SHOP THE RAINBOW

San Antonio Airport lands poppy new gift shop from local retail dynamo

Felíz Modern is known for its colorful assortment of goods.

San Antonio gift shop Felíz Modern, known for its playful assortment of pop-art merch, is landing at the San Antonio International Airport. Construction of the space, previously teased by airport officials, should wrap up in the first quarter of 2026.

Owners Ginger and Mario Diaz, who both have design backgrounds, opened Felíz Modern in 2017 at 110 W Olmos Dr in Olmos Park. The shop became a hit for its array of colorful goods ranging from puppy guayaberas to psychedelic stickers — many designed by local artisans.

“Our store is centered around the areas we love in our own lives,” Ginger said at the time. “Art and connection with friends and family through entertaining, celebrating milestones with gifts and parties, spending time together, and more.”

The couple doubled their San Antonio footprint in 2019 with a capsule concept in Pearl, Felíz Modern Pop. Two years later, they caught the retail bug again, debuting a new shop, Rancho Diaz, a few doors down. In contrast to their rainbow flagship, the project took on desert earth tones. Ginger previously described it as “west without being Western.”

Although the shop has been confirmed, no solid details have been released just yet. Assumably, the 962-square-foot space will have a tight edit of Felíz Modern’s usual stock. It also wouldn’t be a surprise if it focused on San Antonio souvenirs. The shop carries several Alamo City keepsakes like a mug reading “The Real Chismosas of San Antonio,” a tea towel featuring local landmarks, and Mission San José tin ornaments.

According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation project details, the owners intend to have the buildout finished by February 2026. The Terminal B shop will arrive at approximately the same time as a Univision-branded convenience store.

The openings are part of significant changes coming to the San Antonio International Airport, not the least of which is a new $2.5 billion terminal. The airport is also busy rethinking its dining concepts, bringing in local flavors from Bakery Lorraine, 2M Smokehouse, Freight Fried Chicken, Pharm Table, Southerleigh, and Tre Trattoria.

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2025 world's best awards

2 San Antonio hotels book spots on Travel + Leisure's World's Best list

JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country pool

JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa Facebook

The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is the No. 3 best resort in Texas for 2025.

San Antonio's renowned Hotel Emma and JW Marriot San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa were just declared among the best hotels and resorts by Travel + Leisure readers, according to the publication's annual World's Best Awards. The Alamo City also earned its own award as one of the best U.S. travel destinations in 2025.

Every year, Travel + Leisure surveys its readers to determine the ultimate travel experiences around the world, which include the top hotels, resorts, travel destinations, and more. The 2025 survey had more than 180,000 responses from T+L readers with over 657,000 votes across 8,700 accommodations, cruise lines, and other properties.

The JW Marriot San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa ranked as the No. 3 best Texas resort, with the report calling this Hill Country oasis "a star for family trips, girls' weekends, and couples retreats." T+L said the five winning resorts that made the list all feel like they are "worlds away" from the typical hustle and bustle of their home cities.

The standout qualities that make the JW Marriott stand apart from all other Texas properties include its numerous activities, amenities, and restaurants.

Celebrities are frequent visitors of the Presidential Suite at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa. Photo courtesy of JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa

“The food was excellent at all of the food outlets, the spa was top-notch, and the service was amazing from check-in to check-out,” a T+L reader said.

Another reader gave special regard to the resort's "extraordinarily good water park" that offered both thrilling rides and a relaxing lazy river.

The full list of best Texas resorts, in order, are:

The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa, Houston
Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa, Frisco
JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, San Antonio
Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, Austin
Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, Grapevine

Best hotels in the U.S
Hotel Emma was the sole San Antonio property to earn acclaim in T+L's collection of the "15 Best City Hotels in the U.S.," ranking No. 13 on the list.

The report didn't explain the rankings, but it did say that survey results unveiled exceptional appreciation for top-tier hotels that provide flawless service with "a personal touch."

Hotel Emma San Antonio Hotel Emma is San Antonio's hautest hotel. Hotel Emma/Facebook

In a May 2025 review of the esteemed 2 Michelin Key hotel, T+L digital editor (and San Antonio native) Mae Hamilton praised its interior design choices that reflect the building's long history.

"The hotel's interior design makes clever use of vintage factory equipment, featuring fun details like exposed ducts, cast iron pipes, faithfully recreated tiles, and refrigeration compressors with speckled patinas," Hamilton wrote. "And sure, every historic hotel has that wall dedicated to its illustrious past, but here, you may actually want to take a closer look."

The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston and Fort Worth's Bowie House, Auberge Resorts Collection were the only other Texas properties to make T+L's list of best hotels in the U.S.

Best places to travel in 2025
San Antonio was deemed one of the best U.S. travel destinations in 2025, ranking 12th out of 15 total cities. The city is a longtime reader favorite, thanks to classic attractions like the Alamo, River Walk, and its numerous shopping and dining opportunities.

In a release, Travel + Leisure editor in chief Jacqui Gifford said the 2025 World's Best Awards "reflect a travel landscape in motion."

"From a high-desert city in the American Southwest to a quiet Greek island, our readers are seeking depth, character, and a strong sense of place," Gifford said. "We're thrilled to honor the hotels, destinations, and travel companies that are delivering those transformative experiences."

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