Great Riverwalk hotel
My wife and I stayed at the Contessa for our anniversary and loved it! Start with a great Riverwalk location off of Market Street, only a 10-15 minute walk from the Rivercenter Mall, The Alamo, and Market Square. The service was exceptional; on the second day of our stay, the front desk sent up a plate of chocolate covered strawberries for our anniversary without charge (I had mentioned our anniversary in the reservation form, but didn't order the strawberries, so wasn't expecting them). We had a river view room, which was quite large and very comfortable. A minor issue with the toilet was fixed within 5 minutes of calling the front desk. Internet was free and reasonably fast. Ordinarily, I boycott hotels that charge resort fees, but the Contessa charges only $3 a night, which is reasonable considering internet is complimentary. The hotel's restaurant, Las Ramblas, served pretty good food, but was a tad pricey given the small portions, and considering it was maybe 25% full on a Saturday night, I have to wonder how long it'll be around. The front desk personnel were always greeting us with a smile when we walked in. I'll definitely consider the Hotel Contessa again the next time we're in San Antonio.