This post was written in collaboration with The St. Anthony Hotel. All opinions are my own.
We just got back from our last trip and thought we’d share everything we figured out about traveling to San Antonio with a Toddler, beginning with where to stay. We first visited San Antonio, TX with Milo last June (when he was 4.5 months old) and fell in love with the city in just the few days we were there. We couldn’t get enough, so we returned with Milo, who is now one, walking, and into everything.
This trip may go down in the books as one of our favorites ever because it was the first trip where we could REALLY tell Milo was having so much fun. We did entirely different things this trip than last and it was perfect for our toddler.
Note: you can scroll to the bottom of this post for some photos of the stunnnnnnning property.
The St. Anthony Hotel
The St. Anthony Hotel, a historic landmark in the city and part of The Luxury Collection, kindly hosted us for our stay in San Antonio. It was the absolute perfect place to stay with our little one. All of the hotel staff were wonderful and so good to Milo. The staff truly went out of their way to notice Milo. From greeting him by name whenever we’d arrive at the property to leaving his toys and books organized in the room to greet him, the little gestures really made us feel welcome.
We are firm believers that families shouldn’t have to sacrifice luxury when traveling with little ones. The St. Anthony Hotel really proved that to be true. That’s our highest priority for a hotel so we were very pleased to find that The St. Anthony Hotel loves kids. If you need more reasons to book your next stay at The St. Anthony, here are some of our favorite things about it:
Location
We love the location of The St. Anthony Hotel. It’s centrally located in the heart of downtown. It’s a VERY short walk to the riverwalk and countless restaurants and shops. We did rent a car this time so that we could easily venture outside of the downtown area. Last time, however, we stayed on the riverwalk and mostly just hung out in that area. We took Uber if we wanted to go somewhere else. Whether you are renting a car or not, the location of The St. Anthony is perfect. It’s a very short drive to the airport and our favorite things to do and it’s a quick walk to the riverwalk and The Alamo.
Gallery on the Park
Gallery on the Park is the hotel’s restaurant open for breakfast and lunch. We ate breakfast there 2 mornings with Milo. The giant windows, view of Travis park, and green velvet chairs are visually stunning but the food was incredibly delicious as well. We recommend the oatmeal with berries (Milo’s favorite), the lemon blueberry pancakes (my favorite), and the egg white frittata and the smoked salmon (Nick’s favorites).
In-Room Dining
We also ordered in-room dining one night, which was amazing. Milo was asleep in the bedroom, so we gave the staff a heads up that one of us would meet them in the hallway to let them in. They were 100% on board and had a “say no more” attitude. They understood our request and made sure we got our food exactly when they said and delivered the food without waking the baby. Little things like this go a LONG way for us when we travel with Milo.
History
Okay, I mentioned this is a historic landmark so what kind of person would I be if I didn’t mention it here? We had the opportunity to take a tour of the property and hear all about the history of the hotel (you can do this, too -just schedule it with the concierge).The hotel opened in 1909 and has seen many celebrities and other prestigious guests, held wonderful events, and undergone many changes. It actually foreclosed during the Great Depression then was bought and restored. Over the next 50+ years, the property would see different owners and different updates.
In 2014, the property held a re-grand opening to celebrate its return to elegance. It has been lovingly restored and certainly is a nod to a bygone era. There’s a story for everything in the hotel and it boasts many original features (including some restored furniture items!). Walking the property feels like a walk back in time, yet it obviously has all the modern amenities.
Also, fun sidebar that Nick and I got a kick out of: the idea of Southwest Airlines was cooked up in the hotel bar and written down on a napkin!
Rooms
We had a suite overlooking Travis Park and it was absolutely perfect for us. There’s a large living area where we could hang out and watch TV and Milo could run around. He loved running up to the large windows and looking out at the people in the park. Then we could put him down in the crib in the bedroom at night while we stayed up (he goes to bed EARLY) in the living area. There’s a touch of history in the rooms but it’s entirely modern and comfortable.
Other
There are several other amenities worth mentioning. The pool was undergoing renovations while we were there (it might have been a tad too cold anyway), but it is absolutely beautiful and would be a wonderful place to hang out during spring break or the summer. There’s also roof top terrace with stunning views of the city. It’s a wonderful place to lounge and have a conversation or enjoy the warm sun or some shade. It’s also available for events. The decor of the entire property is also worth mentioning again. It feels grand wherever you roam within the property. And, again, the staff. The valet, the concierge, the front desk staff, the housekeeping staff, the wait staff in the restaurant…everyone was so kind and welcoming.
