Spanning across 600 acres of serene, calming greenery and hills, JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country makes for a lovely getaway — for adults and parents alike.
First opened in 2010, JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country continues to expand. With several newly renovated rooms, as well as new dining options arriving this summer — including Fiamme Pizzeria — you’ll never do the same thing twice on a weekend visit to this resort.
JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country is just a five-hour drive from North Texas, with plenty of historical sights – like the Alamo and the Riverwalk – on the way over.
From the moment you check in, kids, parents, and even adults without kids are in for a refreshing retreat. Over the course of three days and two nights, we quickly made JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country our home. Not leaving resort grounds for the entirety of our stay, we found that the resort boasted several opportunities for guests of all ages to enjoy themselves and pass the time.
Lobby
Check-in was a fairly smooth process, and there were employees at several registration and concierge desks throughout, ready to answer any question, all with happy and pleasant demeanor.
Near the west elevator bay is a Texas-themed library, featuring books and literary works by Texas authors. This space makes for a quiet getaway for those who want to sneak out in the middle of the night to read in peace, or for those who couldn’t fully take off from work.
Room
Our 10th-floor room included a large king-sized bed, a couch, a desk for working and a Juliet balcony with an optimal view of the bustling green golf course and the gorgeous hilly fields. In the bathroom was a glass shower, which faced opposite a separate bathtub. The bathroom was stocked with fresh soaps, and soft washcloths and towels.
In the closet were two cozy bathrobes, as well as a set of wooden hangers, and silk hangers for delicates.
Outdoors
We loved beginning our days with a brisk hike on the resort’s walking trails. Located in the surroundings of the golf course, walkers (and runners) will see immaculate green land that they would be hard-pressed to find in the city.
Additionally, the trails, restaurants and pools are surrounded with beautiful flowers and plants, providing resources to the hummingbirds, butterflies and other forms of wildlife that inhabit the space harmoniously with the guests.
Dining
On the first night of your stay at JW Marriott Hill Country San Antonio, each adult guest receives a welcome glass of house wine, draft beer or a special Desert Door Paloma Preserve cocktail. We opted for the latter, which was generous with the grapefruit flavor and not too heavy on the booze taste. Equally as good is the Mexican martini from an on-site Latin restaurant called Cibolo Moon, a spicy take on the martini, kicked up a notch with jalapeño infusions.
The resort offers eight dining options, but our favorite was the aforementioned Cibolo Moon. At lunchtime, we tried chicken tacos — a lighter plate, offering tacos stuffed with grilled chicken and a cabbage salad – as well as the hearty barbacoa tostadas — a plate of four tostadas topped with barbacoa, pickled onions, and pico de gallo, each sat atop a sweet bed of black bean mash.
Another fun spot is a sports lounge called High Velocity, with large projector screens surrounding the horseshoe bar. The elote dip crusted with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos was simply fantastic.
On our list to try next time are Crooked Branch — an Asian tapas-style bar located on the lower level of the lobby — as well as the resort’s steakhouse, 18 Oaks.
Whichever restaurant you choose, be sure to get your reservations in beforehand. Many of the restaurants had wait times between 20 and 45 minutes.
Waterpark
Perhaps the highlight of JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country is River Bluff, the resort’s 9-acre waterpark. River Bluff boasts a relaxing wave pool, a soothing lazy river and zippy water slides zooming down at 20 miles per hour.
Much of our time was spent in the adults-only pool, sipping piña coladas, overlooking the first hole of the golf course.
Cabanas are available for rent throughout the water park, with renters getting a private server during their pool time.
Cocktails and spirits, as well as sandwiches and other bites, can be ordered poolside and simply charged to your room.
Access to River Bluff is included with your stay.
Check-out
After three days in paradise, leaving the resort will be a bit of a challenge, but check-out was fairly quick and simple. Check-out takes place at 11 a.m., however, Marriott Bonvoy members can get an additional 2,500 points if they check out by 9:30. We opted to stay late. You might, too.
