Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton San Antonio Riverwalk

The room was very clean and looked out over the river. There was a small toilet issue, but they fixed it quickly. The staff deserve credit, and the free breakfast was decent. It was a good fit for what we needed, close to everything on our list. We could walk to the Almo, Panaderia, and Pinkerton, with the quieter end of the river walk right behind it. I'd stay again.

The valet setup was the biggest problem for me. Parking costs a lot and took a while, and then the website made me leave a mandatory tip when I paid. I had already tipped in cash each time we picked up or dropped off the car, so a tip should be optional. I managed to lower the forced amount from $7 to $3, but that still made me furious. Hilton may say the valet isn't theirs, but the booth has their sign on it. I consider the forced tip fraud, though I won't pursue it. The desk was very slow, with just one person working at a time. Check-in took 15 minutes, requesting extra towels took 15 minutes each time, and checkout took 20. We skip housekeeping by choice. We were recognized as Diamond members, but our advance written request not to be near the elevator was ignored. When I asked, I was told that was the only room left. After the long check-in wait, that got our stay off on the wrong foot. It makes me question our loyalty to Hilton, since we stay often enough to have Diamond status and these requests don't seem to matter. There are good things: it's on the Riverwalk, and the back door through the Home2 breakfast area leads right onto it, which is convenient. The rooms are nice, and breakfast was good. The pillows were horribly small and not useful, and the shower's water flow and temperature varied a lot. I'd try another property next time, one that would honor my room request and not require a tip.

I really liked how quiet the hotel was, which is hard to find. From the 7th floor, the Riverwalk and its Christmas lights were pretty. The AC and heater worked great, and the shower was roomy, stocked with soaps, and heated up fast. My only real complaints were the small pillows and a somewhat hard mattress. Breakfast was good, though it could have used some meat. The front desk also helped me with the necklaces I'd left behind.

We spent one night here for a mini staycation with my cousin. The room felt brand new and was clean, and the place felt safe. It's right on the Riverwalk, which was a great location. We skipped breakfast, though it smelled delicious. Vanessa and Reese were friendly and helpful when we used valet. I'd recommend staying here.