WHEN it comes to Southern charm, San Antonio’s Hotel Emma basks in all of it.
Housed in a former 19th-century brewery along the Pearl District’s River Walk, this Texas establishment has masterfully preserved the industrial heritage of its past. Still standing proud with the original brickwork, iron detailing and even blending the old fermentation tanks into the design, the eclectic backstory of the place hasn’t been lost.
Exterior of Hotel Emma
Despite the rustic feel to its exterior, the interior boasts an industrial chic – think exposed walls, steel beams and polished concrete floors – mixed with elegantly tiled bathrooms with claw-foot bathtubs, beaming natural light highlighting four-poster beds, and pops of colour weaved into the curtains, cushions and blankets.
Each one of the 147 rooms was designed by Roman and Williams to encompass its own personality, but they all share one thing – you are welcomed into your suite with a special La Babia Margarita. Not a bad way to check in!
Rooftop pool
With the summer months peaking close to 40°C, the saving grace of exploring a city in this heat is Hotel Emma’s rooftop pool. With a resident bartender never being too far away, you can enjoy one of its house cocktails from an enviable height, enjoying a view many would pay for.
Bedroom
When it comes to food, you don’t mess with Texas and Hotel Emma is certainly proof of that. The flagship restaurant, Supper, has a reputation that precedes itself. The menu takes local flavours and reworks them into an elevated array of favourite home dishes. Created as a farm-to-table experience with seasonal twists, like crispy smoked quail, Angus beef fillet and local tomato salad, it is definitely worth securing a table.
Lobby
For a casual bite to eat, I recommend Larder, which provides baked goods and an excellent cup of coffee. But don’t miss out on a late-night craft drink at Sternewirth, the hotel’s bar. Situated in the former engine room of the factory, this place has attracted guests from all over the world as much as locals with its soaring high ceilings and rich ambience. Soaked in authenticity from top to bottom, Hotel Emma savours its past to create a strikingly good present.
by Imogen Clark
Rates at Hotel Emma at Pearl, a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ prestigious Legend Collection, start from $500 (approximately £395) per double room
For more information, visit preferredhotels.com