Rio De Janeiro ,Brazil ; Cairo, Egypt;Beijing, China; London,England; Mexico City,Mexico, these aresome of the oldest andimpressive cities in theworld and they are also just a handful ofthe places that JW Marriott has placed itslavish hotels and resorts
In early 2010, JW Marriott, the luxurybrand of the Marriott company of hotels,will raise the bar by opening its newestextravagant venture right here in theAlamo City.
The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill CountryResort and Spa, situated on 600 acres ofrolling hills and picturesque oak trees, willbe the first JW Marriott resort in Texas andthe largest JW Marriott resort in the world.
“The JW Marriott San Antonio HillCountry Resort and Spa’s impressivesize and magnificent amenities areworld–class,” Arthur Coulombe, generalmanager of the resort, said. “The resortwill bring visitors from all over the globeto experience the beauty of the TexasHill Country, and further establish ourcity’s reputation as a very special traveldestination with world–class sports andrecreation.”
NSIDE magazine had the opportunityto visit the resort and is giving you anexclusive glimpse into some of thefeatures that set this resort apart fromothers in the nation.
Texas HillCountry
In the eyes of vacationers, Texas is known for many things. The large and historic cities, thecoast bend, popular professional and college sports teams and regional dining are just a fewof the staples that attract first time visitors. But perhaps one of the best–kept secrets of Texastravel is the majesty of the Texas Hill Country.
The nearly 14,000 square miles that make up the Hill Country is rich in culture, history andnatural beauty that are unlike any other region in the U.S.
Scattered throughout the Hill Country are unique, small towns like Fredericksburg, Gruene,Luckenbach, and New Braunfels that are enriched in the culture and history of the originalGerman settlers. Quaint shops and boutiques, amazing eateries, aesthetically alluringhistorical buildings and a variety of local wineries and breweries are a tantalizing contrast tothe bustle of the big city. The region is home to numerous locally grown foods like strawberries,peaches, Texas pecans, melons and so much more.
The distinct landscape of the Hill Country is a palette life and natural topography that offera plethora of outdoor opportunities like camping, hiking and hunting and the numerousrivers and lakes are perfect for swimming, fishing and tubing.
Tucked away at the cusp of the Hill Country and the thriving and lively city of San Antonio,the JW Marriot San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa is perfectly situated between twogreat standards of Texas travel.
Bringing PeopleTogether
Part of what makes the Hill Country Resortso remarkable is its convention, meeting andevent space that is unmatched in the marketBuilt on one separate wing, the Hill CountryResort has designed over 140,000 square feetof meeting space specifically to accommodateany professional event needs.
The two stories facility includes a40,000–square–foot ballroom, 21,000–squarefootjunior ballroom, another 40,000–squarefootexhibit hall, 19 customizable breakoutrooms totaling 20,000–square–feet.
In addition the resort has three outdoorevent venues including the Sunday House,modeled after the ones you might in find inHill Country German towns like Fredericksburgor New Braunfels.
Surrounded by scenic trees, gardens andwater structures, the beautiful outdoor venuesare perfect for weddings, cocktail parties orcorporate mixers.
The impressive facilities are equipped withstate of the art audio and visual technologyand staffed with trained technicians. Theballroom and exhibit hall’s towering 28–footceilings are designed to house large stageand lighting structures, leaving nothing toimpossible to facilitate.
Whether it is a wedding, corporateconvention or concert, the meeting facilitiesat the Hill Country is built to impress.
Restuarants &Sports Bars
Being a resort that prides itself on being thelargest of its kind, what should you expect in itsdining features? Well, the Hill Country Resortoffers you seven – yes, seven – restaurant andlounge options. Just to name a few:
The full service – breakfast, lunch and dinner– Cibolo Moon Restaurant offers casual Texascuisine in a beautifully crafted environmentinfluenced by a Mexican–Texan style.
Located in the lobby, the resorts mainrestaurant features a dining area wrapped inlarge panoramic glass windows, an invitingopen air exhibition grill and a refreshingcovered patio centered by an iconic fireplace.Perhaps the most attractive of the resortsoptions, the High Velocity Sports Bar isimpressive even to the faintest of sports fans.
The visually captivating, million–dollar multiscreen video wall – which spans the full lengthof the bar – will make any sporting event readilyavailable to any who walk through the doors.
Other dining options include the Golf ClubSteakhouse, Spa Bistro, Rivertop Grill, locatedin water park area, and the Crooked BranchLobby Bar.
Greens Built ForThe Pro
Probably the most anticipated feature of the Hill Country Resortis its two 18–hole Tournament Players Club (TPC) golf courses. Thechallenging courses painted on the canvas of the Texas Hill Country areundoubtedly a staple to the grand and luxurious nature of the resort.The two courses, the AT&T Canyons Course and the AT&T OaksCourse, were built with a PGA Tour experience in mind and bothcourses were designed with the needed infrastructure to host a PGATour tournament.
The exceptional and scenic courses wrap around the back and side ofthe resort and spill over into the beautiful hills of Cibolo Canyon, bothwithin walking distance of the resort. The TPC courses were designedby two of the most legendary names in professional golf, Pete Dye, whodesigned AT&T Canyons, and Greg Norman, the AT&T Oaks.
Unlike other courses in San Antonio, the high exclusivity of the TPCcourses helps to make them all the more enticing for prospectiveguests. Because they are TPC courses they are only open TPC membersand guests of the Hill Country Resort.
A JW Marriott press release recently announced that the AT&T OaksCourse will be the venue of the 2010 Valero Texas Open.
Made WithMother NAtureIn Mind
With the Hill Country as a canvas onwhich the resort is built, JW Marriott’s hasthoughtfully gone the extra mile to reduceits environmental impact as well as energyconservation and waste reduction.
The stone used in the construction of thewater park, lazy river and other structuresthroughout the resort are all the natural rockgathered during excavation.
The resorts interior walls are constructedwith recycled steel studs rather than theconventional wooden studs and low–VOC(volatile organic compounds) paint, glue andother products were used as well.
The guests rooms are designed with aheating and cooling “smart system” that willrecognize when balcony doors are open aswell as low–flow toilets and showerheads. CFLbulbs are used throughout the resort reducingenergy consumption and waste.
The resort will also use 100 percentpost–consumer fiber writing pads andbiodegradable pens made from recycledmaterial and recycling containers in or nearmeeting areas
100 acres north of the golf courses will bea bird sanctuary for the endangered GoldencheekedWarbler and other native birds andthe courses will be certified by the AudubonCooperative Sanctuary Program and built torecycle water run–off back on the course.
CustomDesignedRooms
What is the most important featureof any hotel or resort – your room.The Hill Country Resort has 1,002 ofthem including 85 suites.
The one–of–a–kind rooms aredesigned with an apartment feel tothem with ceramic tile entryways, crown molding throughout and custom–designed furniturethat reflect the spirit and color of not just the Hill Country but of Texas.Handcrafted metals,tooled leather and rustic elegant finishes create an environment that is truly Texas.
Spacious bathrooms with a separate shower and tub, and deliberate accents of color anddesign showcase an feeling that is more like home and less like a hotel.
A Water World
Centered between the resort buildingsand the lush green of the golf courses isthe inviting waters of the Hill Country RiverExperience.
Whether you are looking for a relaxing dayin the sun or an energetic romp in the pool,the River Experience is a fit for all.A 650–foot rapids ride spills into a 1100–foot lazy river is the highlight of the RiverExperience. The carefully designed networkfeatures water slides, a water fountain splasharea and a separate, quieter pool especiallyfor adult guests.
The resort completes the experience withthe availability of the outdoor Rivertop Grill,which offers fresh burgers and sandwiches.
