We just returned from a trade show in san Antonio. We hardly ever stay in the big convention hotels but look for a small "boutique" nearby. Last year we stayed at the Riverwalk Vista which was also excellent but could not get in for under $200 this year so we took a chance on the O'Brien. The cab driver was not too enthused with our hotel when we arrived late Weds. night and the same happened to others we had told about the hotel after we got there . But it was perfect. , Very clean,nice towels and linens, friendly staff . Great rooms with tall ceilings, free wireless internet and a brave attempt at a continental breakfast. Considering what space they had it was admirable. If you do not have children ask to be put on the 3rd floor so you don't have to deal with the breakfast folks on the second floor or the footsteps. parking was not an issue as others have mentioned and being a block from the riverwalk who needs one anyway. We rented a car for 2 days from the downtown Avis and were able to park thursday and Friday during a very busy week.

I recently stayed at the O'brien while attending the Women of Faith conference, held at the Alamodome.
The room was comfortable, once we figured out the ceiling fan, and room fan.
Continental breakfast was sufficient.
Alamodome was a short walk away, cutting through Hemisphere Park, which allowed us to leave the car parked the whole weekend.
Riverwalk was 2 short blocks away, and we felt safe all evenings walking after dark.
My only 2 complaints were the $10/night parking fee (just include it in the room rate, and I would feel less raped, and I would request a room on the back side of the hotel, as the traffic noise was a bit intrusive.
Otherwise, a pleasant stay, with affordable rates. ($116 internet rate)

Great location within walking distance of the Riverwalk.
The Obrien offers great value to the Corporate Traveler such as myself looking for a hotel near downtown.
The convenience and great staff will definitely keep me coming back!

The O'Brien Hotel simply does not have enough parking. The desk clerk told us the city of San Antonio wasn't allowing the hotel to lease any more spaces from the lot across the street, and the little lot in back is not only ridiculously small, it is very difficult to get out of. And if you park there, the only way to the lobby is to walk through the one-lane drive, which has walls abutting it on both sides, so it's a dangerous thing to do.

First you have to drive into one or another of the lots to find a space. If the back lot is full, you have to turn around to get out of it -- a tricky maneuver. Then you have to cut across the street to the next lot, and depending on traffic, this might involve going around the block or navigating sharp turns at a signalized intersection. Then if there is no space, you have to go to a pay lot across the street -- assuming you know about it -- requiring more turns and signal lights. This is away from the hotel's other lots. It just takes too much effort to park.

Given this situation, it is insulting and fruitless for the hotel to charge $10 per day to park, and expect the guests to ask to have that charge removed from their bill if they couldn't use the hotel's lots.

The hotel should just have valet parking. Or the hotel should buy more property for a lot of its own. Meanwhile, the parking situation alone will ensure that we don't return to this hotel.

Besides that, when my wife stayed here in the spring, the room AC was out and the hotel could/would not fix it. They sweltered all night long. Then for my stay, I was given a handicapped room, with a walk-in shower and no tub, although I had not asked for one. The shower nozzle was about four feet up, and there was no place to hang it higher. So one has to hold the shower with one hand while showering.