The historic St. Anthony hotel in downtown San Antonio has announced the completion of a meticulous renovation of the 106 year-old-property. The $24 million project, launched in May 2013, included the addition of 277 spacious guestrooms. The sixth floor rooftop pool was expanded and the 8,000-square-foot rooftop pool-deck space was refurbished. A resurfacing of the 10th floor terrace involved replacing gravel flooring with a deck of Brazilian hardwood. The first floor ballrooms have been redesigned for improved flow and function. In total, the hotel offers more than 31,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space.
During the renovation, layers of previous remodeling materials were removed to reveal original decorative plaster ceilings and ornate tile mosaics. Some of these features, which were cleaned and restored, hadn’t been seen in 50 years. In the lobby, the check-in desk, bathrooms and bar were moved to a more centralized location. An inconvenient stairway, which hampered foot traffic through the lobby, was moved. The relocated stairway created enough space for a library lounge and second floor terrace. Sculptures, paintings and tapestries were restored and are again on display in public areas. Peacock Alley, a lounge area adjacent to the lobby, is once again home to its original 1927 Steinway piano, which was purchased, restored and returned to the hotel.
Dining is an important amenity for any hotel, and at the St. Anthony, Loggia serves breakfast daily in the sunroom adjacent to Peacock Alley. The restaurant Rebelle offers freshly shipped seafood and Texas-sourced produce, as well as an outdoor dining area overlooking Navarro Street. Haunt is a chic contemporary lounge. The St. Anthony Club now offers San Antonio locals and hotel guests a glimpse of a bygone era with live jazz and Texas-inspired libations. The St. Anthony Club is open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight.
The St. Anthony is on the National Register of Historic Places and conveniently situated only blocks from the Tobin Center for Performing Arts, the Alamo and the Museum Reach section of the San Antonio Riverwalk. It recently joined the Starwood Luxury Collection, a group of nearly 100 hotels and resorts found in more than 30 countries.
Originally built by cattlemen B.L. Naylor and A.H. Jones in 1909, the St. Anthony was one of San Antonio’s first luxury hotels. The property was purchased in April 2012 by BC Lynd Hospitality, headquartered in San Antonio.
“I grew up here and always had a special appreciation for the hotel,” says Brandon S. Raney, BC Lynd’s chief executive officer. “The property was in our backyard, and it was an asset that deserved more.”
