Hotel Emma
Hotel · North River District ·
Historic brewhouse hotel with library, rooftop pool, and eatery
Historic brewhouse hotel with library, rooftop pool, and eatery
"I note that Hotel Emma is ranked by the MICHELIN Key as San Antonio’s most luxe hotel, and it provides the handsome setting that houses dining options like Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery." - David Shortell
"A dominant hotel in this part of the District named after Emma Koehler; the property’s history is preserved and presented throughout. Emma took over the brewery after her husband died under mysterious circumstances ("two other Emmas, with whom he was having affairs, were possibly involved") in 1914, and during Prohibition she kept the business going by shifting to near beer, ice cream, and soda and adding auto repair and dry cleaning services using the existing equipment. The design "marries existing elements, like the plaster walls of the brewery, with newer elements made to look original, like the black iron windows with hand-blown glass." Former brew tanks in the hotel bar have been renovated into booths for private tables, and a plaque tucked in the lobby documents the Koehlers and the brewery history. Guests can enjoy morning cocktails (or mocktails and iced tea) while taking in the layered historic-modern design." - Courtney E. Smith
"A boutique hotel housed in a converted brewhouse that anchors a thriving multi-use district; visitors praise its character and appreciate the surrounding shops, markets, and entertainment spaces." - Elizabeth Cantrell
"A luxe Pearl District hotel renovated from a former brewhouse, offering well‑appointed rooms steps from local dining and nightlife, an upscale on‑site restaurant, a chic bustling bar, and a library lounge reserved for guests." - Brandon Watson
"Housed in the former Pearl Brewery, Hotel Emma marries 19th-century architecture with luxe, eclectic interiors that nod to its boozy past. You'll find it hard to leave a hotel filled with velvet and leather, vintage books, and original fermentation tanks repurposed as design features. The Sternewirth lounge feels like a cathedral for cocktail lovers, while Supper serves up refined comfort food with a Southern backbone. It’s where you check in for the aesthetics and end up lingering for the storytelling." - Lee Escobedo