Alex and I recently took her second son, Cruz, on his 10-year-old birthday trip to San Antonio. This trip became a tradition after we took her son, Eli, to Washington, DC. The ability to start fun traditions like this is made possible by points and miles and something that I always look forward to. The main portion of this post will be a review of our hotel, the Thompson San Antonio – Riverwalk.

 

 

As the name suggests, it is walkable to the very trendy and famous Riverwalk section of San Antonio. Let me preface this review by saying that we are huge fans of the Thompson brand of Hyatt hotels here at Travel Mom Squad, so we were really excited about our stay here.

 

First Impressions

We were warmly greeted at the front desk and given refillable metal water bottles that could be filled on each floor with still or sparkling water – I love this touch. The lobby is a little dark but absolutely gorgeous! Dark colors, leather couches, and a fireside gave elegant, moody vibes as well as an “I’m in Texas” feel.

 

 

Our Room at the Thompson San Antonio – Riverwalk

The wow factor and elegance continued as we entered our room. Alex redeemed a Suite Upgrade Award for our stay, and we were placed in the Skyline Suite. There was a nice entrance and a large living area with a television, couch, chair, and bar area. The walls were rich blue, and beautiful wood accents, including the floors, were everywhere. Seriously, it was so gorgeous.

 

 

The bedroom consisted of another large room with a soaking tub to the side (curtains closed it off), a king bed, and another television. We had a rollaway brought into the living area for the snorer in the group 🙋🏻‍♀️. (I seriously do not mind the rollaways or sofa beds compared to worrying about snoring and keeping someone awake).

 

Additionally, the bathroom was spacious, with a large shower area, an enclosed toilet area, and spacious closets. We were all impressed with our suite and the decor and spaciousness of it.

 

Globalist Breakfast

Unfortunately, things fell apart somewhat when we had breakfast on the first day. I love it when they spell out what a Globalist breakfast entails. Usually, it is breakfast for two adults and up to two children, with beverages included. We wrongly assumed that this would be the same, but instead, it was $60 total (which doesn’t go very far). We were surprised we had charges on our bill, but it was an excellent reminder to always ask what is included in the future.

What’s nice about Thompson hotels is that Globalists can eat breakfast in the restaurant or via room service.  We ordered room service the first morning, and one entree did not make it with the rest of the food. We had to call and let them know, and they promptly brought it up. When we returned hours later, our breakfast dishes were still in the room despite our room having been cleaned.

We also ordered room service the following day as we were heading out to The Alamo. They repeated the order to us, and I said it was right, but it was a total mess when it arrived. One order of bacon was missing, one set of silverware was missing, and they sent a bowl of fruit, but we had ordered the yogurt, the toast consisted of cold bread, and the omelet that I ordered came with the salad that I had asked not to be on it. Some of these things were small “oops,” but it was just so far from the service we usually expect at a Thompson that we were surprised.

On the last day, Alex and Cruz had breakfast at the restaurant (they weren’t going to chance room service again), and the service was outstanding. If you plan to stay here, we recommend eating at the restaurant vs ordering room service.

 

Thompson San Antonio Service

Later, we had to have our room key redone, and the woman working at the desk asked us how our stay was going. In hopes of improving room service for others later, we told her. The man at the desk next to her butted in and told us we needed to take it up with the manager of the restaurant. We weren’t really complaining to complain, but just answering her inquiry. Our key still didn’t work, so when I went down to get another one, neither were friendly. (I guess that if you don’t give a glowing account of your stay, the service changes.)

When we checked out on the last day, there was a different woman at the desk who was quite helpful and friendly. She told us our valet parking had been removed since we are Globalists, offered us water for our departure, and was very gracious and kind.

 

Location of the Thompson San Antonio – Riverwalk

This hotel’s location is quite good. We were able to walk to The Alamo and the Riverwalk area. We walked to a mall area to watch Wonka (birthday boy’s request). There are many restaurants in the Riverwalk area, making it a great location. It was under a mile to walk to these locations. If you prefer a hotel right on the Riverwalk, consider the Hyatt Regency.

 

 

Activities in the Area

We spent our first morning at the Natural Bridge Caverns, about 40 minutes away. We really enjoyed seeing the stalagmites and stalactites. They also had some “gold” (rock) mining, yard games, and a massive ropes course with zip lines that Alex and Cruz enjoyed while Grandma took pictures and videos. It was a fun visit for all of us.

 

 

We walked down to the Riverwalk area, took a boat tour of the area in the afternoon, and walked around afterward. It really is a cute area, and I can see why people enjoy it. Our weather here was overcast but warm, which was nice since it snowed in Denver while I was gone.

We went to The Alamo and had a guided tour there. Alex and I enjoyed it, but there was a lot of talking, and I think Cruz was pretty bored. The one area we failed at on this trip was eating. We let Cruz do most of the choosing, which meant pizza and Chick-fil-A. We finally redeemed the eating aspect by choosing La Fonda, the oldest Mexican restaurant in San Antonio.

 

 

Bottom Line

I am sure that the Thompson San Antonio-Riverwalk is a great place to stay for most people. We loved the hotel’s hard product, but would not return. Honestly, it was one of those trips where many things were just bumps in the road and slightly off.

The ability to use points and miles, particularly when things don’t go right, softens the blow a LOT. And we created some fun, priceless family memories despite everything not going perfectly.