Two hotels and one spa in San Antonio have checked in among the best in the world.
The Forbes Travel Guide revealed February 16 that a local hotel —Mokara Hotel & Spa — received four-star ratings for both its hotel and spa facilities. Hotel Emma also received a nod, earning a recommended rating. The Forbes Travel Guide awards five stars to its highest-rated properties.
In assessing hotels, Forbes Travel Guide inspectors stay at every property for three days and two nights, posing as regular guests and paying their own way. They judge each one on 900 standards, such as whether food and beverage choices are health-conscious, how nice the décor is, and how well the staff’s uniforms are designed.
This isn't the only recent accolade the Mokara Hotel & Spa has earned lately. In February, U.S. News & World Report named it one of the 2021 Best Hotels, giving it a Gold Badge rating.
Elsewhere in Texas, Austin's Archer Hotel Austin, Four Seasons Hotel Austin, and Fairmont Austin also earned four-star ratings. The Four Seasons spa also garnered four stars. One other property, Hotel Granduca Austin, received a “recommended” rating.
Houston, meanwhile had two spas and six hotels on the list, one of which — The Post Oak Hotel — earned five-star ratings. Dallas also had two spas and six hotels in the edition of the guide, with the Ritz-Carlton Dallas earning the city's sole five-star rating.
Making of a Million: Daytripping with The Nature Conservancy in Texas is free to watch online.
Thanks to a new three-part PBS docuseries, you don't need to go to all of Texas' protected lands and waters to appreciate their breadth. Making of a Million: Daytripping with The Nature Conservancy in Texas follows host of The Daytripper, Chet Garner, from West Texas to the coast, discussing conservation efforts by the conservancy (TNC) along the way.
"Making of a Million" refers to the one million acres in Texas that fall under TNC's protection. The one million figure is a milestone TNC is celebrating with the series, but it's not the full extent of its work; actually, according to the 2025 annual report, its total impact is 1.6 million acres. TNC also works in Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Asia-Pacific region, and, more specifically, smaller regions within these areas.
The Daytripping project has been rolled out slowly in 2026, from YouTube previews to an official release on PBS in April to an Austin event in May that formally introduced the works. The Contemporary Austin hosted an outdoor screening on behalf of TNC's Board of Trustees, specifically focusing on the episode that explores West Texas.
The 26-minute video shows off striking aerial images of mountains, close ups of plants and wildlife, and even a quick feature of an archeological find. Water, of course, is a big topic in the desert, and it's a large topic across the series. Fresh water even has its own dedicated episode.
Although conservation experts are consulted throughout the series, viewers can do more than passively watch other people solve environmental problems. One story, toward the end of the West Texas episode, highlights how a rancher directed researchers to a habitat for an endangered species of fish on his property, simply because he overheard a scientist at a café claim they were extinct.
On a larger and perhaps less direct scale, producing video series like this can kick off similar effects. The more civilians know about conservation efforts in their neck of the woods, the more they might know their place in helping out.
Garner spoke on a panel after the Austin screening with TNC director of land protection Jeff Francell, spatial analyst Jacqueline Ferrato, and director of land protection/stewardship Dan Snodgrass. They discussed the series and the broader conservation topics it connects to.
“This new series really captures the spirit of our efforts and collaborations to protect Texas lands and water,” said Snodgrass in a recap for press. “Chet’s storytelling skills spotlight our partners and projects in a unique, engaging way—we’re excited for more Texans to see why conservation matters and learn how they can get involved.”
“Daytripping with The Nature Conservancy in Texas allowed us to visit some of the most amazing places in Texas and to meet people who are making a real difference for conservation,” said Garner. “Folks will love traveling with us across wildly diverse landscapes and learning the solutions shaping the future of our state’s biggest environmental challenges.”
Viewers can watch the series for free on the Nature Conservancy's website or on YouTube.
