Historic downtown River Walk hotel gets national recognition as ‘romantic getaway’
Omni La Mansion del Rio was listed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of 11 historic hotels nationwide that are great romantic getaways.
Tom Reel, Staff / San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio Express-News
Scott Huddleston, Staff writer
San Antonio’s historic River Walk has long been known as one of the most romantic places in Texas, and a hotel with local roots dating 170 years is getting national recognition.
“Nestled along San Antonio’s River Walk, Omni La Mansión has the romantic charm of a grand hacienda with its Spanish colonial architecture and European flair,” the trust said on its website. “The courtyard transports you into an intimate garden away from the bustle of the city.”
La Mansión, 112 College St., was the only Texas hotel on the list, which featured 10 others throughout the United States.
“Whether you are planning a romantic getaway for a new love, celebrating a milestone anniversary, or cherishing yourself on a solo retreat, here are eleven historic hotels across the country that are perfect for your romantic weekend away,” the trust said. “Each of these sites holds the potential of adventure for adrenaline seekers, chocolate lovers, spa enthusiasts, and birders. Plus, history buffs will find something to love at every listing, as every resort is a member of Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest historic hotels.”
The La Mansión site originally operated as a Catholic school for boys that opened in 1853.
“Sixteen years after the fall of the Alamo, four members of the Society of St. Mary arrived in San Antonio to establish a school. They occupied the second floor of a stable on the west side of Military Plaza,” the Historic Hotels website explains in an entry on the hotel. “Brothers John Baptist Laignoux, Nicholas Koenig, Xavier Mauclerc, and Andrew Edel immediately began construction of a limestone building (said to be 60 x 80 feet) on College Street. The bells of the new school, originally known as St. Mary's Institute, tolled for the first time on March 1, 1853.”
As education needs grew, the campus later became St. Mary's College. In 1923, the college, now known as St. Mary's University, moved to its current campus at Woodlawn Avenue on the Northwest Side. A Catholic high school remained in the building on College Street until Central Catholic High School opened in 1931.
The site later functioned as the home of St. Mary’s Law School, from 1934-1966, before it became a hotel.
“At this time, a former St. Mary's University law student named Patrick J. Kennedy purchased the location and began to develop it into a brand-new luxury hotel. The exterior was made Spanish Colonial Revival-style, with a six-story addition overlooking the nearby San Antonio River,” the website says.
It opened in April 1968 as La Posada Motor Hotel for the start of Hemisfair ‘68 — the World’s Fair.
“A member of Historic Hotels of America since 2010, this spectacular holiday destination is now one of San Antonio’s most celebrated landmarks.”
shuddleston@express-news.net