the grill and ‘well done’ means what we would know as medium but they ‘don’t recommend this’ !! It wasn’t cheap but it was good.
This hotel is VERY lucky that it is in such a great city, that we had fabulous weather and that we enjoyed being in San Antonio or else I would have felt REALLY angry about their remaining open under such circumstances.
Not amused.