JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa

We, especially the kids, were very excited for this trip. But especially for the price, this was a real disappointment. And we have pretty high level status with Marriott and were paying for our room, not using points or anything else. First of all, multiple staff told us that the hotel was not running at full staff, despite knowing the two weeks of March in which most Texas school districts have their spring break. Stuff like waiting for the valet to bring the car or waiting for assistance with luggage took 45+ minutes. And the front desk would just say they’re on their way, when it was obvious that was not the case. Second, we arrived after 5 pm and were told our room wasn’t ready for check in. No apology, nothing offered other than an upgrade to a suite, where I had to ask to know it would be a paid upgrade. Third, the water park area was not kept clean. There was trash and food on the ground and beer cans and such in the water. Again, peak spring break, not enough staff. Fourth, they weirdly didn’t do anything to stop both adults and children from walking through the lazy river and playing in it. So you’re trying to lay in a tube and just enjoy yourself and relax and someone’s unsupervised kids would be splashing you everywhere. It was just obvious that despite knowing they were booked to near capacity, they didn’t adjust staffing accordingly. The room we finally got was fine. Nothing special. The restaurants are decent but overpriced. A sandwich from the grill near the pool, even if you order and get it yourself from the kiosk, costs $18 and they still and a service charge. A poolside margarita was $18. A Frito pie was $15 for ground beef (not chili), cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and a snack bag of Fritos. Neither was anything special. It was pretty blatant price gouging, since they also don’t allow outside food. Even the premium seating loungers are packed in so tight you have to be a gymnast to get in and out of the chairs. It also contributed to them not being able to clean, due to lack of space to get in and out. All in all, it wasn’t a terrible experience, but it wasn’t a good one. My kids enjoyed the water park the first day, but when they saw the trash and mess the second day, they didn’t want to get back in after that. We will not be going back there again. Compared to the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix, which is very similar in terms of amenities and water park, this place is much worse. If you’re accustomed to other JW Marriotts and are expecting the same, you should reduce your expectations greatly. If I had to do it again, I’d go to the Cibolo Creek Ranch instead. No water park, but plenty of kid activities, great service, and they actually expect and require parents to manage their kids.

The JW Marriott San Antonio is a very large and very nice place for a conference. I attended a rural healthcare leadership conference with a group of people and enjoyed the stay. The check-in process was very smooth. You can check-in on the Marriott Bonvoy app and get a key or mobile key when arriving. The staff was very pleasant at check-in and throughout the stay. The rooms are very nice. I have a king room with a very small balcony (Room 3133). The room looked out over a courtyard by the conference center. The bed was very comfortable. There was a small couch that had high armrests, making it a little uncomfortable for sitting. But that was minor. Housekeeping was there daily, unless I said I didn't need anything. For a hearty meal, I recommend High Velocity, which is the sports bar. We ate there two times and the food was great. The popcorn shrimp was delicious. I had the grilled chicken sandwich one night and the macaroni and cheese with brisket the second. Both times it was more than I could eat, meaning big portions of good food. We had breakfast one day at Cibolo Moon. The servers were very friendly. The food was very good. I had an omelet with brisket and the works, along with toast and potatoes. Once again the portion was big, but it was very good. All of the workers I had contact with were very friendly. Whether it was the waiting staff, people at the front desk, housekeeping, or those working in the conference center, they were all friendly and made you feel welcome. I can't comment on the pool area as I didn't get to utilized it. I walked around it and it looks like it would be a fun place to relax. In a nutshell, I give this one a thumbs up.

I've been reluctant to review this hotel because it's the best, but it really is too good not to give them the credit they deserve. From the room to the pools to the delicious brunch in the restaurant, it's just perfect. Whether you're staying as a couple or a family or even on business, there's something for everyone. We LOVE going during the holidays. All of the fun decor and scheduled events are perfect to involve the kids - from the big slides and heated pools to roasting marshmallows around fire pits outside on the grounds. There's also an arcade room, games in the lobby, and cozy fireplaces. Of note, my sister's family had a separate reservation and the staff went above and beyond to ensure we had a room that connected. Efforts like that mean a lot. Staying here was a highlight to our stay in San Antonio and we can't wait to visit again.

Isolated spacious resort with good restaurants and spacious rooms Very staffed hotel with large grounds, shops and Starbucks. Attached conference center provides ample space and very nice catering. Be aware of resort fees on top of regular room prices

I haven't written a review for a while, but I wish someone else had written a recent review about this property so I wanted to fill in the information gap. First the positives however, because the property does have a lot. First, as Titanium Elite members, we were treated very well. Carter worked with me to find a workable upgrade for my family to have a bit more space. Additionally, the free continental breakfast at Cibolo Moon for two of us was VERY good. Second, the property is very peaceful. Even though occupancy was very high, it never really seemed that busy (except for breakfast and the pool which I'll comment on later). Finally, the room and grounds were very nice and well maintained. Now to the reason I needed to make this post. The main message is that the resort is not currently as advertised. We booked this property because of the pictures and reviews of the grounds which includes the pools, waterslides and lazy river. Imagine getting all the way there and finding out that the lazy river is under construction until March and that on the hottest day we were there, only one of the four slides would be open part of the day. While I understand that renovations occur to keep the property up to date, other properties are typically very clear in advertising upon booking that construction is in progress, but not this place. Upon asking whether some of the resort fee could be waived because the amenities were not as advertised, of course the answer was no. The other problem this creates is that when occupancy is high and both the lazy river and waterslides are closed down, it brings everyone into the pool and hot tubs. Thus the pool and hot tubs were very crowded on the days we were there which was took away from the relaxation component. The other issue is what I believe to be one of staffing constraints which I know is affecting many businesses currently. The first day at the pool, there was one waitress who only focused on the rented Cabana. Everyone else had to go to the Rivertop Bar where there was only one bartender who was working SO hard, but just couldn't keep up. I ordered the 6 piece chicken tenders and a drink after waiting about 20 minutes in line to place my order. The food came out quickly but upon getting back to my family with it, found out that I only had the 4 piece kids chicken tenders, so back in the line I went for another 20 minutes to ask for an additional 2 chicken tenders. By this time, finally another person came to help at the bar, but the wait was still a good 10 minutes anytime you wanted to place an order. Relatedly, while the buffet breakfast in Cibolo Moon was incredibly good, the wait time was not. Most mornings we had to wait 10 minutes just to put our name in and then another 30-45 minutes to get seated. Finally by the end of the stay I learned to put my name in much earlier than when we planned to eat. Finally, again while the staff were working incredibly hard, some detailed were missed. Two of the four days, when we got to our table, though the table was clean, the seats were filthy and my son even sat in maple syrup that was left on the chairs. Overall, we had a beautiful spacious room and the grounds were impeccable. The staff works incredibly hard, but I just don't think they have enough people. Thus, I'd at least wait until the Lazy River is complete to stay here and plan accordingly for daytime food by maybe bringing in your own drinks so you don't spend your entire vacation in line.