San Antonio Hotels - A Brief Guide To Finding Your Hotel

• By: MFoley
• On: 30/Mar/2010
• In: San Antonio Travel Tips

San Antonio is a huge city (2nd largest in Texas) so it is important to choose the right location when booking your San Antonio hotel. If you want to stay centrally within walking distance of the shopping, sights and sounds of the city then choose hotels in downtown San Antonio or along the famous River Walk.

Downtown San Antonio

If you're in town for a short while then you should consider getting a hotel in downtown San Antonio. Ok, so you may have to pay a higher price but you'll save it on transport and can maximise your time exploring the city centre and visiting attractions.

Downtown San Antonio hotels are ideal if you want all the sights and sounds of San Antonio on your doorstep. It's also the city's central business district, so if you're in town on business you'll probably need a hotel here.

Downtown San Antonio is the tourist hub of the city as it is home to the famous historical district. The legendary Alamo can be found at Alamo Plaza in the heart of downtown San Antonio. Other top San Antonio sites to see here include; the Tower of the Americas, The Guenther House, Museo Alameda, the Main Plaza and El Mercado – the city's historic market place.

When it comes to entertainment, you can't beat downtown San Antonio. This area of the city has a thriving theatre scene so take the time to catch a show at one of its intimate theatres. Nightlife is also vibrant in this area with lots of taverns and pubs to choose from, as well as clubs and live music venues.

Downtown San Antonio is also the best place to base yourself if you're taking in some shopping. The Rivercentre Mall is located here and boasts over 100 stores including Macy's. If you choose a downtown San Antonio hotel you can drop your bags back at the hotel and continue on your shopping spree!

Another good thing about San Antonio hotels in the downtown area is that if you stay here you won't need any transport as you can easily get around on foot.

By the Riverwalk

San Antonio's Riverwalk is one of the top attractions in the city. It is essentially a public park which runs the length of the beautiful San Antonio River and is lined with restaurants, hotels and has many attractions within a few blocks liks Splashtown Waterpark, the Tower of the Americas, Ripley's Haunted Adventure and Ripley's Tomb Rider, the Natural Bridge Caverns and the IMAX Theatre Rivercentre Mall.

Museums and galleries on and closeby the Riverwalk include The Buckhorn Saloon & Museum, the Eclectic Art Gallery and the Briscoe Western Art Museum.

The Riverwalk's nightlife is second to none with lots of disco bars, rock bars, chill out saloons and live music venues in the area. The River Walk is also the main area of the city which holds festivals, parades and concerts.

This is one of the nicest places to stay while in the city. There's a lot of San Antonio hotels to choose from in this area. Some line the river itself while some as just a few blocks away.

Near the Convention Centre

The Harry B Gonzales Convention Centre is located in the heart of the historic city centre and is the main convention, sports, entertainment and exhibition space in the city. It also features the Lila Cockrell Theatre and the Alamodome and is home to over 450 events a year!

There are lots of hotels within steps of the convention centre.

Near the Airport

The San Antonio International Airport is situated 12km north of downtown San Antonio. Although it is very well connected to the city centre by public transport, you could also use it as your base for exploring the city and its surrounds. There lots of San Antonio hotels located here which are ideal if you're catching an early morning flight and most have a shuttle bus service.

There is a wide range of hotels in San Antonio to book and they range from 1 star to 5 star so there is something to suit every taste and pocket whether you're after cheap hotels in San Antonio or luxury hotels.

It's also worth mentioning that if you want to stretch your dollar then you should avoid convention times in the city. Hotel room rates can be slightly higher if there's a convention in town and they usually take place during the spring, winter and autumn. During the summer months, the high temperatures and humidity can make it uncomfortable for exploring the city. Also, because visitors tend to avoid the city during the hot summer, hotel rooms rates tend to be a bit lower.

Hope you find the perfect San Antonio for your stay. Why not have a look at our San Antonio hotels page now, enter your dates and we'll show you our very latest availability and prices.

If you've any queries or  advice, please leave a comment in the box below.