Alyssa
Known for it’s paranormal tales that take place throughout the hotel, the Menger Hotel, located at 204 Alamo Plaza, has been on Jacqueline and mine’s list of places to stay the night at. Since it’s doors opened in 1859, they have yet to close. Below the hotel are tunnels that used to belong to the first Texas brewery, but now we believe they may just be a way of the undead to make their way into the hallways. However, the Menger isn’t all ghost stories, the Victorian inspired hotel makes for a perfect getaway for tourists and locals alike. We booked a room this past weekend to experience the legend ourselves.
During our check in process, we asked the concierge what room had the most “activity” and we learned that the second floor is home to many ghostly sightings. We took our key to room 2025 and made ourselves at home, after opening all the blinds to let in the sunlight.
The rooms at the Menger Hotel are unlike any others in downtown San Antonio. Since the hotel has been open since the late 1850’s, there have been renovations, but the vintage beauty still remains. The three-story, oval lobby has roots that date bak to the second half of the nineteenth century and our room was made up of dark green chairs, a wooden table and floral duvets. You could definitely film a movie inside the hotel; the old school Hollywood vibe vibrates from the walls to the ceilings.
After opening every door and drawer in the bedroom, Jacqueline and I calmed our mind and relaxed in the living area before dinner. We didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary – all was calm and normal in room 2025. Once dinner was completed, we enjoyed the infamous Menger, mango ice cream (the one Bill Clinton raves about) in the garden and went back up to our bedrooms. This is when the paranormal activity peeked it’s head out.
At one point during the stay, I walked into the bedroom and heard the shower on. “Odd,” I thought to myself since Jacqueline didn’t mention she was going to jump in the shower. I wish I would’ve paid more attention to detail because when Jacqueline came back out into the living room, I asked her why she took a shower (we are best friends after all!) and she replied that she hadn’t been taking a shower, just went in to take off her contacts. The only reason why I’m not completely freaking out is because now I feel like maybe I just heard the water faucet, but at that moment, I knew I had heard the shower running.
As the night went on, many, many sounds were heard outside our door. Footsteps, people laughing, talking, usual hotel sounds, but it was late – 2 a.m. late – and we knew no one was outside.
When the sun arrived once again, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast made up of pancakes, sausage, eggs, hash browns and tons of coffee to wake up our senses again. Overall, the Menger Hotel was an amazing stay. We enjoyed being spooked, but we loved the close proximity to the core of downtown San Antonio. While locals may find enjoyment in the ghost stories, tourists have the history of San Antonio right outside their door.
Have you ever had any haunting experiences? Share them in the comments below!