This week's hot headlines

New apartment-style hotel tops this week's hottest San Antonio stories

The historic Continental building is now an extended-stay hotel.

Placemakr.com

Editor's note: A new hotel in an old downtown building, a big reveal of Tastemaker Award nominees, and local pitmasters headed to a new Texas barbecue festival were just a few of the most-read stories this week. Catch up on all of the top stories here. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find them in this list.

1. Luxe apartment-style hotel opens in historic downtown San Antonio building. One of downtown's long-dormant properties has finally been filled: The historic Continental building, at 322 W. Commerce St., is reopening as a luxury extended-stay hotel called The Continental. The project is powered by Washington, D.C.-based hospitality operator Placemakr.

2. New Braunfels has highest rate of new wealthy residents in San Antonio. Where are the wealthy settling down in the Alamo City? The San Antonio neighbor of New Braunfels has added a larger percentage of high-income households recently than any other nearby city, and it ranks among the top 50 U.S. places with the biggest growth of high earners.

CultureMap San Antonio Tastemaker Awards Toast the Tastemakers in San Antonio on April 10, 2025. CultureMap

3. These are all the nominees up for 2025 San Antonio Tastemaker Awards. The time has come to celebrate all the people and places who make San Antonio such an exciting city to dine in. The CultureMap Tastemaker Awards are back, and we can now reveal the 2025 nominees.

4. 2 San Antonio pitmasters join buzzy new Lone Star Smokeout BBQ festival. The state's best pitmasters, including two from San Antonio, are coming together for a new BBQ fest right in the middle of the DFW area: Called the Lone Star Smokeout, it's a 3-day event combining BBQ and country music that'll debut outside of the AT&T Stadium in Arlington in May.

5. James Beard Award nominee slides new ice house into the Pearl District. As if we needed new reasons to love the Pearl, a three-time James Beard Award nominated chef is adding his name to the list. Set to open in April, Otto’s Ice House is a restaurant and bar concept coming to 111 Newell Ave. from Houston hospitality star and fifth-generation Texan Levi Goode.

tastemaker awards hotels barbecue hot-headlines

Hot Headlines

San Antonio hotel's grand opening leads this week's top 5 stories

Sol Cypress/marriott.com

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Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top San Antonio news of the week. This week's most popular stories include the debut of a renovated San Antonio hotel, restaurant openings, and Hill Country festivals. Get the details below, and then find your best bets for weekend fun in this guide.

1. Rebranded San Antonio hotel debuts with new Cajun restaurant and cafe. A San Antonio hotel has undergone an $11 million renovation over the past two years. Sol Cypress, the first Tribute Portfolio Hotel by Marriott in the city, celebrated its grand opening with a public event on March 19.

2. Houston chicken tender chain to open 3 locations in San Antonio. A new fried chicken restaurant is swooping into San Antonio: Called Urban Bird, it's bringing tenders and sandwiches to three new locations.

Fried chicken at Urban Bird.Photo courtesy of Urban Bird

3. Poteet Strawberry Festival hosts first-ever free opening night of music. The Poteet Strawberry Festival has gotten even sweeter. It's hosting its first-ever Berry Bash Musical Thursday on April 10, which kicks off the four-day festival with a free night of music.

4. San Antonio chef seasons Hill Country garden center with new eatery. A San Antonio chef and coffee shop owner is applying his culinary skills at a new eatery in the Hill Country. Desert Spoon opened in Spring Branch, north of San Antonio, on March 15.

5. Hill Country resort breaks out hot air balloons for Easter weekend fest. An over-the-top Easter celebration is returning to Horseshoe Bay from April 18-20.