Mills House Hotel, Charleston, SC

At one time, the Holiday Inn trademark was included in the name, but Mills House Hotel no longer advertises itself as a Holiday Inn property. However, if you click on their reservation link you will be redirected to the Holiday Inn reservations website. If you have Holiday Inn Priority Club Rewards, you may be eligible to collect points for this visit. Rooms at the Mills House Hotel start in the two hundred and fifty dollar range. That rate is competitive for downtown Charleston.

The Mills House Hotel enjoys part of the rich history to be found in Charleston. This hotel should easily be given a five star rating (it is listed as a Conde' Nast Traveler Gold List Hotel). However, the small issues I encountered during my stay added up enough for me to deduct a star. So parting from my normal course, I will rate the hotel first instead of last...Four stars out of a possible five.

Mills House Hotel possesses much of the southern charm that you would expect from a small hotel. The doors of this hotel first opened a century and a half ago. The main entrance to the hotel opens directly to Meeting Street, which is a main thoroughfare. There is not a private drive to get off the street. A small unloading area marked with yellow lines fits two cars, so if two people are checking in or someone has called a cab, you will have to circle the block and find an open spot on the side street. If the area is vacant, you can valet park your car from a valet stand located on the front steps of the hotel.

Parking is at a premium in downtown Charleston. Mills House Hotel does not have private parking available. There is a city lot located directly behind the hotel. The city lot will charge twenty dollars per day if the car is not moved from the garage. If you depart the garage during your stay, you will have to pay by the hour, up to twenty dollars per day. In other words, if you leave and come back several times, you could pay as much as forty dollars per day for self parking. If you opt to use the valet parking, you can come and go as you please for twenty-two dollars per day plus tax and a tip each time you call for your car. The valet requests ten minutes notice to bring the car around. For the additional two dollars, the convenience along with the savings in the event you drive somewhere during your stay make it a potential money saving option that I would strongly recommend.

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Tower of the Americas, San Antonio, Texas

As you fly into San Antonio, Tower of the Americas stands as the prominent feature of the city skyline. The tower was built as part of the 1968 World's Fair hosted in San Antonio. Tower of the Americas is located in Hemisfair Park which was created in conjunction with the tower to host the festivities. During the World's Fair, the park featured exhibits from the many cultures that contributed to the foundation of San Antonio.

Tower of the Americas was built eight years after the Seattle Space Needle, which was created for the 1960 World's Fair. The Seattle Space needle stood 605 feet tall, making Tower of the Americas the tallest free standing tower in the United States (at 750 feet) when the tower was erected in 1968. Tower of the Americas held the record as the tallest free standing tower until the Stratosphere was built in Las Vegas (which stands 1149 feet tall). The observation tower at Tower of the Americas was listed as the tallest in the United States until 1996 when the Stratosphere opened.

Tower of the Americas hosts several attractions for San Antonio Visitors. Among the features within the tower are a 4-D theater, a restaurant, coffee shop, photography booth, gift shop and observation tower. Tickets can be purchased from a ticket booth at the base of the tower. The base of the tower also features extraordinary landscaping, with waterfalls and fountains incorporated into the park-like atmosphere.

The restaurant was at one time called Eyes Over Texas. It is now a Chart House Seafood Restaurant. The menu is moderately to high priced, with entrees running into the twenty to thirty dollar range. The restaurant is serviced by its own elevator, so a ticket purchase is not necessary for restaurant patrons. The restaurant revolves, allowing visitors to view the entire city during their meal. The hostess station is located on the ground floor at the entrance opposite the ticket booth. The restaurant hours are from 11 AM until 10 PM on Sunday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, the restaurant is open from 11 AM until 11 PM.

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Riverwalk Cruise, San Antonio, Texas

When the San Antonio Riverwalk was conceived by Architect Robert H H Hugman, the idea was to incorporate a Venice-like atmosphere in downtown San Antonio, Texas. During the early days of along the Riverwalk, gondola rides were available from a departure point in front of the oldest waterfront Mexican restaurant, Casa Rio. The cruises now depart from several locations along the Riverwalk, using compressed natural gas powered barges. The shallow bottomed barges easily navigate the river, where depths can range from five to fifteen feet. The cruises last between thirty and forty-five minutes, covering the two and a half mile stretch of river in the downtown area. The boats run from 9 AM until 9 PM.

The current cruise contract with the city of San Antonio has been awarded to Rio San Antonio Cruises. Pricing for the water attraction makes for an informative and inexpensive trip through the city. The normal adult fare runs $7.75, plus an tips you decide to bestow upon your Tour Guide. The pricing for residents of Bexar County, Senior Citizens and Military shaves a few dollars off the price, with an even five dollar fee. Children five years and younger pay a modest two dollars to ride. In order to get the discounted pricing, be prepared to show identification. The ticket booths clearly state that ID is required. The pricing rolls the taxes into the advertised price. Group rates are available on-line, where a ten percent discount is offered.

The experience with Rio San Antonio Cruises relies heavily on the Tour Guide you draw. My trip included a would-be comedian whose levity was actually enjoyable. Sometimes Tour Guides try hard to be funny and fail miserably. Others offer dry statistics or bland history without any personality or character inserted into their dialogue. My trip was both comedic and informational. The levity filled the gaps in the tour between points of interest. I’m not sure how many of these guides ride together to work on their material, but I spoke with a friend that traveled with a different tour guide. The experience sounded a lot less fun than mine. During the cruise, the tour guides will point out skyline features along with a brief history or little known facts. For instance, my hotel (The Marriott Rivercenter) is allegedly listed in the Guiness Book of World Records. It seems that an operational hotel called the Fairmont was already sitting where Marriott wanted to put their hotel. A historical preservation group lobbied to prevent the destruction of the Fairmont Hotel. In return for the prime location on the Riverwalk, Marriott lifted the entire three-story tall Fairmont Hotel, placed it on 36 axles, and moved it to another location. I fact checked this trivia on the internet, where I found the Fairmont Hotel’s website. The website details this move in 1986 and verified that it obtained the World Record for the largest structure ever moved on wheels.

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Hemisfair Park, San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio has a rich cultural history. The seventh largest city in the United States has many influences, the most visible being Mexican. Home to the Alamo (where Tejanos made their famous stand against the Spanish) San Antonio shares her cultural roots with many other groups as well. German flavors may still be found within the area churches or dining at restaurants like Schilo’s on Commerce Street. Hemisfair Park was built to celebrate the many cultural influences in San Antonio for the 1968 World’s Fair. During 1968, Hemisfair Park shared the culture and cuisine from countries as diverse as China, Japan, Germany, Mexico and Brazil. This diverse heritage may not always be apparent in the strong Southwestern influences visible in San Antonio, but can be found with very little effort throughout the city.

Hemisfair Park is a large park located across from La Villita, which is located in the Southeastern corner of the Riverwalk. La Villita is a small group of artisan shops and restaurants nestled between the Riverwalk and Alamo Street. Beyond Alamo Street, a large sign beacons visitors into Hemisfair Park. A directory located near the Alamo Street walkway lays out the park, which also has it’s own Riverwalk entrance located beneath the Hyatt Hotel. The park has several unique attractions dispersed throughout the area. Notably, Tower of Americas, University of Texas’ Institute of Texan Cultures, Magik Theater, Mexican Cultural Institute and the Casa Mexicana Gallery. The park also houses several gardens and fountains, free standing art and the US District Courthouse, an architecturally interesting building with round walls.

Tower of Americas – I will begin with a trivia question…Tower of Americas stands as the second tallest free-standing tower in the United States. Can you name the tallest? If you answered “Seattle Space Needle” you would be wrong. The Seattle Space Needle was built for the World’s Fair in 1962, making it eight years older than Tower of Americas. However, the Seattle tower stands at a mere 605 feet to the 750 feet of the San Antonio version. The tallest free-standing tower is actually the Stratosphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, which consumes an amazing vertical distance exceeding 1100 feet! Tower of Americas houses a 4-D theater ride called Skies Over Texas, Chart House Restaurant, an observation deck, Flags Over Texas exhibit and a small café, ticket booth and tourist shop on the ground floor with the theater. Admission includes the theater, observation deck and exhibit. Prices run $10.95 for adults, $9.95 for military and $8.95 for children. Coupons are readily available for two dollars off admission if you take time to find them.

University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures – This museum occupies approximately 50,000 feet of floor space designed to engage visitors with multi-sensory exhibits. The emphasis of these exhibits center on Texan culture to include origins of Texan settlers, contemporary local artists, and interactive geometry. A “back 40” area takes visitors back through time to Texas life in the 1800s. Outdoor exhibits demonstrate what life was like for early settlers. Free parking is available at the Museum. Admission to the exhibits runs a modest $7 for adults or $4 for children, seniors and military. Faculty and students of the University can enter for free with their ID.

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Market Square, San Antonio, TX

Market Square is located in the heart of San Antonio about half a mile from the Riverwalk. This shopping Mecca caters to tourists looking for distinctly Mexican gifts. The market area takes a full city block with Mexican dining, snack shops and endless rows of gift shops. Although the trinkets and baubles begin to all look the same after a while, there are unique items to be found as you work your way through the flea market like maze of shops.

One of the biggest draws at Market Square is the pricing. You can find plenty of gifts for ten dollars or less, with many gifts hovering around the five dollar mark. There are colorful bracelets and jewelry that can be had in the four dollar range (the prices tend to be the same from shop to shop), Mexican wrestling masks, colorful pottery (substantially more…starting around twenty dollars on up), leather goods, belt buckles, colorful glasswear, traditional Mexican clothing, bobble-head animals that are hand-painted, colored eggs full of confetti, piñatas, velvet paintings, bright table runners and more. The overwhelming display of color infusion can be dizzying.

Local family members suggested dinner at Mi Tierra Café and Bakery. By the time I worked my way down to Market Square, I had already overdosed on Mexican cuisine. So I will take their word for it. But Mi Tierra does come highly recommended for “authentic” cuisine. Mi Tierra is joined by another Mexican restaurant called La Margarita Restaurant and Oyster Bar. There is a large Farmer’s Market across the street from the Plaza that runs down the middle of Market Square. The Farmer’s Market is home to many more shops to include some specialty food stores where a variety of hot sauces or southwestern staples can be purchased. There is also a Food Court with a limited fast food menu available.

For those who are interested in art Museums, a gallery called Galeria Ortiz is located within Market Square. Galeria Ortiz features paintings, jewelry and sculptures created by local and regional artists. This gallery is located at 4026 McCullough. The gallery owner, Lisa Ortiz, moved from New York and established this landmark in 1978 when it was called DagenBela Gallery. The gallery was renamed in 1996. San Antonio is home to several art galleries that can be found throughout the city.

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San Antonio Riverwalk

San Antonio, Texas, is listed as the seventh largest city in the United States. The city was founded in 1718 with the establishment of the Mission San Antonio de Valero, commonly known as “The Alamo.” The Alamo is centrally located downtown in walking distance from San Antonio’s famous Riverwalk. The Riverwalk creates the cornerstone for San Antonio’s many restaurants, nightclubs, hotels and boutiques. It is an attraction that draws tourists to one of the most scenic metropolitan downtown areas in the country.

Also known by her Spanish name, Paseo del Rio, The Riverwalk was conceived by architect Robert H. H. Hugman. Hugman proposed harnessing the river that once supplied water to the Mission San Antonio de Valero, forming an attraction based on the waterways in Venice, Italy. The slow painful process of creating the Riverwalk provided meager returns on initial investments. From the 1930s through the 1960s, progress was made in beautifying the river with lush gardens, sculpted rock structures and businesses. The early investments may not have been lucrative, but today, the Riverwalk generates nearly one billion dollars in revenue each year. The Riverwalk served the dual purpose of offering a new attraction (which Hugman dubbed The Shops of Aragon and Romula), but also offered to control the temperamental river, which flooded in 1921 resulting in more than fifty deaths.

The Riverwalk meanders throughout the downtown area, with boat roads providing tourists with historic information about the city. The narrow walkways often squeeze tourists together, with no railings to prevent inevitable soakings. The bustling night scene along the river is a product of the many excellent restaurants, night clubs and attractions located throughout the 2 ½ mile waterway. Several restaurants, like Casa Rio date back to the early days along the Riverwalk. Other restaurants, like the Hard Rock Café or Dick’s Last Resort offer the chain restaurant experience to visitors.

Several hotels and convention centers line the Riverwalk. An extension created by the Hyatt allows the Riverwalk to link up with the Alamo. A small group of shops and restaurants called La Villita sit on the southeast corner of the Riverwalk, which has a trapezoidal shape. The Arneson River Theater is also located adjacent to La Villita. The theater has a stage on the interior part of the Riverwalk with amphitheater style seating on the opposite side of the river. In 1968, San Antonio created another park across from La Villita called Hemisfair Park. This park is home to the most visible San Antonio landmark called Tower of the Americas. Several reconditioned buildings, The Institute of Texas Culture, an Art Museum celebrating Mexican artists, lush gardens and water fountains complete the attractions at Hemisfair Park.

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The Alamo (San Antonio, Texas)

Thoughts of the Alamo conjure up images of an ancient mission in the wastelands of Texas. For the uninitiated, this image couldn’t be further from the truth. The Alamo holds her ground in downtown San Antonio, where she is encroached on all sides by progress. San Antonio is among the ten largest cities in the United States, yet the charm of The Riverwalk and The Alamo give San Antonio a flavor that sets it apart from other metropolitan areas.

The Alamo was originally called Mision San Antonio de Valero. Long before the events that catapulted The Alamo into the history books, the site served as a Mission (from 1724 through 1793 when Spanish Officials distributed the lands to Native residents. The name “Alamo” came from the Spanish soldiers quartered there during the 1800s after their hometown of Alamo de Parras, Coahuila. In 1835, The Alamo became the focal point for Texas independence. Residents of Texas came to the aid of Ben Milam and his volunteers who stood against an overwhelming force of Spanish soldiers under the command of General Santa Anna. For thirteen days, the Texans held out, before a massive assault on March 6, 1836 brought waves of soldiers against the fortified mission. The Spanish eventually overran the fort and turned the cannons on the barricaded doors of the church and long barracks, leading to a Spanish victory. Notable among the defenders of The Alamo were the knife fighter, Jim Bowie and Frontiersman David Crockett. Items belonging to these two renowned Americans are on display to this day. The Alamo was a testament to America’s commitment to liberty and the American notion of beating overwhelming odds.

The Alamo is maintained by The Daughters of The Republic of Texas. This group supports the maintenance of The Alamo through private contributions as well as through sales in the gift shop located within the Sales Museum. There is no charge for admission to this historic location, in spite of the numerous nearby attractions set up to soak as much money as possible from tourists. Donation boxes are located throughout The Alamo. It is important to give what you can, as these donations keep The Alamo free. Surprisingly, The Alamo has been maintained by The Daughters of The Republic of Texas since 1905 without any funding from state or local government.

The Alamo has audio walking tour headsets available for rental near the main entrance. However, the interactive exhibits are self explanatory and do not require any additional dialogue. Maps of the location identify the various buildings. As you approach The Alamo, the most visible building (the one you see in photographs) is called the Shrine. This building is a memorial to the men who fell in defense of The Alamo. Along the left side of the location is a long building called the Long Barrack Museum. This building has several compartments with a variety of period artifacts and interactive information booths. This was the same barracks that was shelled with cannon fire during the attack on March 6, 1836. Open since 1968, this building also houses a movie theater called the Clara Driscoll Theater, where information movies are presented.

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Marriott Rivercenter, San Antonio, Texas

The Marriott Rivercenter is located directly off of Hwy 281, due south of the San Antonio Airport. Getting to this hotel couldn’t be much easier. The hotel is located a short block from the exit ramp. The 38 story hotel is easily visible from the highway, making navigation fairly simple. The hotel does not run a shuttle. Taxi fare runs approximately twenty dollars from the airport. If you use a car rental, there are several return locations around the city for most of the airport rental companies. If you decide to park, expect to pay a whopping 25 dollars per day. If you pay the daily rate, you can come and go as you please without paying extra. Valet parking is also available.

The main entrance into the Marriott Rivercenter opens into a large comfort-oriented lobby. A Starbucks located to the left opens at 6:00 AM for early risers. The lobby has ample seating situated in small clusters for families or conference attendees to meet with a limited amount of privacy. There are also high tables with bar chairs that provide a nice work area complete with wi-fi for those who want to get some work done on their laptop. A bar further back on the left provides more ample space for gathering. The concierge desk is located to the right, complete with information on local attractions. The check-in desk is located further back on the right. Adjacent to the check-in desk are two kiosks. The kiosks are for self-service information about local attractions, early check-in and boarding passes for your flight home and for hotel check-out. The Hertz Car Rental Desk is located around the corner, past a bank of elevators.

There are two elevator banks. They both stop on the first four floors, with access to conference rooms, restaurants and fitness facilities. In addition to the service floors, the banks are divided into upper floors and lower floors. So the floor you are assigned will determine the elevator bank you use. I was on the 32nd Floor, and therefore used the elevators located closest to the check-in desk.

The rooms were equipped with the standard options I expect from Marriott. I found my room to be a bit smaller than I am used to from a Marriott property, but the comfort level was still in keeping with Marriott standards. The bed was comfortable, with plenty of pillows available to meet your comfort level. The work station consists of a desk nested inside another desk, which can be pulled out for extra work space, or nestled beneath for more floor space. The internet connection located on top of the desk is not free. The cost runs about ten dollars per 24 hour period. I brought my wireless card, so the fees were not an issue for me. Dial up is also available, but there is a local access charge if you have a local dial-up number. Long distance charges apply for long distance dial-up.

My room came equipped with a small refrigerator. The tiny freezer located inside the refrigerator is just the right size for a tub of gelato I purchased from HEB grocery store. The refrigerator allowed me to keep cold drinks on hand without any fees. The refrigerator was not stocked with overpriced items which are a common revenue source for hotels. The only convenience item located in my room on arrival was a $4.50 bottle of Evian water. No thank you. There was not a mini-bar in my room, which is fine with me. The flat screen LG television was just the right size for the room, but located in an awkward position. Whereas many hotels locate the television at the foot of the bed for easy viewing, this room had the television parallel to the bed. The swivel base allowed the television to be turned for easier viewing, but a head on view would have been better.

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Hertz Filthy Car Rental

Prior to planning my vacation to San Antonio, Texas, I researched car rentals in the San Antonio area to find out which car company could best meet my needs. Budget and Enterprise came in with the lowest non-discount rates. Because I intended to pick up my car at the airport and return it in downtown San Antonio later in the evening or the following day, I wanted to find a rental company conveniently located in downtown San Antonio. None of the rental car companies were nearly as convenient as Hertz, which had a location inside the Marriott Rivercenter where I had reservations. In essence, I could drop my rental car off at my own hotel, placing the keys in the drop box on the way up to my room.

Rather than find the discounts available for the various rental car companies, I focused on the discounts available through Hertz, which would be the most convenient for me. I checked the internet for available discounts through my various memberships and found the biggest savings through my USAA membership. The USAA discount brought the base price of a compact rental down from 43 dollars per day to 26 dollars per day. Not a bad savings. With taxes, it looked like I was going to be well under forty dollars. I made the reservation and did an on-line check-in. With on-line check-in, if you wait for more than ten minutes in line, you get a fifty dollar credit towards your rental.

When I arrived at the San Antonio airport, there was a Hertz shuttle parked in the shuttle waiting area. I boarded the bus and waited about ten minutes before we departed. The ride to the rental location was less than five minutes. There were three of us on the shuttle bus. One was a gold member, who only had to look up at the board on the Hertz lot to find his rental. The other customer and I entered the Hertz rental building together. There was no line. Two customer service representatives were waiting to assist us…so my wait was non-existent. So much for the fifty dollar credit.

While completing the necessary documentations for my rental (I was expecting to rent a Ford Focus), the customer service rep offered me an upgrade to the Honda Accord for nine dollars more. I did something I rarely do…I took the upgrade. That nine dollars ballooned up on me in taxes and fuel surcharges. Hertz charges $6.99 per gallon for fuel unless you bring it in topped off or accept the pre-paid full tank at around $1.55 per gallon (for San Antonio). I opted for the tank of gas, which was much larger on the Accord than the Focus…something I hadn’t considered ahead of time. I wasn’t planning to do a lot of driving, but I like to have the full tank option in case I don’t have time to gas up. At $6.99 per gallon for gas, it doesn’t take much to exceed the pre-paid option. My expected rental under forty dollars quickly accelerated to a $70.00 rental. That part was my own fault.

After being provided with my contract, I went out on the lot and retrieved my Honda Accord. The keys were already in the car along with a damage sheet that had been filled out. The car was plain white with a beige interior. Upon inspection of the car, I should have immediately gone back inside and changed my rental. I was planning to meet family in the San Antonio area and felt rushed, so I opted to stick with this rental. I think I grew to despise my own decision. The Honda Accord was filthy inside and out. The carpets were heavily stained, there were cigarette burns in the upholstery and the exterior hadn’t seen a car wash in quite some time. The hubcaps were all damaged as well as visible damage on the front right fender, rear bumper and along the doors. This car had obviously seen better days. With mileage exceeding 30,000 miles, I’m hoping this car will be retired soon. It is a disgrace to the Hertz fleet. If there other cars are anything like this one, I will never rent from Hertz again.

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