CLOSED: Win Brunch for 4 at the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa - 180 US$ value (Ends 4/30)

* Click here to view the name(s) of the winner(s)*

You've read the buzz and now I'm sure you're already making plans to spend time or visit the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.

Well to make one reader's stay/visit all the more special, the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa has generously offered him/her a gift certificate for Brunch for 4 at the 18 Oaks. (180 US$ value)


** NOTE: You don't have to be a guest at the Resort to enjoy the dining facilities on the Property**

Click HERE to read more about the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa



Here's how you can win it:

1. Mandatory entry (without this, all other entries will be disqualified)-

Look through the 18 Oaks Brunch menu and tell me something you'd love to try.


2. Love on the Sponsor-

- Follow JW San Antonio on Twitter

- Like JW San Antonio on Facebook

- Follow me on Twitter and tweet once daily...

RT @ebmommy #Win Brunch for 4 at #18Oaks, J.W. Marriott San Antonio(180$) http://bit.ly/g0IdOD @JWSanAntonio #sanantonio #Giveaway (4/30)



3. Seven additional entries: (1 entry each)-

- Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect

- "Like" me on Facebook.

- Follow me on Networked Blogs

- Follow my feed via RSS

- Subscribe via email to receive EBMR's blog updates

-Snag my Blog button

-Blog about this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your blog post)


* Please ensure your Blogger Profile holds your email address. If it's set to private or your email address does not show, please add the same in your comments*


This giveaway is open to US Residents only, 18 years and above. 1 winner will be chosen with the random.org generator on April 30, 2011 at 10 pm Central time.





** EBMR Disclaimer: I had the opportunity to stay at the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country & Spa and enjoy its facilities with my family. This post has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. **

Labels: Dining, J.W. Marriott, J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa, More giveaways, Reviews / Giveaways

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 1:22 AM 108 Comments

The Food....The Service....OH MY!....J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa

If you want to experience Texan Hill Country Dining at its finest, then the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is THE place!

Guests (and visitors) can choose to dine at their choice of restaurants based on their taste palettes, cravings and cuisine preferences.

The Cibolo Moon offers a casual Texan cuisine experience while 18 Oaks provides a more "fine dining" experience with its traditional steakhouse fare and the Rivertop Grill, a more regional cuisine option. If you like the sports buzz and live games being telecast, then High Velocity will be more your style.


If you have a big appetite and plan to watch a Live Game at the High Velocity with friends, I would definitely suggest ordering the Sampler Tower.
The night we dined at the High Velocity I ordered a Chicken BLT Sandwich minus the bacon and it was wholesome, crispy and "del-umptious", if there ever were such a word!

I have to admit that we didn't have the opportunity to dine in at the 18 Oaks. I was told that their brunch is highly talked about and that maybe so but I have to rave about the yummiest breakfast buffet I have ever eaten so far....Cibolo Moon's Breakfast Buffet.

I have one word of advice-"starve yourself and then go attack the buffet!"
For 20 US$ that spread can sustain you till early evening or even till your dinner time.


I absolutely LOVED the breads (especially the sweet rolls. All the breads are baked inhouse), the freshly made waffles (made to order), the fresh squeezed orange juice (this was so good that I actually downed three large glassfuls through the course of my meal! Think I pretty much shocked my server!!) and the delicious signature Cibolo Moon Griddle Omelette (I know this is spelt 'Omelet' but I personally prefer the British English spelling for the same) paired with the spicy "sets your tongue on fire" but yummy salsa (a recipe handed down from one of the Chef's grandmothers).


We also did have dinner at Cibolo Moon on one of the nights we were there and though the main entree was more than just substantial, what hit the mark were the tasty, inhouse smoked Chicken Quesadillas.


Now I could dedicate this entire post to the succulent food the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa whips up for their guests but I'm reminded that it's not just the food (or the facilities or the location) that make a Resort stand out but also the quality of service provided.

We had our own "customer delight" moment the first night that we were there. Hubby realized that the Starbucks on Property had closed for the evening and stood in the Lobby, way past 9.30pm, looking perhaps a little contemplative as to where he could get our precious Bunny girl her ritual mug of hot chocolate before she went to bed. One of the employees walked up to him and asked if he could assist him with something and Hubby explained to him what was required. The employee assured Hubby that we would get him a mug even though the kitchens were closed and a few minutes later returned with a steaming mug of Hot Chocolate from the Cibolo kitchen. Oh and that's not all it was not just a mug of regular Hot Chocolate but a super special mug with swirling marshmallows in it!


We weren't given any preferential treatment.
All the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa guests ARE treated liked they're the only guests on the Property.
Just hop over to the Resort's Facebook Page and read the numerous posts that testify of the warm, impeccable service enjoyed by guests to the Resort.
While we were there, we heard of a family that actually spent their Spring Break as guests on the Property even though they only lived 3 miles away from the Resort!! (That just tells you how awesome a place it is!)

If you're concerned about whether or not this would be a good deal to jump onto, I would recommend choosing one of the Resort's Special Packages.
Your family will have a thoroughly enjoyable, relaxed, memorable and wonderful time at the Resort....
Mine did and we can't wait to go back!

Hop over and take a 360 Tour of the Dining Facilities and then click HERE to enter the giveaway you have been waiting for!!






Click on these links to read what you missed:

Paradise....J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa

Something for Everybody....J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa



** EBMR Disclaimer: I had the opportunity to stay at the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country & Spa and enjoy its facilities with my family. This post has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. **

Labels: accomodations, E.B. Mommy Dines, E.B. Mommy Travels, Hotel, J.W. Marriott, J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa, Reviews / Giveaways

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 11:34 PM 0 Comments

Something for Everybody....J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa

The J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is more than just a gorgeous property. It's also a hub of activity for the guests staying on the property.

I'm not joking when I say that the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa actually has a page filled with activities for guests to enjoy over the weekend (Fri-Sun)....right from sunrise to sunset, literally! (Check out the March-April 'Experience' schedules)

While on my tour of the property, I was told families split up in the morning and engage themselves in an activity they each love....

The Hubby generally spends the day at the TPC San Antonio Golf Resort that houses two PGA Tour, 18 hole golf courses


while
'Wifey' laps up a luxurious massage session, body treatment and enjoys a specially prepared organic meal in the 26,000 sq foot world class spa, the Lantana Spa.


Kids between the ages of 4 to 12 generally make the most of their day at the Range Riders Club, a full service children's recreation program.

Bunny girl got to spend an exclusive one-on-one session, one morning, with Aaron, one of the sweetest "Kid At Heart" Range Rider Leaders.


In the three hours she was there, she decorated her own Cowgirl hat, personalized a water tube with stencil drawings, created a "WANTED" craft poster, played "Howdy Rowdy Rodeo"( a lively, 'hot'-'cold' "find the hidden object game" that Bunny girl has been playing everyday at home, ever since we returned!) and a set of board games.

When it was time to pick her up, I have to confess that she was disappointed she had to leave but chattered with bubbly excitement about all the fun things they did. She even named her souvenir Range Riders plush Armadillo, Aaron!

After the family re-unites later in the afternoon, a majority of the guests generally haunt the River Bluff Water Experience....


Six acres of heated pools, fountains, waterfalls, rivers- Oh yeah!

Both my water babies ((Uhm...lets make that three!)) thoroughly enjoyed soaking in the refreshing, 1200 feet long lazy river.


It was Bunny Boo's first "baby pool" experience so it was such a treat to watch him gurgle, water crawl and splatter the mini water fountains.

Now if you are more of the "indoors-y" kind of person, there's lots for you to do as well!....
You can choose to relax in the Texas Library reading a book or listen to Texan artists serenade you while the kids get balloon animals created by Balloon artists.


You can also shoot some pool or play chess and/or checkers on one of the high tech media boards, in one of the secluded nooks, in the Crooked Branch Lounge.

(We could also see Grandparents out on the lawn with their young ones, teaching them some classic lawn games.)

Other complimentary family centered activities include

• Interacting with animals from the San Antonio zoo.
• Decorating ducks and competing in the Lazy River Duck Race!
• Exploring the world's largest J.W. Marriott Property (Yes, this one!) on a Segway Personal Transporter Tour.
  
• Roasting s'mores outdoors on a campfire.
• "Flick 'n' Float" - Watching a family movie while floating in the activity pool.

and MORE!!


I'm not lying when I say that this Resort is the first that I know where everything is designed around your family.
You will not be disappointed because there really is an activity for every member in your family to enjoy!



Hop over and take a 360 Tour of the Great Onsite Activities and don't forget to check out the Packed Calendar of Events for this year.





If you missed reading my first post, click the link to see what you missed: Paradise....J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa


* Stay tuned to read my last post on the luxury of enjoying top notch service at the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa and yes the magic "F"....FOOD!!

I'm also thrilled to confirm that we DO have a surprise giveaway that will be announced at the end of the final post! *



** EBMR Disclaimer: I had the opportunity to stay at the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country & Spa and enjoy its facilities with my family. This post has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. **

Labels: accomodations, E.B. Mommy Travels, Hotel, J.W. Marriott, J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa, Reviews / Giveaways

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 4:00 PM 0 Comments

Paradise....J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa

Nestled in the quiet hill countryside of San Antonio, Texas, is a new luxurious Resort and Spa that, unknown to many, with its opening in January 2010, is the first of it's kind around the world.



The J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is the largest J.W. Marriott resort in the world, sprawled across 600 lush acres of rolling hills, live Oak trees and meandering creeks.

Walking around this beautiful property gives you a relaxed feeling of being serenaded by Nature.


Its strategic location between two bird sanctuaries only enhances that feeling.

The J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa has 1002 guest rooms (which includes 85 suites) with a scenic view of the Hill Country from every location on property.


The Resort proudly boasts of one of a kind facilities for their guests, that include

• Two PGA Tour, 18 hole Tournament Player's Club (TPC) Golf Courses

• A six acre water park
• A 26,000 sq. foot world class spa
• Seven restaurant and lounge options
• Over 140,000 square feet of customizable exhibit hall and meeting space that is conveniently segmented into a dedicated area in the Resort, to ensure the business guests have the privacy.
  

The Resort has this beautiful calm about it. Even though we were there during their peak Spring Break pocket, it was still very relaxing to lounge around on the lawns or even indoors around the private nooks and fireplaces.


Aesthetically, the management has taken the pains to ensure that every article of decor is the creative reproduction of a local San Antonio artist/artisan/merchant. There are ofcourse necessities that are unavailable locally but to stay true to the Texan ambiance and flair, the products are procured from within the Lone Star State itself.


What was most impressive was the lengths they've gone to build the Resort to be as environmentally friendly as possible.
Their Greenitiatives include having a"smart system" installed in every room. Thus whenever an exterior door is opened, the climate system automatically shuts down to conserve electricity. 70% of the Resort is also fueled solely by windricity making it the largest single user with the City Public Service (CPS).



I was also told that every tree I could see was an original sapling. During construction the same was uprooted only to be planted in position later and for those saplings that could not withstand the transfer, a replacement was rooted in.

There are some great vacation specials you can avail of this Summer. Considering the Resort is only about 20 minutes away from San Antonio's International Airport, this is a wonderful family getaway to unwind at.




We've stayed in several hotels before but this is the only one our family has actually come away from feeling relaxed, refreshed and energized to get back to the grind again.....
and yes, that's why we've nicknamed it PARADISE!


Hop over and take a 360 Tour of the Property. The Photographs don't lie...it really is as gorgeous as it looks!





* Stay tuned to read the next two posts about the great family activities you can do at the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, the luxury of enjoying top notch service and yes the magic "F"....FOOD!!

AND.... I'm also thrilled to confirm that we DO have a surprise giveaway that will be announced at the end of the last post! *



** EBMR Disclaimer: I had the opportunity to stay at the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country & Spa and enjoy its facilities with my family. This post has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. **

Labels: accomodations, E.B. Mommy Travels, Hotel, J.W. Marriott, J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa, Reviews / Giveaways

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 11:32 AM 0 Comments