Hotel Review: Marriott Rivercenter San Antonio
If you’re looking for a hotel in downtown San Antonio and you enjoy the Marriott brand, the Marriott Rivercenter San Antonio checks a lot of boxes. I’ve stayed at this hotel twice, and I’ve also stayed at their sister property, San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk, which is right across the street. Here’s a comprehensive hotel review of the Marriott Rivercenter San Antonio to help you determine whether this property is right for you.
Spoiling it all up front: I’m a fan of the Marriott brand and I enjoyed staying here and would stay here again.
Credit: Marriott.
hotel details
Address: 101 Bowie Street, San Antonio, TX 78205
Phone number: (210) 223-1000
First Impressions
Upon entering the lobby, the first thing you’ll notice is that familiar “Marriott smell” – IYKYK. It’s a light, pleasing, not overpowering scent that’s hard to describe but unique to Marriott. Everyone was ultra-friendly and the lobby has plenty of open space, plenty of seating and gives an overall light, open and airy vibe.
Tributary, the house restaurant/bar is located off the lobby with open seating and you’ll see seaonal decorations or displays. My most recent visit was during Fiesta San Antonio and the Marriott Rivercenter San Antonio was hosting El Rey Feo and his court, so there were Fiesta-specific decorations and lots of fun activities.
The elevators are opposite the reception desk and they’re the smart kind, where you select what floor you’re going to and board the elevator that the digital display tells you to.
Is the Marriott Rivercenter San Antonio a Luxury Hotel?
I’d describe this property as sophisticated and upscale, although not necessarily luxury. The Marriott brand has multiple tiers, from the ultra-posh St. Regis and Ritz Carolton to the more wallet-friendly Fairfield Inn.
Guest Rooms
The Marriott Rivercenter San Antonio has 1001 total guest rooms and 82 suites. This centrally located, towering hotel has 38 floors. Our club level King room was comfortable.
We had a fridge – no microwave – and a large flatscreen TV. We had a sofa and coffee table, a small work area, drawer space, a small closet, a safe, iron and ironing board, and an in-room coffee maker/tea service.
The vanity area was separate from the toilet/shower area, which allows one person to get ready while the other one showers or uses the bathroom. There was a walk-in shower, no tub.
The decor was clean, minimal and true to Marriott branding worldwide.
M Club access
Our room came with M Club Access. The lounge on the hotel’s 28th floor had gorgeous city views, plus it’s own balcony if you want to enjoy al fresco. The lounge has breakfast in the morning and hors d’oeuvres in the evening and various snacks – think packaged nuts and fruits – and bottled water you can grab throughout the day. There’s alcohol available during happy hour but it is not complimentary – anything you select will be charged to your room.
The M Club is a nice feature reserved for those with elite Marriott status – or if club access is specified with your reservation – and can provide a quiet place to work or socialize. The food benefits are nice, especially the breakfast, as breakfast isn’t included in your stay at the Marriott Rivercenter San Antonio.
Pricing
Rates start at about $200 per night. Weekends will be more expensive than weeknights and peak season will bring higher prices, too. Remember, San Antonio is a convention city and this is a choice location. Planning as far in advance as you can is always going to yield a better price.
Marriott has a decent loyalty program – Bonvoy – so make sure you’re signed up for that before you begin making a reservation. Prepaying a reservation on Bonvoy will always get you the better rate, if you’re sure of your plans. When making reservations on the Marriott Bonvoy site, check out the “Deals and Packages” tab for deals on meals or activities. We got two Go Rio San Antonio River Cruise tickets from the hotel – you can catch the boat right outside the hotel.
There’s a $25/day destination fee that includes a $15 per day food and beverage credit, a pair of tickets per stay to a local of attraction of your choice (GO RIO River Cruise, Tower of the Americas Observation Deck, Alamo: The Price of Freedom – IMAX, or nine holes of mini golf at Holey Moley), and Wi-Fi.
Parking
There’s a parking garage attached to the hotel. There’s a $45 per day fee to park. Valet parking is also available.
You can probably find cheaper parking in a nearby lot but the ease and security of being able to park our car onsite was important.
Amenities
- Indoor/outdoor pool;
- Fitness center;
- Full service restaurant/bar serving three meals/day – Tributary;
- Direct Riverwalk access;
- Cafe Bocadillo – Coffee, grab ‘n go food and snacks, sundries;
- Meeting/event space;
- Wi-Fi.
Tributary
Tributary serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and you can find food and beverages available all day. The bar and open concept seating are located directly off the lobby and a table at Tributary or a seat at the bar are great places to people watch.
If you’re a tequila person, Tributary is a great place to sample agave spirits. If you don’t know much about tequila or don’t think you like it, Tributary’s bartenders can provide tequila education that dives into reposados, sotols, and añejos.
Tributary really shines during breakfast. They have an extensive buffet that includes just about everything you’d want to have for breakfast – oatmeal, pastries, eggs, breakfast meats, fruit, plus an omelet bar – and a breakfast menu with start your day right delights like chilaquiles, tres leches French toast, and some seriously good breakfast tacos. On our two-night stay, we did the buffet one morning and ordered off the menu the other morning. Both have their merits, but if you’re super hungry, the buffet, at $26, is a good value.
Who is this hotel for?
This hotel is for anyone – familes, couples, business travelers, or multigen groups. The Marriott Rivercenter San Antonio is located across the street from the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center, which makes it an easy choice for business travelers and it’s centrally located to just about everything you’d want to do in downtown San Antonio. The hotel has plenty of family-friendly amenities but if you stay here with kids, it all comes down to choosing the right room. When traveling with kids, I recommend a suite or connecting rooms if your stay is longer than a couple of nights.
The indoor/outdoor pool is fun for kids and there are a lot of fun things to do nearby that appeal to family travel groups, like Hopscotch and Holy Moly Indoor Mini Golf, which is mere steps away from the hotel.
