Lake Flato, MarkZeff, and Gensler Offer a Nod to the Past in This San Antonio Hilton Hotel

2021 Best of Year winner for Hospitality – Chain Hotel

Dozens of hotels dot San Antonio’s Riverwalk, a 15-mile pedestrian street that visitors stroll along night and day. A commanding addition, the Canopy by Hilton property stands out among them with architecture by Lake Flato and interiors by MarkZeff. Although the 146,000-square-foot hotel is newly constructed, Lake Flato integrated pieces of an existing 1860’s building, much of which had been demolished over the years. “The tactile character of the historic stone and brick play off the concrete structure,” Interior Design Hall of Fame member David Lake explains.

Among the 195 guest rooms are suites incorporating handsome oak canopies with black-and-cream rugs and custom furnishings. The brawny/soft concept continues in an interior lounge, where flooring and structural walls of polished concrete are complemented by lively textiles and a patchwork rug. For an open-air restaurant, historic limestone mixes with new perches that provide river views, while an 18th-century cistern was preserved. “We used it as the backdrop for outdoor dining,” fellow Interior Design Hall of Famer Mark Zeff explains. Chairs and sofas there were custom-made in Mexico, and gas lanterns provide illumination. Painted Benjamin Moore’s San Antonio Gray, the restaurant interior features hand-stitched leather chairs and cerused-oak banquettes. On the walls, photographs by Chuck Ramirez depict frayed broom heads, displaying the late artist’s fascination with how the passage of time affects the material world.

Markzeff: Mark Zeff; Stacie Meador; Francesca Mcculloch; Liang Lin

Lake Flato: David Lake; Ted Flato; Lewis McNeel

Gensler: Jonathan Olvera; Todd Runkle; Jim Shelton; Peate Chalfant; Carrie Waller