Saturday, October 18, 2014

Tea Room Postcard #42 -- The Menger, San Antonio, Texas

This week's tea room postcard features an establishment that is actually still in business, the Menger Hotel in San Antonio, Texas. The caption on the postcard refers to the hotel's "tea rooms," plural, and I think they are quite lovely. I like their upholstered furniture, the wicker basket of roses on the bamboo table, and the pretty garlands over the archways. This would have been my kind of tea room back in the day!

The back of the card was postally unused, so I turned to the Internet to tell me a little more about this place. It turns out the hotel was built in 1858 by a German immigrant, and by the 1870s it was one of the best-known hotels in the southwest. Notable guests have included Robert E. Lee, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Mae West, Babe Ruth, Oscar Wilde, Lillie Langtry, Cornelius Vanderbilt and William McKinley. Their website doesn't mention any tea service today, alas, but it does say that their Colonial Room Restaurant's "famous mango ice cream" was served at both of President Bill Clinton's inaugurations. If I'm ever in San Antonio, I think I might just enjoy a stay at the Menger Hotel!

7 comments:

  1. Love the archways! This would be a fun place to visit.

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  2. It is a beauty. Angela, did you receive my email about The Russian Tea Room? Hope it didn't go to spam. I have photos of my visit there too if you are interested.
    Best, Ruthie

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  3. So pretty and festive! It certainly has a 'special air' to it!

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  4. My oldest son lived in San Antonio for a couple of years after he graduated from college. We visited him a few times, and saw some amazing sites, but never the Menger Hotel, which looks lovely.

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  5. Well, I was just in San Antonio in August and I could have checked out the Menger Hotel! We did stop in Salado on the way at a really neat tearoom called the Ambrosia Tearoom.

    I'm sooo excited--our brand new TJ Maxx opened today, so now I can go look at all the great stuff you're always finding there! I did buy a Royal Albert Old Country Roses teacup Christmas ornament and a cute little tin with a Union Jack on the top that says Keep Calm and Carry On English Breakfast Tea (12 teabags inside). So I'm off to a good start!

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  6. Love this postcard, Angela. I have visited San Antonio several times and have stayed at The Menger Hotel - it's a beauty! The hotel staff was so friendly.

    So much to see and do in San Antonio, nice restaurants and lots of shops. I enjoyed it. Hope you have a good weekend, Joanie

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  7. I would love having tea here also under the arches. And who could not like mango ice cream. Hope you have opportunity to stay there.

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