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Emily Morgan Hotel
Category: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Hotels [Edit]
705 E Houston StSan Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 446-5457
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
La Quinta Inns & Suites
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47 reviews for Emily Morgan Hotel
Review Highlights
"...helpful staffs, Aveda-line toiletries, 13 steps to Alamo."
(in 31 reviews)
"My room had a enormous jacuzzi tub in it which was the best..."
(in 8 reviews)
"the front desk was very helpful in suggesting restaurants."
(in 14 reviews)
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47 reviews in English
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Review from Carley P.
Austin, TX
8/24/2011
If I could have stolen the bed (which I will forever-after refer to as "cloud princess bed"), I would have. It was so comfortable. I miss it.
Moving on... We had a great stay. The room was clean, we had a ton of natural light/windows, the ceilings were high, the bathroom was spacious, and we had a jacuzzi tub. What could go wrong?
The only complaint I have is the lingering smoke smell. The entire hotel claims to be non-smoking (and appears to have been this way for a while. In fact, I had to sign a waiver that said I knew it was non-smoking and that I would be fined $300 if caught smoking in the room), but our room had the distinct aroma of a used ashtray. I'm not super sensitive to smoke, and I'm not taking off more than one star, but this was a little off-putting.
Other than that, though, it was a definite success. Super convenient to downtown/the riverwalk, we didn't use our car from the time we arrived on Friday night until we left on Sunday afternoon. I'd stay there again. And coming from me (a girl who has exhibited some definite neurotic tendencies when it comes to hotel rooms/beds/bathrooms), that's quiet an endorsement.
If you go there, make sure to tell Emily I say hi. Her ghost totally announces the floors/whether you're going up or down in the elevator. Had some great chats. (I was maybe a little drunk most of the times I was in the elevator.) -
Review from Trude H.
Updated - 8/17/2011
I sent a complaint to the AAA and the response was " the Emily Morgan did not meet the standards for Four Diamonds and has lost this rating."
Just so you know, yelpers.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/24/2011
I chose the Emily Morgan based in part on the four diamond rating from the AAA. I was filled with… Read more »
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Review from Timoteo P.
Tulsa, OK
1/23/2012
We almost cancelled our reservation after reading some of the negative reviews. Glad we didn't. The staff went out of their way to be helpful, the view from our room looked down on the Alamo and had gorgeous views of the sunset and lights of SA at night. Within two blocks of thr riverwalk and the trolleys come right by the hotel, so you don't need to spend the extra $30per day on valet parking if you are aren't leaving downtown. If you do rent a car, beware the 38% tax...
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Review from Jeff C.
Austin, TX
7/15/2011
Not the greatest hotel in San Antonio but it's the best at what it is. I love the 14th (13th!) floor with a view overlooking the Alamo. Very few places in San Antonio have a better view. For the price, I believe it's a real value -- but I would look for deals online.
Rooms are clean and the staff really is great. Either they hire very nice people or they have trained them well to focus on service. From front desk, to room service, to housekeeping, to bar and restaurant staff -- all were very friendly and competent.
Oro, the restaurant and bar on the first floor is nice. Stay away from the nachos but the watermelon martinis are fantastic. Also nice is that the Riverwalk, the Menger, and other places to drink and dine are a very short walk away.
The pool is interesting, even thought it's small. Made of stainless steel with a nice poolside area, particularly when the hotel is not crowded. Gym is also small but capable.
Into ghosts? I love to call this the haunted hotel, despite the fact that I've never seen anything unusual while there. It's built next to the Alamo where the ghosts of Texas Independence run wild. Of course, the Alamo Plaza sits on top of the old cemetery of the Alamo chapel. Add the fact that the hotel used to be a hospital and you know there are some haunted spirits wandering the halls.
Despite that, I slept like a rock. -
Review from Rosemary P.
Knoxville, TN
11/9/2011
My husband and I had a great stay here during our visit to San Antonio! We had a beautiful cozy room on the 14th floor overlooking the Alamo and slept soundly! We loved the proximety to the River Walk and the staff was nothing but friendly and accomodating! The only reason I didn't give it a '5' star is because I wish they offered a 'self park' pricing option instead of valet only. Tacking an additional $28 onto our bill for 18 hours of parking was not ideal.
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Review from Jewyl A.
San Diego, CA
7/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Do you like sleeping in a full bed? Not a queen, or king, but full? Well, then expect to show up and pay an extra $20 because that's what happened to us. We thought we were getting a decent deal since we were staying on a weeknight, but instead we paid $20 to have a "adult sized bed" meaning, not a full bed, and parking is Valet only, and not cheap. So whatever they quote you, tack on an extra $50 to $60 per night, and then decide if it's worth it. To me, these are really poor business practices and a way to extort money out of your customers, so I would not go back.
It's right across the street from the Alamo, and pretty close to the river walk, but the building's old and the bathroom's weird, and at the end of the day you can probably do better for less. -
Review from Rose S.
San Antonio, TX
6/27/2011
Overall, my family and I had a great experience at the Emily Morgan Hotel. The hotel has a very historic, elegant feel to it. The architecture is so unique! Parking was an issue the entire stay we were there... but this comes with the territory of being located downtown.
The rooms were very clean. However, there weren't enough towels, so we constantly had to call room service to request more.
One night it stormed, and the fire alarm went off at 3:30AM. Most of the customers were very upset by this, but the staff handled it SO well. Mariah was working at the front desk the next morning, and for having so many angry customers, she held herself together extremely well. The staff had prepared a way to compensate the customers for the inconvenience - this was much appreciated. The fire alarm was out of the hotel's control, but they couldn't have handled it better. :)
I would definitely return to the Emily Morgan Hotel. There is a lot of history behind it, which I found very neat! The location was awesome (besides parking)- we were in close walking distance to the Riverwalk. -
Review from Kris U.
11/17/2010
I've stayed here three times for under a $100 bid via Priceline (by selecting Riverwalk area and the 4-star category). I adore this gorgeous 1920s Gothic revival building soaring up into the sky, an interesting contrast to the late 18th century historic mission across the street (also known as "The Alamo"). Perhaps one of my favorite architectural features is the building's creative gargoyles, which feature people suffering various ailments (the building was constructed for medical related offices). More history can be discovered in the library.
Aside from meeting my first "ideal" which is being a historic boutique hotel, the Emily meets my second and third criteria as well: super comfy beds (feather top and high thread count sheets) and a location within a short walking distance to the area's major attractions. The Aveda bath products get a bonus point.
There is a lot of complaints about the additional parking fee, but let me just offer most hotels within Riverwalk walking distance charge parking fees of $19 and up. Also, most people probably don't pay the full retail price for their rooms anymore (with discount online bookings), and so it has become more common for hotels to charge additional fees to maintain their profitability. I'm always cognizant of what my total room cost will be prior to booking, including parking and taxes.Listed in: After the Alamo....
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Review from Audrey T.
8/14/2011 3 photos
First, I'd like to thank Priceline for sending me to a haunted hotel. Second, I'd like to thank God for getting me through the night. Other than being freaked out about the hotel being haunted, this place was decent. We were there for less than 24 hours cause we checked in super late. And nothing paranormal happened or I would've ran out in the middle of the night to book myself another hotel, LOL. It's literally right next to the Alamo. I read that the Emily Morgan used to be a hospital for the soldiers wounded during the war, but everything is modernized now, except for the showers! What's up with that? The drain looked like it hadn't been changed since the war...eerie.
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Review from Jay K.
Carrollton, TX
11/26/2010
Great location, but overall not a hotel I would spend money on again. Got a $95/night rate over Thanksgiving. The outside of the building is beautiful and it is literally across the street from the Alamo and a few steps from the RIverwalk.
The problem I have is that somehow this hotel received four stars. It makes we wonder if you can pay for your rating somehow. I'm a frequent traveler and stay mostly at Hilton hotel chains and quite frankly, every Hampton Inn I've stayed at over the past five years is much nicer than the Emily Morgan. Most of the three star Hiltons I've stayed at are much nicer as are the Embassy Suites, even the older ones.
The lighting in the room was horrible, and there was one light for the shower and sink area. I also didn't like that the bathroom area was only separated from the room by sliding doors that had smoked glass - very little privacy.
The carpet was filthy. We didn't really see this until we looked at the bottom of our socks - Ewww. Pretty nasty. The furniture was pretty warn, although they did have flat screen TVs that were in decent working order.
The temperature control of the room always settled back to 72. We would turn it down and shortly thereafter it would be set back to 72. There was some default set apparently. The front desk said to turn it down to 60 degrees, which we did, but we woke up in the middle of the night sweating and having to get up and turn the air temp down.
The best part of the stay was the valet parking, as they were fast, competent and friendly, more than I can say for the front desk staff. The front desk was, at best, uninterested. More than once we called down to the front desk and no one ever picked up the phone.
Beware of the jet pool tubs in the room. They are very old and dirty/stained, and the first thing the wife did when she saw it was laugh and comment on how big it was, but no way was she doing anything but taking a shower in it.
I would only stay at this hotel again if I could pay $50 or less/night. It would be well worth spending your money elsewhere. We spent $95/night, plus tax at Emily Morgan, but would have happily spent $150 to stay somewhere else, of which there are too many other choices on the Riverwalk to bother staying here. -
Review from Christina S.
Costa Mesa, CA
10/15/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Is it haunted? Well, I can't say I saw anything but I did sleep with the bathroom light on and some of my stuff turned up missing which is a little weird and It would certainly not be the house keeping at all. But, yes Emily Morgan is said to be one of San Antonio's haunted hotels along with the Menger and a few others. Emily Morgan is an amazingly beautiful building. Classic gothic influence. It used to be a medical arts building with the basement which is now a conference area was once the morgue and I forgot what floor was he surgical floor In a nut shell many people have passed here and it is a little eary.
Hotel is not on the River Walk which was nice. It does overlook the Alamo and by the research I did into the Alamo I read that you can see soldiers at night wondering the grounds. Soldiers meaning GHOST.. I never bothered to look outside the windows at night.
Staff here are great except for that little rudeness of trying to accommodate me when I phoned requesting a late check out. My god I spent three nights at your establishment and you want to say you CAN'T accommodate with a thirty minute extension. I ended up getting it anyway. I made my point clear. Anyhoo the entire rest of my stay here was nice. My room had a enormous jacuzzi tub in it which was the best part. Soaked my feet in it after a day of walking. It is a close walk to the River Walk and steps away from the Menger hotel another local haunted hotel in the area. It's within walking distance to the Southtown area, King Williams District, Hemisfair Park and the Blue Star Art Space.
They also have a restaurant here called Oro as well as a bar. Extra stars for having St-Germain. There is also a small pool on the second floor with a tiny gym.
Bed was comfy... -
Review from David B.
Irvine, CA
1/29/2011
Pro's: located near the Alamo and convention center. Service is excellent. Workers are friendly. The porter held my bags for a few hours while I waited for my flight, then called a cab. $3 drinks during happy hour.
Cons: Hair hair hair everywhere. Bathroom was dirty. Doors are thin and let in the early morning noise. -
Review from Nathan H.
7/16/2010 1 Check-in Here
For the $70-something that Priceline caught this hotel for, it was a good deal.
On the plus side:
- it's across the street from the Alamo
- easily within walking distance to the river walk
- the front desk was very helpful in suggesting restaurants
- tons of night life nearby
On the neutral side:
- construction across the street was noisy but I can;t blame the hotel
- the bathroom door was glass and a little sketchy when staying with a buddy
On the bad side:
- PARKING COST $28!
- the front desk 'forgot' twice to bring towels up to our room
Overall it was a nice place to stay, but I might look around a little more next time. -
Review from Sean L.
7/31/2011 1 photo
Great location just off the Alamo Plaza. Expensive, with not much to offer, but historic. Check out deals with chain hotels.
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Review from Chavah A.
9/30/2010
This is a cute hotel! We had a room on the 7th floor facing the Alamo and it was amazing. The view of the Alamo was phenomenal (you could see right into it!). If you're going to San Antonio for the Alamo and the sites downtown this is worth checkin out.
The service seemed to be run of the mill (nothing great) but they were smiling and greeting as we walked in so that was a plus. -
Review from Ammy S.
Syracuse, NY
8/9/2010
Booked a room for $70/night on Priceline. I loved the location: next door to the Alamo and very close to the Riverwalk. Originally received a room with a Queen bed, but they agreed to "upgrade" to a room with 2 Doubles. They actually tried to charge me for an upgrade fee, but I talked them out of it, and it was "complimentary."
Overall, the room was very nice, although the shower appeared to be outdated. We didn't particularly enjoy the small tube TV, but we didn't expect to be stuck watching TV in the room anyway. Aveda products were a big plus.
Valet parking was steep at $28/night. We tried driving around for other options, but it was getting late, and all the cheap lots nearby looked pretty shady and had broken glass everywhere.
Spent an afternoon at Oro, the hotel bar/lounge, for happy hour. Prices were decent, and the live band was fun. The outdoor hotel pool was pretty small, though.
The hotel employees were very courteous and helpful. My boyfriend left his phone in the lobby and we managed to get it back from one of the valets. Such a relief! -
Review from Brittany D.
Bryan, TX
6/9/2011
The location is a plus, beds are pretty comfy...other than that it is dirty feeling, maybe because no one mentioned the fact it used to be a hospital way back? It just didn't feel clean, it was way outdated feeling for a FOUR star. I booked a king and they stuck me with two doubles, so staff kinda blows, if you like the historic creepy hotel then Emily Morgan is your spot. If your looking for just a luxury fancy place do Marriott river center...it's on the river walk and the mall is attached to it, it's super clean, very nice and comfy beds as well.
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Review from Jessica L.
San Mateo, CA
8/30/2009
Of the 3 hotels bordering the Alamo - this is supposed to be the nicest. And it is by far the most expensive.
While the inside lobby area and rooms are nicer than the Menger and Crockett - that is all that is better. The food was ok, no free breakfast like the Crockett. They do have a happy hour deal in their bar. Parking $$$, internet $10. My room had NO amenities in it - no soap, shampoo, tissues. Makes me wonder if it was ever cleaned - the shower was a little gross. I also had trouble with me key working. I have never had problems like that at the Crockett or Menger.
Most likely, this place ranks #2 of bordering-the-Alamo hotels. I'll head back to the Crockett. -
Review from Giselle L.
San Antonio, TX
10/19/2009
Dissapointingly mediocre.
The Good: The common spaces are pretty, the room we got was spacious,the beds comfy, bellhops are great.
The Bad: While the idea of a jacuzzi tub was great, it looked old and kind of scuzzy, the actual toilet was in a closet type room, you could hear everything that was going on in the street below and room service was very underwhelming (and expensive).
The Ugly: the front desk. snobbish and dismissive , while at the same time very unpolished.
Too bad. I'm just glad we didn't pay full price. -
Review from Leigh M.
Austin, TX
3/24/2008
Loved this place! Great location, friendly service, delicious restaurant and wine list, Aveda toiletries, and cozy bed! What more could you want?
We price-lined it, so it wasn't expensive. We got there late and raggedy looking after a 13-hour drive from Tuscon (we in the middle of moving from CA back to TX). The front desk staff was really friendly despite our scruffy appearance. After cleaning up a bit, we went to the bar for some late night grub, and it was good! The empanadas were fantastic! -
Review from Paul G.
Framingham, MA
7/25/2009
The Emily Morgan is a "boutique" hotel, and if "boutique" means "old," then I suppose it qualifies. The place advertises itself as being "14 steps from the Alamo," but that's both a blessing and a curse, for the area is swarmed by tourists during the day. The area in front of the Alamo is a mass of souvenir shops and wax museums, which is crassness personified. Meanwhile, there is no place to get a cup of coffee in less than a five-minute walk.
Our room was cramped, but we were able to switch to a more spacious one at no additional change. Score one for the front desk. The room itself was nothing spectacular, although the large picture windows were nice. Desk space was limited to a tiny coffee table. Definitely not business traevler-friendly. Had we paid the list price instead of the half-price rate we got through Priceline, would have considered it too expensive, however.
Service was disappointing. The front desk staff frequently stopped to take phone calls while customers were waiting, a sign that the hotel is understaffed. We ordered lunch from room service and waited 90 minutes to get the sandwich. Meanwhile, we were twice cut off by the front desk while trying to reach the restaurant to inquire about our order.
The pool is pathetic, an oddly-shaped rhombus squeezed onto a second-floor deck. San Antonio is hot in the summer. It's ridiculous that a major hotel should have such a tiny and poorly designed pool. The health club is also tiny and poorly outfitted. This is one of the those details we expect to see handled well at a "boutique."
A tip: Park on the street. Just one block away there are 10-hour meters that cover you for the entire 8-6 parking period for just $2 in quarter. The hotel charges $26 a night. -
Review from Blanca V.
Madison, NJ
6/21/2010
I am sad to say that nothing scary or weird happened while our stay in this hotel, I even left my phone and camera out in case the ghost wanted to take some pics or themselves or us or whatever.
Location is great and the room was clean and fancy, bathroom was huge and updated - very niiiiiice.... Since the pool was closed due to construction I believe the front desk clerk upgraded us free of charge to a room that over looked the Alamo.
A block away is Riverwalk and restaurants and shops galore.
Priceline the downtown Riverwalk area and got this room for $70 a night, I think it was due to the fact we stayed on a Monday night.
Parking, hotel wanted $28 a night, no f'ing way. When we got the hotel we drove a block up, directly behind the Alamo was a parking lot that charges $10 a night or $5 for the day. -
Review from Kelli B.
Austin, TX
6/28/2008
We stayed in the King Plaza Suite last night and brought along our two Maltese dogs who were treated to the "vegetable feast" off Room Service menu for dogs :) We love traveling with our two Maltese so we were thrilled to find another place where they are welcome. Also, at the Emily Morgan they do not charge you extra for pets like some other hotels. The staff was very helpful in directing us to the best places to walk the dogs too.
The Aveda toiletries were nice, fresh waffle robes, the bed was very comfortable and the sheets were of high quality. Our room had a great view of the Alamo on one side and downtown on the other side. The room was extremely clean, wifi had no issues, great service with friendly staff who were terrific to our dogs (and us). The bathtub needed to be updated but we will definitely return with our dogs. We highly recommend it to anyone traveling with their pets. -
Review from My-Tien N.
Austin, TX
12/22/2009
Do you know who is Emily Morgan? I had no idea until my friend brought it up. She is quite the lady. She is also know as "The Yellow Rose of Texas" and according to folklore, the reason that Santa Anna did not respond quickly to the Texas Charge was that he was being entertained in his tent during siesta time by Emily D. West, a 20-year-old mulatto girl.
The hotel is in a great location across the street from the Alamo in a historic building. The entry way has character but not very dramatic. The bar is set right by the door and not as cozy as I would have expected. This is an older hotel, so you can't expect the chain like accommodations.
The front desk staff were friendly and a little bit unprofessional but I did not mind. Although there were only 2 of us, we opted for the 2 double beds (which are full size) as the room and bathroom were bigger as well as choose your view. The bathroom has a great set up. The 2 sliding doors, makes it look grand and there's a separate room for the toilet. The jacuzzi tub is older but clean unlike some of the reviews I've read. You do hear noise in the hallway but that is to be expected. Perhaps requesting a room away from the elevator but it did not bother us at all. The view was gorgeous facing the Alamo, the view of downtown and the other hotels surrounding the Riverwalk.
I'd stay here again although it is quite pricey. I'm not sure why the parking is so expensive: $26 plus tax a night. There was a parking lot next to the hotel but I believe it was also their parking lot as I saw a sign that said self parking and valet were both $26. The hotel location is perfect to walk anywhere on the Riverwalk. It's pretty easy to get around without getting lost.
I'd come back when I want to spend some money on a nice weekend with my man. -
Review from Allison L.
Dallas, TX
6/5/2009
I stayed here on a business trip and lets just say I was VERY well rested. The beds are divine! So comfortable, the room is decorated in a way that makes you think someone actually took the time and thought it out, instead of cheesy old carpeting and furniture that you would never buy. The bathrooms are large and clean and they have wonderful little condiments (I heart the little bottles of shampoo and lotions).
The front desk people are very accomodating. I would definitely stay here again, even if it wasn't for business. Oh and its also doggie friendly!
Also, when you go ask to stay on the side that faces the Alamo. You can see right in and all around. Excellent location downtown and within walking distance from so many bars and restaurants!
For serious. Great place! -
Review from Jolyn B.
6/29/2009
Wonderfully luxury hotel and awesome service! We parked valet ($24/day, with in and out priviledges) and checked into room very quickly. When we got to the room, we discovered it was a handicap acccessible room, which meant the bathroom was very open and spread out, not a lot of privacy. We picked up the phone to call down but they weren't working so we went downstairs. They quickly checked us into another room, which was very beautiful.
Bed had down feather top, very soft and comfy. It also had wall-to-wall windows, with a great view. The best part was the HUGE jacuzzi tub, which easily fit two and had wonderfully placed jets. :) -
Review from danielle w.
San Antonio, TX
9/24/2010
I have no choice but to make this review *kind of* short and not so sweet. My stay here was probably the absolute worst kind of stay you could have somewhere. Initially, they couldn't find the reservation, which was finally found and I had really hoped things would go a bit more smoothly from there....no such luck! The valet guys lost my car keys and I stood outside for close to an hour while they looked for them and missed my dinner reservations.
Are you ready for the heavy stuff that I am about to lay on you? Because if you're not...I'm sorry, because I'm going to do it anyway. I will tell you the room that I stayed in was a 300 buckaroo a night room and this is something I never expected. Upon winding down from the horrid night I had, missing dinner reservations with friends etc and having to eat Whataburger (nothing bad on Whataburger's part, but it wasn't exactly what I was in the mood for), I decided to hop into bed. The room was nice and not quite what you'd call *spotless*, but it wasn't bad. I got in bed and immediately flew up out of the bed. I felt something touch my toe. I pulled the sheets and comforter off not knowing what I would find. To my horror it was a dirty, bloody bandage. I kid you not. I begged and pleaded for my money back, when they refused I asked for another room. No such luck, they had a bellman come and change the sheets. No thank you! No sir! Not after that! So, I slept on the couch and still kept wondering what was on there...
Okay, so this wasn't very short and sweet, but we knew sweet was no option from the beginning of this review. The jets in the tub didn't work either. Cherry on top right?! Long story, not really so short, they also charged my card for room service I didn't get. I finally got a manager and weeks later they returned my money, but NOT until they took more out again on "accident" instead of refunding.
This hotel really honestly had quite a few incompetent people working there and for a "vintage" and "classy" hotel...I expected so much more. Yeah, I got my money back in the end, but it wasn't even handled properly. One night of my life, down the drain. UPSIDE: I did manage to come away from this stay WITHOUT a herpes infection or whatever other disease I could have gotten from what was in the sheets! -
Review from Leslie A.
Sausalito, CA
1/18/2007
Less one star for slight over pricing. It continues to go up with each year.
Four stars for beautiful rooms, jet spa baths, aveda products, a most welcoming feather bed, pets allowed and room service available for pet specials, great staff, and polite concierge. The Library has a display of historical photos and books available to browse. It's location is directly across from the Alamo. -
Review from Richard D.
New York, NY
7/15/2009
This hotel is pretty nice. I remember I stayed here back when I was a wee lad in high school and came here with the spanish club for a field trip. I swear it used to be the Emily Morgan Ramada Inn. I don't remember much from that stay, but this time was much more memorable because I went with my one and only.
My boo from California was visiting my hometown of Houston, TX, when I thought it would be necessary to give her a whirlwind tour of Texas. So to San Antonio, and Austin I would take her.
I booked the room on priceline and we got this place. It's a nice location right next to the Alamo, but I kinda wished it was right on the riverwalk. Its only a 3 min walk to the riverwalk, but it's not the same.
The room was pretty comfortable. The bathroom was huge, and it came with a Jacuzzi bathtub, so it was a nice touch to be able to come back after walking all over the riverwalk and soak in a bubbly hot tub.
I read after we slept the night that this hotel was haunted. We didn't really notice anything abnormal here. The only that really scared us here was the 100+ degree heat in Texas.
Oh, and you can find parking for 5 bucks a day if you're willing to walk 3 blocks. -
Review from Jackie H.
Austin, TX
3/8/2010
I have to say that I am just like most of the others on Yelp: disappointed.
Looking for a great way to spoil my boyfriend on his birthday, I got us a King Plaza Suite. The thing that sold me was the two person jacuzzi overlooking the city. Needless to say, we both were really excited about it and basically counted down the days to our stay for weeks.
We valeted, which was fine. I had prepped myself to be aware that this was $26. Fairly ridiculously expensive but, hey, it's easier than finding parking and probably more secure. We lugged our things inside and attempted to check in. The girl at the front desk was unpolished to say the least. She climbed over the side of the front desk to serve us. She was nice and checked to see if our room was ready (mind you, it was 10pm so I'm not quite sure why it would NOT be ready) and "upgraded us" to the King Plaza Suite. No, I did not mistype that: she put us in the level room I had booked. How thoughtful of her. We finished the rest of the check in process and headed up to our room. It's room 1008, if you do stay at the Emily Morgan, make sure you don't get this room.
When I opened the door, I was overwhelmed by the smell of urine. It was incredible. I looked at the bf and he said that it didn't bother him and I didn't want to make a big deal of it since it was suppose to be a low key and relaxing trip. So, acting like a good sport, I took out the candles I'd brought and lit them to try to disguise the smell. We filled the old but fairly clean jacuzzi tub and got ready for some relaxation. As I was getting undressed, I noticed that the carpet in the bedroom was damp. All over. This really grossed me out.
Overall, this room was less than what it should have been for the $350+ rate. Way less. The reason I give it 2 stars is for Oro, the restaurant downstairs. Do yourself a favor and hit up the breakfast buffet on the weekend instead of getting room service. It's actually pretty tasty and the wait staff was very nice.
In summary:
1.) don't stay at the Emily Morgan.. the Plaza del Rio is right down the street and much better for less money.
2.) if you still want to stay at the Emily Morgan, don't get room 1008 and don't do room service. Try the Oro Restaurant. -
Review from Sid S.
Kansas City, MO
11/21/2008
What a bargain! The location couldn't be better (despite a previous post stating the contrary, it is like a 3 minute walk to the river walk from the hotel -- that's as close as I care to be), and this charming boutique hotel is only a few bucks more than the economy chain hotels (and motels) in the area.
While we didn't get an Alamo view, and the room was a bit small, it was clean, well decorated, and well stocked. I'm not sure what more anyone could expect from a hotel.
Although I'm Platinum in both Marriott and Priority Club, I'll still book at the Emily Morgan when I return to town. -
Review from Stephanie H.
Austin, TX
6/3/2009
I booked two nights at The Emily Morgan through Hotwire back in October of 08 as a birthday gift for my fiance. The price was definately right, but I guess that can be contributed to Hotwire more so than the hotel itself. Anyway, we had a wonderful experience!
Our room was on the same floor as the roof top pool so we could just open our door and walk out to the pool. This was neat, but our favorite things about the hotel were the convenience of the location to the many San Antonio tourist attractions and just how comfortable and luxurious the room was. It was hard to change out of our complimentary robes and get out of the amazing bed to go check out the tourist attractions!
The parking prices were outrageous, but we got around that by parking at the meters. They were free at nighttime and on Sundays and our stay was Sat. evening through Monday morning, so we paid less than a dollar to park at a nearby meter for our entire stay. We plan to stay at the Emily Morgan Hotel whenever we take a weekend trip to San Antonio to get away. -
Review from allison j.
Austin, TX
3/14/2011 2 Check-ins Here
For the price you can get by booking online (hotwire), I really like this hotel. I think we paid 55 dollars for a double, and our kids had a blast. It is across the street from the Alamo, and the carriage horses parked right outside of our window. No, it's not the Ritz, but it is an older hotel. It has charm. I liked it.
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Review from Sam L.
Los Angeles, CA
2/26/2010
Very disappointing. The building looked very pretty from out-side. The lobby and common space are nice and cozy. But the problem is the room. Filthy bathroom. Cracks everywhere in tiles, paints, and the bath tab.
There was a problem in the room cleaning and bed making. They did not seem to clean the trash cans in the room. If only a few trash, they leave it. -
Review from Brian M.
6/15/2010
I guess you get what you pay for.
A "four star" Priceline purchase for $68. That translated to, in order:
* $28 parking (they have a parking lot directly behind the hotel), so it's kind of a rip-off
* A front desk that is tiny, with two people working it. Most four-stars I've been in have huge desks -- especially those hotels in busy tourists areas (say, across from the Alamo)
* At least one clerk who told one other person checking in "You should have just said that."
* A fairly nice room, moderately spacious. There was a small desk in the corner, a jacuzzi tub/shower, and double doors that closed off the entire bathroom area.
* A 25"? 27"? TV from the 1990s that belongs in a Motel 5, not a four-star. I've paid rack rate for the same price for lesser chains with flat panels. It's 2010.
* Windows so thin I could hear what people were saying on the street below. Carriages line up on Houston Street below. I could hear the horses whinnying above my conversation. (Seriously?)
* A very comfortable bed with oh-so-nice sheets.
* The "view of the Alamo" is a view of the side walls of the complex (i.e. gift shop) and some trees. The famous Alamo view you're thinking of is on a different street. The Alamo faces west. The rooms "facing the Alamo" in this hotel face south, and the hotel itself is already behind and to the north of the Alamo's front.
* A drink machine was on my floor, but there was no ice machine. I had to go to a different floor. (Really? So a four-star will sell me a soft drink out of a vending-machine, but won't give me ice to go with the $5 bottle of water on the desk?)
* Outrageously priced Internet access that looked to be a weak signal anyway. Luckily, I had my laptop card, and I got 3G service. But they lost cool points for that.
On checkout, they brought around the car very quickly, and were friendly. It's a mixed bag. For the price, I can't complain too loudly. But, be aware of what you're getting into. It's true: you do get what you pay for. -
Review from Arisa W.
8/31/2008
I stayed in Emily Morgan because we got a deal from Hotwire. It is better than what I expected.
Clean rooms, helpful staffs, Aveda-line toiletries, 13 steps to Alamo... It is a bit far from the Rivier, but overall it is still nice. I also recommend the Westin, if you want to be river-front. -
Review from David S.
Washington, DC
7/5/2010
I can confirm the other comments about being nickled and dimed to death, the horrible internet access and the lackadaisical service. I will add to that: the pool was broken and they advertised "queen" sized beds but they are in actuality "single queen" sized beds, which means full sized. Pretty lame experience over all. I would avoid San Antonio all together if possible but I would avoid this place at all costs.
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Review from John M.
Denton, TX
6/8/2010
What a great location! Our room was very nice and looked over the Alamo. The staff was very friendly, and were quick to help with any questions that we had.
The only problem that I have with this hotel is that they nickel and dime you for EVERYTHING...Bottle of water $5, Parking $28 a night, Internet $10. We were also charges $12 for a long distance phone call that we never made. The number that was called was 600-000-0000.
I really don't believe in ghost, but we did have a weird experience here. I plugged my phone into the charger on the desk that is located in the room. When I woke I found the charger was unplugged laying in the floor, and my phone was sitting on the side of my bed...Spooky! -
Review from Shawn D.
Austin, TX
10/23/2009
The parking is bad, the showers were not that great, and they nickel and dime you out of everything.
The worst thing was the internet. I HAVE to have internet, and I had to pay $10 for 2 days of slower than dial-up internet access. -
Review from JIMMY N.
Houston, TX
3/24/2008
I've stayed in a lot of nice hotels and I have to say I'm pretty disappointed in this one. I stayed one night, on a Saturday night... was charged almost $300 for a room that's a little over 200 sq ft. Well I knew the dimensions of that room coming in... so I was not shocked of its size. However, I was surprised at how cheaply it looked once I stepped in. This was far from a luxury boutique hotel! To me it is comparable to a midscale like a Double Tree or Holiday Inn! I don't know, maybe I set the bar too high for other hotels when I compare it to a Vegas hotel. The standard for me is a Bellagio or Caesar's-like (Augustus tower only) room. To me that's considered luxury!
Anyways, getting back on track... even though it was the weekend, located right next to the Alamo, and an art festival running that weekend... I expected more for the price. It's only San Antonio!!! Oops, no offense to all residents of SA. It's just that the quality was not there at the Emily Morgan. I expected a beautiful room like the ones I saw on their website. What I got was a bad version of it. The paint job in my room was badly performed, there were some spots on the wall near my bed that were lighter (w/swirl-like marks) than the rest of the room. You can also see that these painters did not have steady hands. I'd see paint on the back of bathroom fixtures and brush marks on the light switches. That just tells me they gave this place a face-lift but left behind the old fixtures. tsk tsk. The bed was lumpy and super springy!!! I hate that!!! Even though they put a featherbed on top, it did not help the springiness. Another bad thing about this place was the thin walls. Omg, I could literally here everything going on outside and next door. It was pretty bad!
I know they're recipients of the 4 diamond AAA award. Yet I'm pondering how they achieve that. Maybe they stayed in a suite. Maybe I should have booked a suite too!!! Maybe then I can smile and look happy like the models on their website.
Despite the bad there were several good points: (friendly staff... especially the bellmen), Aveda bath products, comfortable 400 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets, HBO, free pet stay, lovely common area (The Library), and proximity to the Rivercenter and Alamo. All that aside, It was not worth the price!!! Could have had a better room at the Westin on the Riverwalk for the same price.Listed in: 4 Star and Up Properties
