O´Brien Historic Hotel

7.8

Very Good

919 Guest reviews

7.8

Very Good

919 Verified Reviews

Read all reviews

Cleanliness8.0/10

Service8.2/10

Comfort8.0/10

Condition7.4/10

Amenities6.8/10

Overall okay ,short walk to river but definitely away from most of the Riverwalk restaurants. Next to parking lots and parking structures. Ice machines were broken. Room wasn't ready until half hour after check-in.

The hotel was close to Riverwalk the staff was awesome from cleaning crew to front desk, especially Sarah at front desk very kind and helpful person. My son and I enjoyed our stay.

Front desk staff are always over worked. You always have to wait 15-30 minutes for everything, even a simple question.

Perfect stay

Our trip was a short one but we enjoyed our stay, the area was good and the parking was close.

Historic is not a discripton. Unless you consider 1960 well used historic. Needs a face lif t and smells musty

Overall Good stay for price

Pros- Clean rooms, Bed was comfy. Good customer service A+, parking fee decent compared to other hotels in the area. Good location with easy walk to Riverwalk Cons- No pool or gym, dark throughout buiding. Although parking lot is next building, no easy access parking lot-we had to walk on the ramp. I loved that there was a balcony but there is no privacy !(shared) Also, no vaping on balcony. I understand prohibitin cigarettes they have an offensive smell and leave odor- but vaping is NOT the same.

Historic Hotel. Go into it with that mindset. Sarah at the front desk was AMAZING! She was knowledgeable, friendly, and just a joy to speak with

Loved our stay here! Friendly staff, unique decor, easy to walk most anywhere.

great

Great place - good value

Great location. Close to riverwalk and tons of sights. Front desk staff so helpful! Hotel is charming

They could not find our reservation.

Dilapidated

The hotel itself was old and dilapidated, hadn't been renovated or kept up. Items were broken shower was leaking toilet was broken.

It’s close to the river walk

Terrible urine smell in and around hotel, musty and dank

Very charming, very nice staff. Easy access. Surprisingly quiet considering a lot of construction a few blocks away.

Friendly staff, comfortable bed and pillows!

near riverwalk

We have stayed in this hotel numerous times. This time around we were very disappointed. The front desk person seemed to not care about anything.

Very friendly staff

Very safe and warm environment

Parking: VERY EXPENSIVE!! Old, not kept up, no amenities. Would not recommend.

My husband and I stayed here for 7 nights to visit family and vacation in the area. We were hoping to have a home away from home, with boutique charm. The only positives we that we were within walking distance to many downtown attractions, the daily room rate didn’t break the bank, and there didn’t seem to be any bed bugs or other pests. Our stay there was an overall unsatisfactory experience, from the property itself (“historic” translated to old and not well-maintained) to the lack of care from the staff. Some examples: To get a lukewarm-to-warm shower, we had to run the faucets for several minutes. Tiles in the bathroom were dislodged and I suspect there was some water leakage behind them For the full week we were there, our room was not serviced. The hotel claimed that rooms could only be serviced if a request the day before was made. Even with the advanced request, our room was never serviced. Trash was not taken out. New towels, a refill of shower gel, and toilet paper were only provided upon request. When we requested new sheets on the bed, a set of sheets was left on a chair in the room to make ourselves. Multiple requests for new cups/glasses were not fulfilled. Front desk staff seemed apathetic and unwelcoming. While our time at the O’Brien was not unpleasant enough to cut our stay short, we stayed due to the hassle of finding somewhere else in the middle of our trip. I would not stay at this hotel the next time I visit San Antonio.

we stayed 2 nights. 1. we expected that with a hotel at this location and price range we would get service to our room. when we got back to our hotel in the evening, there had been no maid service … bed unmade, etc. we mentioned this to the front desk, and they said you have to request it in advance, but that was not mentioned at check-in. 2. The hotel parking rate at the nearby garage was $27 per night. ridiculous. close by parking was available at $10 a night. 3. A family who had stayed in the hotel multiple nights had to check out but had to wait for 2 to 3 hours before going to the airport because of weather delays. The front desk would not allow them to hang out in the upstairs common areas because they checked out and wanted to charge them for an extra day just to hang out in the common areas. so they were stuck hanging out in the cold drafty lobby. what a way to treat a customer who gave you business - multiple rooms, multiple days. we will not be back.

Unparalleled Character

If you are looking for something different from the cookie cutter chain hotel, The O’Brien Hotel is for you! My favorite part of the place is the amazing ambiance and character. Parking is very convenient and reasonable for downtown S.A. The hotel is so close to the Riverwalk (barely a block away) and very reasonably priced. The only issue we had was with the TV. There is no local TV stations or satellite service. It’s only streaming via Roku. We’re not a streaming family, so we struggled with how to watch anything but other folks might not have the same problem. I would definitely stay here again. Loved it!

Disappointed

Worse hotel I’ve ever stayed at . AC did not work and was told it is cold outside , obviously they knew it didn’t work because there was two floor fans in the room and to top it off one of them was broken. Toilet kept getting clogged and had to tell them twice . Also the room was so disgusting and was so dirty and with a moldy AC , pictures are attached below . Bedding had stains all over

Overall was a great stay. It was cold while I stayed and they gave me a nice thick blanket to help me. Keep warm over all the great places to stay.

Average

Average older hotel. Two of the lamps in our room did not work. No daily maid service but that was ok with us.

Quirky little place with charming employees.

Love

Older hotel but it’s very cute and clean. Loved my balcony room. Was inexpensive and close to the river walk. A Thai restaurant is next door so very convenient for dinner. The staff working the hotel are very nice friendly.

Always a great stay. Great view and can’t beat the prices

Our stay was cool. The TV wasn't working in our original room and we were upgraded to a room with a balcony. Also Ein was super cool abd very accommodating and helpful.

The hotel was great! The room could use a little updating, but no issues.

I told my husband “Historic” means OLD, this hotel is definitely old but for the price, it’s a good deal. Room was kinda dark & had a smell but didn’t take long to adjust. TV is Roku only, no local channels available. Old tub with T-plumbing added for shower but there is the BEST water pressure we’ve ever had! Bed was creaky but comfortable, air conditioning (yes, in December we needed air conditioning) was cold air. The balcony was nice but as in pictures, there’s only a small chain separating from next room. Neighbors were smoking out there (even though there’s NO SMOKING) so we couldn’t enjoy balcony. Very happy there was no smoke smell coming in to our room! The lobby outside our room (2nd floor) was cute with seating & small tables, like for visitors to hang out! Front staff was very cold & unwelcoming! We were NEVER greeted coming in or out. We tried to make small talk but received no response. One late night “laundry” gentleman gave us extra toilet paper & tissue & he was the only friendly staff we saw. Parking was shady so we used the garage next door for $25/night (great price for area) Hotel is within walking distance to just about everything. Overall we were satisfied with our stay. We’d probably stay again if we couldn’t find another hotel around the same price.

Loved location and balcony

We got what we wanted. The hotel had historic feel but could have improved amenities & cleaning. We were pleased & would do again. Loved the location & walked most everywhere we wanted to go.

They were very expensive, No breakfast. Plus there's No soap or shampoo and conditioner in the room.

We were a little leary about staying here due to some reviews. However, we were pleasantly surprised. Small lobby, found the front desk to be knowledgeable. Breakfast for sale every morning, I think $10. Stayed in a King, Balcony, pretty quiet. There's a big sitting area outside the rooms. The bathroom could use an update, but worked well. Only complaint, our bed was very springy when you sat down on it. The covered parking lot has very sharp turns. Was difficult with my husbands large truck. Overall, we will stay here again. The price is right and the location is great. Be sure to walk to the King Williams district and look at the pretty houses.

I had a great experience

Don’t stay here

Don’t stay here. The pictures online have to be from long ago and misleading. This place is old, dirty, and grimy. The room smelled so strongly of mildew, the elevator was broken several times over several days, the ceiling fan in the room was broken and there was a stand fan to replace it, and everything had a layer of grime on it. Very simple cleanliness issues like just wiping things down. The hairdryer and light switch in the bathroom had someone else’s hair on it along with a layer of dust. The customer service experience was subpar except Jesse who was helpful and polite.

This place needs to be renovated. Bed was uncomfortable.

I liked the walking distance to the river walk.

Awesome

Classic Hotel

We enjoyed one night at this classic hotel. It was a block from the Riverwalk. The room was large and comfortable. We will definitely stay again.

Don't Stay Unless You Have No Choice.

I just wouldn't stay again, there were seats outside the window where people could relax, but they weren't for our room, and just everything was a disaster.

Easily walkable to the riverwalk. Parking was convenient. Room was clean.

Excessive charges

The hotel was nice, but the extra charges for late check out and parking were I feel excessive. We stayed on a Saturday night due to my husband running a marathon Sunday. We arrived around 4:30. We were told checkout was 11 and parking ends at the same time. Charge was $70 to stay until 2 and $12 to park until then. The hotel was not busy at all- I feel some discounts could have been given. We would not stay again

Location was convenient easy to access Parking was a little awkward -25 a night

Riverwalk visit.

Phone in room didn’t work, he said been like that for while. Hair dryer was taken from wall, had to ask for one. Checkin in at 3 and not a minute before. Very close to Riverwalk. Very quiet.

This is a boutique hotel so I wasn’t expecting a large lobby, food service, or fancy amenities. However, the limited staff is personable and responsive. Try to get a room with a balcony. It faces the Tower of Americas.

Bad all around

Nice place and affordable. Staff was friendly only downside is multiple outlets not working in the room.

It’s an older hotel, with the type of problems associated with older hotels. The staff were nice and the hotel clean. Fixtures were dated, but they worked.

Clean room, AC was noisy and walls are then, was able go hear other guest/staff as they walked by.

The location is perfect. Half a block from the Riverwalk and close to everything. We always stay here. We park our car and walk the whole weekend. The car moves again when we head back home. We will always stay here.

I understand it's a historic hotel but looked too run down. The employees aren't too friendly or informative. Their service is pretty low. The only thing i liked is that it's close to many attractions.

Fun place to stay close to the Riverwalk

The hotel is historic which is a fun experience. If you are looking for something that is up to date and modern, this historic hotel is probably not for you. If you are looking for something with character, great customer service, and awesome value, extremely close to the Riverwalk, you'll really enjoy your stay here! Front desk staff were accommodating and helpful, timely with any requests, I never had to ask twice for anything (and I always end up needing something extra in a hotel stay). Parking was convenient but I did have trouble using the parking permit from the hotel, it took me several tries but it was able to work out. I felt safe the whole time also.

Play smells like mildew needs to be renovated. Has a bunch of weird rules. Cool historic building but needs some attention to detail

Good location and relatively reasonable price

Cute boutique hotel.

Great place to stay.

Loved it! Everyone was friendly, it was clean and quiet! Will definitely be back!

Close to river walk, convenient, nice staff. I would definitely stay there again!

I’m from houston and I had booked a night with O’Biien Historic Hotel. 45 minutes away they call me to tell me the room I had booked had a problem and that they would refund me my money back. So I did have nowhere to stay and I had to drive back to Houston. I have never had this happen to me. I wouldn’t never want someone to have to go through this. 👎👎👎👎👎

The evening staff was friendly and helpful. I was excited to stay in one of the historic hotels, but there was quite a bit of deferred maintenance that the hotel needs to attend to. The beds are not very comfortable and we were put in a downgraded room from what we booked and paid for

Amazing

Amazing staff. Friendly and accommodating

Amigable staff, clean rooms. Centric, you can walk everywhere. Everything is closed.

Do not expect alot of amenities, but this is a great little boutique with perfect access to anything you want on the riverwalk (walkable within a block )

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Great stay for a get away

Ian was very friendly and helpful. Great big smiles that was needed after a long day of traveling. The hotel was very cute. I really liked how they had the bar tables in the middle of the rooms. Great if you have a family event. The room was quaint and we had a balcony. Very nice to sit on the balcony in the morning with a hot cup of coffee. The hotel is right off the river walk. Nice location. We were able to walk everywhere including to the Alamodome.

Loved the view and cozy environment!!

This property is old and tired. It has tons of potential though. Needs paint and removal of carpeting and a good deep clean. The water pressure in the shower was excellent and there was lots of hot water. The bedding and towels were clean. Our patio provided a great view of La Villita and the location provides access to the Riverwalk at several locations.

To old of a hotel

Quaint Gem Near the Action

Felt safe and very close to downtown events. It is older but I really enjoyed the charm of the decor.

Nicer old property! Right next to the riverwalk

One thing I didn’t like is there is no public restroom in the lobby so if more than one person has to go to the bathroom at the same time then you’re screwed. Other than that it was a very quick walk to the riverwalk (1 block) and that was good. Kinda sketchy during the walk but if you don’t go too late then you’re fine. Also didn’t like how the hotel tried to charge $25 for parking when you can park for 24 hrs directly across the street for $7.50. They should tell the guests about that. I was ok cuz I figured it out on my own. But I would stay there again because it’s pretty cheap for so close to the riverwalk. Balcony didn’t offer much of a view (the parking lot) but it was nice to have a place to go outside

Needs severe redecoration

The hotel rooms are in bad condition and in severe need of closing down and redecorating the rooms. Doors do not close properly and look like someone has done a bad job of a repair. The folks in reception need to keep the promise to make up the room as agreed.

the staff were some of the friendliest, most helpful people and they made the stay more enjoyable. without them, i would rank my stay much lower. positives: close to the riverwalk. it’s not even 3 minutes to get to everything which pretty much makes this hotel worth the value. once again, the staff was super friendly and professional. negatives: the hotel has a very strong mildew smell. the common areas are clean, but our room had an overwhelming odor of mildew and maybe even mold honestly. the door to our bathroom was basically broken. the sheets on one of our two beds were stained so we only slept in the one bed (which was fine because only two of us were staying in the room). the toilet wouldn’t function properly unless holding onto the handle for awhile. i had to fix it no less than 4 times. the pictures of the hotel on their website made the rooms look a lot nicer than they actually were. while the hotel is historic, it is in desperate need of renovation. once again, the staff was WONDERFUL and they were the most positive aspect of our stay. we would definitely come back if renovations were made based on the location and staff alone.

Only good thing about it was it was close to river walk other then that the room has a strong mildew smell to it they have a floor fan in the room cause it gets hot there they have a tv but no cable services you have to get Roku services on your phone and add a credit card payment there’s no local channels either customer service tried to fix the tv but couldn’t so he said he would wave my parking fee when I check out they said they don’t know anything about it it also says there’s free breakfast but that’s not so you have to pay for breakfast this was a bad stayed I would recommend no one to stay here I would of stayed at motel 6 for half the price they said they said they give out parking pass at was there at 3:00 check in time and they said they didn’t have any seem like a lie to me he said they had some then he said he is out of them

The last "boutique" hotel i stayed in nefore this was run-down and just terrible overall. But the O'Brien was clean and well-maintained. I also liked its location, with many of downtown San Antonio's attractions being within walking distance. The staff was friendly and helpful.

The room was in bad shape for example a lot of dust in many places. The shower didn’t have any soap / body wash. For the price I paid, I’m certain it could have been a lot better.

It was Downtown San Antonio Texas

Nice staff, interesting hotel.

Neat place to stay

Stayed for Oktoberfest at la villita. Very cool place to stay. Very comfortable and clean. Friendly service. And perfect walking distance to the Riverwalk and other festivities. Only drawback for me was it felt very tight. Rooms are small. But would stay here again, just never as more than 2 ppl in a room.

Trashy hotel

This place is a dump. The picture on the website did not truly represent the condition of the property. Dirty carpets , old mattress, old stain sheets. We checked in and then checked out would not stay in this dumpster. Do not stay here

Location

No kleenex in bathroom and they were “out” so never got any

Parking is convenient

Greta location for a Great Price

I hotel was nice and perfect for our needs. The staff was friendly as well. The beds were a little springy, but not terrible. I know the hotel is historic, but there were some cosmetic issues that could be fixed. Overall it was a great price for being so close to the Riverwalk!

Pillows were stained and dirty. Water pressure was nonexistent as well as hot water. The floor left your feet black from dirt. Parking was a nightmare due to the hotel crowding as many paid parking spaces in a tiny space behind the hotel.

My first time at O'Brien historic hotel, very different in my own opinion of a hotel, but it was good thanks O'Brien historic hotel.

Poorly maintained property Toilet did not flush Bathroom door would not close Balcony door would not open Hotel door lock busted

Would have given a five star rating across the board except for the fact that the hot water takes forever to get heated up.

Satisfactory, but not what expected

The hotel staff were friendly and helpful. The room itself had a musty smell to it. Since we had a balcony room, we could open the door and had fresh air until retiring for the night. We didn't ask for another room since we were only there for two nights and gone most of the day. It is an old historic hotel, trying to do their best. More thorough cleaning could be accomplished by just taking a duster to pictures, bed frames, and lamps. A stronger vacuum on old carpeting might help also. The bed was comfortable. We didn't accommodate ourselves to the breakfast offered, because there are too many other options locally with better options, one of those being La Villita Cafe, just a 4 minute walk away! The location is excellent as we could walk to the Alamo and River Walk. So for the price we paid, it was satisfactory but not what we expected. You can do a lot with pictures.

Loading and unloading luggage wasn't really smooth. I will say i had alot with my family for our 3 night stay, so we had to load and unload on the street out front. I was lucky enough to access a luggage cart and from what i could see there was only 1 available overall. I like the seating in the lobby; however it does take up alot of space so when checking in, you kind of have a maze of furniture and people to go through. The room we had was good, comfortable and conviently long so my kids enjoyed playing in the room. The room did have a lot of noise coming from the street, but understandable when in downtown over the weekend and when the building is as old as this. We didn't have too much trouble sleeping through the noise since we were so active during the day. The lady that checked us in was wonderful, very nice and informative. The other two we experienced during the rest of our stay were more off putting and didn't seem to care whether we were there or not. I would recommend staying at the hotel for its location, its price, and the experience. I dont think i would stay again unless i was in a pinch or a "spur of the moment" vacation. As a note, i would recommend expanding a little on breakfast options and adding milk to the drinks that are offered.

Rooms were dark had a smell to them , toilet was constantly running nobody fixed it after they were told , staff was very friendly and helpful.

Super clean!

We thought there was a restaurant but there was no restaurant we traveled from out of state and they did not accommodate an 1/2 hour earlier check in at 2:30 good location to all the local spots parking lot across the street 7 dollars compared to there 20 dollar charge has fridge and microwave good toilet was wobbly old dated inside but comfortable for a nights sleep we were outside of elevator so heard other guests

Old yet cute

Its very dark which we love. Parking is perfect across the hotel. This place is vintage but that's our thing.

The property was not as advertised. Felt very frustrating walking into an unclean room that looked like it hasn’t been cleaned in weeks . Looked like it hasn’t been updated in decades . The online listing stated free parking ,free breakfast and a fitness center . None of these are true . AC looked moldy , the ceiling paint had a large spot that looked like it was full of water . The bathroom has areas ontop the shower where the Sheetrock was busted