We chose this smaller, classic San Antonio hotel as an alternative to the other high-rise hotels along the Riverwalk. The Fairmont has 37 rooms and none are alike. A funky history, a courtyard that could be in Paris, and a tiny bar with a smell of oven-fired pizzas from the adjacent restaurant, Polo's, is part of its charm. Its location is not right on the River Walk, but right across the street from the entrance at La Villita and within walking distance from the downtown historical buildings, the Alamo, and even the King William Historic District.

The Fairmont began life in 1906 as a railroad hotel. In 1985, the 3.2 million-pound structure was lifted onto rollers, trussed with bands of steel and moved five blocks to its present location. Framed newspaper articles on the lower level document the 6-day project, recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the heaviest building ever moved.

Our room was more of a suite than a standard room. Imagine one large room being divided into three areas. The front we had a nice-sized living room with a couch, television with cable, two sitting chairs, a coffee table and some side tables with lamps. The second section contained the hallway on then left and the bathroom on the right. On the wall of the hallway was a long shelf with our coffee-maker and other amenities on it, leaving enough space for us to put our camera and items we brought into the room. The bathroom was large with a bathtub shower, sink, makeup mirror, and a toilet in a separate little room with a door and a telephone in it. The third section was our bedroom which had very high ceilings, two full size beds, a window looking onto the city, a television in an armoire with drawers, a full size closet and a desk with a CD-radio and clock on it. There was also a chair and ottoman in the bedroom.

Rooms are decorated in colors of yellows and greens. Modern conveniences are available such as high-speed internet access and cordless telephones. There is also a digital scale and CD-player radio combination in the room. The digital cable channel selection is also impressive and a wide variety of channels are available.

This small hotel has no pool, but it offers a quaint courtyard which is shaded by the building where you can sit and enjoy a drink or read the paper. There is a mandatory $17 valet charge per night if you arrive with a car. This includes in and out privileges all day long. The valet was super-quick and we never had to wait long for our car. The front desk was very friendly and helpful. Between the front desk employees and the valet, they always made sure we knew where we were going when we left the hotel and were happy to help with any suggestions.

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