T+L’s Resort Evaluate of Resort Emma in San Antonio, Texas

Out of all the foremost Texas cities—Austin, Dallas, and Houston—San Antonio has lengthy been the underdog. I’m a born-and-raised San Antonio native, and I admittedly have a mushy spot for the town. However, I’ll concede, in addition to the Alamo and the Riverwalk, there wasn’t a lot motive for vacationers to go to, and for an extended stretch of my childhood, the fanciest place to eat on the town was Olive Backyard. However all that modified when The Pearl opened in 2008.

Positioned off a quiet leg of the San Antonio River, the Pearl is a culinary, eating, tradition, and residing megacomplex constructed from the bones of the unique Pearl Brewing Firm. And its crown jewel is the hospitality powerhouse Resort Emma, which sits centrally inside the district.

The lodge’s inside design makes intelligent use of classic manufacturing unit gear, that includes enjoyable particulars like uncovered ducts, forged iron pipes, faithfully recreated tiles, and refrigeration compressors with speckled patinas. And positive, each historic lodge has that wall devoted to its illustrious previous, however right here, you may very well need to take a more in-depth look.

The Pearl Brewery was based in 1883, and some years later, it was bought by native German-American businessman Otto Koehler. In 1910, his spouse Emma Koehler acquired into a foul automotive accident, rendering her housebound. So, Otto employed a nurse, named Emma Dumpke, to care for his spouse, and shortly afterward, had an affair together with her. Dumpke quickly launched Otto to her buddy and fellow nurse, Emma Burgermeister, and (you guessed it) he had an affair together with her, too. No one is aware of fairly what occurred, however in 1914, Burgermeister shot Otto Koehler lifeless within the house that he purchased for her. Burgermeister would later be tried for homicide, however acquitted. Including to the daytime soap-worthy narrative, she later married one of many males on the jury.

Nevertheless, Emma Koehler took over the brewery’s operations and noticed the enterprise by way of Prohibition, constructing it into the Texan beer icon it grew to become. These days, you’ll be able to toast to the Pearl’s steamy previous upon check-in with a complimentary welcome cocktail, a scrumptious concoction of gin, Amontillado sherry, beer, and rose cordial, aptly named the Three Emmas.

It’s uncommon for inns to carry the general public’s consideration after 10 years of enterprise, however Resort Emma has managed to just do that because of a stable dose of Southern hospitality, considerate inside design, and a improbable location.

Right here’s what it’s like to remain at San Antonio’s most luxurious lodge. 

The Rooms

There are 146 visitor rooms unfold throughout seven flooring. The 12 room classes vary from a 350-square-foot Basic—take your decide between a queen or king mattress—to the downright dazzling, two-story Emma Koehler suite, which is kitted out with floor-to-ceiling home windows, a fire, a grand piano, and a 718-square-foot terrace with downtown views.

Throughout my go to, I stayed in one of many lodge’s Artesian Rooms, named after the pure springs that bubble up all through the state. The bed room had all a San Antonio traveler may want: plush bedding, ranch-inspired furnishings, a separate sitting space, River Stroll views, and an icebox filled with regionally made goodies. However the true spotlight of this room kind is the massive and spacious toilet with a separate bathe and forged iron tub, good for soaking in after an extended day of exploring the town.

Meals and Drink

There are two eating places at Resort Emma: Supper and Sternewirth. 

Helmed by government chef Geronimo Lopez, Supper serves new American, farm-to-table delicacies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The morning menu provides the same old classics—pancakes, steak and eggs, and French toast, however there are just a few inventive surprises, such because the breakfast burger with chorizo and a sunny aspect up egg, and the crispy hill nation quail and biscuits. I like to recommend visiting for dinner when Supper’s heavy hitters can be found to order. Begin with half a dozen grilled oysters seasoned with spicy mezcal and lime butter or the scallops au gratin. Then, go for an entree with a traditional Texas spin, such because the double-bone pork chop, served with an apple and pear succotash and maple butter, or a steak. For a splurge, spring for a minimize of the Akaushi wagyu, which melts within the mouth.

For an after-dinner tipple, head to Sternewirth, the place visitors can order from a strong cocktail menu with traditional choices, in addition to creative concoctions just like the Dreamsicle, that includes a wholesome dose of orange sherbet syrup, and The Elvis, a enjoyable mix of peanut-infused whiskey, banana liqueur, and easy syrup. In the event you’re not fairly full but, there are small bites accessible to order, starting from a dish of marinated olives to a foie gras-topped burger and desserts similar to a wealthy, seven-layer chocolate cake. 

There are many different award-winning eating places and bars inside straightforward strolling distance, all positioned within the Pearl. A few of my favorites embrace the elevated Southern consolation meals outpost Southerleigh Fantastic Meals & Brewery, which earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2024, Ladino, additionally Michelin-recognized, and Brasserie Mon Chou Chou, which is probably the most effective French restaurant within the state, for my part.

Actions and Facilities

No matter their room class, visitors at Resort Emma take pleasure in a bevy of luxe facilities. Upon check-in, everyone seems to be given a wood token for a free welcome cocktail. Take the wood nickel-like coin all the way down to the Library, the place you’ll discover the three,700-volume assortment of native historian Sherry Wagner. The books primarily deal with anthropological pursuits, however you will discover classics like Mark Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn” and “As I Lay Dying” by William Faulkner. Give your wood nickel to the mixologist, take your decide between La Babia, a wonderful margarita, or Three Emmas, seize a e-book off the shelf, and sit. You can even take pleasure in complimentary espresso within the library each morning.

Resort visitors can take in the solar by the rooftop pool, the place a beer van serves drinks and meals. Different highlights embrace a 24/7 health heart with downtown views, a culinary concierge that may assist prepare eating and cultural experiences round city, free cruiser bikes for wheeling round, and a complimentary home automotive that may take you wherever inside a five-mile radius. 

There’s no scarcity of issues to do within the space with locations just like the San Antonio Botanical Backyard, the San Antonio Museum of Artwork, and Ruby Metropolis close by, however when you occur to be staying over the weekend, make certain to go to the Pearl Farmers Market, which takes place each Saturday and Sunday. And when you don’t really feel like venturing out, you’ll be able to catch a dwell music present at Sternewirth 3 times every week.

The Spa

Resort Emma doesn’t have an unbiased spa, however there are two Hiatus Day Spa & Med Spa places on the Pearl campus. Right here, visitors will discover nail remedy rooms with zero-gravity chairs, ​​a hydro remedy room, a med-spa room, and a rest room. You’ll be able to decide amongst therapies such because the Emma sequence of massages (starting from a standard Swedish therapeutic massage to a hot-stone therapeutic massage) to physique wraps and facials. Better of all, you’ll be able to even order an in-room therapeutic massage.

Accessibility and sustainability 

Resort Emma has six visitor room sorts with accessible choices: the Basic King, Landmark Double Queen, Landmark King, Terrace King, Terrace Double Queen, and River Suite. The entire accessible models include options similar to roll-in showers or accessible bathtubs, visible fireplace alarms, visible phone notification units, moveable tub seats, textual content phone units, and televisions with closed captioning.

Evidently, constructing Resort Emma out of the outdated Pearl Brewery was an enormous endeavor, and its proprietor, Silver Ventures, made a number of sustainable decisions throughout building. The corporate deliberate for the Pearl space to be accessible on foot, by bike, or by public transportation. Many building supplies have been made out of recycled supplies, and low-water landscaping was planted across the space. The constructing has energy-efficient lighting and low-flow water fixtures, and its on-site eating venues emphasize the usage of regionally grown substances. Water refill stations are additionally accessible on each ground, and visitors are supplied with reusable water bottles of their in-room ice field.

Location

Resort Emma is about seven miles (roughly a 15-minute drive) from San Antonio Worldwide Airport (SAT). It’s a good suggestion to hire a automotive when you plan on exploring the town, however in case you are staying close to the Pearl and the encircling areas, the neighborhood is pretty walkable.

Resort Emma is positioned within the coronary heart of the Pearl, giving you quick access to among the greatest eating places, cafés, and retailers in San Antonio with out ever having to cross an intersection. To get to downtown San Antonio, merely observe the River Stroll, and it is best to attain main points of interest just like the Alamo in half an hour.

Nevertheless, as any San Antonio native is aware of, the town is a lot greater than its most well-known mission, and the lodge places you inside strolling distance to the hip St. Mary’s strip, house to vigorous eating places and bars like Texas barbecue, Thai fusion-knockout Curry Boys BBQ in addition to upscale fried rooster joint Cullum’s Attaboy. 

Easy methods to Get the Most Worth Out of Your Keep

Resort Emma is a part of Most popular Lodges & Resorts, a model representing luxurious unbiased inns that enables vacationers to earn factors on their stays.

The lodge additionally participates in American Categorical’s Fantastic Lodges + Resorts (FHR) program. If in case you have a premium journey card with the corporate, such because the Platinum Card by American Categorical, and also you e-book by way of the FHR portal, you’ll be able to earn factors and get entry to perks similar to early check-in, a room improve (when accessible), and a $100 meals and beverage credit score. 

Nightly charges at Resort Emma begin from $455.

Each T+L lodge overview is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed on the property, and every lodge chosen aligns with our core values.