Omni La Mansion del Rio

Originally a school, opened in 1853 by four brothers from the Society of Mary, this San Antonio River Walk hotel lures guests with its outstanding 19th-century architecture and atmosphere. Arched doors lead to the lobby, where a winding wrought-iron staircase stands out among the terra-cotta-tile floors, wood-accented ceilings, patterned area rugs, and dark leather sofas. The romantic vibe carries on to the rooms, which have antique-style furnishings, exposed brick, and beamed ceilings. They surround an elegant Spanish courtyard, a lively (and sometimes loud) area with a heated pool, a concrete patio with loungers, a traditional wall fountain, and, depending on the night and the season, a mariachi band or a family-friendly movie screening (with free popcorn!).

The Omni La Mansion Del Rio is one of many hotels right on the city's famed River Walk, near lots of excellent restaurants, stores, bars, and tourist attractions. San Antonio offers lots of activities for families, with the San Antonio Zoo, Sea World of Texas, dude ranches, and water parks. If golf is your thing, you can pick from more than 25 area golf courses (there is one just two miles from the hotel).

• Seven-minute walk to the Alamo
• 12-minute walk to La Villita park
• 18-minute walk to Tower of the Americas
• Six-minute drive to Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
• Nine-minute drive to the Alamodome
• 18-minute drive to San Antonio International Airport

All of Omni La Mansion's 338 rooms and suites combine soothing earth tones, traditional Spanish-style and carved wooden furnishings, and romantic architectural features, like exposed brick, wood-beamed ceilings, and French doors featuring beige, taupe, or paisley-print curtains. River-view rooms up the elegance with private balconies overlooking the beautiful River Walk. Deluxe rooms offer views of the pool and courtyard or the city. All rooms come with coffeemakers with free coffee and tea, well-stocked minibars, flat-screen TVs with cable, and safes. In the closets are bathrobes and ironing equipment. Bathrooms feature marble countertops, shower/tub combos, hairdryers, and Omni-brand toiletries. Outside the bathrooms are vanity counters with chairs and magnifying mirrors. 

Omni La Mansion's sizable heated swimming pool is set within a traditional Spanish courtyard. On one if its short ends is a European wall fountain with stone faces and colorful tile pieces, and on the other end is a patio with tables and chairs. Along the pool's two long sides are comfy loungers. In the summer, the hotel opens a bar with light fare and drinks, and hosts poolside activities like mariachi performances and family movie nights (complete with free popcorn). A top-notch fitness center and spa are both across the street at Mokara, La Mansion’s sister property. 

Omni Kids Crew kids' program provides check-in packs filled with stickers, crayons, and games, plus provides milk-and-cookie deliveries to the room on the first night. At any point in their stay, families can go on scavenger hunts around the hotel. The concierge will also provide history tours of the hotel.

The hotel dedicates nearly 19,000 square feet to meeting and special-event space. There are 16 rooms total -- all receive natural light and are equipped with Wi-Fi and audio-visual capabilities. The largest space is the Iberian Ballroom, a 4,000-square-foot hall that can accommodate up to 500 guests.

Omni La Mansion has a decent business center on ground floor. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel only for Select Guest members (though joining is free). Omni allows dogs and cats up to 25 pounds with a non-refundable cleaning fee.

Omni La Mansion's main restaurant, Las Canarias, is consistently rated one of the best restaurants in San Antonio. It serves upscale American cuisine for all three meals (breakfast is available both buffet or a la carte), and has an indoor dining room and a River Walk-facing patio. The lively lobby bar, El Colegio, occupies the space that was once the library of St. Mary’s College. It serves Texas Hill Country wine by the glass or bottle, local beers, classic cocktails made with Texas liquors. For food, it has a small selection of Southwestern fare, like quesadillas and spicy mac and cheese. Morsels, just off the lobby, opens early in the morning and sells coffee, espresso beverages, pastries, and sandwiches. Room service is available until late.