You’ve probably heard the word “staycation,” a term that people have started using during these economically tough times. I’ve never been a big fan of the concept. I was skeptical. Fooling yourself into thinking you are out-of-town when you’re actually not? That seems a little unlikely.
But that’s exactly what happened over Easter weekend in San Antonio.
View from our room at the Westin La Cantera
We spent two nights at the Westin La Cantera Resort in Northwest San Antonio. We had such a wonderful weekend, it’s hard to know what to discuss first. The pool, the kids club, the gorgeous room, Easter brunch, the excellent customer service–all of these helped make our weekend relaxing and fun.
Our check-in was a breeze, and I was thrilled with our room, which had two double beds, balcony, refrigerator, and a spacious bathroom with two sinks. Our room was also outfitted with an air purifier, which was perfect for a family whose list of allergy issues is a mile long.
The Westin La Cantera was ready for E.’s arrival, and her name was painted in colorful letters in the bath tub. E. also had a reservation at the Westin Kids Club for a few hours on Saturday.
To be honest, I was a little nervous about sending E. to the kids club. E. and I spend most of our waking hours together, and I wasn’t sure how she (or I) would react to being away from each other in an unfamiliar environment. About halfway through her kids club time, we snuck over to Discovery Junction (the kids’ area, which is filled with bounce houses and slides) and saw that she was having a fantastic time. Later, when we went to pick her up, she told us she couldn’t leave yet. “Mom, I’m having too much fun,” she said.
During E.’s stay at the Westin Kids Club, my husband and I enjoyed a quiet lunch at Brannon’s Cafe. We sat outside overlooking the pool. It was a wonderful spot to enjoy a casual lunch. I ordered the “Adult Mac n’ Cheese,” which included blackened chicken, arugula, and mushrooms.
In the afternoon, it was time for swimming! I love the resort’s Lost Quarry Pools because they offer something for everyone: a zero-entry kids’ pool, a large pool with slides and a volleyball net, and an adults-only pool and hot tub. E. enjoyed splashing in the zero-entry pool that was shallow enough that she could wander around without much help. She also loved going down the slide.
When it comes to holidays, the Westin La Cantera knows how to make them perfect for kids. Our Easter consisted of the Zoomagination live animal program, a beautiful brunch in the Grand Ballroom, a visit with the Easter Bunny, and an Easter egg hunt.
Despite all of the wonderful amenities and activities at the Westin La Cantera, the thing that impressed me the most was the outstanding customer service. Every employee that I met was helpful and friendly. They remember you, whether you met them six months ago at the Hill Country Holidays event or earlier that afternoon while you were eating lunch.
And then there’s social media. Have a question before your stay? Send them a tweet, and you’ll get a response right away. This hotel knows how to use social media, and I love that it is so easy to feel like you “know” the resort before you even arrive.
As you can see, we managed to pack a lot of fun into one weekend. And we didn’t even step onto a plane or drive hundreds of miles. The really crazy part? We actually fooled ourselves into thinking we were on vacation! It didn’t matter that we were only a 15-minute drive from our house.
In summary:
Pros: Oustanding customer service, kids club and other kid-friendly activities, spacious room with balcony, holiday activities.
Cons: No furniture/chairs on balcony, so there’s no place to sit.
Overall, we really enjoyed our stay, and I would definitely recommend this hotel to others.
From the chocolate fountain at Easter brunch
Lots of fun for kids at Easter brunch, like balloon animals and face painting
My daughter met this guy at Zoomagination
Looking for Easter eggs at the Westin La Cantera
Note: I received a discounted stay at this hotel. However, all opinions are my own. I was not asked to write this post.
