The Westin La Cantera Hill Country Resort in the hill country of San Antonio is a special place – and I don’t use that term lightly.
As a native Texan, I spent my childhood taking road trip family vacations to San Antonio. Some of my earliest memories are of riding the riverboats with my grandparents and going up the Tower of the Americas for dinner (they didn’t have Sea World and Fiesta Texas back then). Living in Austin now, only slightly more than an hour’s drive, I get to San Antonio fairly frequently. I have always stayed at Riverwalk/downtown area hotels, which is definitely nice and has its perks. But I’ve clearly been missing out, by not experiencing what La Cantera has to offer on the outskirts of the city.
The Westin La Cantera Hill Country Resort is a stunning resort perched atop one of the highest points of San Antonio, overlooking the Texas Hill Country. It’s truly a retreat, yet only a 15-minute drive from downtown and the Riverwalk. Even better for families, La Cantera is right next door to Fiesta Texas, which makes for a great getaway with the kids.
From the vistas of La Cantera, you see only an endless expanse of Live Oak trees situated amidst white limestone outcroppings and emerald green golf fairways. The resort offers both guest rooms in the three wings of the impressive hotel, as well as individual casitas spread out on the grounds and offering an optimum of privacy and peace. The 11 casitas are 527-895 square feet, constructed of stucco with tile roofs, and all far enough apart for privacy yet arranged around a beautiful courtyard with a pool and Jacuzzi just for casita guests.
Hotel guest rooms and suites range from 395-550 square feet, with Luxury and Executive suites up to 1,698 square feet. All rooms feature Westin’s sumptuous Heavenly Bed®, with one king or two doubles in every room. You’ll enjoy the best sleep of your life-and a cozy place to stretch out with a treat from the minibar or to channel-surf the 37″ LCD television. The adjoining Heavenly Bath® is a rejuvenating retreat, with a tub and Westin’s famous fully adjustable dual showerhead, plus double-basin sink, separate vanity area, and plush bathrobes. There are also the convenience of standard amenities, including spacious closets, Westin WakeCup® coffee maker, in-room safe, and much more.
The grounds are incredible, and really the primary reason for coming here. The entire resort is built into the environment, not against it. The three wings of the hotel surround a series of five lagoon-style poolswith connecting rivers, as well as fountains and gardens through which to wander. Just below this is the mile-long nature hiking trail. On the other side of the main building is a 36-hole championship golf course(with pros available for lessons). And don’t forget the full-service Castle Rock Healthy Club & Spa, and events such as Texas Wine Tastings or the array of fabulous restaurants offered by La Cantera.
In fact, dining was one of the top draws of this resort, for me. The first night, we arrived just in time for dinner at Francesca’s at Sunset, the flagship restaurant. Enjoying the view of sunset over Hill Country as we dined, the food was fresh, inventive and beautifully presented. Francesca’s offers a continually evolving “Farm to Table” menu, working with Uncertain Farms just outside San Antonio to source a good deal of their ingredients. Combined with the seasonal, local fare is an award-winning, sommelier-developed wine list. Breakfast and lunch at Brannon’s Cafe also proved to offer delicious, fresh food, which really was one of the highlights of our stay.
For families, there is a long list of complimentary children’s activities designed to fill their day. Discovery Junction-a Texas sized fun zone, Zoomagination-an educational and interactive morning with exotic animals, Vibe-an exclusive teen social event , and fireside S’mores-a nightly tradition for all ages.
In building the magnificent resort, the designers researched native textiles, artwork, and color palates. Simultaneously, developers combed through books, library materials and files at the Institute of Texan Cultures looking for legendary Texas stories. That research was the inspiration for many aspects of the resort: The Esparza Library was named for the only Alamo defender given a Christian burial by Santa Ana; Francesca’s at Sunset derived its name from a moving story of lost love; the ceiling of Steinheimer’s Lounge features a hand-painted map showing the location of legendary treasure of buried gold; and Tio’s Lobby Lounge recreates the feeling of the main entrance to King Ranch-at one time the largest of its kind in the U.S. and the inspiration for the resort architecture as a whole.
Although San Antonio is a popular summer destination, the winter holidays are a beautiful time to visit. The Fiesta de las Luminarias places more than 6,000 candlelit luminarias along the Riverwalk, and the spectacular annual parade on the river features decorated, illuminated floats with bands and lavishly costumed participants. The Westin La Cantera Hill Country Resort celebrates in style, with their annual Hill Country Holidays experience that turns the resort into a unique holiday winter wonderland from November 22 through January 6.
Details:
The Westin La Cantera Hill Country
16641 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256
Phone: (210) 558-6500 | Res: 1-800-WESTIN1
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.westinlacantera.com
Average rate: $189