After much anticipation, Hilton is opening a $185 million hotel in downtown San Antonio set to mark a “new chapter for the city’s hotel landscape,” according to a Tuesday press release.
The Monarch San Antonio, a new 200-room lifestyle hotel, is a part of the growing Curio Collection by Hilton, per the release. Construction on the project — which has been “more than a decade in the making” — started in fall 2023.
At 17 stories high, the property is located within the reimagined 40-acre Hemisfair district, steps away from major attractions such as the River Walk and Alamo.
The hotel is owned and operated by San Antonio-based Zachry Hospitality, whose family has longtime ties to the city, per the release. Located on the former site of the 1968 World’s Fair, the hotel “carries deep significance” for the family and represents an “investment in downtown’s continued evolution,” said Rick Slutter, managing director of Zachry Hospitality, in the release.
The Monarch San Antonio’s guest rooms, which include 28 suites, overlook the adjacent park and prioritize comfort and natural lighting, per the release. Rooms include SFERRA Italian linens, blackout curtains, Platinum Vertuo Nespresso coffee machines and interactive tablets, while bathrooms feature Texas-based Niven Morgan bath products.
Amenities include a full-service spa with four treatment rooms and a range of wellness services, a 550-square-foot fitness studio and a third-floor pool deck featuring cabanas, per the release. It also has 15,000 square feet of event space, including eight distinct venues and a 5,000-square-foot ballroom.
The hotel features three chef-driven dining experiences: Oak & Amber, an upscale wood-fired steakhouse; Aleteo, a Yucatan-inspired rooftop bar and restaurant; and The Nectarie Café, a French-influenced bistro also meant for nearby park visitors and locals.
Designed by San Antonio-based architecture firm Overland Partners, the hotel is inspired by the monarch butterflies that migrate through the area annually and is anchored by a $2 million public art installation called La Mariposa, per the release.
The hotel’s interiors, which include furnishings influenced by “the movement of nature” and regionally sourced decor, are designed by The Gettys Group, out of Chicago, and California-based art curator KBAA.
The Monarch San Antonio expands Hilton’s Curio Collection footprint, which is nearing 200 hotels globally, Brooke Thomas, brand leader of Curio Collection by Hilton, said in a statement. “The Monarch builds upon that momentum with its unforgettable design ethos, world-class dining and elevated offerings that are a core part of the Curio Collection experience.”
Last January, the brand debuted in San Francisco with the opening of the 236-room Trimbri Hotel San Francisco.
The Monarch's opening comes as other properties, including the historic 315-room El Sítio Tropicano, prepare to open nearby.
