Historic House on San Antonio River and Mission Trail next to Mission San Juan
House in San Antonio, TX
10 guests · 4 bedrooms · 2 baths
Reasons to book
Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Free cancellationFull refund if you change your mind
High-end valuePrice for this property is higher than average in the area
About this house rental
Historic House on San Antonio River and Mission hike and bike trail. Our casa is right next door to one of San Antonio's five mission's, Mission San Juan Capistrano, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We are on the San Antonio River and the wonderful newly renovated hike and bike trail that connect all the Missions. Skip rocks on the river, watch the sunset or curl up in our comfortable, charming home. With extensive grounds, nestled on 2 acres, we have a real 'getting away from it all' feel while still being conveniently located to all of San Antonio's best attractions -10 miles to The Alamo- 3 miles to grocery stores, restaurants, a movie theater and shopping!
History: The main portion of the house was built 1890ish and then the rest was added in the late 20s. All the land to the south of the home used to be owned by the Southwells. It was a pecan orchard. The river portion to your west was cut in the late 50s in order to move water out if downtown more rapidly and prevent flooding. The river to the east is the original river remnant and has incredible bird life. You may also see coyotes and wild hogs on the river. It is rumored to have been a stagecoach stop and even a brothel.
Keywords: homey, cozy, comfortable, updated, historic, convenient, inspiring
History: The main portion of the house was built 1890ish and then the rest was added in the late 20s. All the land to the south of the home used to be owned by the Southwells. It was a pecan orchard. The river portion to your west was cut in the late 50s in order to move water out if downtown more rapidly and prevent flooding. The river to the east is the original river remnant and has incredible bird life. You may also see coyotes and wild hogs on the river. It is rumored to have been a stagecoach stop and even a brothel.
Keywords: homey, cozy, comfortable, updated, historic, convenient, inspiring
Amenities
Pool
Air conditioner
Kitchen or Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Fireplace
Parking
Laundry
Balcony or Patio
Dishwasher
TV
Garden
Family friendly
Map of San Antonio, TX
$$$$
Reviews
Summary of reviews
Unique property with historic charm and beautiful surroundings. The house is well-equipped, comfortable, and has artistic decor throughout. Great location for exploring the Mission Trail and riverwalk. Highly recommended!
5.0
I've lived in San Antonio all my life and when the river extension was created have spent countless hours riding through the south side of San Antonio. My favorite walk is the Acequia trail at San Juan where you can see the old irrigation lines for the farms. I've passed by this house many times, always curious and amazed, how lucky are these folks living here. Before the frost of 2021 huge magueys lined at the front of the rock walls and iron rod fence. This house did not disappoint, it was a magical, museum of Texan culture, nuzzled in the remnants of old pecan orchards, compete with a cowboy pool, and multiple corners to get lost in. The record collection alone is worth the stay. You add in the cicadas and you are lost in this untouched little corner of beauty. The goofy ranch dogs are friendly. The chickens and birds are great to watch from the sun porch. It took be back to my childhood home, as a child lazying around in the summer under the pecan trees. It is a great writing spot as well. The kitchen is well stocked and spices are well.
5.0
The San Antonio River House was a dreamy, art-filled, secluded retreat.
My family needed a last-minute place to stay on a vacation that wasn't going as planned, and Margaret made the house available the very same day. We arrived to find a quirky jewel with everything we needed.
My kids adored the loft bedroom. The master was huge, and the thick walls made it feel like a true retreat. Both bathrooms were roomy and had plenty of hot water. The kitchen was perfect and came with all the needed utensils. High-speed Wi-Fi was a bonus.
Morning coffee on the sun porch was dreamy, and I spent days exploring all the corners, looking at an incredible collection of art and collectibles.
We visited in August with 100+ temperatures, so we didn't take advantage of the outdoors as much as we wanted to due to the heat, but come spring or fall, that yard is ideally set up for hanging out. The dip pool was just enough for the kids to splash and get wet.
We would absolutely visit again - what an incredible spot this would be for a girls weekend.
While the house is set out from the city - it's really just minutes away from all the San Antonio landmarks. We hit up SeaWorld, the Alamo, the River Walk, and the Witte Museum while we stayed.
The on-site caretaker family adds a level of security and they are there to help. My kids loved their dogs and free-range chickens.
Note - kids or young people can best access the 4 beds in the basement bedroom.
5.0
What a treasure, this river house is! Very eclectic decor, well appointed & equipped. The area is just beautiful, you can happily stay put and you are in easy striking distance of ALL the things you could want to do in San Antonio.
5.0
Our group had a great stay here - the home is beautiful and in a great location near the Mission Trail. We hope to stay here again soon!
4.0
location was nice and walking distance to Mission San Juan. Weather that weekend was rainy otherwise it would have been great for a walk and some exploring. Our group ended up being smaller than originally planned which turned out better because one room had very small steps going down into the room and a bit difficult for an adult to descend. Would likely work for children.
The house had plenty of rooms to spread out.
Hostess was responsive.
The information sheet needs updating.
All in all a good stay.
5.0
This property is beautifully designed with all the right touches for inspiring gathering and connecting. Margaret was super helpful and flexible in accommodating our needs! Definitely a gem of a spot and great folks who are there to make it special:).
5.0
Absolutely amazing property that we will definitely be renting again! Decor and ammenities we're amazing, communication is great, and the location is fantastic. A hidden gem!
5.0
Reminder of days on the ranch. Great acreage with multiple cozy sitting areas. Plunge pool is just right for youngsters. The house is a delight around every corner. Hope to return soon.
5.0
Came for a staycation with small group of family & friends. Incredible, historic property with every amenity you can think of. Gorgeous land & native plants. Walkable to historic Bergs Mill, Mission San Juan, and riverwalk.
3.0
The interior of this VRBO is very creative & fun. The owners spent a lot of energy on the decor. Unfortunately, our visit was tarnished by the caretaker’s dogs, barking & howling all night. It was waaaay over-the-top. At 3am, my wife suggested we move to a hotel. In the morning, I spoke directly with the caretaker. His response, “No English”. When I spoke decent Spanish, he acted confused? Like clockwork the barking & howling continued...each & every night. Train horn, motorcycle, the neighbor's dog (1/3 mile away, across the river), a bird in a tree....basically every little noise at night triggers "dog hysteria" & it takes a solid 20-30 min. to calm back down. If your VRBO cannot provide the basic necessity of a reasonable quiet-time (10pm-8am) you are at the wrong price point. Too bad, if not for the poorly trained pups, we would have had an entirely different experience here.
5.0
We enjoyed our stay at this unique property both inside and out!
Esmeralda’s on the corner has the best breakfast in town.
Record player was a fun touch! Love all the separate sitting areas.
To help with sleeping arrangements, both staircases are extremely steep and narrow so seniors and very young kids that get up in the night might need assistance for safety reasons.
5.0
Everything was just as stated & seen in the listing. We loved this beautiful place & wanted to stay longer! Margaret was easy to contact & all questions were covered in the welcome book. We didn't have any issues & would love to stay again!
5.0
The San Antonio River House is my dream home. I absolutely loved my stay there; it was just so idyllic. It was a great birthday trip. I didn’t want to leave, but I will definitely book again in the future.
5.0
This house was so special and authentic! The kids loved playing in the yard, and it was so safe. We grilled on the patio, had a bonfire at night. It was a quick drive to downtown. Also victor the caretaker is in a house next door to help with anything. He gathered wood for the fire and helped the kids out with the bikes, along with bribing us fresh eggs from the chickens. The kids also loved his dogs and cats!
5.0
This is a very unique property. The residence has multiple rooms to spend time in including a coffee nook, a sunroom, large living room with fireplace, dining room. The main bedroom is large with a fireplace. The other 3 bedrooms have twin beds and bunk beds. The kitchen is spacious and functional with a large 6 burner gas stove. The property the residence sits on is large, maybe 2 acres with multiple trees, flora, fauna, sitting areas, fire pit, fish pond, and immediately adjacent to a Historic Mission. Delightful place for a family gathering.
5.0
You can’t go wrong with this property. If you want to “feel” San Antonio history this is place. Isolated in the middle of San Juan mission national park this location is your hub for biking, hiking, and soaking in the beginnings of this great city. Within a short distance, you can grab groceries and authentic Mexican food as well. The house itself is a museum pf sorts. Every item in it tells a story, from the furniture to the cellar bedroom to the cozy loft there are neat pieces of art and a great record collection. We didn’t want to leave.
5.0
Amazing stay at a beautiful property
Everything is beautiful, communication was smooth and clear. Property is private and spacious and also convenient! Victor was nice and loved the Property dog and chickens!!!
5.0
Lovely stay!
Such a special place. We can’t wait to be back!
5.0
Great home getaway! Good location not to far from downtown, Zoo, Sea World were all less than 30min
Good experience overall and having the grounds keeper there was an added Plus! He was present to watch over the place. Thank you for your through emails explaining to process.
5.0
Hidden Treasure
This place was amazing and was so cool to see all the art and decor around the house. The grounds keeper Victor was a very kind man. The owners were quick responding and kind. Cant say enough amazing thing about this house/land and the people who run it. Thank you for sharing your home with us!
5.0
Wonderful Time
To our delight, the minute my husband and I walked into the home, we experienced the hoped for, but ever elusive, deep sense of rest that we so desperately needed. After a couple of days we rented bikes (conveniently available at the mission next door to the property) and rode the beautiful mission trails. We look forward to returning and bringing our family.
5.0
Wonderful San Antonio Setting
Your house provided the perfect San Antonio setting for our birthday weekend! You had everything we would ever need, including a well-stocked kitchen and plenty of fun indoor and outdoor seating. We loved looking at all the artistic decorations throughout the house. We started each day with breakfast on the patio and would have finished the day in the same way, if not for the record breaking heat. Thanks so much for your kind hospitality!
5.0
We loved the house!! The location was great.
We had a wonderful time. My girls loves the place and enjoyed every moment of our stay!
5.0
Absolutely Perfect
Our stay was wonderful. The kitchen was fully stocked, grounds were gorgeous, Alfredo was super helpful, and the home was decorated beautifully. Could not recommend staying here enough. Perfect distance from town but away from all the hustle and bustle. Makes you feel like your at a hacienda in the country.
5.0
Most relaxing getaway
Such a relaxing getaway, I feel so recharged and inspired by the beautiful interiors and special details. We will definitely be back.
5.0
Amazing property with cool history
We loved staying here! It is a wonderful property and our kids loved exploring it and LOVED the plunge pool. It’s a living piece of history.
The river is not really accessible unless you go on the trail, so don’t plan to spend any time there.
Kitchen was very well equipped. In fact, the house as a whole had everything you could even think of needing.
Communication was easy and fast. You are outside of downtown San Antonio a bit, but it didn’t bother us to drive to our destinations.
Only suggestion might be removing some of the furniture from the living spaces. It felt a bit cramped at times, but that’s also prob bc we had two young kids with us.
Thank you for letting us stay in your lovely home, Margaret!
5.0
A magical Retreat
Spring Break 2022 at Sanantonioriverhouse—WOW.
If you’re a keep-a-list-of-places-to-stay kind of person, put this house on your list.
From swings, to ponds, a garden, bike along the river, roast marshmallow and tell stories, walk to the near by missions and sip on margaritas while listening to Willie Nelson on a vintage record player this house has it's own story and we loved every min of it.
5.0
Great way to stay in San Antonio
I have never been to the mission area of San Antonio. It was absolutely magical. Great family time.
5.0
Great place to stays
we have stayed here twice due to the rodeo competition and we enjoyed it both times.
5.0
One of a Kind Property in San Antonio, Texas
Unique property, that met and exceeded all expectations for my "stay-cation".
5.0
Fantastic as Always
Have stayed at this wonderful home a number of time these past years. It is the perfect location, great access to the Missions, hike and bike trails, and quick dri e straight into down town. We highly recommend this property and look forward to staying here again 😀
5.0
Can I live here?
What a unique and memorable property! I loved every single detail in the house, from the colorful tile floors to the puro San Antonio eclectic decor. Woke up my teens by playing Willie Nelson on the record player! I had always wanted to ride the San Antonio missions bike trail and this house is just a few steps from Mission San Juan, where you can rent an e-bike and zip up the beautiful San Antonio river, with all kinds of parks along the way. We stopped at San Juan, San Jose and Concepcion. Great memory-making place; thanks for sharing it with us!
5.0
One to remember
Everything was great! First time me and my friends go out as a group like this. Enjoyed the vibe there & had so much fun!
5.0
Fantastic property
Our stay was excellent. The house was wonderful. We enjoyed the easy access to the river walk and mission trails. Just a short drive to downtown. Thanks, Margaret!
5.0
Secluded and beautiful but close to all attractions
We absolutely loved our stay! This home was all we expected and more. We traveled with our two young children so we were able to enjoy all the fun that San Antonio offers, but then relax and unwind in the peaceful setting and cozy home. Our kids loved the plunge pool and roaming the property, so they were even excited to head back "home" after hitting up Six Flags or Sea World. Having the gated property was a huge plus. The house was equipped with everything you could ever think of!! We had a perfect family vacation and couldn't thank you enough for opening your amazing home to us. If/when we come back to San Antonio there is no place we'd rather stay.
5.0
Delightful home in San Antonio
The pics do not do this gorgeous house justice. It's incredible! We loved hanging out, drinking wine, doing puzzles and just enjoying the beauty of the house. It's also in a great location. We loved it!
5.0
Quick Weekend Stay
Really cool place. Wish we would had more time to get bikes and explore the river walk. Very historic and would recommend.
2.5
We celebrated my husband's birthday in a house fitting his personality and love of Texas history. We spent most of the stay there at the house, or walking on the incredible trails around it, around the mission (literally 100 yards from the gate) and along the river across the street. The owner was available to answer our few questions, prior to and during our stay. What we loved most was the quirkiness of every space, all the antiques, and deciding where we liked sitting most to read, talk, play games, and connect with each other. The location is just fantastic, and the property and grounds are beautiful. FYI: the basement staircase to the bunk beds is very uneven & narrow (over 100 years old), and the steep iron staircase to the loft room are both difficult to navigate for adults. Should be fine for kids, though. Thank you for restoring this home, so it can be enjoyed!
4.0
Magical house
This house was beautiful and special. It is definitely a historic property. The property is wonderfully situated close to many nature and mission trails but seems disconnected from downtown and attractions…though we found we were closer if we took the through streets rather than the freeway. Lots of great restaurants on Alamo. The cold plunge was not super cold and we didn’t have as much access to the river as we thought we would, but we fell in love with the house and enjoyed our stay very much. It should be noted that the extra bedrooms were up and down steep staircases. Margaret and Victor, the caretaker we’re both wonderful and very responsive.
5.0
What a gem of a house!
We celebrated my husband's birthday in a house fitting his personality and love of Texas history. We spent most of the stay there at the house, or walking on the incredible trails around it, around the mission (literally 100 yards from the gate) and along the river across the street. The owner was available to answer our few questions, prior to and during our stay. What we loved most was the quirkiness of every space, all the antiques, and deciding where we liked sitting most to read, talk, play games, and connect with each other. The location is just fantastic, and the property and grounds are beautiful.
FYI: the basement staircase to the bunk beds is very uneven & narrow (over 100 years old), and the steep iron staircase to the loft room are both difficult to navigate for adults. Should be fine for kids, though.
Thank you for restoring this home, so it can be enjoyed!
FAQs
How much does this house cost compared to others in San Antonio?
The average price for a rental in San Antonio is $157 per night. This rental is $158 above the average.
Is parking included with this house?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Historic House on San Antonio River and Mission Trail next to Mission San Juan. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this house?
Yes, a swimming pool is available for use at Historic House on San Antonio River and Mission Trail next to Mission San Juan. Enjoy the water!
Is Historic House on San Antonio River and Mission Trail next to Mission San Juan pet friendly?
Unfortunately, this house is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"
What amenities are available at Historic House on San Antonio River and Mission Trail next to Mission San Juan?
We found 12 amenities for this rental. This includes pool, air conditioner, kitchen or kitchenette, internet / wifi, and fireplace.
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