Lovely Stay at Menger Hotel
We just returned from a 5 night stay at the Menger Hotel. It was lovely. I had previously stayed at the Menger with my father (who is now deceased), so staying at the Menger brought back some great memories for me. Over the past twenty years, I have also stayed at the Grand Hyatt, Rio Del Palacio and other newer hotels in the area. For me, the Menger has the premier location (you can never get lost) and an incredible history (Robert E. Lee rode his horse right into the lobby!) It has, after all, been in operation since the 1850's. Checkin at the front desk was seamless. We stayed in room 5133 (the newer section), a very spacious room with a large patio overlooking the pool. It was wonderful to sit on the large patio each night to watch the sun set or in the morning to drink my coffee. The beds were very comfortable and had luxury linens. The mattresses were very clean and looked new. The bathroom was clean but showing signs of age/wear and the water temperature fluctuated. The housekeeping staff was very attentive, cleaning the bathroom as requested and supplying fresh towels when requested. We enjoyed strolling through the Victorian lobby. (Note: There is a cigar shop in the hotel and you will smell cigars in this area!) The pool area is beautifully landscaped and large. We didn't feel crowded and there was plenty of room to swim, unlike another newer luxury property with a tiny rooftop pool we stayed in two years ago. The pool closes around 8 or 9, so there is no late night noise or parties. My sons especially enjoyed swimming there. Don't overlook the hotel restaurant, the Colonial Room! My sons were served a HUGE and delicious children's breakfast for a mere $2.95! We took our breakfast each morning in the stunningly beautiful garden where the writer Oscar Wilde strolled with his spiked lemonade. The restaurant staff absolutely spoiled us! Instead of braving the crush of people on the Riverwalk, the slow service we received at Shilo's and the non-kid friendly atmosphere of Boudro's, we opted to eat at the Colonial Room. My salmon filet was perfection, and the service was impeccable. The hotel gave us a 20% discount card to use there. Don't forget to have some mango ice cream while you are there. It is a special treat not to be missed!! (You'll see a picture of Bill Clinton eating this ice cream at the restaurant entrance.) The last night of our stay, the Sisters Grimm brought in a large group for dinner and a ghost tour. We enjoyed hearing some tantalizing ghost stories from other hotel guests. They were staying at the Menger Hotel after experiencing ghosts on the 7th floor of the Crockett. Very intriguing. 
To sum it up, if you want a new hotel with the latest and greatest, stay elsewhere. If you request a room facing the pool with a patio and you understand that this hotel has been operating since the 1850's (It can be a little quirky), you'll enjoy a very unique hotel stay. The valets were friendly and helpful, the restaurant staff spoiled us and housekeeping was attentive to our requests. To top it off, I accumulated lots of STASH reward points (a reward program for independent hotels. The points never expire!). I give the Menger a 4. If the bathrooms were updated with new fixtures, etc., I would definitely give it a 5. The Menger Hotel staff spoiled us in every way possible! Today, my 9 year old son said, "I miss the Menger, mom."