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Location DB > United States > Texas > San Antonio > Hot Wells Hotel
 Name
Hot Wells Hotel
 Viewing Options
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 Database Info
created by Urban Caver on 11/13/2004 6:10 AM
last modified by Emperor Wang on 10/11/2023 10:17 PM
 Viewability
Publically Viewable Publically Viewable
This location has been labeled by its creator as Public, and therefore can be viewed by anyone.
 Overview
 Description
** Trailer (with it's owners) on the property now, and the hotel is fully fenced. There is a Yoga Studio on the top floor. ** - tiffers

Loads of unsafe fun ;) in the gents area, there is a hidden tunnel, I say hidden as there were only 2-3 beer cans in it as opposed to hundreds... if you go around back, you can access the second floor of the ladies side, but the flooring is extremely rotted, and it looks that the work surfaces that were laid, were made of particle board and heavily exposed to elements... all in all, a great scene, and a beautiful example of 19th - 20th century architecture.

8.1.2022 - It is a park open to the public. Legal to visit as long as you stick to the paved trails and stay outside the fences. See the Bexar County link below.
 Basic Information
Type: Building
Status: Repurposed - Yoga Studio on the Top Floor
Accessibility: Easy, if you stay on the public path and behind the fence!
Recommendation: check it out if you're nearby
 Physical Information
Address
5503 S Presa St
San Antonio, Texas
United States
Owner: Bexar County Parks and Rec
  • See a map of this location
  •  Hazards
  • rust
  • unsafe flooring
  • flooding
  • water
  • loads of debris, unstable walls, police presence on occasion
  •  Interesting Features
    The architecture is extremely cool and a good example of late 1800's early 1900's style. The center (communal pool) is still active, old counterbalance window weights in the "gents" basement, the boiler box if like me you have a thing for old machinery.
     Security Measures
  • fences
  • barbed wire
  • 24 hour guard
  • locked gates
  • wooden boarding
  • easy view from the street, when school lets out, loads of traffic pedestrian and vehicular
  •  Historical Dates
    Built: 1886
    Closed: 1977
     Required Equipment
  • gloves
  • long pants / sleeves
  • common sense
  •  Recommended Equipment
    sense of adventure, love of history
     History
    The Hot Wells Hotel was built in 1886 and was a legendary world-class health spa and resort. The hotel was a lavish four-story Victorian style structure situated on 21 lush riparian acres along the San Antonio river on South Presa Street. It has burned three times since 1925 but the remains of the bath house are still there. The bath house is the round structure on the lower right in this postcard. Hot sulfur water from several springs was piped to various swimming pools and bath areas, and the springs still flow intermittently to this day.

    In 1900, a new group of investors opened the Texas Hot Sulphur Water Sanatorium Company, with Otto Koelhler as president. The new company purchased the land, and built a new facility which included three swimming pools, and a three story brick building with eighty guest rooms. All the latest appointments were built into the resort: steam heat, telephones, electric lights, solid porcelain tubs, and steam baths, Turkish, Russian and Roman baths. The swimming pools were lined with white glazed bricks. The Hot Wells resort reached the pinnacle of its popularity between 1900 and 1917. Other attractions adjacent to the resort included an ostrich farm (for the ladies to acquire the ostrich plumes so fashionable then), and a bowling club. By 1906, it was estimated that 2000 guests were turned away due to lack of space. So in 1907, and addition added some 90 rooms as well as extensive landscaping, which included a palm garden.
     Media Coverage
    http://www.edwards....net/hotwells.html

    http://www.houston...-hotel-6587637.php
     Future Plans
    In 2003, a series of public meetings was held to get input on the best uses for the property. The meetings were conducted by the Hot Wells Institute, a non-profit, community-based organization established to cultivate a full appreciation of the natural, ecological, and cultural aspects of the Hot Wells site. The Institute was hired by Avenidas, Inc., the economic development agency for the South San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, to lead the community through the strategic planning process. Three alternate development models were presented, and the idea was to narrow it down to one, which would be presented in a final report to Avenidas the Chamber. Potential uses included a hotel, a spa, a wellness center, and a resort. It is hoped the report can be used to convince developers and investors of Hot Wells' potential.

    ** Note: As of 2/8/12, there is a fulltime caretaker on site and they are making some progress with rebuilding it as there is now a roof. If you catch him at the right time you might be able to poke around... nice guy.**

    ** As of Oct. 2015 Bexar County has allocated $4M for upgrades to the location. Most of it will go to stabilizing the buildings. See 3rd article under "Media Coverage".
     Stories
    December 23 2004 visit
    Fri, Dec 24th, 2004
    posted by bluetypewriter
    First Trip
    Fri, Nov 12th, 2004
    posted by Urban Caver


    Add your own story
     Photo Galleries
    Click to view gallery
    First Visit
    Fri, Nov 12th, 2004
    posted by Urban Caver
    73 pictures
    Click to view gallery
    Pictures from Edwards Aquifer website
    Tue, Jun 7th, 2005
    posted by Armed Geoduck
    7 pictures
    Click to view gallery
    Hot Wells History
    Tue, Sep 13th, 2005
    posted by Urban Caver
    2 pictures
    Click to view gallery
    Hotel for Yogies
    Mon, Oct 26th, 2015
    posted by tiffers
    4 pictures
    Click to view gallery
    Satellite images
    Wed, Oct 11th, 2023
    posted by fr00tCake
    4 pictures
     


    Add your own photos

    Mark all galleries as Seen
     Web Links
    http://www.edwards....net/hotwells.html

    https://www.bexar....ls-of-Bexar-County
     Contribute

    Edit this Location
     Moderator Rating
    The moderator rating is a neutral rating of the content quality, photography, and coolness of this location.

    Category Rating
    Photography 8 / 10
    Coolness 10 / 10
    Content Quality 10 / 10
     Validation
    This location's validation is current. It was last validated by Emperor Wang on 10/11/2023 10:19 PM.

     Latest Changes
  • on Oct 11 23 at 22:19, Emperor Wang validated this location
  • on Oct 11 23 at 22:17, Emperor Wang changed the following: Hazards, Media Coverage, Future Plans, Description, Web Links
  • on Oct 11 23 at 13:23, fr00tCake added some pictures to a gallery
  • on Oct 11 23 at 13:23, fr00tCake created a new gallery
  • on Aug 1 22 at 14:52, Emperor Wang validated this location
  • on Aug 1 22 at 14:52, Emperor Wang made this location public
  • on Aug 1 22 at 14:51, Emperor Wang changed the following: History, Interesting Features
  • on Aug 1 22 at 14:12, fr00tCake changed the following: Owner, Street Address, Latitude, Longitude, Co-ordinate Accuracy, Accessibility, Interesting Features, Media Coverage, Description, Web Links
  • on Feb 5 16 at 12:23, Steed validated this location
  • on Jan 26 16 at 15:58, tiffers added some pictures to a gallery
  •  Forum Threads about this Location
    New Thread
     SubjectStarted ByRepliesViewsLast Post
    You must log in for this feature to work.Very nice!vacant32937/24/2008 8:13 PM by Urban Caver
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