Texas' Prestigious Hotel Is Industrial Chic With Luxe Amenities And Old-World Charm In The Heart Of San Antonio

A hotel's legacy is more than its rave reviews and outstanding service. It's the people and their stories that were decades in the making, often long before the hotel was conceived. This hotel legacy begins deep in the heart of Texas, San Antonio to be exact, where a strong-willed woman named Emma Koehler, along with her husband Otto, operated the Pearl Brewing Co. Built in 1894, it was the largest brewery in the state of Texas. After the untimely death of Otto Koehler, the remarkably astute and ambitious Mrs. Koehler took control of the operation. She kept it going during Prohibition and, despite handing over control to her nephew in 1933, remained involved until her passing a decade later.

In 2015, the transformed Pearl Brewing Co. edifice and five adjoining buildings opened as Hotel Emma in San Antonio's trendy Pearl District. Reimagined by design firm Roman and Williams with impeccable attention to detail, Hotel Emma is a five-star, award-winning property that captivates with an industrial-chic-meets-South Texas aesthetic and acclaimed dining. Among its accolades, the historic lodge is the recipient of the Two Key designation from the Michelin Guide, was named the #2 Best Luxury Hotel in the US for 2025 by TripAdvisor, and was named the best hotel in San Antonio by U.S. News & World Report.

From the moment you pass through the shaded courtyard into the hotel lobby, you are greeted with an aroma that can best be described as burning sage. It's the signature scent pumping out the vents, leaving an intoxicating trail of southwestern flora. The high-rise ceilings, plush leather and wood, and exposed brick may be hallmarks of industrial chic, but the repurposed chandeliers and brewery machinery are true originals. Not many hotels have libraries, let alone a two-story one with 3,700 volumes. Hotel Emma also includes cool guest amenities like gourmet coffee-filled mugs, late-afternoon margaritas, a full coffee bar on the weekends, and a delectable welcome cocktail. Lovers of Prohibition-era style will also love this renovated boutique property in Waco, Texas.

The 146 amenity-filled rooms are housed in either the original Brewhouse Tower or the newer River Cellar, each possessing a subtle and unique charm with distinctive Hotel Emma touches. The hotel's signature La Babia margarita awaits your entrance in a handcrafted Mexican drinking glass. A claw-foot tub surrounded by Spanish porcelain tiles and Frette bath towels beckons you to partake in a soothing bath with artisan toiletries from Los Poblanos Historic Inn, following which you can relax in the Dos Carolinas robe waiting in your closet. Before you get too cozy in the deep leather chair or four-poster bed, open the icebox and pantry tucked inside the striking armoire, and nibble on some Texas-style gourmet treats. 

Additional luxe services for hotel guests include electric bikes to cruise around the Pearl District or along the miles of river, a culinary concierge, a beautifully equipped fitness center, and a third-floor outdoor pool with a real vintage Pearl Brewing Co. delivery truck serving poolside provisions. Nightly room rates start at around $450.

San Antonio's delicious food is underrated, and Hotel Emma delivers some of the best chef-driven cuisine in the city. Sternwirth has Emma's high-vaulted ceilings, banquettes inside fermenting tanks, and sofas around a flickering fireplace. It's a place where intimate conversations unfold beneath the glow of vintage fixtures and clinking glasses of the craftiest of cocktails.

Headed by executive chef Geronimo Lopez, Supper is Emma's signature ode to the region's rich culinary heritage. Combining authentic flavors with seasonal ingredients and Chef Lopez's international repertoire, Supper is an epicurean journey that can only exist in San Antonio and pays homage to the city's heritage and gastronomic artistry. The adjacent private dining room, Swiggle Key, is an architectural and design showstopper that features vintage tobacco farm tables from Kentucky and stunning river views from the patio.

Larder is Emma's gourmet market housed in the old fermenting cellar. Here you'll find South Texas specialties along with fresh coffee, pastries, and freshly prepared grab-n-go fare to pack for a day excursion or enjoy on the patio. Just a short walk from the hotel, Emma's sister restaurant, Carriqui, brings bold Texas flavor to the Pearl District. The inviting indoor-outdoor space inspires convivial gatherings with warm ambiance and flame-enhanced cooking. Every dish at Carriqui touches fire — whether grilled, smoked, or slow-roasted over fragrant wood — the taste is pure Texas.