In your element

New boutique hotel checks into revitalized River Walk destination

The Element by Westin is slated to open in San Antonio on December 20.

Courtesy Element by Westin

The final phase of a major renovation project overlooking the San Antonio River Walk reaches completion this month. After announcing a total redevelopment of two downtown properties earlier this year, Winston Hotels has revealed the opening date of for the second concept on the property: Tuesday, December 20.

Opening next week, The Element by Westin joins the recently completed AC by Marriott at 111 Soledad St. (between Houston and Commerce streets). The renovation also produced a new venue to enjoy drinks and dazzling downtown views at the 1 Watson Rooftop Bar + Lounge, which debuted to fanfare earlier this month.

According to a release, the project’s total investment is worth over $100 million and now encompasses nearly 300,000 square feet. Designed to revitalize downtown San Antonio and add value to the pre-existing infrastructure, the two new hotels overlook the San Antonio River Walk and are within walking distance of the city’s downtown attractions.

“We are eager to present this transformative boutique hotel to San Antonio,” said Michael Dunbar, the Element’s General Manager, in the release. “The Element’s ideal center city location will attract business and leisure travelers alike and will provide guests with an unparalleled travel experience.”

The Element's features include 162 rooms with fully equipped kitchens, with a variety of room options to accommodate both short-term and long-term stays. The hotel will share several amenities with its sister project, AC by Marriott, including an 1,800 square-foot fitness center, a business center, 4,000 square feet of meeting and event space, and access to the 14th-floor's 1Watson Rooftop Bar + Lounge.

In keeping with the Element brand, the new property also focuses on personal wellness programs, such as Bikes to Borrow (allowing guests bicycle access for touring the city's best attractions) and a pet-friendly program with pet supplies for guests visiting with four-legged friends.

“Equipped with everything a traveler needs and nothing a traveler does not need, Element will consistently drive interest and draw even more visitors to the cultural oasis and historic city that is San Antonio,” said Dunbar.

Element by Westin and AC by Marriott are located at 111 Soledad St. The AC by Marriott is already accepting reservations.

schools with high achievers

These 7 San Antonio K-8 schools rank among Texas' best for 2025

Basis San Antonio - Shavano Campus

Congratulations are in order for the Dragons.

Several San Antonio elementary and middle schools are at the top of the class when it comes to educating and preparing the next generation for a successful life and career, according to U.S. News & World Report's list of 2025 Elementary and Middle Schools Rankings.

One such school – Basis San Antonio - Shavano Campus – is the No. 17 best middle school in Texas for 2025.

This November, U.S. News ranked over 79,000 public schools on the state and district level using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Schools were analyzed based on their students' proficiencies in mathematics and reading/language arts on state assessments, and tie-breakers were decided based on student-teacher ratios.

"The 2025 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings offer parents a way to evaluate how schools are providing a high-quality education and preparing students for future success," said LaMont Jones, Ed.D., the managing editor for Education at U.S. News. "The data empowers families and communities to advocate for their children’s education. Research continues to indicate that how students perform academically at these early grade levels is a big factor in their success in high school and beyond."

Texas' best middle schools for 2025
In all, five San Antonio middle schools achieved spots among the top 100 best Texas middle schools for 2025, according to U.S. News.

The Shavano Campus of the Basis San Antonio charter school has a total enrollment of 1,018 students, with 84 percent of the student population scoring "at or above the proficient level" in mathematics, and 90 percent scoring at that level of proficiency in reading. The school has a student-teacher ratio of 16:1, with 63 full-time teachers.

Students at this charter school performed far better with its test scores than the rest of Texas, U.S. News said.

Four additional San Antonio schools ranked among the top 100 best middle schools in Texas, including:

No. 53 – Eleanor Kolitz Hebrew Language Academy
No. 62 – Lopez Middle School, North East ISD
No. 80 – Idea Carver College Preparatory
No. 97 – Young Women's Leadership Academy, San Antonio ISD

The best elementary schools in Texas
Jesus A. Kawas Elementary school in Laredo was crowned the No. 1 elementary school in Texas for 2025, while two San Antonio schools made it into the top 100.

Basis San Antonio Primary Medical Center is the No. 75 best elementary school statewide, boasting 787 students, 48 full-time teachers, and a 16:1 student-teacher ratio. Students at this school scored 80 percent efficiency in math and 85 percent efficiency in reading.

Landing at No. 90 in Texas is San Antonio's Hardy Oak Elementary in North East ISD. Hardy Oak has a student population of 683 with 37 full-time teachers, and one full-time counselor. The school's student-teacher ratio is 18:1, and 77 percent of students are proficient in math, and 85 percent are proficient in reading.

U.S. News says student success at Hardy Oak is significantly higher than the rest of North East ISD.

"In North East Independent School District, 56 percent of students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 46 percent tested at or above that level for math," U.S. News said in Hardy Oak's profile. "Hardy Oak Elementary [also] did better in math and better in reading in this metric compared with students across the state."

dallas fort worth schools rankings us news & world report