Hotel Emma

Hotel Emma, a luxury hotel in San Antonio's historic Pearl District

Hotel Emma occupies a 19th-century brewery building in the Pearl District, on the northern edge of downtown San Antonio. The property presents itself as a 146-room riverfront hotel with seven suites on the upper floor, featuring a bar and clubroom, a restaurant, a gourmet food market, and common spaces that evoke the grand classic hotels. The company describes it as the flagship hotel of Pearl's culinary and cultural community.

The hotel's design is by the firm Roman and Williams, known for combining historic elements with contemporary references. The concept blends the building's industrial heritage with South Texas details.

Rooms and suites

The accommodations are divided into rooms and suites. Room categories include Classic, Landmark, Artesian Terrace, and The Garret, as well as rooms in the original Brewhouse tower and the more contemporary River Cellars. Suites include those named Dielmann, Terrace, Plaza, River, Billmeier, Maritzen, Otto Koehler, and Emma Koehler. Some suites feature private dining areas, two-story terraces, original stone walls, and vaulted ceilings, with custom-designed furniture and original artwork.

Dining and social spaces

The culinary offering is built around three spaces: Supper, a seasonal American bistro; Larder, the hotel's gourmet market and deli; and Sternewirth, the bar and clubroom. The hotel also offers room service, culinary concierge, and catering for social events. The programming includes occasional tastings and demonstrations in various areas of the property.

Amenities and services

The hotel has a rooftop pool with a clay-tiled surround, cabanas, and poolside refreshments, and a third-floor fitness center with glass walls and river views, equipped with cardio machines and weights. The hotel library houses Sherry Kafka Wagner's 3,700-volume collection—the San Antonio novelist, historian, and cultural anthropologist—installed in one of the Brewhouse vaults. The property also has a spa.

Events, meetings, and weddings

Hotel Emma offers spaces for business meetings, weddings, dinners, and social celebrations, with floor plans and a gallery available. The riverside location and the building's historic character serve as a backdrop for such gatherings.

Recognition

The hotel has earned distinctions from various organizations. In 2025 and 2024 it received the AAA Five Diamond Award and the Michelin Two Key rating, being the only hotel in San Antonio with two Michelin keys. In Tripadvisor's Travelers' Choice Best of the Best awards, it ranked 23rd among the best hotels in the United States in 2026, the 2nd best luxury hotel in the country in 2025, and 1st in the luxury category in 2024 and 2023. In the U.S. News Best Hotels rankings, it was recognized as the best hotel in San Antonio and Texas in 2026 and 2025, and among the best in the United States in those same years. It also appears in the 2025 Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards as the 13th best city hotel in the United States, and in Condé Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice.

Surroundings and partnerships in Pearl

The hotel is located in the Pearl District, a short walk from Pullman Market, a culinary destination in the former Samuels Glass Co. building that brings together a specialty grocer, five quick-service eateries, and four restaurants. Another notable partnership is Stable Hall, a concert venue located in a historic building that once housed the Pearl Brewery's draft horse stable, a four-minute walk away, for which the hotel's experience team has created an exclusive package.

Location and contact

136 E. Grayson Street, San Antonio, Texas 78215 · Phone: (844) 845-7384 · Hours: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: 00:00-23:59