Plaza San Antonio Hotel & Spa, Autograph Collection — Hotel in San Antonio

The Plaza San Antonio Hotel & Spa, Autograph Collection, is a stunning property that blends the charm of a boutique resort with the energy of a city escape. From the moment we arrived, the experience was inviting and polished. The valet team parked our car quickly, and the front desk handled check-in with professionalism and genuine pride in the hotel — pride that clearly shows throughout the beautifully maintained property.||||Our room was both comfortable and thoughtfully designed, featuring a unique entrance that passes through the bathroom before opening into the main living area. The layout not only gave the room a contemporary feel but also created a remarkably quiet space for rest. A highlight was the private outdoor deck overlooking the pool, gym, and outdoor bar area — a peaceful spot perfect for morning coffee or an evening drink while taking in the relaxing atmosphere below. Inside, the blackout curtains kept the room completely dark at night, the bed was exceptionally comfortable, and each night’s sleep was restful and uninterrupted. The walk-in shower, soft towels, and overall design all added to the sense of quiet luxury. However, small details went unnoticed — housekeeping failed to replenish toilet paper and the shower soap dispenser ran out by the last day — areas where attention could improve.||||A nice touch near the front desk was the Keurig coffee and tea maker, available early each morning for guests to grab a quick cup before breakfast. It’s worth noting, though, that this service is removed once the restaurant opens, so travelers who enjoy a specific brew may want to bring their favorite K-Cups to start the day right.||||The outdoor spaces were among the property’s strongest features. The pool area was lush and inviting with plenty of comfortable seating, and the outdoor bar provided a lively yet relaxed vibe — ideal for unwinding after a day in the city. The fitness center, housed in a separate building, added to the resort-like atmosphere with modern Life Fitness equipment, a Peloton bike, weights, fresh towels, and chilled water — all pristine and ready to use.||||Dining at Celline offered mixed results. Breakfast the first morning was enjoyable with delicious food and efficient service. Unfortunately, the following day didn’t meet expectations. Despite arriving at opening time, our breakfast order never arrived after 35 minutes, forcing us to leave for meetings — a frustrating experience, particularly for a Lifetime Platinum Marriott Rewards member. The inconsistency between mornings stood out. That said, the evening visit to Celline redeemed the experience, with excellent service, a great drink selection, and a relaxing atmosphere to close out the night.||||At checkout, the stay ended on a sour note. When the valet returned our car after two and a half days, it was covered in sticky tree sap — completely unacceptable for a vehicle entrusted to hotel care. It was apparent the car had been parked under a tree the entire stay. Thankfully, it was a rental, but such disregard for guest property leaves a lasting impression and detracts from an otherwise exceptional environment.||||The Plaza San Antonio Hotel & Spa has all the makings of a top-tier Marriott property — elegant design, outstanding amenities, and a tranquil atmosphere that feels worlds away from the city streets nearby. With more consistent attention to service details, particularly in housekeeping, valet, and restaurant operations, it could truly become one of San Antonio’s finest...

I had the worst hotel experience of my life at Plaza San Antonio Hotel & Spa, and I strongly urge others — especially younger travelers — to stay far away from this place.

Undisclosed Age Policy

When I booked through Expedia, there was no clear warning that guests under 21 could not check in. The booking went through successfully. It was only when we showed up in person that we were told we couldn’t stay. This was not our mistake — the hotel accepted our booking without disclosing their age restriction.

False Refund Promise

At check-in, a male front desk employee told us we would receive a full refund due to the age restriction and asked us to rest assured, so we left and booked another hotel.

Refund Refused

Days later, I was shocked to learn the hotel refused to refund us, citing the very policy that they failed to disclose upfront. I then spoke with a female front desk staff member, who was sympathetic and acknowledged that our situation made sense. She advised that since the booking was made via Expedia, we should request the refund there.

Israel, the Hotel Director — Unprofessional and Disrespectful

When Expedia contacted the hotel, the request was forwarded to Director Israel, who refused to approve the refund. I then personally called him, and his behavior was unacceptable: • He repeatedly interrupted me while I was explaining what had happened. • He showed zero empathy or accountability, only repeating hotel policies and trying to deflect blame. • Most outrageously, when I explained that two staff members had confirmed the refund, he demanded I provide their names, as if he was more interested in punishing them than helping a guest. That’s not leadership — that’s intimidation. • Finally, when he realized I wasn’t satisfied with his excuses, he hung up on me mid-conversation.

This level of disrespect from someone in a leadership position is outrageous. Director Israel was condescending, evasive, and utterly unwilling to take any responsibility for the hotel’s failure to deliver.

Deceptive Communication

The hotel falsely claimed they hadn’t received our payment, and thus couldn’t refund us. But Expedia confirmed that the hotel had already been paid, and that a refund was fully possible — if the hotel agreed. I’ve had a similar case with Hilton, and they immediately authorized a refund through Expedia without any issue. The only reason this refund failed is because Director Israel refused to authorize it.

Final Thoughts

This situation wasted over two hours of my time and caused unnecessary stress and frustration. We were denied service, lied to, misled, and treated with arrogance and contempt. We received no service, and were still charged in full, despite being kicked out for a policy they never informed us of until it was too late.

If you’re under 21, do NOT book this hotel — they will take your money and kick you out. If you’re over 21, ask yourself if this is the kind of leadership you want running your hotel stay.

I genuinely believe this experience borders on consumer fraud, and Director Israel’s actions were unethical and...

When I left this hotel in December, I would have given them five stars. We were happy with our room which was very spacious, Ian at the front desk was friendly and accommodating, and we had great experiences at the Anaqua Bar with Zac and with Jorge at Corrine. I was there for work and it was a short walk to the convention center each day, yet off the riverwalk and more private which we enjoyed. The grounds were beautifully decorated for the holidays. That being said, I had an experience here that I’ve never had at a marriott brand and have spent a month reaching out to management, who could not be bothered to even write me back which has left a bitter taste in my mouth. I’m a titanium elite member with Marriott so you would think they would show some loyalty to a customer who is always loyal to the brand. The morning I was checking out, I was sent my folio via email. When I looked at the charges, I had been charged for breakfast each day for two people, despite it being a perk of my membership. When I chatted the front desk, they said they removed the charges. Before I left the hotel, I checked out at the front desk and the charges were all correct. We were traveling from there to Hawaii for a vacation week and when I got to Hawaii there were additional charges to my bank. It turns out that the hotel charged me for the higher amount before they removed the breakfast charges ($1394). When they removed the charges, they should have credited my card for the difference ($279) but instead they cancelled the first charge and put a second charge through for $1114, and it took about 6 days for the $1394 to go back to my account, meaning I could not access my own money while on vacation. I called the hotel and they admitted their mistake over the phone. Being that I don’t generally make bad reviews, until I give a manager a chance to make it right, I found the general managers email and wrote him. I’ve written twice in the last month and didn’t ask for any sort of benefit or compensation but just offered feedback for improvement and told him about my experience. Turns out he could care less and couldn’t even be bothered to write a 60 second email reply. To me, it says everything about a hotel if the general manager doesn’t care about its customers, and especially ones that are very loyal to the brand. Please do better...