Fodor's Expert Review Hotel Havana

The hip Hotel Havana is a boutique oasis on the north end of the River Walk with a colorful Cuban-inspired flare and bold artwork housed in its rather modest outward appearance. Originally built in 1914 as a hotel residence by a local grocer, the hotel has changed hands numerous times over the past century, at times receiving a breath of new life into the grand Mediterranean Revival building as a secluded destination along the far reaches of San Antonio's Riverwalk banks. Perhaps that new life has never been so vibrant, intriguing and magnetic as today. It attracts a new sort of urban-chic traveler rather than the usual corporate conference-goer or textbook tourist out for the watered down show-circuit of the Alamo and overpriced Tex-Mex on the Riverwalk. Rooms are spare, but meticulously outfitted with vibrant vintage furnishings and decor. A stay at this chic-yet-cozy accommodation isn't complete without a stop in at its adjacent lounge, Ocho, which sits just overlooking the river as a sort of robin-egg blue aviary serving up a sexy selection of cocktails and a petite menu of Latin-influenced snacks and dishes.