Hotel Review: Courtyard by Marriott San Antonio Riverwalk
Every time I visit downtown San Antonio, I am surprised by how many hotels are in the area. Wherever I turn my head, I see a hotel, which becomes more prevalent as you get closer to the Riverwalk. The Riverwalk is a beautiful city park lined up with shops and restaurants, and it is the most famous attraction in San Antonio, making it an ideal location for tourists. I stayed at Courtyard San Antonio Riverwalk on my recent visit to San Antonio. While traditional Courtyard properties attract business travelers, Courtyard San Antonio Riverwalk can accommodate small families and is great for tourists who want to explore the Riverwalk.
Courtyard by Marriott San Antonio Riverwalk is located right by the Riverwalk, making it a great lodging option for tourists.
What Card(s) Should You Use to Book?
I earn tons of Marriott Bonvoy points by using my American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card. It is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. On top of the elevated offer, a new cardmember can earn up to $200 back at U.S. restaurants. AMEX is not stopping there; Until 12/31/2021, cardmembers will get a monthly statement credit of $20 when they spend more than $20 at restaurants each month. It earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on dining and flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X on all other purchases. Paired with Marriott’s promotions and AMEX offers, it opens doors to endless points-earning opportunities. If you are interested in getting the AMEX Bonvoy Brilliant Card, I advise you to act fast since the elevated offer will expire on 05/12/2021.
The Bonvoy Brilliant comes with great benefits that can substantially offset its annual fee. Photo credit: www.americanexpress.com
The Bonvoy Brilliant Card does come with a hefty $450 annual fee but offers tons of perks to significantly offset its costs. The card features the following benefits:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, the mid-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
$300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit that can be applied towards your room rate
$100 property credit when booked directly with Marriott and staying a minimum of two nights at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
Access to Priority Pass lounges
15 Elite Night Credits that can prove helpful for chasing Bonvoy status
Even if you don’t stay at Marriott properties often, this card is still a must-have in my opinion. It’s a true example of a keeper card that offers benefits that outweigh the annual fee.
If you’d like to apply for the American Express Bonvoy Brilliant Card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! http://refer.amex.us/EDWARSwdXp?xl=cp01
I have another Marriott Bonvoy credit card: the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business Card. It is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. On top of the elevated offer, a new cardmember can earn up to $150 back on eligible business purchases made within the first three months of card membership. AMEX is not stopping there; Until 12/31/2021, cardmembers will get a monthly statement credit of $15 when they spend $15 or more on monthly wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. services providers. The eligible purchases include shipping, restaurant, wireless telephone, and gas station purchases made in the U.S. The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 4X points on dining, U.S. shipping purchases, U.S. wireless telephone services, and at U.S. gas stations. All other purchases earn 2X points. If you are interested in getting the AMEX Bonvoy Business Card, I advise you to act fast since the elevated offer will expire on 05/12/2021.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business Card is the only Marriott business card on the market. Photo credit: www.americanexpress.com
The Bonvoy Business Card’s annual fee is $125 and offers decent benefits to justify the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, the low-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
15 Elite Night Credits that will help you achieve a higher Bonvoy status
As you can see the card’s benefits are less substantial than the ones from the Bonvoy Brilliant Card, but it is a great long-term keeper card due to its annual free night certificate perk. Furthermore, it is absolutely necessary if you want to chase a higher Marriott Bonvoy status because it is the only Marriott business card that is on the market and will grant you an additional 15 Elite Night Credits. Lastly, even though it is a business credit card, it is very likely that you could get it approved. Check out my article on how to apply for a business credit card as a sole proprietor.
If you’d like to apply for the American Express Bonvoy Business Card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! http://refer.amex.us/EDWARSi04o?xl=cp01
Lobby & Check-In Review
The lobby was decently sized, and there were various seating options.
Even though all seats were open, people were mindful and sat far apart from each other.
The seats were not necessarily socially distanced, but with numerous options, it wasn’t difficult to find a seat away from one another.
The business center was located in the middle of the lobby.
The check-in process was seamless, and I was promptly upgraded to a room with a balcony view overlooking the Riverwalk.
The hotel was using plexiglasses at check-in to combat COVID-19.
After receiving my keys, I took the elevator to the 7th floor to check out my room.
Bedroom Review
I was happy to find a hand sanitizer stand in every elevator, which makes perfect sense as you have to use your hand to press elevator buttons.
I really liked having the option of sanitizing my hands right after I used the elevator.
My room was located on the 7th floor, and the bedroom followed a typical Courtyard layout. In-room amenities such as a mini-fridge and coffee machine were tucked away neatly.
I didn’t use the coffee machine, but the mini-fridge was great at cooling my water bottles.
The bed was again a familiar Courtyard bed, and each side had a tiny nightstand equipped with one USB port and an outlet.
Every Courtyard property has the same, cookie-cutter bed.
The other half of the room had a lounge loveseat and a work area.
The loveseat was on the smaller side and was not meant for crashing on it. .
The work desk was a sturdy wooden desk with a pullout table, which increased the allotted workspace.
The TV was quite small, and it was hard to get a good viewing angle from the bed.
Now, the room’s highlight was waiting for me: the balcony. The balcony was relatively narrow, so I couldn’t imagine bringing a chair out to the lounge.
The balcony was big enough to comfortably hold two adults.
It overlooked the Riverwalk and made the room airier, as Courtyard rooms are usually pretty compact.
Remember this is a Courtyard hotel, and I can’t complain about the view!
One safety note for future guests is that the balcony rail was low, so be cautious if you are tall.
Bathroom Review
The bathroom had a standard bathtub with a showerhead, which was expected for a Courtyard property.
The bathroom featured a typical bathtub and showerhead combination.
The hotel used toiletries by Paul Mitchell, as all Courtyard properties do. In general, I’m not a huge fan of them because they are tiny and dry out of hair and skin.
In my opinion, the toiletries need to be bigger in size.
The vanity had plenty of countertop space to place personal belongings and toiletries.
The bathroom had a very typical Courtyard bathroom layout.
Since all Courtyard rooms are pretty much identical, there was nothing special about the bathroom. All I cared about was cleanliness, and I didn’t have any complaints during my stay.
Gym & Pool Review
The gym was very compact and had a few cardio machines separated by hanging barriers.
The gym had essential workout equipment, but they were a little outdated.
The fitness center had a standard dumbbell set but only had one adjustable bench.
With only one adjustable bench available, the gym couldn’t accommodate many people at once.
I understand the gym can’t really expand given its tight space, but if the hotel can provide kettlebells or resistance bands, they can increase workout options for guests without sacrificing the space. The hotel also featured a tiny pool on the same floor as the gym.
The pool was uninviting to say the least.
The pool was tiny to the point where it almost felt like a giant hot tub. I couldn’t imagine swimming with more than one party at a time. In addition, there were no appropriate lounge chairs for guests. I hope the hotel revamps the pool area in the future and transforms it into something more inviting and relaxing.
Breakfast Review
Towards the back of the lobby, the hotel has a small cafe serving limited breakfast items from Starbucks. There was no complimentary breakfast for elite members, so if you want a more extensive menu, there is a Starbucks across from the hotel. I had a coffee cake and a cup of coffee, and all pastry items were precisely the same kinds from Starbucks.
Summary
Courtyard San Antonio Riverwalk is a typical Courtyard property located in downtown San Antonio, TX. Everything was pretty similar to other Courtyard hotels in the suburbs, from room layout to amenities. However, since it was ideally located along the Riverwalk, it could be an excellent option for tourists, as the Riverwalk is lined with many shops and restaurants. Though the gym and pool suggested room for improvement, I enjoyed having a balcony in my room. It undoubtedly made the room airy, and the view wasn’t too bad. I am not sure how well it would accommodate prominent families, but I recommend Courtyard San Antonio Riverwalk to a couple or a small family looking to stay by the Riverwalk.
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