SAN ANTONIO – Construction crews are working 20 hours a day on a new, luxury hotel with a $185 million price tag set to open next year at Hemisfair.
The Monarch gave KSAT 12 a first look at the property, which is nearing completion ahead of its opening on March 3, 2026.
The 17-story building will feature 200 guestrooms with 28 suites, three chef-driven restaurants, a lobby bar, a spa and more than 15,000 square feet of flexible event space.
Zachry Hospitality, the owner and operator of the hotel, said it hopes to be a partner with the community and events held year-round at Hemisfair.
“We’re really excited,” said Richard Slutter, managing director for Zachry Hotels. “There’s so many traditions, and we want to expand upon them, participate, and hopefully, you know, be a partner that can bring new ideas to the table.”
The Monarch, taking its name from the butterflies that migrate through San Antonio, incorporates nature and architectural elements utilizing an open-space design, according to a November release.
“The monarch is an iconic image in San Antonio,” Slutter said. “It’s something unique and indigenous to the culture. We couldn’t think of anything more authentic to San Antonio.”
Reservations are now open for mid-April, with earlier dates expected to open as the property nears completion, the release said.
Bordered by East Market Street to the north and East César E. Chávez Boulevard to the south, Hemisfair has seen near-constant road construction and will likely see continued urban development over the next several years.
Joining space on the Hemisfair property are several proposed developments connected to Project Marvel, the city’s planned sports and entertainment district. A new home for the San Antonio Spurs at the former site of the Institute of Texan Cultures is expected to be the district’s launchpad.
Across the street to the south, the developers behind the Pearl are planning a similar concept on parcels of land just north of the Lavaca neighborhood.
Southtown Aldea, a 4.7-acre property, will feature a mixed-use design incorporating retail spaces, residential amenities and a single 600-space parking garage, according to project documents.
The project cleared a Historic and Design Review Commission hurdle last month. Construction is expected to begin in 2025 and is planned to be completed in 2027 or 2028, the San Antonio Business Journal reported.
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