Recently, I had the pleasure of witnessing the San Antonio Spurs completely obliterate the Portland Trailblazers from the comfort of my box seat deep in the heart of the Lone Star State. But I digress. This is a review about the hotel I stayed at in San Antonio, Texas.
Review: Grand Hyatt (San Antonio, TX)
Location
The Grand Hyatt San Antonio is located in the eastern part of Downtown San Antonio (pretty much as close to the AT&T Center – where the Spurs play – as you’d reasonably want to get).
It’s actually in a very convenient location that is close to everything in Downtown San Antonio – just not too close. The Grand Hyatt’s key feature is it’s proximity to the San Antonio Convention Center, making it the obvious choice for convention goers.
This hotel is also conveniently located within walking distance to the Riverwalk (about 10 minutes away) and walking distance to The Alamo (about a 15-20 minute walk).
The Riverwalk – Image courtesy of Hyatt.com
The Lobby and Check-In
The lobby to this Hyatt property is located on the ground level next to the parking garage ($43 per night for hotel guests, discounted for World Of Hyatt members) in a large cavernous room accented with marble and Spanish style artwork.
The front desk offered a dedicated line for World of Hyatt elites, however the front desk never seemed to be very busy, even during peak check-in and check-out hours.
Check-in was smooth and the front desk staff attendant was very friendly as she recognized my status and thanked me for my Hyatt loyalty. The welcome gift was two bottles of water and 500 Hyatt points.
The Room
I received a standard room with two queen beds. The room was clean and comfortable – very much in-line with other standard business-friendly hotels.
Oops, that beer does not come with the room.
Glimpse of the city below
The Bathroom
The shower was a little”old-school”
Ice, Coffee, and Safe
The Pool
Image courtesy of Hyatt.com
Bar Rojo
Let me say a brief word about Bar Rojo. At this Grand Hyatt, this was the place to be. It was slam-packed and an overall happening place to hangout with friends, business partners, or in my case – Trailblazer fans with whom I could talk smack.
The drinks were stiff and the burgers were juicy, cheesy, and tangy – overall legit in every way. But the one item you must make sure to order is the Texas Sausage Charcuterie Platter, trust me on this one.
Image courtesy of Hyatt.com
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
Image courtesy of Hyatt.com
Perks Coffee
Image courtesy of Hyatt.com
There’s also a Starbucks directly across the street at the Marriott, which I stopped at (because of points of course).
Stay Fit Fitness Center
Image courtesy of Hyatt.com
The Bottom Line Review:Â Grand Hyatt (San Antonio, TX)
Overall, this hotel was a really good, solid choice. Its square lack of pizazz (it IS a convention center hotel after all) and its “just-off-the-Riverwalk” location were actually its strengths.
You could stay ever-so-slightly closer to the Riverwalk, but why? You could be in an ever-so-slightly more fancy hotel downtown, but why? This classy hotel obviously caters to the business crowd and makes it easy to get in and out comfortably for single travelers or couples.
The Riverwalk at night
I will confess, I did peek my head into the Hyatt Regency (which actually was on the Riverwalk), and it definitely had the younger, cooler, feel of a boutique hotel. I am planning a stay there next time I’m in San Antonio, just to check it out.
Overall, I was very pleased with my stay at the Grand Hyatt San Antonio. The redemption value was great and it was just another in a long line of comfortable and upscale hotels that I’ve come to expect from Hyatt. I would definitely recommend it to others, especially business travelers or those who want a good night’s sleep away from the sometimes rowdy bar scene of the Riverwalk.
Cheers!
