Luxury in a Historic Building at the Hotel Emma in San Antonio, Texas

I recently had the opportunity to stay at the Hotel Emma for a romantic getaway in San Antonio. This beautiful hotel opened in 2015 and was built in a renovated historical building that was a brewery for over 100 years. They did an incredible job maintaining the history of the building, which adds to the charm.

Named for Emma Koehler, who ran the brewery after her husband’s death in 1914. The history of the building is woven into the main areas as well as the rooms. There are 146 rooms that range from regular rooms to suites with rooftop views.

The Hotel Emma is located in the Pearl Brewery complex, which is a very large and new development of restaurants, bars, apartments and a large upscale food court. It is located on the tail end of the Riverwalk but north of the main tourist area, which makes for a quieter stay.

We took the historical tour of the hotel, which I really enjoyed and anyone can book before or during their stay. I learned so much about the hotel and the history of the three Emmas (it is a sorted history!).

The restaurant, Supper, can host you for breakfast, lunch or dinner and has a great bar as well with views of the river. We enjoyed a couple of drinks at the bar here in the evening, which were different and delicious. The bar, Sternwirth is a really unique space that also has two original brewery tanks that it has turned into private tables. You can also visit Larder, their grocery and market for upscale snacks, drinks and coffee to go.

On the tour I learned that hotel guests can reserve the brewery's tank tables at no charge during their stay, so we grabbed one for that night and enjoyed a drink and some snacks. It was a really unique experience and they did a great job of adding padding inside so that you really feel like you’re having a private conversation in the middle of a very busy bar.

They have a beautiful library space, which is reserved for guests only with a private library from a local donation. You can check any book out while you stay, and it also hosts coffee in the morning and beverages in the afternoon. The hotel also has a rooftop pool with service and a spa. They have a few large spaces to host events and weddings as well.

We stayed in a beautiful king room with views of the river from the bed. With our included hotel perks, we took advantage of the in-room breakfast, which you can order the night before. It was delicious and we enjoyed it in bed so we could see our beautiful view of the river.

Note: One of my favorite things was the bathrobe that they provided. It was the perfect weight for a Texas summer and made of the same material that they make Mexican wedding shirts from.

I also had the opportunity to see one of the beautiful hotel suites. It's a beautiful space with a downstairs living room area, a bar area, an extra bathroom and a patio with views of The Pearl. The upstairs is an elegant bedroom with a sitting area and a large bathroom with a clawfoot tub and shower.

Overall, I highly recommend this hotel for either a romantic getaway for a couple or a family trip!

The Hotel Emma is a beautiful hotel built in a 100-year-old brewery building. Everything about your stay is luxurious, and the integration of history into the building makes for a very unique experience. Are you looking to stay at this or similar hotels? Let me know and I can find your perfect stay!

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to San Antonio. In need of further inspiration? Check out Ashley Jordan’s guide, The Best Staycations in San Antonio.