Alyssa
As Halloween approaches, our desire to sit down with a nice cocktail in the company of the unknown increases. Downtown San Antonio has a number of hotels that have “hauting” pasts. We gave into our desires this season and compiled our favorite hotels and the bars that reside there. Number one on our Halloween bucket list – have a spirit with a spirit.
The St. Anthony , a gorgeous hotel located in downtown San Antonio, opened in 1909 on Travis St. Since it’s residential birth, there have been rumors of ghostly figures walking throughout the hotel. The hotels newest bar, appropriately named Haunt, opened this year and plays up the “spirits” of the past in the most delicious way possible. Speciality cocktails include the Naylor, composed of cognac, apple whiskey, sweet vermouth and apple bitters, and the Emerick – pictured above – a ghost whiskey drink mixed with rose water, simple syrup, amarena and cherry juice.
Haunt is open Tuesday through Thursday from 4 to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to midnight.
Located at 705 E. Houston St. near the Alamo, the Emily Morgan Hotel has a reputation for being quite the creepy location. Phones ringing when the moon rises and lights randomly turning on are frequent complaints made to the front desk at the hotel. Don’t worry, you don’t have to book a room at the Emily Morgan to get spooked, unless you want to. The ORO Restaurant and Bar offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and libations.
The ORO bar is open Sunday through Thursday from 3 to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 to 1 a.m. Happy hour specials take place 4 to 7 p.m. daily.
We’ve saved the best – and most frightening – for last. The Gunter Hotel, located at 205 E. Houston St., has been described as “one of the most haunted hotels in North America…” by examiner.com. It was on Feb. 8, 1965 when Walter Emerick (note the name of the St. Anthony drink we mentioned earlier – we’ll reveal the connection later this season) committed a horrific crime in room 636. After the murder, ghost hunters and ghost lusters alike have frequented the Gunter Hotel hoping to catch a glimpse of paranormal activity. While you’re searching for your ghostly encounter, do so with a drink in your hand from Bar 414, a speakeasy cocktail bar.
Drinks at Bar 414 include classics redefined, house-crafted cocktails, beer, wine and an impressive list of single malt scotch.
Bar 414 is open Monday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. with happy hour specials Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Now that you have a list of three haunted bars in San Antonio, we expect some scary stories! How many haunted hotel bars are you going to this Halloween season? Let us know about any ghostly encounters in the comments and use #TwentySAHalloween on social media!