Another Shining Achievement

San Antonio stunner only hotel in Texas among U.S. News & World Report's best of 2020

Hotel Emma is the 10th best hotel in the country.

San Antonio's most lauded hotel is checking in with another big accolade. On Tuesday, February 4, U.S. News & World Report released its 10th annual 25 Best Hotels in the USA rankings, and Hotel Emma made the prestigious list.

To determine the best hotels, U.S. News analyzed more than 30,000 luxury hotels across the globe using data from TripAdvisor and including previous awards the properties may have won. It then ranked the top 25 hotels in the U.S., Europe, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. (It's unclear why South America, Africa, and Asia were excluded.)

Hotel Emma was ranked No. 10 among U.S. hotels, thanks to a 5-star rating from TripAdvisor users and four critic awards, including Condé Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice 2019.

"Hotel Emma stands out among travelers for its cool culture," U.S. News said in it analysis. "Visitors marvel at the refined industrial elements featured throughout — particularly in the lobby — and are equally impressed with the quality of the accommodations. Guests report rooms to be exceptionally styled and comfortable, thanks to amenities like 48-inch flat-screen TVs, beds with Frette linens, and luxury bathrobes."

U.S. News alsopoints to the Emma's onsite dining options — Larder, Supper, and Sternewirth — as reasons foodie travelers should check out the hotel, pointing out that "the food is just as much of a staple here as beer used to be."

Taking the top spot this year was Four Seasons Resort Lanai in Lanai City, Hawaii. That was followed by The Langham (No. 2) and The Peninsula (No. 3), both of which are in Chicago. Rounding out the top five were Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida (No. 4) and Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando (No. 5).

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where to travel right now

See a weekend of country music + 8 more Texas travel tips in November

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The Fort Worth Stockyards' annual Texas Country Music Weekend is returning for three days of performances.

From pet-friendly hotels to fall festivals and new museum exhibits, there is plenty to do and see on a fun-filled weekend vacation or staycation in November. Texans looking for ideas for where to travel can find them here, in our big monthly roundup of top tips around the state.

Across North Texas

Pet owners seeking a pet-friendly hotel for a holiday staycation can look to The Kimpton Pittman Hotel in downtown Dallas, which allows pets of all kinds and provides plenty of comfortable amenities. The hotel offers pet beds, feeding mats, leashes, and courtesy bags for walks for guests' furry friends. The hotel doesn't charge cleaning fees or pet deposits, doesn't have a size or weight limit, nor does it limit the number of pets guests can bring. Rates at The Kimpton Pittman Hotel begin at $277 per night.

The Fort Worth Stockyards' annualTexas Country Music Weekend is returning for three days of lively performances by 30 talented artists from November 8-10. Scheduled acts include Sunny Sauceda Band, Tanner Sparks, Curtis Grimes, and many more. The weekend will culminate with the Texas Country Music Awards held at Billy Bob's Texas on November 10 at 6 pm. Tickets for the awards show start at $30, and can be purchased via axs.com.

In Houston

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is the one and only U.S. venue for a blockbuster exhibition featuring works of French Post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin, now on display through February 16, 2025. Called Gauguin in the World, the retrospective, curated by former Louvre and Musée d’Orsay director Henri Loyrette, includes over 150 of the artist's paintings, sculptures, prints, and writings. The special exhibition is included with regular museum admission, which ranges from $20-$24 and is free for children aged 12 years and under.

Paul Gauguin, Femmes de Tahiti (Tahitian Women), 1891 on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Gauguin in the World is on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston from now until February 16, 2025. Photo courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Texans who want to explore the beauty of Houston in the fall still have time to book a weekend trip with the Blossom Hotel Houston's "Autumn Escape Package," which runs until November 30. The package offers a 15 percent discount on stays for two nights, and a 20 percent discount on three-night stays. The hotel will also offer a $40 breakfast credit, vouchers for two complimentary seasonal beverages, and late checkout. Nightly rates with the "Autumn Escape" package begin at $281.

In the Hill Country

October is Texas Wine Month, but November is just as wonderful for visiting Hill Country wineries. Wine-lovers will want to make sure to visit award-winning William Chris Vineyardsin Hye, Texas, which recently ranked among the World's Best Vineyards list for the third consecutive year. There are more than 100 wineries in the Hill Country, and William Chris was the only one to make the 51-100 list. It was one of two United States vineyards to make the cut, the other being Brooks Wine in Oregon. The vineyard offers a variety of experiences starting at $20 per person, and can be reserved on its website.

William Chris Vineyards tasting room William Chris Vineyards has done it again. Photo courtesy of William Chris Vineyards

In Austin

If you've ever wanted to visit a Texas-sized book festival, now's your chance: The 29th annual Texas Book Festival is taking over downtown Austin from November 16-17. The 2024 lineup features more than 250 authors, including New York Times bestselling authors Matthew McConaughey, Malcolm Gladwell, Rumaan Alam, and Jay Ellis. The two-day event will also have book signings, youth and bilingual programs, a Saturday night Lit Crawl, cooking demonstrations, food trucks, and more. The Texas Book Festival is free and open to the public.

One of the most highly regarded fall arts events in Austin, the Waterloo Greenway Creek Show, will light up Waller Creek on the evenings of November 8-16. The annual show encourages attendees to engage with the natural elements of the Austin's downtown area, and the pieces usually have something to do with nature or the creek itself. Tickets begin at $6, and are exclusively available for purchase through waterloogreenway.org.

At home in San Antonio

The Briscoe Western Art Museum is celebrating San Antonio's Native American history with the Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival on Saturday, November 9, from 10 am to 4 pm. The free festival has attractions for all ages: Live performances by traditional Native American dancers and musicians, an artisan market, workshops, indigenous storytellings, presentations, and more. Museum admission will also be free for the day. RSVP via biscoemuseum.salsalabs.org.

The winter holidays are coming early this year at The Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio. The hotel will host its Ford River Holiday Parade Experience from 6-9 pm on Friday, November 29. The evening will begin with reception-style dining and cocktails in the hotel lobby, followed by the parade viewing at 6:45 pm. General admission begins at $95, and the hotel will also offer a "North Pole VIP Room Experience" that includes single-room accommodations for two guests, VIP reception-style dinner for two, four drink tickets, and two reserved seats in the outdoor VIP viewing area for $650. Tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite.

fall festivals fort worth stockyards hill-country hotels museums staycation texas book festival william chris vineyards texas