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The Valencia Group Opens the 213-room Hotel Valencia
Riverwalk; Interior Designer Dodd Mitchell Blends
Hip with Classic 


SAN ANTONIO � January 21, 2003 - San Antonio�s scenic Riverwalk is home to the city�s only contemporary small luxury hotel, the Hotel Valencia Riverwalk. The Valencia Group, based in Houston, has opened the twelve-story, 213-room hotel in January 2003.  Nestled on the banks of the San Antonio River at Houston and St. Mary�s streets, Hotel Valencia Riverwalk caters to the individual business traveler and leisure visitor alike, and brings an exclusive brand of luxury to the region. 

From dramatic décor to the latest technology to what will surely become the city�s most sleek and sophisticated gathering place -- Vbar -- Hotel Valencia will provide guests with a contemporary four-star experience. The impeccable architectural craftsmanship, intimate meeting facilities, luxurious amenities and innovative cuisine will provide the framework for unparalleled personal service. 

Old World Meets New World in Hip Yet Classic Design

At Hotel Valencia Riverwalk, �hip� meets classic in a timeless and romantic blend of sights, sounds and senses. Highly acclaimed Los Angeles designer Dodd Mitchell of dMd Associates has created remarkable and sophisticated interiors that incorporate elements of nature to create a one-of-a-kind, yet timeless look. 

The hotel�s architecture features the rich, deep color finishes of a Tuscan farmhouse set against a distinct classic backdrop, with a plastered vault dome ceiling reminiscent of a 15th century monastery and trickling water over candle lit chipped brick walls.   These old world features work in concert with painstaking efforts to restore the original storefront of one of the first buildings on Houston Street, the George M. Maverick Building. The grand staircase juxtaposed to the historical façade provides a truly unique sense of arrival. 

The second floor Vbar area boasts breathtaking views of the Riverwalk, framed by century-old Cypress trees and the sun-dappled river. The lounge and adjoining terrace provide the perfect setting for relaxing while savoring the new American / Spanish small plate tapas accompanied by red or white sangria, or people-watching while checking e-mail on our wireless Internet service.

The hotel�s third-floor features an open-air courtyard with a Dodd Mitchell signature reflecting pond, which sits at the base of a dramatic fountain backlit by a rhythmic line of fire. The courtyard will be in demand as the perfect setting for romantic intimate wedding ceremonies, private dinners or receptions. 

A New Standard of Luxury for San Antonio

Hotel Valencia also features a number of elements and amenities unique in San Antonio, including wireless high-speed Internet access available throughout the public areas along with complimentary plug-and-play Ethernet Internet connectivity at both the desk and the bedside of each guestroom. Technology unavailable at any other Texas hotel makes going from curbside to guestroom a non-stop trip by equipping bellmen with hand held devices capable of remote wireless check-in. 

All guest rooms feature a posh, custom-made, seven-layer �Hotel Valencia Bed,� wrapped in luxurious Poggesi Italian Home Style � Egyptian cotton linens handcrafted in Italy.  Melt into the down-stuffed leather club chair and ottoman and enjoy the 70-channel cable television line-up or the state-of-the-art digital pay-per-view movie system. 

The highly-designed white virgin marble clad guest baths feature bath amenities custom blended for Hotel Valencia by famed modern apothecary, Lather©, whose distinct line of individually composed, all-natural, hand-poured aroma-therapeutic soaps are enjoyed by celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Heather Locklear, and Julia Roberts. 

Poggesi Italian Home Style � has made extra long, shawl collared waffle weave bathrobes as well as European-inspired, oversized waffle weave bath sheets especially for Hotel Valencia.   No detail is overlooked as evidenced by the �ladies shaving light,� located over the back corner of each bathtub. 

The Hotel Valencia also features an opulent, three-bedroom Presidential Suite, four stylish studio suites, and rooms with private balconies � all overlooking the scenic Riverwalk. 

Other hotel amenities include a 24/7 accessible business center, fitness center, 5,000 square feet of event and conference space and professional catering staff.

A Fresh Addition to San Antonio's Culinary Landscape

Under the direction of Chef Jeffery Balfour, Hotel Valencia specializes in New American cuisine with a distinct Spanish accent, offering fine dining as well as lighter fare in its restaurant, Citrus, and a selection of New American/Spanish small plate tapas in the Vbar.  Chef Balfour is also the creative force behind all social and corporate banquet menu planning and 24/7 room service offerings. 

From Serrano Ham-Wrapped Mahi Mahi to Provencal Herb-encrusted Striped Sea Bass, Chef Balfour adds his own personal touch to all of the menu selections. With a strong background in luxury hotel dining, Chef Balfour is known for blending local specialties and the finest ingredients from around the world to create distinctive menus. He also emphasizes all-natural products that are produced in environmentally responsible ways. 

Chef Balfour, a veteran of the AAA 4-diamond, La Reserve restaurant in Houston, has trained under award-winning Chefs Mercer Mohr and Tim Keating and attended the Conrad Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston. 

The Valencia Group, based in Houston, Texas, has opened the Hotel Valencia Riverwalk and is currently constructing the Hotel Valencia Santana Row in San Jose, California (opening early 2003). Each property will provide guests with a contemporary four-star level experience featuring hip, yet classic design, intimate meeting facilities, and unparalleled personal service.  The Valencia Group is aggressively pursuing growth opportunities for the Hotel Valencia brand utilizing a targeted business model for expansion.  For more information about Hotel Valencia or Valencia Group, please contact Bonnie Best, Corporate Director of Sales & Marketing, at 408-551-0010.

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Contact:
Bonnie Best
Corporate Director of Sales & Marketing
(408) 551-0010 Phone
[email protected]
www.hotelvalencia.com


 
Also See Valencia Hotels Corp. $16.5 million Valencia Riverwalk San Antonio Will Seek to Attract the Next Generation Traveler / April 2002
Valencia Group Appoints Martin F. Duane General Manager and Mercer A. Mohr Executive Chef at Hotel Valencia Santana Row, San Jose, California / Oct 2002
Global Update: Who�s Where and Doing What / January 2003


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