Supper for Lunch at Hotel Emma

In San Antonio where the tourist industry is our top private employer, the opening of a new hotel rarely creates more than passing interest.  Hotel Emma, newly opened at The Pearl, is a notable exception since it has garnered more interest in the national press than usual and this excitement also extends to locals.  The Pearl is a destination for shopping, dining, and entertainment on the site of the old Pearl Brewery along the north end of our famous River Walk.  Named for Emma Koehler who ran the brewery in the early 20th century, Hotel Emma promises to be the anchoring jewel in a rapidly growing area of the city popular with tourists and residents alike.

I've wanted a look inside this building for a while so I joined friends for lunch at Supper, the hotel restaurant.  Lunch at a hotel restaurant?  It's not typical hotel fare--lunch was excellent with interesting choices and farm-fresh ingredients.

Supper's entry court with an old pipe from the brewery turned water feature seen on the left.  I didn't get photos inside the restaurant but you can see a few on this recent Remodelista post.

After lunch we walked around to check out the hotel designed by New York-based Roman and Williams.  Larder, Hotel Emma's version of a snack bar, is stocked with mostly locally-sourced ingredients.  Your choice of pastries, sandwiches, salad, and delicacies such as smoked duck breast can be enjoyed at one of their tables or outside along the river.

Roman and Williams, former movie set designers, carefully preserved details and layers of the 1894 brewhouse building which had been closed for a decade when construction began.  For a better look at the exterior see this post from December 2012.

A two-story library off the main lobby features 3,700 volumes purchased from a local collector.  The library was locked so we managed to peek through the glass.

Roman and William's design team not only preserved the patina of the building, they re-purposed pipe fittings as planters and surrounded doors with features like this piping unit.  A chandelier fashioned from an old bottle labeler presides over the lounge area.  Such architectural details alone make the visit fascinating.

Through the door above, Sternewirth, Hotel Emma's lobby bar, wows with Texas style comfort.  Love the belt detail on the sofa.

Factory floor planks top a generous table or you could claim a window seat.

A Piloncillo sugar mold holds succulents instead of the typical candles.

Bullnose bricks soften corners of the imposing fireplace.  Hotel Emma staff told us they give tours and we plan to return for that soon.  Wouldn't it be fun during the holiday season?

Bar with wine storage mezzanine above.  If only Michelangelo was available.

Conversational seating areas fashioned from old fermenting tanks.

Recycled pieces are the fun of discovery at Hotel Emma.

An enormous room, yet the space seems intimate and invites whiling away an afternoon in the unique surroundings.  Throughout the building are display cases of found objects.  The designers approached the initial phase of the project as archaeologists, preserving everything from old paper files to a 1925 delivery truck.

Cozy nook cuts the enormous space down to size.  Not sure I could get too comfy with the giant old condenser elevator unit overhead!

On our way out we took a look at the adjacent Southerleigh restaurant to see if it should be next on the list of places to lunch.  Kegs in the entry off Hotel Emma's lobby.  Yep, looks like a good choice for lunch.

Hotel Emma's entry court features an outdoor fireplace with the same rounded or bullnose bricks used inside.  Pearl Beer used the three 'X' symbol as its logo, an element repeated in the concrete tiles.

Nice view out from the fireplace.  My car awaits......I can wish, can't I?

And here's the gang warming by the outdoor fire after exploring the hotel.

An unusual gravel drive for a city hotel.  Hotel entrance is just past the grain hoppers.

Another reason for locals to visit the Pearl.  In contrast to downtown, ample free parking is available all around the Pearl.

We walked over to the river which is just a few steps away.



Looking back toward the hotel along with new luxury apartments going up, we admired this combination of Purple Heart and Pink Muhly.

Hotel Emma from the river bridge.  A special events space fronts the river and Larder provisions shop is on the far corner of the building.

A wonderful way to begin the holiday season.  Can't wait to take a guided tour.