Hotel Emma

With its hipster vibe and industrial-chic aesthetic, Hotel Emma elicits a Texas-size “Wow.” Concrete beams, cast-iron tanks, and discarded machinery add a sense of place in the former Pearl Brewery, while rich leather furnishings, handmade Spanish tiles, and high-end accents (along with homemade macarons at turndown) add a refined elegance in the 146 rooms. Grab a cup of joe and cruiser bike from the lobby for a spin along San Antonio’s River Walk; savants gravitate to the two-story Library, where they’re greeted with a complimentary margarita to sip while surveying the 3,700-volume collection.