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With the opening of the InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk on 1 August 2024, Texas finds itself with a new high-end property at which miles & points enthusiasts can put their elite status to good use (especially if they hold Ambassador status) and where they can use their hard-earned points.
The hotel (in brief)
the InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk is located in Downtown San Antonio and just a 15 – 20 minute drive (at most times of the day) from San Antonio International Airport.
The property is home to 390 rooms (including suites) which range in size from 293 sq. ft. (the smaller Classic and Premium rooms) through Junior suites measuring 493 sq. ft., all the way up to the Presidential Suite which comes in at 1,641 sq. ft.
We’re told that the property has been designed with a blend of mid-century architecture and modern finishes ‘with subtle nods to the organic textures and materials of San Antonio‘.
‘Plush velvet furniture in various pops of color offset the property’s neutral color palette, and the hotel comes to life through the rich finishes crafted from brass, marble, dark wood, cognac leather, and glass’.
Of more interest to most readers will be the amenities that the new hotel offers, and these include …
- A 24-hour state-of-the-art fitness center
- A Club InterContinental Lounge*
- A rooftop pool
- A dedicated house car
- On-site valet
- Direct access to a water taxi landing zone
- 24-hour in-room dining
*The club is open 06:30 to 22:00 daily offering all day soft drinks, hot beverages, sweets and fresh fruit. A Breakfast buffet is offered between 06:30 and 10:30 daily, and cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are served between 17:30 and 19:30.
The InterContinental also confirms that included with every stay guests can expect, amongst other things, a coffee maker, daily housekeeping, complimentary wi-fi and complimentary bottled water.
Guests can make the most the property eateries and watering holes which include …
- Cavalier – American cuisine/fine dining open for breakfast/brunch and dinner 7 days a week.
- Deco Bar – Craft cocktail bar serving light dishes and small shareable plates in the lobby.
- High Praise – Rooftop bar offering views of the city skyline and river offering indoor and outdoor seating, cocktails, and a menu that ‘draws on Latin and coastal pacific influences‘.
- Rosebelly Coffee – A lobby-adjacent coffee bar featuring custom-roasted beans from San Antonio’s What’s Brewing, house made pastries, sandwiches and protein boxes.
For more details of what the hotel has to offer, see this page.
Pricing & award bookings
As things stand (things change), this is the pricing being promoted by the InterContinental San Antonio:
- Classic Rooms – from $205 + taxes
- Premium Rooms – from $253 + taxes
- Junior Suite – prices not yet provided
- One Bedroom Suite – from $590 + taxes
Based on the searches that we have carried out, it doesn’t look as if the InterContinental San Antonio has gone down the path of charging a ‘destination fee’, so this would make the property a good option for readers looking to book award nights.
We carried out ten random searches for award availability across the next 10 months, and these are the number of IHG One Rewards points that were needed to book an award night on each of those dates:
- 39,000
- 42,000
- 43,000
- 51,000
- 51,000
- 59,000
- 62,000
- 64,000
- 65,000
- 73,000
As you can see, the cost of an award night can vary significantly, but it’s good to see that every now and again, this may be a property at which a free night certificate (like the one offered by the card_name – review) can be used with no need for a points top-up.
Clearly the cash cost of a room will dictate whether using points or a free night certificate is a good idea, but with half of our searches returning rooms that cost 51,000 points or less, it looks like IHG fans may have themselves a very nice new option that is also quite affordable.
Special offer
For stays booked by 31 August and completed by 30 December 2024, the InterContinental San Antonio is currently offering a special package which will give guests complimentary parking as well as a $50 food and beverage credit per night.
This may or may not turn out to be a good deal.
On a random weekend that we chose, the ‘Texas size grand opening package’ (a flexible rate) costs $282/night while the cheapest flexible room-only booking costs $267. For someone needing a flexible rate, the special package is clearly the best option (assuming they can use the credits and/or the parking facility).
The cheapest rate overall, however, is just $225/night and requires a 1-night non-refundable deposit. Someone happy to book a non-flexible rate would have to be sure that they’ll make the most of the daily f&b credit and the parking before booking the special deal would make sense.
Bottom line
The InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk has now opened its doors and room rates currently start from around $205 + taxes and award nights appear to cost between 39,000 and 73,000 points per night.
As things stand, the property isn’t charging guests a ‘destination fee’ and it’s offering a special deal for bookings made by 31 August, so for anyone needing to stay in San Antonio before the end of the year, this looks like a good place to check out.
I’ll definitely stay here on my next visit to San Antonio later. I can also use my ambassadors free weekend night certificate as well. That will help reduce the sting of a higher price lol.