LA CANTERA RESORT IN SAN ANTONIO FOR A TEXAS GETAWAY

By Michael Hepworth

La Cantera Resort in San Antonio is located about 15 miles from downtown San Antonio, and this luxurious resort will pamper all your needs for a weekend or longer getaway in real Texas style.  Even though it is part of a large chain with 508 rooms, there is still something of a unique feel to the property, thanks to the staff who know how to roll out the hospitality, Texas style.  Located adjacent to Six Flags Fiesta, and also conveniently close to the Texas Hill Country and the town of Fredericksburg, La Cantera remains on of the hottest properties in this part of Texas. The architecture and landscaping has a Texas Colonial feel with strong Spanish influence, and much of the resort is influenced by the legendary King Ranch, the largest working ranch in Texas at one time.

There is a also a group of private villas away from the main hotel called Casita Village, and these are the places to stay in if you really appreciate luxurious living. There are 11 of these newly decorated houses that have their own pool and hot tub in the village, and are named after an authentic Texas working ranch-Briscoe, La Escalera, JA, Kokernot, Long X, Matador, Pitchfork, Swenson, Waggoner, XIT and Yturria. The décor is Texas Colonial style with liberal uses of wood and beautiful polished tiles. Each casita has an outside patio, and the interior art is of course Western themed from artists Diane Lacy and Bob Moorehouse.  If golfing is your thing, then the par 72 championship Resort Golf Course is available to guests.  The famous Valero Texas Open is held here annually.  An adjacent course known as the Palmer course is a par 71, and is a couple of hundred yards less than the Resort Course at 6,926 yards.  If you are a beginner or want to brush up on your skills, then the Golf Academy at La Cantera will teach you all you need to know.

The resort has a shuttle service to the brand new Shops at La Cantera, home to such shopping luminaries as Nieman Marcus and Nordstrom, about 150 shops in 1.3 million square feet of indulgent shopping. Try the spa treatment at Nieman Marcus where they use Sisley products out of Paris for the gentleman’s facial.  There are a bunch of restaurants at the resort all under the watchful eye of executive chef John Armstrong, but if you are into fine dining then the place to go is Francesca’s, one of the top restaurants in San Antonio.  Serving gourmet southwestern cuisine, Chef de Cuisine Ernie Estrada has the luxury of an extravagant wine list (180 vintages) at his disposal overseen by Sommelier Steven Krueger. The restaurant has won the coveted Wine Spectator Magazine Award of Excellence for two consecutive years, and is also rated a AAA Four-Diamond restaurant.

Celebrity chef Mark Miller of Coyote Café helped create the menu, and the various chefs who have worked at Francesca’s have brought their own style as well to the menu, which is constantly changing. Some of the staples however that you should try include the Ceviche de Mariscos Veracruzano and the “Three Sisters” Tamales for appetizers. The ceviche for example includes scallops, lobster, blue crab, sea bass and manzanilla olives in a tomato-lime essence.  Entrees include Artic Char, Sweet Corn dusted Jumbo lump crab cakes, spicy grilled duck legs and sweet paprika crusted sea bass.  I think you get the picture, that this is a class place and reservations are absolutely essential as it is only a small place.

Fact Sheet

Westin La Cantera Resort

16641 La Cantera Parkway ,

San Antonio , TX 78256

Phone: 1-800-WESTIN-1

www.westinlacantera.com

Shuttle service-not available