This review is mostly for the spa, which is the nicest one in San Antonio. Our fabulous server Jose from Esquire told us to not even waste our time elsewhere, as this is the only one with a steam room, which is a must for a spa-day in my book.
Hubert is a gem and was so nice and patient with my friend and I while we decided which service we wanted to book at the spa, and even gave us a little social media discount plus a free glass of Prosecco in exchange for an Instagram follow!
The spa has a dry sauna, heavenly eucalyptus steam room that's not too hot (wish I could live in there), jacuzzi, relaxation room with cozy chairs and blankets, and lovely berries, nuts and light snacks to munch on. Also loved the little balcony overlooking the riverwalk, which is a great spot to have a cocktail and unwind overlooking the hustle and bustle.
Jorge is fantastic if you like a strong massage. He reminded me of Guillermo from the Jimmy Kimmel show when I first saw him, but I wasn't laughing after he had the knots in my upper back begging for mercy! The pressure was just perfect, and he checked in often to make sure it wasn't too much, which I appreciate, as it can be awkward to speak up if it's too much or too little.
Sadly I have to take off one star for the rooftop restaurant, which was quite a disappointment. The food was really good, but I was shocked when I got the $67 bill for a salad and a wrap with a bag of potato chips! That plus one cocktail and an $18 glass of wine, plus the 20% (!!!) service charge they tacked on left us stunned. It was good food but the cafe has all the ambiance of a hospital cafeteria, and I've never paid nearly $70 for counter service for two people in my entire life, not even at Disneyland, the mecca of overpriced fast-casual dining.
The other thing was that the girl working there didn't bring us our (expensive) drinks until we'd already been waiting for ten minutes for our food, and brought them AFTER the food came out! So while it would have been lovely to enjoy that $18 glass of wine while we waited, she brought our food out and said, "Now I'll go get you your drinks." Uhhhh... For this less-than-stellar counter service, we were charged an automatic 20% gratuity.
I regularly pay 20-30% gratuity, but not for counter service, and I don't like having it forced on me, especially when the service is lacking as it was in this case. Mokara, please work on this. read more