Valencia Riverwalk

I was a little unsure about choosing this hotel for a guys weekend, but it delivered. The Google pictures actually undersold it. It’s stylish, with a Texas-meets-Ace Hotel feel, and the inside is solid and quiet, though you do hear some downtown street noise. The location is great, right on Riverwalk, with a Starbucks a minute away. The lobby bars and patio were great. At happy hour, I bought drinks for our whole group for $60. Our best meal was at Acenar downstairs, a nice change from the touristy places on the river. I was impressed for this price range and highly recommend the hotel.

The General Manager is very personable and spends time around the hotel talking with guests and checking that their stay is going well. I was impressed from check-in through check-out on my first visit to Hotel Valencia. The location makes it easy to get to the Riverwalk shops, the Alamo, and downtown on foot. We had afternoon cocktails at the main bar, where Steel was our bartender. He treated us very well, and we had a great conversation. Mia P. took care of our housekeeping needs and always greeted us with a smile. Thanks for a nice visit. We’ll be back soon.

We spent our wedding night here thanks to my husband’s boss and coworker, and they couldn’t have chosen a better place. Our junior suite upgrade came with the romance pkg, and it was absolutely beautiful. We felt comfortable and peaceful, loved every minute, and plan to return for our anniversary. Thank you all for taking such good care of us! The Ramirezs Stayed on 2/14/26

Naranja’s setting is gorgeous, and I’ve always appreciated Hotel Valencia’s beauty and atmosphere. The drink list is extensive and well thought out, and the valets were genuinely helpful and friendly. But the service inside didn’t live up to the room. I got there before my friends for happy hour and sat at a wrap-around banquette, keeping two small tables for the group. The bar was about half full with one bartender working. A server brought food to people beside me and took one of my tables to set down a single plate, even though several other tables were open. It felt awkward and unnecessary. I asked for a food menu, then more menus as my guests arrived, but nobody asked if I wanted a drink. The bartender brought the menus several minutes later and still didn’t offer anything. At 20 minutes, I hadn’t even been given water. The bartender seemed rushed and overwhelmed, which feels more like a staffing or layout problem than anything personal. Still, at $15 a cocktail in a luxury hotel, guests can reasonably expect attentiveness. The energy was chaotic, far from the polished feel the hotel projects. Downtown hospitality should feel intentional and elevated at a property this beautiful. I hope management addresses what seems to be a recurring “common sense” service gap, not just here but at several downtown spots lately. The setting is worth it. The service needs to catch up.