SAN ANTONIO—The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., today announced, together with its owner partner BC Lynd, the completion of a multi-million dollar restoration of the historic St. Anthony hotel. Built in 1909 as the first luxury hotel in Texas and located near the city’s enchanting River Walk, The St. Anthony, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Antonio, has unveiled a stunning redesign including enhanced accommodations, refreshed public spaces, and new dining venues. One of the world’s fastest growing luxury hospitality brands, The Luxury Collection is on track to reach 100 hotels in more the 30 countries by early 2016 as the brand expands and improves its renowned hotel portfolio around the world.
“The restoration of The St. Anthony is a cornerstone in The Luxury Collection brand’s $300 million dollar investment effort this year to renovate and reopen some of our most iconic hotels in North America,” said Hoyt H. Harper II, global brand leader, The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts. “We are delighted to reintroduce this legendary property as part of The Luxury Collection, returning the beloved St. Anthony to its original grandeur and carrying on its legacy as a San Antonio mainstay for locals and visitors alike.”
Taking special care to preserve authentic design elements and architectural details, the two-year renovation was led by ForrestPerkins, a Dallas-based interior architecture and design firm. The new design aesthetic was significantly influenced by Fiesta–San Antonio’s annual spring festival dating back to the late 19th century. From the earliest days, The St. Anthony has played an integral role in Fiesta, hosting the festival’s finest events in its elegant ballrooms. The hotel’s new interior design weaves traditional Fiesta floral patterns and jewel tones into decorative elements including stylized carpets, upholstery, artwork, and light fixtures.
Vibrant color plays a starring role in the transformation of The St. Anthony, capturing San Antonio’s colorful atmosphere while remaining true to the hotel’s timeless architecture. The signature color for The St. Anthony was selected from a set of custom-designed china, created for the hotel by innovative interior designer Dorothy Draper during a renovation in 1959. Now referred to as ‘St. Anthony Green’, the hotel’s trademark color is featured throughout the property.
The hotel’s renowned grand lobby, also known as ‘Peacock Alley’, has been fully restored to welcome visitors with all of its storied finery–including the beloved Hamburg Steinway concert grand piano acquired by owner Ralph W. Morrison after he purchased the hotel in 1935. Entirely transformed, the hotel lobby greets guests with soaring ceilings, elaborate moldings, and beautifully sculpted columns, complemented by an authentic Calacatta marble floor and a grand staircase. Located on the hotel’s mezzanine, The St. Anthony’s Library features a softly lit millwork wall and rift cut oak floors, rich wall paneling, and touches of gold. The hotel’s sculpture garden displays an assemblage includes French Empire antiques, bronze and marble sculptures, museum quality glass, and original oil paintings. Many of the pieces are on display throughout the hotel, including “Monarch of the West,” an iconic 7-foot-tall painting by Irish artist James F. McCan.
The renovated hotel now features 277 fully remodeled guest rooms, including 72 suites such as the John Wayne Suite, named for the actor who frequently stayed at the hotel and celebrated the premiere of the 1960’s The Alamo at the hotel. Adorned in hues of black, white, gray, and gold, the accommodations are accented with hints of the hotel’s signature shade of green. Certain rooms maintain original crown moldings, crystal light fixtures, fireplaces, and vintage furniture pieces. The refurbished guest rooms are complemented by expanded and modernized bathrooms, featuring vanities, showers, and marble and tile detail. Situated on the 10th floor, the hotel’s renewed Presidential Suite offers more than 3,000 square feet of luxury accommodations, including three bedrooms and four bathrooms.
The restoration includes the reopening of the celebrated St. Anthony Club, the city’s first private members-only venue. Now open to the public, the club offers hand-crafted cocktails and a glimpse into the unique history of a bygone era. Established in 1959 when Texas laws prohibited selling liquor by the drink, except in private clubs, The St. Anthony Club was Dorothy Draper’s first Texas hotel design project. Infusing her signature glamour into the exclusive club, Draper ensured the fabric on the walls changed seasonally—gold brocade fabric for winter and pink, yellow or green silk in other times of the year—as did the matching dinnerware. An intimate setting that envelops guests in the history of this iconic gem, the revived St. Anthony Club features the original bar designed by Draper and authentic Venetian tile floors revealed during the hotel’s renovation.
Helmed by locally-acclaimed Chef Stefan Bowers, the hotel’s new flagship restaurant, Rebelle, offers a unique sharing style and personal plate experience of local meats and farm-fresh produce sourced from Texas’ vast agricultural locales. The St. Anthony’s chic new cocktail lounge, Haunt, offers creative libations inspired by the hotel’s storied past.
Offering more than 31,500 square feet of newly restored indoor and outdoor event space, The St. Anthony’s ballrooms and meeting spaces retain their individual character–from double-height ceilings to walnut paneling to crystal chandeliers–while offering the latest audio-visual equipment, lighting, and connectivity. The rooftop pool and pool deck have also been updated to offer guests a tranquil escape overlooking the vibrant city landscape. Another rooftop destination, the tenth floor St. A Sky Terrace, is the only one of its kind that still exists in all of San Antonio, and maintains much of its early architectural detailing.
