JW
MARRIOTT SAN ANTONIO HILL COUNTRY RESORT & SPA WILL FEATURE
ONE-OF-A-KIND, TEXAS HILL COUNTRY- INDIGENOUS OUTDOOR RECREATION AND
WATER FEATURES
TBG is
providing site planning and landscape architecture for the resort,
slated to open in spring 2010
SAN ANTONIO, December 10, 2007 –
Situated on 2,847 acres and surrounded by the rolling green hills
and dense forests of the Texas Hill Country, the JW Marriott San
Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is on deck to become one of the
Southwest’s premier destination resorts. Scheduled to open in spring
2010, one of the resort’s biggest draws will be the expansive,
native-to-Texas outdoor recreation and water features, which are
being designed by TBG, Texas’ largest landscape architecture and
planning firm.
Encompassing six acres of the resort is the Hill Country River
Experience, which involves a 1,100-foot lazy river that meanders
though lush landscaping of native trees and brilliant flowers, and
Pedernales Falls, a thrilling, fast-moving 630-foot river
ride that will begin at the top of a natural bluff and cut into
native rock, quickly turning into an action river ride with rapids
and swirling eddies, eventually throwing guests into the lazy river.
In addition, an exhilarating 315-foot water slide will toss guests
and their tubes into a catch pool. Two children’s pools with water
fountain splash areas will be integrated as well, connected by a
30-foot tower that resembles an authentic Texas railroad trestle,
where kids can glide down fiberglass water slides. The children’s
pools will also be the home to other fun activities for kids,
including water cannons, floating animals and splash toys.
“The most important design element is maintaining the charming mix
of old-fashioned Texas hospitality with all the amenities and
activities you’d expect in a world-class luxury resort,” said Jim
Manskey, Principal with TBG Partners. “We didn’t want to design a
water park that looks like something you’d see at Epcot. We wanted
it to be true to the Texas Hill Country and its rugged topography.
The lazy river, for example, will be recessed in the ground by four
to five feet, lined with limestone rock outcroppings, just like any
river in the Hill Country. Basically, every feature in the resort is
being designed to blend in with the area’s rolling hills and native
vegetation.”
Other features designed by TBG include a serene infinity-edge adult
pool, which will be located on a bluff overlooking the golf courses,
hot and cold plunge pools, cascading waterfalls, whirlpools and a
grand “active” pool, which will serve as the centerpiece of the
resort’s activity area. The water features were all orchestrated to
create a true Texas experience and designed to appeal to all
demographics - honeymooners, families with kids, outdoor enthusiasts
and business travelers who shun the idea of all work and no play.
TBG is including three distinctive outdoor catering venues in its
design, which will be ideal for weddings, receptions and other
events. The resort will also feature two 18-hole Tournament Players
Clubs golf courses, designed by two of the most respected forces in
the golf industry – Pete Dye and Greg Norman. A bird sanctuary will
be adjacent to the north course, which will serve as the gateway to
rugged nature trails, where guests can intimately experience the
natural beauty of the resort.
TBG’s landscape for the resort will include native grasses and
plants, towering pecan, cedar and oak trees, crystal clear streams,
healing waters, rolling hills, wide-open spaces and rustic materials
such as limestone and hardwood, all of which complement the area’s
diverse terrain. TBG is also working with HKS Architects, the
architecture firm designing the hotel itself, to ensure that guest
rooms have ideal views of the resort, surrounding water features,
golf courses, the wooded hills of the bird sanctuary and/or
indigenous natural landscape.
In addition to the outdoor recreation and water features, the resort
will offer 1,002 spacious guestrooms, more than 140,000 square feet
of customizable indoor space, four restaurants, a multi-media sports
bar and boutique shopping. It will also have a 26,000-square-foot
rejuvenation spa that sits 20 feet above the rest of the resort,
providing impeccable views of the landscape below. The spa will be
home to 30 treatment rooms, its own pool, Jacuzzi, private cabanas
and a state-of-the-art fitness center. The JW Marriott San Antonio
Hill Country Resort & Spa will be located in northeast Bexar County,
just 20 minutes from downtown San Antonio and the San Antonio
International Airport, nestled in the foothills of San Antonio’s
storied Hill Country and Cibolo Canyons.
The resort is being developed by Miller Global Properties, with
Marriott International as the operator. Noble Development Group is
serving as the Project Manager. Additional consultants to TBG and
HKS Inc. include ForrestPerkins as the interior designer, Lang
Lighting Design, Water Technologies Inc. as aquatics consultant /
contractor and Austin Commercial as the general contractor.
ABOUT TBG
As Texas’ largest
landscape architecture and planning firm, TBG designs mixed-use and
residential communities, corporate campuses, civic buildings,
hotels, resorts, healthcare and educational facilities, city parks
and historic sites. With 22 LEED Accredited Professionals on staff,
TBG works to incorporate sustainable design principles into each
project. Established in 1987, TBG is now staffed by over 130
professionals in Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. For more
information, please visit
www.tbg-inc.com.
ABOUT MARRIOTT
INTERNATIONAL, INC
MARRIOTT
INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE: MAR) is a leading lodging company with
nearly 2,900 lodging properties in the United States and 68 other
countries and territories. Marriott International operates and
franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton,
Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield
Inn, SpringHill Suites and Bulgari brand names; develops and
operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation
Club, Horizons by Marriott Vacation Club, The Ritz-Carlton Club and
Grand Residences by Marriott brands; operates Marriott Executive
Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its
Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The
company is headquartered in Bethesda, Md., and had approximately
151,000 employees at 2006 year-end. It is ranked as the lodging
industry's most admired company and one of the best places to work
for by FORTUNE. The company is also a 2006 U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR Partner. In fiscal year 2006,
Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of
$12.2 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit
our web site at www.marriott.com.
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