Fodor's Expert Review Menger Hotel

Since its 1859 opening, the famous Menger has lodged the likes of Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, and Oscar Wilde, and today you'll still be the envy of many an overheated tourist strolling immediately across the street from the entrance to the Alamo into the cool lobby and up to your room (perhaps with a view of the Alamo). Inside, the hotel has an old-world, elegant three-story Victorian lobby, a sunny dining room, and a small but lush courtyard. There's a large outdoor pool heated from November through February. The Colonial Room restaurant is a Victorian-era gem, with a popular Sunday brunch and famous mango ice cream. Menger's must-see bar, built in 1887, is styled after the pub at the House of Lords in London.