Hotel Valencia, San Antonio: Stylish, Sexy and Delicious

Hotel Valencia, 150 E. Houston St.
San Antonio, Texas

Website

When the Convention Visitors Bureau invited me down to San Antonio, I was thrilled. I’d often visited the city, but with less than ideal lodging and accommodations. So when the list of potential host hotels showed up in my inbox, I jumped at the Hotel Valencia. First off, the website is classy, gorgeous to look at and takes full advantage of the Facebook like feature and the hotel (and some of its staff) are on Twitter. To my mind, this says “I bet you they have free wi-fi” and what do you know, I was right. For a travel writer or really anyone who works in any business capacity at ALL anymore, this is an absolute must, but far from being the rule rather than the glorious exception that Hotel Valencia is. Not only do they have free wifi throughout the hotel and rooms, it’s also incredibly easy to log-on and start browsing.

The other reason I chose the Hotel Valencia for my four-day stay in San Antonio was the incredible photos (also on their website). Darkened, sleek lobby; lush fabrics on which to lounge; gorgeous fountains illuminated by hundreds of candles; it seemed like the perfect setting for a serene and restful stay and very in keeping with the theme of my trip, which was Eat Pray Love.

Style: Hotel Valencia gets tons of points for style. I even sent some pictures to one of my former Omaha stylees who is now a proud Austinite and he was in awe of the decor. As was I. From faux fur bedspreads to plantations shutters, the hotel room was comfortable, sexy and huge. Beautiful lighting was in every corner and my favorite feature in the room was a lovely aged leather chair, perfect for lounging around with my newest copy of Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestseller. I appreciate attention to detail and there were quite a few that the hotel got right, chill music at just the right volume in the hallways, sleek retro clock radio, frosted water goblets, instead of the traditional glass cup, every asthetic detail was considered, which made for a great guest visit. (As an added bonus for someone about to celebrate her 31st birthday, the lighting was especially flattering in every room.)

Service: The service at the hotel was impeccable. Every single person I encountered, from the housekeeping staff in the hallway, to the hotel and restaurant managers, to the doormen at the front, was incredibly friendly and helpful, even if I had a ridiculous question (I did) or lost my room key for the (4th) time or promised they could clean the room and was still there 30 minutes later or when I got my rental car towed (yup). In fact, I would like to take a moment to personally thank the incredible young men who not only helped me get my car out of impound but drove me in their OWN CAR on their OWN TIME to go get it, because I am too classless to understand the basics of valet parking. Honestly, I would expect this level of service to exist only in a very high end hotel, but in fact, the rate for my room was only $139 US. Plus, there was chocolate on my pillow every night!

Location/Amenities: I really enjoyed the location of the hotel. It was perfect for a “people watcher” like myself. Right on Houston Street with access to several bistros and even some shopping. I was within walking distance of the missions, The Alamo, the River Center Mall and of course, the incomparable River Walk. I tend to appreciate getting lost more than most, as long as I’m relatively safe. However, being smack dab in the middle of the most happening area in the downtown area made that virtually impossible (although I DID manage it once or twice). Since the Hotel Valencia was right across the street from an oft-recommended club, Suede and right next door to a lovely little bar/restaurant Acenar, I could enjoy myself and simply walk back to the hotel. In the morning, I’d throw on a headscarf and stroll down by the river to whatever restaurant was still serving breakfast and eat something (usually accompanied by at least two strips of bacon) while sitting in the cool shade and drinking hot coffee.

Dining: The hotel itself has some choice eateries and….um drinkeries? The first evening, I met the lovely ladies from Visit San Antonio and Amy Trench, the area director for Hotel Valencia at The VBar for some delicious house mixed drinks and appetizers (think quesadillas with fresh avocado). Again MAJOR style points for presentation and ambience. Any bar where you have to enter through a METAL MESH CURTAIN and is hopping on a Monday night gets my vote. Period. I also had a chance to dine at Citrus, which is a fave of celebs (so they tell me) and I was in heaven. I wasn’t even hungry when I went in the doors but I cleaned every plate they put in front of me. The staff were welcoming and well informed on the local, organic food used in every menu item. Plus, they willingly cleaned up after me when I spilled my water, dropped my video camera and tripped over the rug.

The Downside: My TV remote didn’t work (blessing in disguise), there was no pool but the Holiday Inn next door DID have a pool and the echoes were a little, um…EARLY for my taste, and I ordered breakfast one morning but it never came, which was a bummer because I really wanted those Eggs Benedict. The fountain in the outdoor courtyard was being repaired while I was there so I didn’t get to enjoy it, which bummed me out because check out that picture! I’d definitely recommend the property itself for a romantic getaway, although because of the reasonable rates there were quite a few kiddos who were all well behaved and polite but still…And this could be me but I would have preferred a more comprehensive overview of how the valet parking system worked.

Overall: I would stay at the Hotel Valencia again and again. Great service (truly above and beyond), tons of room, lots of nearby places to visit, incredible food and a stylish atmosphere. All of this for a relatively low price, especially with the Eat Pray Love Package, which I previewed while there. I just wish there was a pool.