136 E Grayson St, San Antonio, TX
A former 19th-century brewery, now a refined hotel in San Antonio's Pearl District.
Pearl District, San Antonio
The Hotel
The building originally served as the brewhouse for the Pearl Brewing Company, built in 1894 in a stunning Second Empire style. Today, the original brewery tanks stand as intimate booths for cocktails, exposed brick lines the hallways, and the industrial fixtures that once made a city thirsty now frame a very different kind of pleasure.
Named in honor of Emma Koehler, who ran the brewery through Prohibition by converting it into dry-cleaning, soft drinks, and ice cream operations to keep people employed, the hotel carries that spirit of ingenuity into every corner.
The hotel's library serves morning coffee and fresh muffins in quiet calm. Sternewirth, the bar below, draws guests to its leather couches and fireplaces long after dinner. And upstairs, turndown service arrives each evening with macarons, handwritten notes, and a small lavender sleep kit left on the bed.
The Experience
Original brewery tanks converted into intimate booths. The bar where the Pink Squirrel and a dozen dessert cocktails are poured beside an open fireplace.
Exposed brick, perfect water pressure, lavender soaps, and a bed that guests say is hard to leave.
Sunscreen and flip flops on hand. Pool staff as attentive as the rest of the hotel.
Complimentary cocktails in the evening. Morning coffee and muffins in quiet calm. The room guests return to again and again for a moment apart from the city.
Reservations navigated, rooms personalized ahead of arrival, a complimentary car service around San Antonio, and waters offered before you think to ask.
Guests
★★★★★
"There was a nightly turndown service with macarons, ice, water, and handwritten notes left on the bed and we loved the bedside sleep kits with the lavender spray, sleep masks, and ear plugs. Room service was incredible and was on par with food we had in restaurants if not better."
Katie Hall, 2 months ago
★★★★★
"The attention to detail in every aspect is second to none. It is impeccably clean and maintained. The atmosphere is calm, and even on days where the lobby and bar are bustling with tourists, they have the library where one can go for peace and quiet."
Melissa Garza, 7 months ago
★★★★★
"The hotel kept the brewery motif and the vats have been converted into accessible dining and booths for sharing intimate cocktails. Elegant. And adjoining the hotel is a pedestrian park next to the river with plenty of additional cafes, restaurants and little stores."
Bryan Stanley, 6 months ago
★★★★★
"We've stayed at Hotel Emma at least six times over the past two years, and the service is always outstanding. That consistency is one of the main reasons we keep coming back."
R3020PDmartyb, a month ago
★★★★★
"After it ended, she offered to book a brunch reservation for us, and we ended up sharing how it was our anniversary. That night, we went back to our room to find a sweet bowl of fruit, chocolate and Topo Chicos waiting for us."
Hannah Marie Oliva, 11 months ago
★★★★★
"The lavender soaps made for an existential experience. You bet I went down and bought them from the store. Turn down service was so unexpected, but what a treat! Macaroons AND water? Probably the best night's sleep I have gotten since I was in my mother's womb."
juliawR9179UX, a month ago
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