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Posh Pearl hotel books top spot on best luxury hotels in U.S. list

Tripadvisor users love to be pampered at Hotel Emma.

We hope they have a good duster. Guests are so impressed with Hotel Emma that it has become a mainstay of awards lists, overloading the Pearl property's shelves with plaques, trophies, and clippings.

The latest comes from the online booking agent Tripadvisor. The company's coveted Travelers' Choice Best of Best Awards recently ranked the tony property tops in two categories, naming it the number one luxury hotel in the United States and the second-best hotel overall.

The annual awards cover various facets of the industry, from things to do to restaurants. Hotels are broken into several subcategories, including inns, family friendly lodging, and hotels for sleep. Rankings are based on reviews and ratings collected from site users over the previous 12 months.

Tripadvisor was smitten with Hotel Emma's unconventional historic surrounds, stating it "enhances a new standard of South Texas luxury and geniality." The site was also impressed by the gobsmacking array of culinary offerings a short stroll from the lobby.

"We are incredibly proud to celebrate this honor and achievement with our Hotel Emma family and valued guests. We always strive to maintain our standard of excellence and luxury through the Emma way to offer the most memorable and remarkable experiences for our visitors." Said Jon Sakshaug, CEO of Hotel Emma, via a release.

Hotel Emma is no stranger to Tripadvisor honors. The 2023 awards mark the seventh time the San Antonio jewel has received flowers from the long-running awards. Last year, it was one of only two properties in the state to make it to the list — clocking in as the 11th-best hotel in the U.S.

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Turkey Day news

San Antonio eats up top-10 rank on list of best cities for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving pumpkin pie at Kona Grill in San Antonio

Photo courtesy of Kona Grill

San Antonio is one of the best place to celebrate Thanksgiving in Texas in 2024.

San Antonio is sitting at the head of the table as one of the best places in the country to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, a new study has revealed.

San Antonio ranked No. 7 out of 100 of the largest U.S. cities in WalletHub's annual "Best Places to Go for Thanksgiving" report, published November 12. The city made a big leap over its 2023 ranking as No. 14, and remains the second highest-ranked city in Texas.

The study analyzed each city based on 18 metrics to determine the best places for Thanksgiving, such as the number of pumpkin patches per capita, the average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner, the number of volunteer opportunities, the average weather forecast, and more. The metrics were then organized into five overall categories to determine the rankings.

The categories that San Antonio ranked the highest in were the average weather forecast during the holiday period (No. 2), and affordability (No. 11), while the lowest-ranked category was for safety and accessibility (No. 90). Other categories that determined San Antonio's overall ranking were the number of celebrations and traditions (No. 14), and a "giving thanks" rank (No. 75).

"The best cities for celebrating Thanksgiving all have an abundance of high-quality restaurants and places to buy festive decorations, and their residents get very excited for the holiday based on their Google search history," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.

By Thanksgiving on November 28, San Antonio will be fully decked for the December holidays. San Antonians who will have extended family in town during Thanksgiving weekend can take in of all the marvelous Christmas lights brightening the city. The home of the Alamo certainly goes all out for the most wonderful time of year.

Elsewhere in Texas, Dallas ranked two spots above San Antonio as the fifth best city for Thanksgiving. Houston ranked No. 23, while Austin only came in at No. 39.

San Diego, California (No. 1) topped the overall list of best places to go for Thanksgiving this year, followed by its Golden State neighbors San Francisco (No. 3) and San Jose (No. 4). Atlanta, Georgia (No. 2) rounds out the top five.

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