The Menger Hotel


The Menger Hotel San Antonio Tx


Richard and I planned a trip to San Antonio last year to visit some of my in laws. San Antonio has a long history so it stood to reason that I would be able to find a haunted hotel to spend a night in. As it turns out there are several in this city so it took me a few days of reading about them to decide where to stay. 






The Menger is located directly across the street from the Alamo and boasts numerous ghosts as guests so it was decided that is where we would stay.  My in-laws are wonderful and always indulge my haunted pursuits so once I had chosen a hotel my sister in law quickly agreed to spend the night with us.



This incredible hotel was built 1 February 1859 by William Menger a German immigrant, on the site of his very popular brewery. In the beginning this small hotel only had 50 rooms but the hotel was so successful that plans to expand were quickly put in place and a 40 room annex was built with a tunnel connecting it to the adjacent brewery. Further additions were added in 1881 and 1909, along with new guest rooms a new bar similar to the taproom in the House of Lords Club in London was added.


Interestingly during the Civil War guests were scarce so the Menger family decided to use their beautiful hotel to aid the war effort, the hotel offered meal service for soldiers during the war and offered space for wounded soldiers to receive medical care. In 1924 the hotel caught fire, but amazingly none of the 101 guests were injured. William Menger himself died in the hotel in 1924, no autopsy was performed and the cause of his death remains a mystery.

This hotel boasts some 30 plus ghosts to include President Teddy Roosevelt who recruited cowboys for the Rough Riders from this hotel; he is reported to have been seen having a drink in the bar. Perhaps the most common ghost sighting is that of a women named Sallie White. Sallie was a much loved chambermaid at the hotel. Sallie was shot by her jealous and abusive common law husband 30 March 1876. Sallie was shot near the Menger Hotel and managed to hang onto life despite her wounds for two days. Her common law husband Henry Wheeler was to be charged with her death but he snuck away in the night never to be heard from again. There are many reports of Sallie continuing to wander the halls of the hotel.

The bar reminded me of Pubs we had frequented in Ireland, the décor and overall feeling was much the same.  Standing in the doorway it felt as if the bar was full of energy even though there was no one there.



This hotel is one of the grandest I have ever seen, from the oval lobby with is columns stretching upward to the staircase and mezzanines looking down every corner boasts something incredible to look at. The artwork and antiques are museum quality and worth a stroll through the hotel even if you are not a guest. Our room was delightful, comfortably decorated with a lovely view. I look forward to spending more time here on future trips to San Antonio and who knows perhaps Sallie will bring me towels or I will have a drink with Teddy. 






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