Review of Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort
Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort Overview
Nestled in the Texas Hill Country, just northwest of San Antonio, is a perfect place for a golfing vacation, family vacation, weekend getaway, corporate retreat, reunion, staycation, or wedding at one of the best Hill Country Resorts -
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On the four mile winding road through the rolling hills leading to Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort from Boerne and Interstate 10, you start to appreciate the magnificence and peacefulness of the Texas Hill Country.
And when you drive down the final hill you'll spot the big clear sparkling lake on the right side of the road spilling over the road into a lake on the left, a huge beautiful home sitting on top of a limestone cliff, the Tapatio Springs sign with a waterfall, the lush green fairways of the golf course, and some of tallest hills in Texas dotted with nice homes. You'll get a sense that you are in for a special treat during your stay - and you won't be disappointed.
Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort sits on 220 acres in a valley surrounded by majestic rolling hills and it incorporates the best that Mother Nature has to offer including a variety of trees, wildflowers, axis and whitetail deer, rolling tree lined hills with deep valleys, limestone cliffs rising out of springs and lakes, and panoramic views from the towering cliffs which are some of the tallest in the area and rise to 1900 feet. Plus you get to enjoy consistently perfect weather with an average annual high of 68 degrees which creates excellent conditions for year round golf and other activities. During the summer, the higher elevation is an average of 12 degrees cooler than San Antonio! Perfect for enjoying the outdoors.
In 1981, Tapatio Springs started it’s evolution from a 2100 acre cattle ranch into a top ranking conference center and golf resort. In fact, Tapatio Springs has maintained it's ranking as a “Texas Top Ten Resort Course” since 1992. Today, in this valley surrounded by beautiful hills dotted with magnificent homes, you’ll find great accommodations, a well stocked pro shop, 18 holes of championship golf, two pools, a spa, fitness center, executive and conference center facilities, the La Cascada Restaurant for dining, and several other amenities to enjoy. Tapatio Springs is an ideal setting for an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. Be prepared to be overwhelmed by Tapatio Springs' mission to provide "big-hearted service."
In April of 2011, Country music legend, George Strait and longtime friend Tom Cusick, purchased Tapatio Springs Resort determined to return it to its original grandeur and beyond. They immediately started making improvements to the hotel rooms, the clubhouse, and golf course. In 2014 they partnered with Northview Hotel Group and by 2016 they had invested over $2 million to renovate the golf course, add a new resort pool, make some significant changes to the club house, and lots more. Unfortunately, a large fire completely destroyed the Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort clubhouse in 2017 forcing Tapatio Springs Resort to close for almost two years.
Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort reopened in late 2019 after a multi-million dollar renovation that included a new very well done 47,000-square-foot clubhouse, featuring a contemporary Western design reflective of the Resort's Hill Country setting. The new clubhouse includes:
- a large lobby with communal seating and a modern rustic decor
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an 1,100-square-foot, members-only fitness center, as well as, enlarged locker rooms and saunas for women and men -
4,000 square feet of interior space for corporate meetings and other events
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redesign of the resort's signature restaurant, La Cascada Table & Bar, which features an expanded patio area, a private dining room with space for up to 35 people, and a cool bar serving local brews and cocktails
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updates to the 111 guest rooms and eight suites with new furnishings and decor
- a new pro shop stocked with everything you need to look good and play well
Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort Lodging
Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort offers suites and hill country guest rooms. There are 111 recently renovated modern rustic-chic design guest rooms and 8 suites. Each guest room is larger than a normal hotel room at around 400 square feet and each room has a flat screen TV, seating area and desk, coffee maker, hair dryer and iron, and upgraded bath amenities including two sinks and lots of counter space. For couples or families, the George Strait suite is perfect - two bedrooms, wet bar and entertaining area, and a living room. Best of all each room has a very comfortable king or double queen bed and either a private balcony or patio - an excellent spot to relax with a morning cup of coffee and enjoy the view of the golf course, deer, rolling hills, waterfall and pond or enjoy a spectacular Hill Country sunrise or sunset.
We stayed in one of the king suites which are even more spacious and include a nicely appointed living space with a leather couch and two very comfy chairs and a 55" HDTV, dining area with a table and four chairs, a wet bar and sink, mini fridge, and a patio with two chairs facing the pool. In addition, there was counter space and a sink outside the bathroom which had a sink and shower/tub; a coffee maker, hair dryer, complimentary high-speed WiFi, and an iron and ironing board. Our room was very spacious, well done, and extremely comfortable - the king bed mattress was out of this world!
All of the guest rooms and suites are a minute walk to the pro shop and restaurant, a lot of the rooms face one of the two pools or the golf course, and all are close to the clubhouse, pro shop, and convention center. Best of all, the Resort does not gouge you on pricing - rooms, golf, drinks, and food are all reasonably priced and well below most Texas Resort prices.
Golf at Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort
One of the primary reasons we keep coming back to Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort is to play golf on 18 of the best holes in Texas. Each nine is unique and different and will test your accuracy and course management skills with a combination of tight landing zones, water features, elevation changes, forced carries, and challenging doglegs. But don't let that scare you away - the course is fair, a little short, and there are four sets of tee boxes plus a combo on the scorecard.
Not only is the layout challenging but it is very scenic with rolling hills, waterfalls, colorful flowers, sparkling ponds, beautiful homes scattered along the hillsides, and towering trees. The front nine plays through the valley with water coming into play on six holes and it's an enjoyable par 35. The back nine plays up and along the ridge line of the rolling hills and then back to the valley. This nine is a blast to play with elevation changes, doglegs, forced carries, and some very fun holes.
In 2014 world-renowned golf course architect, Tripp Davis, was brought in to make significant changes to the course and it was closed most of the year for $2 million in renovations and improvements, some of which included: re-sculpting, adding, and deleting bunkers which were perfect when we played but are now missing all the sand I took home in my shoes, hair, and pockets; re-grading the fairways; significant improvements to the driving and putting area; resurfacing the greens; and lots more. When we played the course was in the best condition we've experienced over the four times we've played golf at Tapatio Springs. To learn more about this great golf course, read our review of Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort Golf Course.
In addition in some fun holes, good service (the cart lady seemed to show up at the perfect time!), and great conditions, the:
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Pro Shop is stocked with everything you need to play well and look good -
the practice area has been significantly improved with a new driving range, putting green, and chipping area
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the men's and women's locker rooms are very upscale and well done - both the locker rooms have a game room, lots of wood paneled lockers, showers, a sauna, and more
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the patio outside the pro shop is outstanding - a stone fireplace and beautiful views of the hills, a waterfall, and the 9th and 18th greens plus reasonably priced drinks and food - and its a perfect place to settle your bets and reminisce about your round and watch fellow golfers try to sink their putts
You're going to want to play this course more than once, so make it a weekend and take advantage of Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort's excellent Golf Stay & Play Package.
Dining Options at Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort
After 18 holes of golf I'm ready to eat and The La Cascada Restaurant which adjoins the pro shop is perfect with it's spectacular views of the cliff-top mansions, golf course, a waterfall, and lakes from the floor-to-ceiling windows. You can eat in the nicely appointed dining room, in the bar area, or on the really cool outdoor patio. When the weather's nice, garage-like doors turn the restaurant into an outdoor setting in a flash. In winter, the outdoor fire pit and patio heaters keep visitors warm. On Friday and Saturday nights, La Cascada hosts a singer-songwriter concert series featuring regional artists or maybe you'll get lucky and hear the "king of country music" himself. And we love the country music that plays continuously throughout the resort.
La Cascada serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and a good selection of choices plus Happy Hour with local brews, specialty drinks, and Strait's Codigo 1530 Tequila. We enjoyed everything that we sampled some of which included:
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eggs, bacon, and sausage and some excellent hash browns plus a huge plate of fruit -
a perfectly cooked three egg omelet loaded with mushrooms, tomato, onion, sausage, bacon, and peppers
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a juicy tender 16 ounce ribeye steak with mashed potatoes, wood fired roasted vegetables, and an outstanding Caesar salad - wow!
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an egg dipped chicken breast with an outstanding mushroom cream sauce plus mashed potatoes and green beans and an appetizer of deviled eggs with tarragon, chives, and bacon
After each dinner we had to refuse the offer for dessert (it looked delicious) and waddled home and fell right to sleep!!
Puresol Salt Cave & Spa at Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort
After 36 holes of golf, some bike riding, and a hike up the hills I was sore and tired and ready for a relaxing spa treatment at Puresolspa & Salt Cave which is in the center of the guest rooms and next to the pool and fitness center. Wow - what a fantastic experience! I enjoyed a 50 minute "Deep Tissue Sports Massage" that "relieves aches and pains that are stored in the deepest part of the muscles." Mrs Texas Outside had a HydraFacial Treatment (a new breakthrough in skin resurfacing technology) at Puresol Spa and found it both relaxing, soothing, and very refreshing.
Following the massage and HydraFacial we spent forty relaxing and refreshing minutes in the salt rock cave. Puresolspa's Salt Cave is an authentic, therapeutic salt cave where guests enter through the cave's door, relax on a spa lounger while being surrounded by soothing music, and literally emerge not only more relaxed and tension-free, but healthier as well - I think I fell asleep during most of my 40 minutes. After the massage and salt rock cave I felt like a new man - no sore muscles, no knots, relaxed, and ready to go for some appetizers and drinks at Happy Hour. Click on this link to learn more about our visit to Puresolspa & Salt Cave.
Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort Amenities
You shouldn't get bored at Tapatio Springs Resort and the weather is perfect most of the year. Some of the amenities you can enjoy include:
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a resort pool with a bar, fire pits, cabanas, a kids slide, and comfortable pool furniture -
a fitness center loaded with fitness equipment to get me back in shape - if I had only visited it
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an adults pool with a waterfall, hot tub, and relaxing pool furniture
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miles of running, hiking, and biking trails around lakes and creeks and up and down the hills with some stunning scenery - you can ride or walk the cart path trails that were once a part of the nine hole Ridge Golf Course
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horseshoe pits and bean bag toss
- several fire rings spread throughout the property
Tapatio Springs Resort can also schedule special events and activities like horseback riding, wine tasting, antique shopping, kayaking, tubing, or birding.
Special Events at Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort
If you are planning an executive conference, corporate retreat, wedding, reunion or other special event, then you will find that Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort will help ensure that it is perfect and flawlessly executed. They have indoor and outdoor venues ranging from 500 to 6,000 square feet plus resort activities that center around team-building and camaraderie. The onsite kitchen facility can accommodate any of your dining requirements for breakfast, lunch or dinner. State-of-the-art audio visual equipment is available onsite. Cookouts and outdoor cocktail receptions can be held in a number of different locations including on the terrace patio overlooking the golf course or under the shade trees.
Planning on getting married? Then you need to consider Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort - they provide unforgettable scenery, full catering service with professional chefs, accommodations for 20 to 550 guests, plus an event coordinator to handle the detailed wedding planning and to ensure a perfect and memorable event. It's easy for all your friends and relatives to get to Tapatio Springs and they will love all of the
amenities and fun things to see and do prior to or after the wedding. You can choose from a variety of settings for the ceremony and reception including a beautiful site near the lake with tall limestone cliffs or the terrace patio overlooking the valley and golf course or the conference center with cathedral ceilings and dramatic lighting. Tapatio Springs will exceed your wedding expectations.
Things to See & Do Nearby Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort
One of the advantages of Tapatio Springs is that it is centrally located to a number of fun things to see and do. Here are a few of our recommendations:
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If you like to dance and party, then visit nearby Bandera, the “Cowboy Capital of Texas” with some lively honky tonks, live music, horses hitched up at bars, staged gunfights on the streets, and very fun cowboys and locals -
Boerne is about 10 miles away and has over 100 quaint antique shops, numerous historic sites and good restaurants
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Drive twenty minutes and you can enjoy all the sights and fun activities in San Antonio including: the Alamo, Sea World of Texas, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Retama Park horse racing track, and the Riverwalk - check out Texas Outside's Guide to San Antonio which also includes our Ten Fun Things To See & Do in San Antonio
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Just a few minutes away is Comfort with plenty of antique shops waiting for your hard earned money
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Enjoy a meal at Po Po Restaurant which has been a “Texas Tradition Since 1929” and visit their funky next door neighbor, the Nelson City Dance Hall for a good time and good music
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Rent a kayak or tube and take in the sights on the Guadalupe River
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Take a tour of Cascade Caverns (a “million years in the making”) or The Cave Without a Name -
If you have time, you need to check out Fredericksburg and Kerrville for shops, restaurants, wineries, and nightlife
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Visit Guadalupe River State Park for hiking, fishing or enjoying the Guadalupe River
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Play some of the other nearby courses or one the Best Courses in San Antonio - but only if you have played Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort a couple times
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Visit the AG Heritage Museum which features antique farming implements, tractors, and turn-of-the-century tools plus a working wood shop, pioneer house and a blacksmith shop
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Enjoy Cibolo Nature Center 100 acre greenbelt for hiking, biking, horseback riding, picnicking or birding
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Sip some good wine from Comfort Cellars Winery or Sister Creek Vineyards
Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort is a great place to spend some time - you should plan on more than two days to see and enjoy it all. Have fun.
About Texas Outside
Texas Outside has been alive & well since 1996 - that's ancient by today's internet standards! Texas Outside was originally developed by Lone Star Internet which is an Austin based web development company with an excellent reputation & client base. In March of 2006, we purchased Texas Outside & made a commitment to add new, exciting, & informative content on Texas outdoor activities & fun things to see & do.
