Source: San Antonio Express News
By Valentino Lucio
The Hyatt Hill Country Resort and Spa, coming up on its 20th year, is undergoing a $35 million overhaul.
Resort owner Woodbine Development Corp. on Tuesday announced details of the renovations, which include expanding indoor meeting space, building a 20,000-square-foot ballroom, updating all 500 guest rooms, increasing the water park footprint and making landscaping improvements.
The updates, which started in October, are expected to be complete by next fall.
“This was something that needed to be done, and we’ve wanted to do it for a while,” said Melody Goeken, director of public relations for the 300-acre resort on the far West Side. The expansion, she added, will allow the resort to book more meetings concurrently.
The indoor meeting space is expected to double from 35,000 square feet to about 70,000, which includes the ballroom addition. The ballroom can be divided into six sections to accommodate more groups.
“The space echoes the classic Hill Country design of the hotel with tall windows, forged-iron light fixtures and natural stone details,” said Susan Bruce, senior associate with the interior design team, WATG and Wimberly Interiors.
Each guest room will be gutted, refurnished and fitted with carpet, tile and fixtures, Goeken said.
Updates to outside meeting spaces include the addition of a 7,200-square-foot courtyard complemented with a limestone fireplace, along with a 5,000-sqaure-foot event lawn that will be connected to the ballroom.
Looking to distinguish its existing 4-acre water park from others in the area, the resort will add a 22-foot water slide and a wave machine that allows a stand-up boarding option. The new amenities will increase the water park’s footprint to 5 acres.
Landscaping improvements include replacing non-native plant species with native plants and the addition of energy-efficient lighting and retaining walls to prevent erosion.
The hotel, which opened in 1993, had its most recent renovation in 2008.
Rates are expected to increase, but by how much was unclear. Throughout the year, rates range from $199 to $399, Goeken said.