We love doing little “staycations” where we can get away and have fun but still be close to home. One of our all-time favorite place to go is the Hyatt Hill Country in San Antonio, Texas. We also recently went to the Hyatt Lost Pines in Bastrop, Texas which is the same idea/layout as the Hill Country resort with some minor differences. Here’s what we think of them in case your wanting to plan your own little getaway.
Hyatt Hill Country:
My husband has been going to this place for years with his parents and brother. We went for the first time as a family during 4th of July weekend the summer before getting pregnant with Kaley and it was amazing! Braxton was only 2 years old and there was still plenty for him to do. It’s located only a few minutes from SeaWorld, so we also spent a day going to SeaWorld. (But if I’m being honest, I would have rather just spent that extra time at the resort instead of at SeaWorld. Braxton wasn’t into it, and it was so hot it was hard to enjoy anything.)
Checking into the resort, Braxton was offered a complimentary toy from their toy chest and we were offered complimentary beers and waters. Our room was beautiful and had a cute porch which would have been nice to sit out at and drink coffee…if we didn’t have a toddler who would rather be on the move. The best part of the entire resort is of course the lazy river, surf area, and multiple pools. (They also have a great golf course and spa, but we didn’t do either of those since we had Braxton with us.) We spent the majority of the time at the lazy river. They have a schedule of events that changes daily, usually including a craft time, rubber duck races, a time to see the animals, smores, a movie on the lawn with free popcorn and more. Unlike the other resort, this one also has an Arcade room which is fun for all ages. We actually didn’t try any of the restaurants because we spent the entire day at the pool and just ordered food by the pool. There are fun swim up bars for the adults too. Braxton enjoyed every moment at the resort!
Hyatt Lost Pines:
When I was 35 weeks pregnant, we decided to go check out the Lost Pines Resort as a last vacation for just the 3 of us. It has a different feel then the Hill Country resort, but with most of the same amenities. (I would say Hill Country Resort has more of a rustic, nature vibe, while Lost Pines has a more modern country feel.) We tried out the buffet which was delicious and well worth the price. They also have other restaurants on property, as well food options out by the pool. Again, we spent most of the time at the lazy river, and you can see by the pictures that the lazy rivers is slightly different at both resorts.
Other differences and similarities I noticed were that Lost Pines has a splash pad and I don’t remember the other resort having one. (Both have huge slides that go into the lazy river, but there is a height requirement for this.) Lost Pines also didn’t have the surf area, but did have more food and drink options by the pools. Both offer bicycles you can use for free to get around the resort. Both also have animals you can check out, along with certain times you can see them feed the animals. Lost Pines has a few more shops and has a Build-a-Bear machine. (I think there is a certain time for this activity which is included on the “Schedule of Events”.)
Some Tips:
-Don’t wait for check-in to head to the resort. When you get there, you can leave your bags at the front desk and they will move them to your room when it is ready. You can then get a head start enjoying the amenities! Same goes for check-out. You can leave your bags at check-out until you are ready to leave. (We just go ahead and put ours in the car.) But you can still enjoy everything the resort has to offer until the end of the day. I just packed a backpack with extra clothes for us to change into after we were done swimming.
-If you’d like friends or family to come join you for the day, they can buy a day pass to come use the amenities with you without having to stay the night.
-If you are looking to save a little money, bring in your own water and snacks. At Lost Pines there is a shop down by the lobby that sells great cheap breakfast items like muffins, which will save you lots instead of going to one of the restaurants.
-They have tubes for the lazy river, and some tubes even have a bottom on them for younger kids. But I’d still highly recommend bringing some kind of safety float for little ones, like a puddle jumper.
Both resorts have special events and buffets for most major Holiday’s including Mother’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Eve. They also have a huge “carnival” that comes out for New Years Eve so you can even enjoy the resort during the wintertime! During the Holiday’s, make sure to book far in advance. They book up fast, and sometimes don’t allow you to only book for one night. (Braxton’s birthday fell on Easter this year. We had planned to take him to Hill Country for a birthday celebration but because it was a Holiday, we weren’t allowed to book for just one night. They had a two night minimum and it was sold out over a month in advance.)
You can’t go wrong with either choice for your family! I guarantee you’ll have fun, and I’ve even had friends go without kids who say it’s so relaxing just going to the spa and laying around at the adult only pool. Prices are about the same at both, and again I’d recommend booking well in advance. The farther out you book, the cheaper the room will be!