When I think of IHG's flagship InterContinental hotel brand, the first things that come to mind are dated marble floors, overstuffed leather furniture, and gold-trimmed everything. But after a recent stay at the InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk, it might be time for me to rethink that image.
Don't get me wrong – there are still marble floors and plenty of gold trim. But it's done in a much more tasteful, modern way.
This 21-story property, formerly the Wyndham San Antonio Riverwalk, underwent an extensive $50 million renovation before reopening as an InterContinental earlier this summer … and it shows: Everything looks and feels brand new. With understated, luxury finishes to match the mid-century modern furnishing and the occasional pop of color, IHG really hit it out of the park with this remodel (if you ask me).
But it's not just the decor that makes this hotel shine, it's the service and other amenities offered. Everyone I interacted with, from the front desk team to bartenders and baristas, made sure to deliver service with a smile and seemed genuinely excited to help. A well-appointed gym and rooftop pool certainly don't hurt the hotel's appeal either…
Read on for a full review of my recent stay at the InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk
Booking the Intercontinental San Antonio Riverwalk
When it comes to booking a stay at the InterContinental San Antonio, you've got several options.
Since InterContinentals are a part of the IHG hotel brand – after all, IHG stands for InterContinental Hotels Group – the easiest way to book a room here will be starting directly with IHG. In doing so, you have the option to book a cash rate or use your IHG One Rewards points instead.
Considering IHG prices award nights dynamically – meaning there's no set rate for a given night – there's no telling exactly what a free night will cost with points. For example, after doing a quick search for one-night stays this winter, I found several that were pricing out at 28,000 points (or less) per night. In comparison, the cash rates for these same exact nights were just shy of $200 – not a bad deal if you've got points to burn.
On the flip side, peak dates were pricing out over 70,000 points per night. With cash rates closer to $400 on these nights, that's not quite as good of a deal … but still not horrible. The key thing here – and this applies anytime a loyalty program uses dynamic pricing – is to always compare the points price against the cash rate to determine which option is best.
But booking directly with IHG isn't your only option – and in some cases, it might not even be the best deal…
I also shopped rates with several different travel booking platforms like Capital One Travel, Chase Travel℠, and even Delta Stays. In doing so I found that some of these sites actually had (slightly) better rates than booking direct with IHG. The downside here is that you generally won't earn points, elite night credits, or be able to take advantage of any elite status benefits when booking through an online travel agency (OTA) like this.
In the end, I opted to book my stay through Delta Stays for a variety of reasons. First, the rate was a little better through Delta Stays than what IHG was charging – my two-night stay cost just over $370 (or $185 per night). Who am I to turn down a discount?
But more importantly, I was able to take advantage of the new $100 per year Delta Stays credit that I get for holding the *delta skymiles gold*. On top of that, I was also able to get in on a limited-time promotion to earn Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) and SkyMiles for my stay. All this combined made it an easy decision to forgo earning IHG points and any potential elite benefits.
At Thrifty Traveler, we don't accept freebies. We use our own points, miles, or cash to pay for every single flight or hotel you see reviewed here – including this one!
Location
The InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk is located in downtown San Antonio, a short 15-minute drive from the airport.
While the hotel is technically located on the San Antonio Riverwalk, it's not exactly the most vibrant stretch. To get to the more famed pedestrian promenade, you can take a water taxi – just outside the hotel – or make the short 10-minute walk on foot.
The hotel is also a short walk away from of other top attractions like the Alamo, convention center, and the Historic Market Square.
Hotel Lobby & Check-In
Pulling up to the InterContinental San Antonio, you'll be greeted by a very sterile looking building. But it's what's on the inside that counts … and that's where this place shines – more on that in a second.
There was someone working the door, greeting guests, but no bellhop to take bags. This wasn't an issue for me, but if you're traveling with additional luggage and generally appreciate this kind of service, it may be something you need to ask for. Additionally, I didn't have a car during my stay but if you do, valet parking is available for a hefty $60 per night. If you're flying in from out of town and don't need to leave the downtown area, you'll likely be better off relying on rideshares like Uber and Lyft instead of paying this fee.
Once inside, the forgettable images of the building's exterior are quickly replaced with the hotel's light, modern interior design. The lobby is punctuated by a custom glass chandelier suspended from ceiling above a natural wood and glass table, complete with a fresh-cut flower arrangement.
To the left of the hotel entrance is the lobby bar, called Deco Bar.
Beyond the center focal point, you'll find a variety of seating options and a glass wall with wine bottles that looks into the hotel's fine dinging restaurant, Cavalier.
Off to the right is the hotel reception where you'll go to check-in or inquire about any additional services during your stay.
There were a handful of team members working the front-desk when I checked in so despite other guests checking in at the same time, there wasn't a wait. After completing the normal formalities, I was quickly given my room key and directed toward the elevators.
Oddly enough, I was still recognized as an IHG Platinum elite member, a complimentary benefit that comes with the *ihg rewards club premier*, despite booking through Delta Stays. This got me a 1,000-point bonus when checking in and a free drink ticket. I didn't earn any additional points for my stay, but it was a nice surprise to get a little recognition even though I didn't book directly with IHG.
One-King Classic Room
The InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk is comprised of 390 rooms (including 20 suites), with a mix of one-king bed and two-queen bed configurations.
I booked the lowest-priced, one king classic room for my stay and that's exactly what I got. At check-in, I was asked if I'd like a room on a higher floor and was told that it had a little better view – and indeed it did as you could see the river out the window. Aside from that, no upgrade was offered, despite the hotel's seemingly low occupancy level. But again, since I didn't book directly with IHG this wasn't expected and the one-king classic room was more than sufficient for my stay.
The room was a decent size with plenty of space on either side of the bed, even with a small couch and desk tucked under the window.
I found the bed to be really comfortable with plush bedding and nice upholstered headboard, making it easy to sit up in bed to read, watch TV, or even get some work done in comfort.
Both sides of the bed featured a small nightstand with plug-ins to charge your devices (including USB-A and C), as well as a small lamp and adjustable reading light.
The desk was small but well appointed, featuring a little lamp for those working late into the night (or early morning) and a small notepad and pen.
The couch was firm but still comfortable enough and made for a decent alternative to sitting at the desk or laying in bed.
The room's TV wasn't huge, but big enough for easy viewing, no matter where you chose to watch. Critically, it was a smart TV that allowed you to log into your own streaming accounts or cast directly from your device to the TV. This is something that more and more hotels are starting to offer and I think it's a really nice feature to have.
The room's bathroom was on the smaller side … but nice. From the tile flooring to the quartz vanity top and backsplash, everything was really high-end and felt luxurious.
The shower featured a rainfall shower head (with a detachable wand), floor-to-ceiling glass wall, and door. This might seem like a minor detail but having a door is something I really appreciate as so many hotels these days do not. Not only does not having a door make the shower feel colder but it almost always leads to a messy, wet floor. More doors, please.
The bathroom featured Swedish luxury-brand, Byredo lotion and hand wash, as well as shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. I'm not going to pretend to be luxury soap expert but this stuff smelt really nice and a quick Google search shows that it isn't cheap, making it a really nice touch at a high-end property like this.
Between the bedroom and bathroom you'll find a built-in wardrobe with french doors. There's also an opaque glass partition separating the two rooms. This could prove useful as the sliding barn door on the bathroom simply wouldn't stay shut during my visit. I was traveling alone so this wasn't a problem – but if I had I been with someone else, it might have been an issue.
Inside, there is an in-room safe, bathrobe, and plenty of hangers for all of your clothing. There's also a drawer to store your shoes and a garment bag for anything that you'd like to have dry cleaned or pressed during your stay.
Back by the entrance is a small mini bar, filled with pricey snack and drink options.
The only thing complimentary here are the two InterContinental-branded water bottles and the Nespresso coffee pods.
For a bit of local touch, the mini bar included a local craft beer offering, The Federalist Texas Red Blend wine, and a Texas Tea. There were also a variety of small liquor bottles, soft drinks, and juices.
Where to Eat & Drink
There are a total of four restaurants and bars at the InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk, ranging from a grab-and-go coffee shop to a highly-rated American brasserie. During my short, two-night stay, I had a chance to check out three of the four and found them all worthy of a visit.
Rosebelly Coffee
This little coffee shop is located in the hotel lobby, adjacent to the front desk, and features custom-roasted beans from San Antonio’s What’s Brewing. I grabbed a drip coffee from here both mornings of my stay, but they also serve a variety of iced and hot craft coffee drinks.
If you're needing more than just a caffeine fix, they also offer a variety of house made pastries and sandwiches, as well as healthier options like a protein box.
Rosebelly is open daily from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Cavalier
Cavalier is the hotel's main restaurant, located on the lobby-level, and is open to both hotel guests and outside diners alike. I didn't get a chance to dine here during my stay but after looking at the menu and reading some reviews, it looks like that was a mistake.
This fine dining restaurant serves a variety of classic dishes with a local twist using farm fresh ingredients. With a menu featuring everything from wagyu tartare to chilean sea bass, I expected prices here to be quite steep, but was pleasantly surprised to see that it would actually be cheaper to dine here than raid the in-room mini bar.
The dining room feels warm and open, with direct sight-lines into the kitchen to watch the chefs at work.
Cavalier is open Monday through Friday for breakfast and lunch – with a small break in between meals. Dinner is served seven days a week from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. – and brunch is available on Saturdays and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
High Praise
High Praise is a cocktail bar located on the hotel's third-floor rooftop, adjacent to the pool, offering a variety of seating options both indoors and outdoors. While the outdoor seating offers nice views of the San Antonio skyline and Riverwalk below, the scorching Texas heat makes the indoor seating more appealing for much of the year.
I grabbed a drink here one evening with a business partner and found the ambiance and service to both be solid. The drink menu features a variety of handcrafted cocktails with inspiration from Latin and coastal Pacific influences.
The hotel's website shows that High Praise is only open in the evenings on Thursday and Friday, as well as the majority of the day on Saturday and Sunday, but I visited on a Tuesday night and they were open. If you're staying here during the week, it might be worth dropping by even if the hours say they're closed.
Deco Bar
Deco Bar is the hotel's main bar, located on the opposite side of the lobby from the reception area. This watering hole features a huge circular bar, with a lighted gold halo hanging above it, and serves a variety of craft cocktails, wine, and beer, as well as a handful of light food items and shareable plates.
There were plenty of seats available at the bar whenever I walked by, but there was also some more comfortable lounge seating available for groups, as well as dining tables for anyone grabbing a bite to eat.
I was able to cash-in my free drink ticket here for an old fashioned cocktail – the friendly bartender even offered me the choice of several different types of bourbon. It really hit the spot after a long day!
Deco Bar is open daily from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. (slightly later on the weekends).
Rooftop Pool, Fitness Center & Other Amenities
Fitness Center
On the third floor, near the rooftop pool and High Praise, you'll find the hotel's 24-hour fitness center.
It's a really big space with a variety of nice, new equipment ranging from free weights to resistance equipment, medicine balls to kettle bells, and everything in between.
There is also a wide-variety of cardio equipment with ellipticals, treadmills, and stationary bikes lined up along a bank of windows. I visited during the evening but I'm sure all the natural light that pours in during the day makes the place feel even more open than it already is.
Rooftop Pool
The heated rooftop pool sits 50 feet above the street below, offering guests a nice place to cool off and escape the Texas heat.
With High Praise located next door, you can easily grab a drink from the bar and relax on one of the poolside loungers or shares, complete with umbrella for a little shade.
If you're planning to make a day of it and don't mind a little sun, you could instead take advantage of one of the pergola covered daybeds for some additional comfort.
The pool is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Club InterContinental
Not many IHG properties feature a lounge these days, but InterContinentals are the exception.
In order to get in, you'll need a Club InterContinental lounge memberships which is available as a milestone reward to IHG One Rewards members who stay a minimum of 40 nights per year with IHG. Without a lounge membership, you have book a room rate that includes lounge access, which generally costs an extra $50 or $60 per night.
Inside, you'll find an exclusive retreat with a complimentary breakfast buffet for fueling up to start your day.
Throughout the day, you'll have access to a variety of soft drinks, coffee, and tea, as well as fresh fruit, pastries, and other snack items.
During the evening social hour, you can unwind with a variety of complimentary hors d'oeuvres and cocktails.
There are plenty of different seating options no matter if you're looking to relax, work, or eat.
Paying an extra $60 per night might not be worth it for a solo traveler, but if you've got a significant other or someone else with you the math changes and having access to this space can really enhance your stay.
Bottom Line
I recently stayed at the InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk and found this completely remodeled hotel to be the perfect option for understated luxury. With well-appointed rooms, solid onsite-dining options, and standout amenities like a rooftop pool and club lounge, I can't think of a better place to stay in the Mission City.
