A two-alarm fire heavily damaged a Best Western Inn in Seguin early Monday.
Twenty-five rooms were gutted by the blaze, which broke out about 2:30 a.m., fire officials said.
No injuries were reported, but about 14 guests had to make a hasty escape.
"I heard someone yelling, 'Fire!' but I thought it was a drunk," a female guest said.
"I opened up the door and saw fire dropping off the balcony," a man said.
It took 45 firefighters from Seguin and neighboring communities three hours to bring the fire under control. Some hot spots were put out later in the morning.
Fire officials said it appears that the fire started near a utility room in a far corner of the hotel. The cause was under investigation.
The hotel didn't have any fire walls or sprinkler systems, which weren't required by a city ordinance when it was built, fire officials said.
There were smoke alarms in the rooms, although at least one guest told KSAT 12 News that she never heard an alarm.
