the inn crowd

6 San Antonio hotels check in as best in Texas in coveted annual ranking

Hotel Emma was the fourth-best hotel in Texas on the list by US News and & World Report.

Photo courtesy of Hotel Emma

Finding hotel accommodations for that next vacation or staycation in Texas just got a lot easier — if you have the budget. A new list released by US News & World Report has ranked six San Antonio hotels among the best in the state. The publication collects its information through hotel ratings, customer reviews, and industry award analysis.

San Antonio's top-rated hotel on the list, Hotel Emma, made No. 4. The former brewery, more than a century old, is now one of the coolest spots for travelers in Alamo City. Its industrial style keeps the hotel from feeling pretentious, even though the whole thing is steeped in luxury and history. In addition to being visually stunning, this hotel provides easy access to Pearl foodie favorites including Larder, the hotel's own market and deli.

The next best-rated hotel in San Antonio is the Thompson San Antonio Riverwalk, at No. 7. This hotel within the Hyatt family looks more contemporary than Hotel Emma, and is known for its rooftop pool and cabanas. Landrace is one of the city's most widely known and respected restaurants, and The Moon’s Daughters, the rooftop bar, is also among the stars.

Houston’s only double five-star hotel and spa The Post Oak Hotel was awarded the No. 1 spot, known for its “tropical sanctuary” pool, nine restaurants and bars, and ultra-modern room amenities and decor. In another US News & World Report article, The Post Oak was ranked the No. 31 best hotel in the nation.

Austin had the greatest number of hotels in the top 25; Houston and San Antonio tied with six, and Dallas only garnered three, but all those cities had one each in the top four. Central Texas (considering San Antonio and hotels) contained a high occurrence of resorts that are primarily spas compared to the other regions — perhaps because of the Hill Country.

The full list of the top 25 best hotels in Texas include:

No. 1, The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston
No. 2, Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek – Dallas
No. 3, Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection – Austin
No. 4, Hotel Emma – San Antonio
No. 5, Four Seasons Hotel – Houston
No. 6, The Ritz-Carlton – Dallas
No. 7, Thompson San Antonio Riverwalk
No. 8, The Driskill – Austin
No. 9, Fairmont Austin
No. 10, Four Seasons Hotel – Austin
No. 11, JW Marriott Houston Downtown
No. 12, Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa – San Antonio
No. 13, JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa
No. 14, The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa
No. 15, The St. Regis Houston
No. 16, Austin Proper Hotel & Residences
No. 17, Miraval Austin
No. 18, Lake Austin Spa Resort
No. 19, La Cantera Resort & Spa – San Antonio
No. 20, Hotel Granduca Austin
No. 21, Mokara Hotel & Spa – San Antonio
No. 22, Hotel Granduca Houston
No. 23, Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa – Austin
No. 24, The Ashton Hotel – Fort Worth
No. 25, Thompson Dallas

us news & world report best hotels in austin hotel emma thompson san antonio riverwalk hyatt regency hill country resort and spa jw marriott san antonio hill country resort and spa la cantera resort & spa mokara hotel & spa

santa loves sunshine

San Antonio ranks 11th on list of best warm winter travel destinations

San Antonio Riverwalk Christmas holiday lights

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Mariah Carey isn't the only one defrosting in preparation for the winter season: San Antonio has warmed up as one of WalletHub's top best warm weather travel destinations for 2024.

Every year, WalletHub's analysts divide nearly 70 of the biggest U.S. metropolitan areas into two categories: the top "warm" and "cold" weather destinations. The study evaluated every metro based on 37 factors, including travel costs, local costs, weather predictions, and safety.

San Antonio-New Braunfels earned a score of 59.92 out of 100 possible points to claim the No. 11 spot nationally in 2024. The metro slipped six spots from its previous 2023 ranking as No. 5, which it first achieved in 2022.

The top five best warm weather winter destinations are Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada (No. 1); San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, California (No. 2); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (No. 3); Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown (No. 4); and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Arizona.

San Antonio ranked No. 7 in the national "travel costs and hassles" categories, showing major favorability towards the busy yet efficient San Antonio International Airport. The metro's near year-round sunshine earned it No. 12 in the "weather" ranking out of all 69 U.S. metros.

Here's how San Antonio-New Braunfels performed in the remaining four categories:

No. 11 – Attractions rank
No. 14 – Warm weather activities rank
No. 16 – Local costs rank
No. 36 – Safety rank

As in previous years, the highest concentration of top warm weather destinations was in Florida (10 metros), followed by Texas (nine metros), then California (eight metros).

Besides DFW and Austin, the only other Texas metro to earn a spot in the top 10 in 2024 was Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land (No. 6).

Atlanta, Georgia ranked No. 1 once again on the list of best cold weather destinations for winter vacations, outdoing New York City, New York (No. 2); Washington, D.C. (No. 3); and Chicago, Illinois (No. 4).

"Whether you love to have a chill in your bones during the winter travel season or prefer to escape to somewhere sunny, the top travel destinations can cost as little as $200-$300 to reach by plane from major U.S. cities, with no connections," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "In addition to being affordable, the top cities also have an abundance of attractions that fit their weather patterns, along with high-quality restaurants and relatively low crime rates."

The top 10 best warm weather destinations for winter vacations are:

No. 1 – Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada
No. 2 – San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, California
No. 3 – Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
No. 4 – Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Texas
No. 5 – Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Arizona
No. 6 – Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas
No. 7 – San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, California
No. 8 – Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida
No. 9 – Charleston-North Charleston, South Carolina
No. 10 – Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Florida

For the purpose of the study, "cold" weather was determined to be less than or equal to 46 degrees Fahrenheit, while "warm" weather was greater than or equal to 57 degrees Fahrenheit. Both guidelines were analyzed based on the 50-year average December temperatures.

The full report and its methodology can be found on wallethub.com.

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