During a Thanksgiving visit to JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa last month, I was invited to peek in on the resort’s Executive Pastry Chef, Marcos Gonzalez, and his pastry team, who were hard at work crafting 15 intricate structures for a gingerbread village reminiscent of 19th century Europe. It was incredible to see all of the fancy frosting and candy details up close (and incredibly hard not to sneak a tiny taste).
All of this sugary goodness went into creating the mouth-watering winter wonderland:
- 800 pounds of flour
- 500 pounds of sugar
- 250 pounds of fondant
- 200 pounds of candies
- 150 pounds of dark chocolate
- 150 pounds of white chocolate
- 100 pounds of nuts
- 100 pounds of molasses
Now, after nearly 1,600 hours spent building, designing, and decorating the enchanting display, the pastry team is proud to present their gingerbread creations to visitors from far and wide. Local visitors, daytrippers, and resort guests alike can visit the gingerbread houses in the resort’s lobby through the end of the year.
For more free holiday fun in San Antonio, head over here.
About JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa
The magic of the season will come alive in JW Marriott’s own backyard with the Illuminations light show, entertaining guests nightly now through December 31, 2015. Featuring thousands of twinkling lights choreographed to joyful holiday music, the outdoor wonderland will dazzle and delight guests every evening from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Vacationers will also enjoy the resort’s six-acre water park featuring heated pools and a 1,200-foot long lazy river. The resort’s bravest guests can take the Polar Plunge down one of the 45-foot tall and 225-foot long tower water slides into a brisk, unheated pool sure to illicit screams of delight. A variety of holiday experiences and activities are available during the season including visits from Santa and his trusty sidekick, Rudolph, every Saturday, Elf Tuck-Ins, a special class where guests ages 4-12 can learn how to become a “Certified JW San Antonio Elf”, breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus and much more.
Travelers wishing to take advantage of special holiday room rates beginning at $199 per night or the resort’s Our Gift to You Package must book reservations online using promotional code 22H, or call 1-210-276-2500. With the Our Gift to You Package, travelers booking by Dec. 30, 2015, and visiting before Jan. 18, 2016, will receive a $50 daily resort credit as a special holiday gift.
