If you don’t need to be right in the thick of things and want quick access to the San Antonio airport, Estancia del Norte is a spacious hotel with plenty of parking that’s near major highways to get anywhere else. This Spanish colonial themed property is also part of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection for earning or using your Hilton Honors points.
When I checked into Estancia del Norte, I felt like I was back in Mexico, which is appropriate since this city was the site of the Battle of the Alamo and, like the rest of Texas and much of the Southwest, used to be part of Mexico. With its arches, tile work, and stone fountain in the middle of the lobby, the first impression here is a strong one.
The single front desk worker kept the line moving and I was on my way with a keycard in five minutes, after grabbing some cold fruit water off to the side of the lobby. I dropped my bags in the room and then took the elevator back down to explore the public areas.
Opened in 1978, Renovated in 2021
The Estancia del Norte had a long and complicated history before the current owners took over and did a top-to-bottom renovation that they managed when the pandemic brought bookings to a halt anyway. They opened it back up as a Tapestry Collection property by Hilton in mid-2021. Before that it had been through a variety of logos and affiliations since its original opening in 1978 as La Mansion del Norte.
Now everything is looking new and modern. A few touches that honor the original architecture remain, like an antique iron elevator and the stucco exterior, joined by a commissioned mural on white tile that depicts the interesting history of San Antonio.
Otherwise, the owners brought the 277-room hotel into the modern age, especially in the contemporary bar, where mixologists proffer cocktails made with care and fill mugs with local craft beer.
The bar blends is in an open area with the restaurant, which serves breakfast to guests in the morning and then transitions to a more upscale option in the evenings. Seating is inside in the air conditioning or outside in the courtyard, looking romantic at night with its string lights and landscape lighting. There are also plenty of dining options nearby, including in a strip mall across the street and a shopping mall on the other side of the highway.
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At the far corner of the courtyard is the rectangular swimming pool, which is attractive but rather limited considering the size of the hotel: there are 15 lounge chairs. It is shaded by the building much of the day, so come mid-day to get some sun. As you’d expect in this family friendly hotel, it is usually filled with kids splashing around. There’s also a gym on site for getting some exercise.
Meeting business has returned to Estancia del Norte since the revamp and it is a popular wedding facility these days, with good spots for photos of the couple and a dedicated space for the bridal party to get ready. The courtyard offers plenty of event space in addition to what’s inside and there’s ample free parking around the hotel in this suburban area.
Rooms at Estancia del Norte
As mentioned before, all guest rooms got a full renovation a few years ago and now meet contemporary expectations in terms of charging outlets in convenient places, fast Wi-Fi that’s included in the rates, and a comfortable bed with a quality mattress. There’s little left of the Spanish colonial vibe in the rooms now apart from a tile accent in the bath, but there are framed photos from San Antonio and some framed horseshoes on the walls to remind you that you didn’t wake up in an airport Hilton in Cleveland.
It looks like there used to be exposed brick behind the beds and it’s now been painted over with a mustard yellow color. Laminate wood floors have a rug around the bed. There’s an armchair for sitting and small table with two chairs.
Rooms are well-equipped with an electronic safe in a drawer, a capsule coffee maker, a mini fridge, padded headboard, large TV, and ample closet space. The bathroom door is a sliding one, which keeps the entrance hallway clear.
The bathrooms (some shower-only, some with tubs) have manufactured countertops with one sink and refillable toiletry bottles. That’s the only nod to sustainability though. Otherwise the rooms are filled with throw-away plastic items and there are no real glasses or mugs, even though the hotel has a kitchen and a commercial dishwasher.
Tapestry Collection San Antonio Booking
You get a lot for your money at this property, with this Tapestry Collection hotel in San Antonio often starting between $135 and $205 per night for a standard, including 18.75% local taxes and an unexplained “mandatory charge: 1.25 % per room, per stay.” The clientele was quite varied when I was there, from couples to business travelers to pilots. There were families from the USA and Mexico visiting relatives, sightseeing, and shopping.
This is a good option if you’re flying in and don’t want to rent a car as they have a free shuttle to and from the airport. I was able to take it both ways. If you do have a car there’s free parking that’s easy to get in and out of, which is usually not the case at downtown hotels near the Riverwalk.
This is also a good hotel for those with accessibility concerns and guests with limited mobility do not need to deal with any stairs. See more details and book a room directly at the Hilton site or compare rates at your favorite online booking site like Hotels.com.
Review and photos by editor Tim Leffel, who was hosted at Estancia del Norte while working on an article about the city as a guest of Visit San Antonio. As always, all opinions are his own.
