Corina Lathan had worked in hotels ever since college, working her way from the front desk through the ranks to management positions that required frequent travel.

Two years ago, she decided, “I want to go back home.”

Now she’s general manager of Residence Inn by Marriott San Antonio Riverwalk, a 10-story, extended-stay hotel that opened downtown in July.

With fully-equipped kitchenettes and amenities like laundry and a fitness center, the hotel is Lathan’s new home base and also a home-away-from-home for business travelers, families visiting the city and military service members. 

The hotel has already hosted two bridal parties since opening, Lathan said. Its combined amenities and proximity to San Fernando Cathedral — plus Main Plaza and the Bexar County Courthouse — serves up convenience and views. 

The Residence Inn has rooms overlooking Main Plaza from the corner of Commerce and North Main in downtown San Antonio. Credit: Amber Esparza / San Antonio Report

The new Residence Inn, located at 100 N. Main Ave., also is one of few hotels pushing the boundaries of the city’s concentration of tourist destinations and the convention center and hotels to support them.

Steps from the quintessential River Walk, it’s a two-block walk to the San Pedro Creek Culture Park and La Zona Cultural, and another block or so to the Historic Market Square and the site of the planned new Missions ballpark, set to open in 2029.

The plaza itself, as the historic heart of San Antonio, is a destination on its own, and soon to get a facelift that Main Plaza Conservancy leaders hope will better tell its story.

The traditional tourism district, anchored by the Alamo, is becoming more connected with Downtown West, said Connie Garza, director of urban strategy and analytics at Centro San Antonio. The hotel is just one example of that momentum.

“For several years, parts of Downtown West, especially around Main Plaza and along Commerce Street, had noticeable gaps that made it harder to connect the rest of downtown with the west side of downtown,” Garza said. 

The Residence Inn is connected to a Starbucks location that is also new to Main Plaza. Credit: Amber Esparza / San Antonio Report

Now, she added, “we’re starting to see those missing pieces come together … creating an opportunity to make this part of downtown just as appealing to the people who live and work here as it is to visitors.”

Also revitalizing the gap is UT San Antonio, the Alameda Theater restoration project, new housing like the Continental Residences, infrastructure improvements and a number of new businesses and food and beverage places. 

At the Residence Inn, all the decor in the hotel lobby, from the Talavera pottery and punched tin on the walls to the muñecas de trapo and sour candy in the gift center, was sourced locally.

“A lot of people ask about our decorations … so we always send them to Market Square,” Lathan said. If they ask about dining there, she recommends Mi Tierra Cafe y Panaderia. 

Package hotel stays at the hotel also come with guided tours of top attractions. 

The Residence Inn is now among five downtown San Antonio hotels designed for extended stays, considered 30 days or more in the hotel business, Lathan said. The Element by Marriott San Antonio Riverwalk is located at 111 Soledad St. around the corner.

Nightly room rates range between $179 to $229, depending on the room size, location and season. The hotel has one 500-square-foot meeting room, a sizable lobby and courtyard, and partners with San Fernando to use their larger conference room as needed. 

A king suite room at the Residence Inn hotel in downtown San Antonio. Credit: Amber Esparza / San Antonio Report

Since opening on July 22, the hotel has been 42% occupied, Lathan said. 

The hotel provides valet parking only — there’s no surface lot or garage on the property — or directs guests to the City Tower parking garage, which is $10 per day.

Developed through a joint venture between Peachtree Group and Merritt Development Group, the brick hotel was built where the historic Wolfson Building was destroyed in a 2011 fire. 

Designed by prominent San Antonio architect Alfred Giles (1853-1920), the building first housed Wolfson’s Dry Goods and Clothing store.