Travel – JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country
The Texas Hill Country is chock-full of attractions and infinite beauty. The rolling terrain, tree-covered hills that open to majestic vistas, make this a place every Texan wants to see year after year. From the River Walk to the Alamo, San Antonio is Hill Country majesty from stem to stern, with great food, kind people and plenty of attractions around Texas’ second-largest city.
Tucked in the foothills just northeast of San Antonio proper, sits the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. This property has everything you could ever want for a family vacation, romantic weekend getaway or golf trip with friends. My adventure took me to the JW for our annual buddies’ golf trip. We began this excursion 19 years ago with 10 high school friends and have evolved it into a group of 20 that has been all over the country. Considering that we have been to so many resorts over the years, I was interested to see how the group received the JW Marriott and its two golf courses.
As you arrive at the JW Marriott property, you enter through the guard shack, which immediately sets your mind at ease that your vehicle will be well looked after if you plan on staying several days. Check-in is simple and straightforward, with plenty of bellmen to take care of your bags as you enter, and valet or self-park options if you drove. Landscaping is gorgeous, with plenty of plants and flowers in abundance as you enter the grand lobby.
After check-in, I entered my double-occupancy room and was met with a great view of the water park, golf course and rolling Hill Country terrain below our fifth-floor balcony. Beds are comfy with plenty of pillows, the bathroom was clean and well-equipped with towels and anything else you might need for your stay. The TV was easy to navigate and offered plenty of channels for sports movies and news. There is also a Netflix function, should you want to binge-watch a show in the evenings or in between activities.
After my roommate for the weekend made his way to the room, we got ourselves organized and proceeded downstairs to the golf shop for our first tee time of the weekend. On afternoon one, as a group we planned to tackle the Pete Dye-designed Canyons course. It’s rare you play a resort with multiple courses, including a Dye, where the Dye course is the easier track. But that is the case here, as the Canyons layout, while not simple by any means, is more playable off the tee and more scoreable than the sister Oaks Course.
The stretch of No. 8 through No. 11 on the Canyons includes a par 3 that plays 165 yards to a great infinity green with a spectacular Hill Country backdrop. The final hole of the opening nine at the Canyons is a downhill, dogleg left par 4 that plays as the No. 1 handicap hole and features some fantastic church pew-style bunkering down the left side of the landing area. No. 10 is a dogleg right par 4 that has a scenic approach, with a view of the resort in the background. It’s as pretty a golf shot as you will stand over anywhere in the state, with terrific views of the surrounding Cibolo Canyons.
The finishing holes of the Canyons are a true delight, as the par-3 16th is a long, downhill carry over a massive grass-filled canyon to a bunker-guarded putting surface. The short par-4 17th hole plays uphill but is gettable and gives you one more chance at birdie as you prepare for the final test of the day, which is a super demanding par-4 that plays back toward the resort and has a collection of steep bunkers on the right. Playing at 482 yards from the tips, this hole can make for some feast-or-famine finishes on this Pete Dye layout. A par or better can be a confidence boost as you walk off the final green, but miss your tee shot right and take a big number … and you might be thinking about it all throughout dinner.
Speaking of dinner, on our first evening on property, we chose Cibolo Moon, which isn’t necessarily casual, but not super fine-dining either. It is the perfect vibe for dinner after a long, hot day on the course. There are plenty of great cocktails to choose from, or if you prefer, try a glass of wine or a beer with your meal. As an appetizer, the table ordered the guacamole, salsa and queso, which came with some crispy, fresh tortilla chips. If you are looking for something a little more substantial to split with the table, try the brisket burnt ends, which are served with some blue cheese, cilantro and flour tortillas. The brisket is tender and melts in your mouth. It’s great for a protein-packed app, or even as your entrée.
Of the 20 diners we had in Cibolo Moon, I would say at least half ordered the marrow street tacos. These tacos are made with carne asada beef on fresh tortillas with jalapeño crèma, fresh salsa, queso fresco, peppers and onions, all alongside a split beef bone with charred marrow. They are as savory as they are delicious. If you love rich, rib-sticking meals, this is a must-try.
Day two began with a breakfast buffet back in Cibolo Moon. This buffet has everything you might need to fuel up for your day on the course. From oatmeal and toast, to eggs, bacon, sausage and even a selection of pastries. Or, if you aren’t feeling the buffet, the halfway comfort station, located near the driving range, is open early and has a selection of breakfast tacos. Although, curiously, they didn’t have salsa for the tacos … which in San Antonio, seems blasphemous. Tacos are solid, though, if you want something quick.
One of the great things about the resort, especially when it comes to golf, is its attention to detail. Every morning we were scheduled to play, when we arrived at the cart-staging area, our bags were loaded up on the proper carts and ready to go. It made things super easy for our format to have the carts staged properly and ready to head to the range to loosen up.
For our day on the Oaks course, we chose the Players tees, which ran 6,624 for the loop. The Tournament tees are one back from those, and will pack a 7,034-yard punch. Or if you are a strong player with PGA TOUR aspirations, take on the Tiburon tees at a punishing 7,435 yards. If you follow the PGA TOUR, you likely know the Oaks course is the home of the Valero Texas Open. I must warn you, this is not your typical resort golf. The Oaks is a tough track from opening tee to closing putt, with rock outcroppings in abundance, live oaks, prickly pear cactus, and limestone bunker walls that make this a unique, but definitely challenging, 18 holes. Greens weren’t too terribly slick, but can be borderline impossible to read with the hills and valleys surrounding the property. I’m not here to dissuade you from playing the Oaks; it can be fun … but I must advise you to choose appropriate tees for your adventure, or you run the risk of finding yourself in four-and-a-half hours of quicksand.
Dazzling bunkers surround almost every green, and some of them can be downright comical when found. There are so many beautiful holes on the outward nine, but you will undoubtedly love the feel of the par-3 third hole, which is a forced carry over water with a huge bunker area to the right of the green. When the wind blows, this can be a tough customer, so be sure to choose enough club.
The drivable par-4 fifth is a highlight of the opening nine, where a good tee shot can yield a putt at eagle, but a miss can lead to an awkward bunker shot from 50 yards that can be near impossible to hold on the green, depending on where the hole is cut. It’s a great little risk-reward hole where you can gain or drop a stroke in a hustle.
No. 7 is a par 3 with a massive horseshoe green that it shares with No. 2. It is one of the most recognizable features on this par-72 layout. Miss right, and this can lead to a tough up and down. But it beats missing the green short-left, which will find a massive bunker and a near-impossible up and down.
No. 9 was made famous back in 2011, when at the Valero, PGA TOUR player Kevin Na scored a whopping 16 on this par 4. When I first remember hearing this, I thought, “How could a pro ever make a 16?” But after playing this hole, once you see where Na hit his tee shot, you can see how he couldn’t parole himself from the twisted, tree- and vine-lined prison he found himself sentenced in.
The back is a little more generous off the tee, which is a nice change of pace as you make your way back toward the resort. The par-4 10th hole features a fantastic downhill tee shot that plays back up to an elevated green that is protected by some truly diabolical bunkers. It’s a wonderful design to begin the inward nine. Of all the great holes on this course, for some reason, I really loved No. 12. This 410-yard par 4 has a fairway bunker on the left that can collect balls pulled off the tee. But what really makes this hole special is the green, which is guarded on both sides by deep bunkers carved out of rock outcroppings. It’s visually stunning, but miss the green, and it will be game over.
If you know anything about TPC San Antonio or have ever tuned in for the TV coverage of the Valero, then you have likely seen the signature hole, the par-3 16th, which Tony Finau aced earlier this year. This hole features an architectural element that you seldom see, and that is a bunker right in the middle of the green. Both days we saw the Oaks, it was screaming downwind, so club selection was key. The first round, I hit one to about 18 inches for a kick-in birdie. Two days later, I hit it in the middle of the notorious bunker, shanked one 40 yards back over the green, chunked a chip, then managed to finally throw one up there and two-putt for a triple. Isn’t golf fun?
No. 18 at the Oaks is a tight par 5 that requires precision and length. Miss left, and good luck making par; miss right, and it’s a certain layup shot. Players who can thread the needle will have a potential look at getting home in two, but there is a small creek that runs up in front of the green that can lead to a big number. A layup can be the smart decision and takes the risk of a double bogey – or worse – out of play. It’s a “great choose-your-own-adventure” way to end a tough, but fun, round of golf.
After our round at the Oaks, we made our way to arguably the most fun aspect of the JW Marriott Hill Country. The River Bluff Water Experience is a whopping nine acres, and comes complete with a trio of water slides, the 650-foot rapid river ride, and a children’s area with a splash pad and several slides just for the kiddos. But the real attraction for the adults, at least it was for me, was the adults-only infinity pool that overlooks the gorgeous opening hole of the Canyons course and the rolling Hill Country terrain beyond. It’s a hyper-relaxing setting and one you won’t want to miss if you make the trip. It was a perfect place to indulge in some cocktails after our 100-plus degree round on the Oaks, and the neutral buoyancy (and the Miami Vice frozen drinks) really helped with some of those post-round aches.
The other must-see at the River Bluff is the 1,100-foot lazy river. Yes, they have a lazy river. Grab a tube and jump on in for your 20-minute loop around the park as you relax. There is plenty of shade on your lazy river loop, so you won’t feel like you’re getting fried by the Texas sun.
For our final evening at the JW, we chose High Velocity, which is the massive sports pub on the lower level of the hotel. High Velocity checks all the boxes for a great spot to take in a game and have some good grub. In fact, we watched a pair of Dallas Stars games there while we were in town, and the staff was happy to accommodate switching a few of the screens around to our preferred event. High Velocity carries up to 25 draft beers on tap, including your standard domestics. However, if you are looking for a craft beer, they have you covered with several off-the-grid brews, including some San Antonio local favorites like the Ranger Creek Skytrooper IPA, which I decided would be my brew of choice for dinner. For my meal, I went with some simple bone-in wings, which I got in their dill pickle & jalapeño dry rub. Wings were solid, with the briny flavor of the pickle and just a little heat on the back end from the jalapeño.
Another member of our group went with the jalapeño popper hot dog. At first, when I saw there was a $20 hot dog on the menu, I thought it had to be some sort of misprint. But when the dog was brought to the table, it made sense. This was a thick, foot-long dog with strawberry pepper jam, whipped Boursin cheese, bacon and some pickled jalapeños. It’s a huge meal if you can handle the heat.
The real focal point of High Velocity is the massive 120-foot-long video wall that snakes its way across the space from just inside the entrance to the far end of the bar. This screen can be split into multiple programs, so if there is baseball, football, hockey and basketball on at once, that’s not a problem. There is also a Topgolf Suite in High Velocity, should you want to get a few more swings in after your day on the course.
The JW Marriott excels in many ways. The customer service is fantastic with plenty of attention to detail, the golf courses are in great shape, and although on the more difficult end of the spectrum for “resort” golf, the Oaks checks a bucket-list item for both one of the best in the state as well as a course that hosts a PGA TOUR event. Overall, JW is a solid resort for its food, amenities and overall Hill Country vibe.
It’s a great spot for a buddies’ golf trip like ours, or a weekend getaway with the family or a group of friends. With a spa, golf, multiple dining options and the second-to-none resort water park, it checks all the boxes for your next Hill Country getaway.
For more information on the JW Marriott Hill Country Resort & Spa or TPC San Antonio, visit www.marriott.com, www.tpc.com or www.visitsanantonio.com.