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La Mansion Del Rio Hotel
Categories: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Restaurants Hotels, Restaurants [Edit]
112 College StSan Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 446-5087
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
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36 reviews for La Mansion Del Rio Hotel
Review Highlights
"I learned about worry dolls and their powers as a kid so it..."
(in 3 reviews)
"Shiny Saltillo tile, big comfy couches, and Spanish details..."
(in 3 reviews)
"...itself - I'm a big fan of Spanish architecture and details."
(in 3 reviews)
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36 reviews in English
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Review from Victoria R.
Boston, MA
1/11/2012
Omni La Mansion, I do not have a negative word to say about you. Customer Service was impeccable from the moment my cab pulled up to the door to the moment I got back in a cab to go to the airport. As a Boston native, I'm not quite used to the notion of Southern hospitality -- but I was impressed with how friendly and accomodating the staff was. This hotel, like every Omni hotel I've ever stayed in, has some of the largest rooms and most comfortable beds of any hotel. My room was on a corner on the back of the hotel (away from the Riverwalk), but had two balconies looking over the center courtyard, each with a small chair if one wanted to sit outside.
All in all, this was an amazing experience and I would recommend the hotel to anyone looking for a place in San Antonio. -
Review from Matthew F.
Los Angeles, CA
12/30/2011 9 photos
We booked a package deal here... two nights lodging, breakfast for two each day, parking, $100 dinner credit at the neighboring hotel's Ostra restaurant, and 2 one-hour-long massages (spa access and tip included) for $1000. Pretty good price.
Some things to know though... The website points out that this is a very old building, and as such, room sizes vary. Wow is that true. We booked a Riverwalk view room, which is the third tier of 4 the hotel offers. (As in, the second best). The first room we were shown to was TINY! Omni's website describes all the Riverwalk view rooms as "spacious," and I would have to say that that simply isn't true. In no way could this room be called spacious. In fact, cramped would be a better word. It had a shared balcony, not a private one, and the balcony was so narrow that a chair wouldn't fit on it... standing only.
So we called down to the front desk and they moved us to a different room in the same classification, which was almost twice as big as the first one. This one had a private balcony, big enough for two chairs, and access to a separate, much larger shared balcony. This room was also big enough for a loveseat as well as a chair, which the other room wasn't. The room was so different I was really surprised that the hotel had it in the same class as the other one.
Here are pictures of the two rooms:
First the smaller:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Now the larger:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
My point in all this is, when you make your reservation, make sure you get assigned a specific room, and make sure that room is on the larger side of whatever classification you get.
The full breakfast that came the first day was ok, not great. I'm going to get something different tomorrow.
The Wifi is $10 a day unless you're an Omni rewards member, in which case it's free. Omni Rewards is free to sign up for, so definitely do that before you show up, or call down to the desk and ask them to sign you up, which they will do. The WiFi was PAINFULLY slow, so don't count on it. In fact, I couldn't even post this review from the room: the connection timedout twice!
Other than that, know that the parking is expensive, and try to negotiate that it gets thrown in for free. Or park across the street at the cheaper self park. The staff is SUPER friendly and accommodating. We lost our breakfast vouchers, and they had no problem replacing them for us. The bed was comfortable, the sheets really soft. And there's obviously plenty to do within walking distance.
One final note about the Riverwalk View rooms: the riverwalk is quite noisy at night. There are restaurants and bars right across the river from the hotel, so you hear all that clearly, as well as what sounded like a mariachi band. Even through the closed doors you can hear some noise, so if you want absolute quiet in your room at night, the Riverwalk view rooms would not be a good choice.
And check out the view from my balcony:
http://photosynth.net/... -
Review from Kate G.
Houston, TX
12/5/2011
Loved this place.
My boyfriend and I stayed in during a very busy spring break.
The room we had was spotless clean with a magnificent view of the riverwalk. Customer service was AMAZING. The staff made sure we had everything we needed and even accommodated my request of 6 extra pillows (just for fun.) The spa service was outstanding and definetely one of the most relaxing yet. -
Review from E F G.
San Antonio, TX
1/18/2012
A grand thumbs up for this establishment. Called and set up reservations for the night of my wedding for my husband and I. I failed to mention anything about it being for a special occasion until we arrived and noticed our attire... Yes, my wedding dress and his tux. The staff at the front desk congratulated us and noticed I had not mentioned anything about it when I made the reservations. In seconds they had upgraded us to a master suite, mind you... It was beautiful... Overlooking the riverwalk and amazingly they even had a bottle of wine in our room by the time we got up there with a card signed by the staff and management. This was an awesome experience and would recommend this hotel to all my friends and family.
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Review from carolyn v.
Austin, TX
10/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
The Good:
:: the location. it's on the riverwalk near a quieter end
:: the hotel itself. love the gorgeous ambiance, the saltillo tile, the history behind the hotel, the rooms, the balconies, and all the greenery around the hotel facing the riverwalk
:: the service. incredible. i'm a select member and when i checked in, i had my room and cards ready for pickup. when we checked into our room, we found not one but two balconies! awesome! the room had an odor to it (think what you'd smell at a jimmy buffet or snoop dogg concert), and when we reported it, the hotel staff were EXTREMELY generous and made sure that we were offered a room change (we stayed b/c of the two balconies) and made sure that we were okay the whole time. loved that attention to service.
:: everyone on the staff was totally professional. from the awesome front desk person who greeted us upon checkin to the security person sent up after our room odor report to the housekeeping staff who came up to our room about 50 times for extra coffee + towels + robes. everyone seemed professional and TOTALLY nice without acting like they were kissing your butt. i like that and i respect that. loved the staff. they were incredible start to finish.
:: very spacious room
:: beds? super comfortable
:: amenities. we got free wireless since i'm a select member, coffeemaker in the room, nice bath amenities, free bottle of water, and 2 free drinks delivered to your room in the morning (i think you need to be a select member for this)
The Bad:
:: the room didn't have an in-room safe. i was very surprised by that since the omni's i have stayed at have them. maybe i'm just an idiot and didn't find it but i looked everywhere: closet, cabinet...it would be nice to have that so you can lock up your valuables.
:: wish the french doors allowed both doors to open and not just one
The Ugly:
:: $32 parking. oooouch. do your wallet a favor and park across the street for $8 a day. unless, of course, you are The Rich and money is no object, then do the $32 a day parking at the hotel.
Would I go back? 100%. I'm looking forward to future stays and having a relaxing getaway.
This place is IN. -
Review from Nate M.
2/21/2011 2 photos
Oh how I love this hotel...
I won't pretend to know the detailed and interesting history of this place, though said info can be had by some light googling and/or chatting up the staff. We're platinum with the Omni rewards program and sometimes take long weekends to SA or Austin just to keep our points up and to give us a reason to stay in a fun hotel in a fun location. This hotel is super nice, has a great staff, is literally on the Riverwalk, has beautiful views, and aside from redonkulously expensive parking (go across the street in the half price per day garage), its really a homerun. That said, no downtown hotel has ever had decently priced parking so its not fair to dock this joint a star based on that.
The rooms are great but admittedly we were spoiled by a large room upgrade with a private top-floor balcony over the Riverwalk (one of the many perks of finally achieving platinum status). We actually spent a fair amount of time in the hotel bar and found that their selection of drinks and food were quite nice. We had a fruit and cheese plate and some great local beers while catching up with great friends that we were staying with. The first night we were there they had a mariachi band around the pool with a poolside bar serving all sorts of mixed drinks. It sounds campy, and maybe it was, but it was so much fun and super relaxing. I find myself longing for another long weekend like it especially as the weather has been cold for so long.
In sum, I can't wait to get back to this place because of its fun location within walking distance of everything around the Riverwalk, as well as the friendly staff, luxurious rooms, and overall relaxing experience. I can, without hesitation, recommend this spot to anyone who needs a great break in San Antonio. -
Review from Randy A.
3/7/2011 7 Check-ins Here
Opulent, historical and well-placed hotel on the San Antonio Riverwalk. You'll love this place if you like being at the center of the area's attractions and convenient to all the things of central San Antonio (bars, restaurants, The Alamo, etc).
Good food, top notch staff who really care about being the best at what they do. For example, if you ask for a follow up wake up call and you don't answer they will send a staff member to knock on your door to ensure you are up and going. That's cool.
You can use the brand new spa/ gym/ rooftop pool across the river at their sister property. Very nice.
Only reason they didn't get 5 stars is they had too many trainees at the front desk when we checked in who didn't tend to incoming guests the way the seasoned staff would. -
Review from Ripley G.
Houston, TX
6/2/2011
Absolutely love this place. Had a river view with shared balcony.
The white trash staying next door was quickly taken care of by management.
Every employee was super helpful and friendly. Will definitely be back. Thanks for a great, relaxing stay. -
Review from Natalie N.
Boston, MA
1/25/2011
Recently spent a night here on a quick trip to San Antonio. After considering a number of hotels, the BF and I eventually just decided to "Priceline" it to see if we could get a 4-star hotel in downtown for $100. The Mansion Del Rio was our priceline-roulette result, and I must say, I think we did pretty well. If you're thinking of staying here, definitely look for priceline type deals - I get the sense it's easy to avoid paying full price here, especially in the tourist off-season.
After we were assigned to the Omni, I quickly signed up for their Select Guest program - which I highly, HIGHLY suggest. It made our entire [short] stay super easy. We showed up for check in close to 10PM [and thanks to all the Yelp advice, avoided the $32 valet charge and parked across the street in the garage - which, btw, the $8 flat rate price only gets you your spot until 8 am and then they start charging again, but still got out of there paying only $16 when leaving at noon]. Super easy check in by a very friendly front desk staff.
When we got to our room, it was completely ready for us - a personalized card to me welcoming us to the hotel, a complimentary bottle of water and the bed already turned down, complete with a box of Guatemalan worry dolls and an explanation on how to use them. I learned about worry dolls and their powers as a kid so it was cute to see them again. Also, we were given a menu for complimentary beverages (2 per guest) delivered in the morning - so were brought 2 OJ's and a fresh pitcher of coffee at 9am (our requested time) in the morning. But seriously - join the Omni Select Guest program (free!) before going to get all of these perks. They're small things, but they really help make your stay a little more special.
I love the look of the hotel itself - I'm a big fan of Spanish architecture and details. The room was fine - nothing special or bad - and we did have patio doors that opened up to a shared balcony overlooking the pool instead of a RiverWalk view, but due to our short stay, I didn't mind much. Super easy access to the RiverWalk and if you're hungry for some high quality food instead of the chain-restaurant fare along the RiverWalk (or thirsty for fantastic margaritas), try the restaurant in the hotel - Las Canarias. So delicious and the staff there were amazing!
[I have absolutely no complaints about our stay, but also wasn't blown away by anything in particular, hence the 4 star rating instead of 5.] -
Review from Lu W.
San Jose, CA
1/18/2011
I almost feel bad not to give this hotel a 5-star rating. It's a historic building with an average room size of 300 sq ft - average is the keyword, because in the interest of preservation the original rooms have not been resized to be of consistent dimensions. The Riverwalk was practically in my patio, and the painting in my room, strangely, was actually a painting of my patio!
Now the cons. I was there for two nights, and I was waken up twice by housekeeping. Once admittedly late in the morning: 9:30, another time at 8:30. Sure I could opt to put out a Do Not Disturb sign, but given that I don't typically do that, this is an unusual experience.
There is no indoor pool or gym. Valet parking is $32 a day, the price of entry is just south of $200 including sales/city/county/state occupancy tax. That's a "great deal" at corporate rate. And tes, FOUR taxes. Whoever thinks Texas has a balanced budget AND a low tax should check the facts. I'm not necessarily unhappy with hotel for the sticker shock, but the amendities are definitely on the thin side at that price. -
Review from Melissa D.
Bethlehem, PA
2/5/2011
I stayed here in late January '11 for 4 nights for a business meeting. The reservations were at the choice of my company and the hotel certainly delivered. The rate was fantastic - a discount was offered (I'm assuming) due to the number of rooms reserved as well as the company also using the meeting rooms within the hotel for 2 days.
First to the definite pros - the hotel has an unbeatable location. You're right on the Riverwalk. Right there. You walk out and there is Selena's bridge. Picturesque and relaxing, considering I was coming in from 20 degree weather in Pennsylvania. The service was fantastic. The view from my room overlooked the pool/courtyard - there was a terrace to walk around - very nice. The pool looked nice but it was cold(er) while I was there so that wasn't really looking like a good idea.
On to a minimal number of cons - the hotel bar had awesome service but was quite pricy. Not a big deal. The biggest deal, and yes, I'm aware this is Texas, it's warm, and they thrive here...um...cockroaches. Very, very large cockroaches. I had them in my bathroom the first two days of my stay. Being a northerner who's not used to these suckers, uh, yikes? They're really nasty. Then I got smart and closed up all the drains before I went to bed at night and voila! No more roaches.
In summary, this place is pretty awesome. Also, Kevin Bacon was staying at the hotel while I was there. Yeah! Kevin Bacon. Must be a decent hotel. -
Review from Chris G.
8/8/2010
A-Mazing. Beautiful architecture. Stellar service. Great rooms. Right there on the River Walk. It's definitely the best place to stay in San Antonio.
All of this at a really fair price.
La Mansion Del Rio is great. I can't wait to come back. -
Review from Ray P.
7/20/2010
This is one of the best hotels my wife and I have ever stayed in!
If you plan on staying on the Riverwalk, I highly recommend you stay at this hotel. Everything form the check in to check out went as smooth as can be. We had zero complaints.
The staff were very friendly and approachable. They did their very best to accommodate our requests to our satisfaction. I have never been in a more friendly hotel.
The decor and architecture were exquisite for such an old building, a gem on the Riverwalk. The layout of the hotel was very convenient. You walk down one hall to the elevator and boom, you are at the Riverwalk door. Directly outside the door is a bridge so you can decide if you need to cross the river for whatever destination you need to go. Also, just a brief walk down the other side is a ticket booth for the river boats/taxi. The other thing we liked was the hotel is not many floors so no long waits for the elevator.
The room amenities were nice as well. There were bathrobes, soft towels, etc, but the silver lining was the bed. Wow! This may have been the most comfortable bed we have ever slept in, and that is saying a lot because we just recently got a Sleep Number bed that we really love.
We did not get room service but we did eat at the breakfast buffet served in the Las Canarias restaurant. Sure, it is a bit pricey but it is worth it! This was the best breakfast buffet we ever had. Make sure you order some hot tea because they serve "Tea Forte"; very nice touch.
Lastly, I highly recommend you make use of the valet parking. Yes, you can find cheaper parking but not the convenience. The coolest thing was even after checkout, they offer to hold on to your luggage until you are ready to leave so you can keep your car parked while you enjoy your last day on the Riverwalk, etc.
We will definitely be staying here on our next visit:)
If I did have to nitpick though, it would have to be about the water pressure in the shower. It was not bad but it certainly could have been stronger. -
Review from patti g.
Manhattan, KS
8/6/2011
Great hotel, excellent service, best location on the riverwalk!! Las canarias is slightly expensive, but you get what you pay for, honestly! Staff will go out of their way to help you, its really a great place!
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Review from Libby V.
Bellbrook, OH
11/10/2010
Decided to stay here after walking thru on a prior visit and fell in love with the Spanish architecture. It's very luxurious but rooms are just a little on the small side. I had requested a river view room, and was just a little taken aback when I went on the balcony and realized it was one continueous balcony with no privacy. And the doors opened right onto it! We seemed to be the only ones out there for the entire stay.
Food was great here. Everything was first class and I will stay here whenever I have the opportunity. -
Review from Peter D.
7/7/2008
I must say, the staff at La Mansion del Rio is top notch.
They are very knowledgable. At 2:30 am, when we stumbled back into the lobby and asked the concierge which pool we could swim in at that hour, he said "Neither. The pools close at 10 pm." Sure enough, there was a large sign next to the downstairs pool that read "The Pool Closes at 10 pm."
They aim to entertain, as well as serve. The concierge regaled us for nearly a minute with a hilarious tale of how the pool would "shock" us, if we swam after hours. What a guy! He'd do almost anything to put a smile on the face of his guests. They are gifted actors, as well. When we returned minutes later wearing swimsuits, both the concierge and the doorman pretended, quite convincingly, not to realize what was about to happen.
They are very quick to respond, and helpful as well. Only 30 seconds after we had jumped in the pool, a very nice man was there, insisting on helping us get out.
They work around the clock. They had no problem bringing beer and champagne poolside at 3 am., and thoughtfully suggested that we get a few club sandwiches as well. After we made enough noise to attract a bachelorette party, and more importantly, the liquor they had in their room, the staff even brought us mixers.
I will almost certainly stay at La Mansion del Rio the next time my only friend that lives in San Antonio gets married.Listed in: homes away from home., the places where my head…
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Review from John D.
3/23/2009
If you want to pretend you're married, the staff here will be happy to help. At check-in: "Mr. D, Mrs. D, we have you on the 4th floor." The next day at the Watermark Spa across the river: "Mrs. (girlfriend's last name), we have you for a pedi at 1:00." Front desk clerk at checkout, talking to spa: "I have a receipt here from his wife showing that she paid for the services with a MasterCard, but they appeared on her husband's room charges." I guess we looked like we were married... it was easier to just let it slide than correct them.
Apart from the staff trying to marry us singlefolk, we had a great stay. The staff's insistence of knowing your name does come in handy: when the spa wanted to change our appointment times, they were able to track us down at Las Canarias during breakfast. The spa was beautiful and luxurious. Just don't ask how much anything costs so you can enjoy the heart attack when you get the bill. (75 min. hot stone massage: $190... )
You'll get a great rate here if you go to the San Antonio Visitors & Convention Bureau website and register to get the discount codes. With the discount codes, I was able to beat the prices at several lesser hotels on the river.
The rooms are very well appointed. Some have an interior hallway with French doors going out to an exterior hallway/common balcony. Some rooms only have the French doors as an entrance. The buildings used to be a college, which is why the layout can be a little funky. Expect a large LCD TV, bathrobes, minibar, and wired internet connection in your room.
Valet parking is expensive; self parking across the street is about half as much as the valet. The hotel is well situated on the Riverwalk - all the places you'd want to eat and drink are a very short walk away.
While we're still giggling about being referred to as husband and wife, we did enjoy the service that we got from the hotel staff and our stay at the Omni. -
Review from erik w.
1/12/2010
The lady friend and I decided to go on a big adventure and travel 100 miles south to San Antonio and stay at the Omni La Mansion Del Rio Hotel.
We originally wanted to stay at a bed and breakfast in San Antonio, but none of the B&B's would let us take my dogs. I wanted to find a pet friendly hotel because I would be returning from Massachusetts earlier that week and hadn't seen my pups for over 10 days. So I did a little more searching and finally found the Omni La Mansion Del Rio Hotel. And guess what! It took dogs! I did a little more searching and found a promotional offer of ~$110 for the night. Bingo! I put my reservations in.
While I was reserving my room I put a note in the comment section that I had two small dogs ~8lbs and ~15lbs and asked whether or not that would be an issue. So a month goes by and it's two days before my reservation and I get an email saying that it is no problem for me to bring my dogs, but they charge $50 a night if you want to bring your dog. WTF! So, I had to scramble and make a reservation with my kennel and bring my dogs over there the day before New Years Eve. Little did I know that the kennel also closed at noon on New Years Eve day. Ugh.
Long story short, I felt a little deceived that they were not more straightforward with this information and proactive about responding to my comments.
Anyways, we arrived at the hotel around 6pm or so. The hotel is cute and quaint. Nothing fancy, but certainly worth $109 a night (but I wouldn't pay much more). The check-in was smooth and we got into our hotel room.
The hotel room was pretty darn small, basically a queen bed and a TV. It was nicely furnished though and everything appeared to be very clean.
We had to park across the street in a parking garage. The parking was $8 a night, but be forewarned, at 8am they start charging you for parking there. By the time we got out we owed $15 and we left at 10am, so it could be MIGHTY pricey if you don't watch out.
The location was excellent though. Literally a hop skip and a jump to the Riverwalk. Another plus was that they included a ticket to take a boat tour, which was really nice. -
Review from Kelly H.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
6/13/2009
Stayed here one time because everyone says it the place to stay. It was nice but there are places just as nice for less $$$ with just as good of location. Location is important though. If you go to the river walk...you definitely want to stay on the river walk.
Parking at this hotel is a ripoff. For $250 a night you pay $25 additional for parking when there is a parking structure across the street for like $7 bucks. -
Review from Scott H.
Sacramento, CA
11/15/2009
Stayed there last week for a conference. Very nice, very comfortable. Bonus is the great gym and spa facility across the street at the Watermark.
Great location on the riverwalk and Las Canarias is one of the best, most romantic restaurants in San Antonio. -
Review from Ryan S.
Austin, TX
12/14/2009
The premier place to stay downtown during Christmas time, right down to the Christmas cookies in your room after strolling down the River, checking out the lights.
La Mansion has been a Christmas tradition of mine since for thirteen years now and the quality is always consistent. They actually seem to get better. I love the GINORMOUS rooms with the Saltillo tile, the River balconies, and the best location among the best the River has to offer (definitely less touristy).
Houston Street offers tons to do outside the Hotel, including the San Antonio Children's Museum, the Majestic Theater, and World Class Dining at Bohannans and The Palm. For the younger, edgier set, clubs also line the street and are within easy access of the hotel.
The only hotel I'll give five stars to in San Antonio. I mean this place epitomizes San Antonio. GO! -
Review from Jill J.
Austin, TX
4/11/2011
This hotel blew me away from the very beginning. The reservations agent was helpful, they followed up before my actual stay to make sure I knew all the details.
The hotel is simple luxury at it's best. They think of everything and have it ready before it could occur to you, all in a gorgeous setting. I was amazed, and would definitely stay there again. -
Review from Jim L.
1/23/2009
I always like my stay at the La Mansion. For Riverwalk choices, I think it is the best I have had. The staff is on the ball, attentive without being cloying, the rooms interesting and comfy, and they do this thing for VIPs where they provide turn down service and place a box of worry dolls on your pillow. Can we say, "Thanks for giving me a project for my nieces the next time they visit?" Love it.
If you are planning an event, you will be treated very well by the staff and attended to with top-drawer catering services.
The only concern I have is that the on site parking is too expensive. I use the lot across the street. A bit of a pain, but it's priced better. -
Review from Nala L.
Houston, TX
2/28/2011
My husband and I stayed here for a weekend and we got this hotel on Hotwire. It was a good hotel, nothing too fancy but the gym and pool were very nice. The staff here was very friendly to us and had great recommendations on places to eat. Very good location as well.
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Review from walker f.
Austin, TX
1/8/2010
Had a one night get-a-awy to San Antonio and this is where we stayed. Perfect. We reserved about a month in advance and got a hell of a deal considering it was just before new years and the Alamo Bowl was being held there.
Props to the valet guy who instead of suckering us into the $28 a night (!!!) valet, pointed out a $8 parking gargage across the way. (Note, its only until 8am, pay attention or ask when you pay).
Hotel staff was nice upon check in, but it was kinda a bummer when we asked the gal where we could get the best margs and she said the hotel bar. Granted, we ended the night there and they were in fact, quite tasty, but we were hoping for more creative suggestions.
The whole hotel inside and out was pretty, "blending Spanish colonial architecture and European style" def sums it up. The lobby had a giant gingerbread Alamo that was way cool. Our room was by the pool (looked nice, but too cold, and note the hot tub is in a sister hotel?) and was quaint. Honestly we weren't in there that much during our brief stay but I can say the bathroom and shower are nice, the room is nice and dark, and the bed is comfy.
The best part about this hotel is that its right on the Riverwalk. They gave us free passes to the river trolley which was a great way to start off the night.
We ended our adventure in teh hotel bar which is nice and cozy. We sat by the fire and enjoyed Giant margaritas out of gorgeous blown glass martini glasses. I tried the Amaretto one and if you like amaretto you'll dig it - very unique - but a bit sweet for me. Would have been awesome with about half the amount of amaretto (just ask the gal to cut it, you can always add more) My bf's marg was pretty standard but tasted great. Really enjoyed maxing and relaxing there, they had to kick us out at close at midnight. If you are staying here, this is a great place to start off or end the night.
All in all this is a solid place who gets five stars for ambience and the bar. -
Review from Mary A.
Boise, ID
11/15/2011
If you want to stay in a hotel that gives you a flavor of old Texas this is the place. The building was a former school and monastery and much of the architecture is very much intact with tiled floors, open wood beamed ceilings, and the rooms have balconies many of which look over the riverwalk. Our room was very spacious, and had a very comfortable bed and turn down service at night. The riverwalk area can be noisy at night with mariachi bands, etc. but it really does add to the flavor of the area. We used the pool which is in an area of the hotel which has kind of a courtyard feel. My only concern about the pool was safety. There were no guard rails near the steps of the shallow end which made it difficult to get into the pool on the slippery steps. It was brought to the attention to the front desk staff, so hopefully they will remedy that. The Sunday brunch in the hotel restaurant Las Carnerias was really good. I would like to experience dining there again and tasting more of what their menu offers.
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Review from Sara W.
Houston, TX
1/11/2010
La Mansion Del Rio is officially my favorite hotel in San Antonio. My husband and I had wanted to stay here forever, but it was always too expensive, so when we saw a rate for around $100 per night we jumped on the chance!
We arrived around 2pm on a freezing cold Saturday for our one night stay, and things were slow at the hotel. The friendly valet guy told us about the $8 parking across the street (as opposed to the $28 valet) so I stayed with the bags while my husband parked across the way. The lobby at La Mansion is gorgeous. Shiny Saltillo tile, big comfy couches, and Spanish details everywhere. Very cozy and welcoming. Check-in went ridiculously well. My husband asked if there were any river views available, and we were upgraded to a 5th floor suite with a private balcony. As if that wasn't enough, we asked for a couple wine glasses (we always travel with wine) and they offered to send us up some glasses and a complimentary bottle of champagne or wine. It's like we'd pretty much died and gone to heaven.
We took our bags down a long corridor past the courtyard and pool. The pool area was adorable and would be so fun in the summer. We dared each other to jump into the freezing cold water, but thought better of it because we don't have the best life insurance. Our room on the 5th floor was FANTASTIC! The large, comfy bed faced French doors that opened up to our private balcony. We also had a sofa and two chairs, and a nice bench for luggage and things on the end of the bed. There was also a large desk, and dresser topped with a flat screen TV. One wall of the room was all brick, and the ceiling was beamed - it's details like that that set this place apart from other cookie cutter hotel rooms on the Riverwalk. The bathroom was a bit small, but that's understandable in such an old building. There was also a separate vanity area outside the bathroom that came in very handy. My favorite part of the room was the private balcony. It was quite chilly outside, but standing in the balcony in full sun was surprisingly comfortable. I felt like a turtle warming myself on a hot rock. It was amazing...
We waited a while for our wine and glasses to arrive, but we were too hungry to hang around for long. I'm not sure when it finally arrived, but the ice in the bucket was pretty melted when we returned to the room around 1AM. Ok, so we asked for red and ended up with a Chardonnay. Not the end of the world. It's still free wine! We also had turn down service because we are Select Guest members. Seriously, if you plan to stay at an Omni any time soon, sign up for Select Guest. It's free, and the perks are worth it! We wouldn't have had turn down service at all if it weren't for being Select Guest. They placed a cute little box of worry dolls on one pillow, along with a note about the history of worry dolls and how they work. It was adorable. Also, for being Select Guest we receive a bottle of water up on arrival (beats paying $6 for the Evian in the room) and two beverages of our choice, along with a newspaper of our choice in the morning. Hey, it's not much, but I'll take it!
Overall, we really, really loved this place. Service was spectacular, our room was amazing, and we got it all for such a bargain. Granted, they were cleaning the river this past weekend, so some of the Riverwalk was closed down, and there wasn't much water flowing in the river, but it was actually nice that things weren't so busy like they usually are along the Riverwalk. I would stay here every time I visited San Antonio, if only my budget would allow it... -
Review from Jon W.
12/28/2007
Conde Naste Traveler got it wrong when they said La Cantara was the place to stay in San Antonio. The Place to stay is somewhere where you can enjoy the River Walk and The Alamo. I have stayed at both and much prefer Omni's twin River walk hotels over the Westin at La Cantarra.
The staff at both the La Mansion and Watermark are amazingly accommodating. From the moment you arrive you are welcome. They couldn't do more. I found the service to be excellent and La Mansion is a lot less expensive than the Water Mark, but you get to use most of the Watermark's amenities if you are a guest at La Mansion. The gym was amazing for a hotel gym. The Water Mark Spa is world class. Pesca is a great place to eat. Get out of the cold and have your Feliz Navidad and New Year at the Omni hotels on the River Walk.
Or visit any time and order room service 24 hours. The climate is always mild due to the protection that the river bank affords. -
Review from Kimberly C.
San Jose, CA
1/6/2008
This hotel was recently purchased by Omni and had the sleeping rooms redone. The sleeping rooms are nice, kinda funky that you have french doors as your main door and only window in the place. The staff was really freindly and attentive. They could have been more attentive since the hotel was 25% occupied while I was there. The hotel is full of charm and rich with history. It is nice that you can use the facilities at the Watermark hotel which is so nice! The location for this place is great walking distance to the Alamo and right on the river walk.
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Review from Laura B.
Austin, TX
11/15/2010
Not impressed! The hotel is in need of updating. My husband and I both have always wanted to stay here but this is from seeing the hotel from the Riverwalk 10 or even 20 years ago. I don't know how much updating there has been in the last 10 years, not much. The front desk was nice and moved us from a view of the parking lot to a river view - we did appreciate that quite a bit. The walls are paper thin and I left the fan running constantly in the room to drown the noise a little bit from our neighbors. There was also some type of water damage in the hallway leading to our room and it smelt very strongly of mildew. As far as location, it was nice and made access to some great restaurants very easy. They do not have self-park at the hotel so you are stuck paying $32 a night for parking and are forced to valet. Had we known we may have parked in the public lot across the street. Oh well. We still had a great trip to San Antonio, but will select a different hotel when we return.
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Review from O ..
San Francisco, CA
11/24/2009
I went to this hotel thinking it held the "Omni" reputation. I was sadly mistaken. My brother-in-law had problems with his room not getting cleaned one day and I know for a fact that our room was never vacuumed. If it was, it wasn't thoroughly. The fact that it was on the Riverwalk was not so much impressive considering that other hotels which were much better were also on the Riverwalk.
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Review from Fred D.
Georgetown, TX
7/19/2008
One of the reasons I love San Antonio. The La Mansion Del Rio Hotel is right on the Riverwalk -- not near or adjacent to, but walk out of your room, down the elevator and out the door close. Great for going out and crawling back after a night enjoying the Riverwalk! The staff is immediately welcoming, and check-in is quick and efficient. The two separate wings are a little bit of a hassle if you have a lot of luggage but they will gladly bring your bags up for you. The decor is a mix of Texas ranch and a guest room at grandma's, but the rooms are clean, large and bright. That took a little getting used to, but twice, our room has opened onto a balcony overlooking the Riverwalk. I thought it would be noisy but it wasn't at all. Las Canarias restaurant is definitely a cut above the usual hotel fare, and room service is great. The pool is smaller than what you'd expect, but you can use the rooftop pool at the Watermark nearby as well as the fabulous "world class" spa, and fitness center. It tends to be pricey, but it's definitely a destination hotel, unlike the disappointing "La Cantera Resort."
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Review from P K.
Fulton, MD
5/18/2008
right on the river walk. has a very interesting spanish architecture and distinct features. Would highly recommend
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Review from Ben L.
Austin, TX
6/29/2008
Nice joint, right on the river walk.
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Review from sal l.
Berkeley, CA
2/24/2010
The lobby was so fully of ugly air fresheners, I couldn't be in there. What were they trying to hide? Mold? Unwashed employees? Lack of cleaning? I think I really don't want to know. Then, most of the rooms had no windows, only French doors that open onto public spaces. As a result, they were rarely open and the rooms were stuffy. Also, the price for a room is high, and then they want you to pay extra for things that other places provide for free: internet, parking and breakfast. The location was great, but I am sure I could find a better place for less money on the Riverwalk.
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Review from Pixie S.
Lafayette, CO
2/14/2010
I honestly do love this hotel -- it's a beautiful building, a great part of San Antonio history, and fabulously located on the Riverwalk. The staff has always been friendly and helpful. I would recommend the hotel, but would caution against one thing -- be careful regarding the location of your room. We were on the 5th floor on the Navarro Street side and the noise was appalling. On Saturday morning at about 4 a.m., it sounded like there was garbage truck emptying a dumpster in our room for about an hour. And the buses run constantly up and down Navarro it seems. It is possible to stay in the city and not be driven crazy by city racket, but not if you are in the wrong room at La Mansion.
