GailLK

Will be visiting San Antonio and have enough points for 1 free night.
Wondering if I should use them at Marriot Riverwalk or River Center, or save them for a better resort? Parking fee at marriot riverwalk is $21 a nite!
Any other hotel suggestions OUTSIDE of the riverwalk area in San Antonio that would be just as nice? Hyatt and Westin Hill country resorts are either sold out or rates are over $300+! Maybe the OMNI? We will have car.. Thanks!

OO

The Omni is no where near Hyatt Hill Country or Westin La Cantera in quality, amenities...anything. There is a reason for those rates.

Marriott Riverwalk is a very nice hotel and being on the Riverwalk, if you can't be in one of the two resorts you mentioned, is best. It is not a resort though, and only you can decide if you should hang onto the points saving them for a Marriott resort in another city or spend them now. That parking rate is pretty standard in the city among the big hotels. Remember, you have in and out privileges all day if you wish. I remember gasping when I was charged $30 a night in Atlanta and that was about 12 years ago!!

GailLK

OO, thanks for your reply.
Now I'm thinking of hanging onto the points and staying at the Marriott Northwest, good reviews, great rates. But then I'm finding out there is alot of construction problems and traffic by the 440 LOOP (maybe thats why the rates are so good)? Wondering, just how bad is this construction everyone seems to be mentioning by this hotel? Is there a way to avoid it by not traveling rush hour, or should we just AVOID this hotel completely?

OO

It is so bad that I refuse to drive on I-410. Flat out refuse, any time of day.

GailLK

Now the marriott Riverwalk is really starting to look alot better, haha!
Thanks for the heads up on the 410!
(sorry my error, i thought it was 440!)

dmlove

Gail, I hope you don't mind my glomming on to your question. The weekend we're going to be in SA, the Marriott Riverwalk is very expensive (over $300 a night). Both the Westin and the Hyatt Regency (downtown) are less. OO and oathers, any thoughts on those other hotels?

OO

I like the Westin, like the location on a quieter end of the Riverwalk. It's on the newish side, a plus. Not new, but newer than many others there.

Well...My DH is the GM at the Hyatt. Makes it hard for me to talk about it so I don't. It is smack dab in the middle of the Riverwalk if that is important. Both Westin and Hyatt are full service, 4 star hotels.

maria_so

I like the Westin too, if indeed it is the riverwalk location. I believe there are downtown locations too.

For first timers I would really suggest staying at the river walk. You don't really want to drive once you're there. Living in Houston, we go to SA evertime someone comes to visit from UK or whereever(which is often) and I don't think I've ever stayed anywhere but the riverwalk.

Also try Holiday Inn. They usually are better priced ($99-$150/night) and although in the quieter parts of riverwalk, still at the riverwalk. Of course, it's a Holiday Inn and not Hyatt or Hilton, etc. so expect rooms to look ok not "really nice".

maria_so

Here's a trick to see if the "riverwak locations" are close to where the busy/touristy parts are. First locate the address of the alamo or the river center then map that on google maps. then add a destination and plug in all the different hotel choices. You'll see how far each is and the map should show you the river so you can see if you are close riverwalk walking distance or not.

hope that helps!

dmlove

Well...My DH is the GM at the Hyatt. Makes it hard for me to talk about it so I don't.


Hey, we should all be getting discounts (just kidding)!!

maria_so

no kidding! OO, I'm not ashamed, I'd love a discount! teehee. Hyatt for me is the best one for the RW - great location smack dab in the middle, as you say, and pretty too. We had a river view room twice and you can see the people walking around, the lights on the trees, right on a bend. Very nice indeed!

dmlove

The Hyatt is not all non-smoking, is it? That's usually a requirement for us.

maria_so

not sure. but speaking of non smoking rooms, we were in austin a couple fo weekends ago and due to the marathon, all the non smoking rooms had already been booked so they upgraded us to suite but smoking. NEVER AGAIN. I felt ill all weekend long. How can they do that to a room? Yuck!

Sorry, didn't mean to hijak the thread.

Austin

We've stayed at the RIverwalk a few times. We like it over the River Center because of the balconies overlooking the riverwalk.

This past weekend (Fri) we stayed at the Hotel Contessa. Wonderful room (suite). I'll stay there again. My friend's DH got it on Priceline for under $200. They are normally $300+

Tess

OO is being modest--the Hyatt is a wonderful hotel and perfectly situated on the Riverwalk. We've stayed at the Marriott Riverwalk and it was a fine hotel, also in a great location.

Do yourself a favor and stay on the Riverwalk--so much fun and you can park the car in its $21 stall and leave it there

Another Riverwalk hotel to consider is the Contessa--actual suites and a nice rooftop pool. We stayed there a few years ago (when it first opened) and would definitely go back again.

GailLK

Thanks for ALL your replies and advice. I've decided to stay on the Riverwalk, probably the Marriott because it's offering great AAA rates. My first choice would have been the Westin riverwalk, but the rates are too high. I've stayed at the Hyatt riverwalk in previous trip, and it was great location, very nice hotel. We really LOVE the Hyatt Hill Country too!
Appreciate everyones feedback, thats why this is such a GREAT website!

dmlove

Well, we're staying at the Hyatt Regency (best rate for the weekend we're there)...the Marriott River Center and the Marriott Riverwalk, as well as the Westin, were quite a bit higher (it's a special book by today rate at the Hyatt), and the Contessa is sold out. I'm sure it will be very nice, and it is in a great location.

vinolover

We loved the Hyatt Riverwalk. Be sure and call the hotel and ask for an Alamo view or River view room. We just stayed there and had a wonderful view of the Alamo and Hemisphere Tower from our room. But I would have been very unhappy at the hotel if we had an interior atrium view room. Those are very dark and everyone can see into them. You can even see into those rooms from the glass elevators. Also I would recommend a room on a higher floor for the best views.

I think the Hyatt is better located than either Marriott or the Westin. The Hyatt is in the middle of the main Riverwalk restaurant section and is just a block across the street from the Alamo. The Westin has the advantage of have balconies on the rooms and that section of the Riverwalk is quieter. The Hyatt rooms don't have balconies but do have floor to ceiling, wall to wall windows in the rooms.

I'm not sure if the entire hotel is non smoking but our room had a card on the table that said you would be fined $250 if you smoked in the room.