Paseo del Rio, known more colloquially as the San Antonio Riverwalk, is one of those rare public spaces that defines the city around it. The linear park weaves through downtown San Antonio a story below grade, fringed on either side by some of Texas' best cafes, boutiques, and hotels.
Chief among them is The Westin Riverwalk, a stately high-rise that stretches 170 feet high but never forgets the main attraction is below street level. Rooms and suites - there are 473 and 66 respectively - are tastefully appointed with wood furnishings and simple decor, and feature up-to-the-minute amenities (high-speed wireless, LCD TVs, and trademark Heavenly Beds).
The impressive on-site spa offers the full range of treatments in a Spanish-colonial setting, but The Westin Riverwalk's brightest gem isn't inside the hotel at all. Instead, it's outside on Zocca restaurant's Paseo Del Reo terrace, where guests enjoy simple Italian fare under a canopy of swaying cypress trees overlooking the river.