SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, USA -- As a travel writer, writing about resorts is always my toughest job. Of course, they have beautifully appointed rooms and grounds, great amenities and good service. But you, the traveler, are usually spending a respectable (and depending on the resort, an exorbitant amount of money for the privilege of enjoying those amenities. But what makes writing about resorts so tough is that they are often indistinctive beyond the fact they offer great services and amenities.

So when it came to write about the Westin La Cantera Resort in San Antonio, Texas, I started to think, what made this resort different from the others. And before I knew it, the article was written. There are a so many factors that set this resort apart, the article wrote itself.

Like all Westin resorts this one has a world class fitness facility and in room fitness tips and workouts available via your television set. It offers Westin's "Heavenly Bath and Heavenly Bed" amenities, which truly are luxurious and include premium spa quality soaps and shampoos, comfy gorgeous linens and lots of pillows!

But after that the differences become apparent beginning with the decor, ambiance and sense of place in the resort's common areas -- lobby, restaurants, lounges, etc.

The La Cantera Resort sits on the edge of the Texas Hill Country, a land steeped with lore, legend and Texas tall tales. All of the resort's restaurants and shops are named for real people (or at least local legends). Short histories of the people are posted throughout the resort, giving visitors a sense of what this land used to be in the time of conquistadors, padres, prospectors and cattle barons.

Perched high on a hilltop overlooking downtown San Antonio (about 14 1/2 miles away) on one side and the Texas Hill Country on the other, it's difficult to believe this granite boulder peppered land was once deemed "worthless." It went through a lot of changes through the centuries from ranch to resort.

Today the land that Sam Brannon based his cattle fortune upon is home to a spectacular modern resort that draws its architectural roots from the Texas historical influences that came before it -- high white plastered walls, muted red tile roof, blue slate flooring, carved wooden furnishings and loomed rugs reflecting the spirit of the southwest. The pools and courtyards, seen through the wide double doors of the lobby, are reminiscent of strolling through a Spanish Mission garden, albeit one surrounded by a huge luxury hotel.

Because of its unique location and surrounding attractions, everyone in the family will enjoy a getaway to the Westin La Cantera resort.

Something for the Kids
The kids will be excited to learn that the resort is right next door to Six Flags Fiesta Texas Themed Amusement Park. Mom and Dad will be excited that the La Cantera resort regularly runs incredible bargain packages during the summer that include 4 Fiesta Texas passes, deluxe hotel room for 2 nights and free breakfasts during the stay, all for an incredibly low price (call the resort for details). These packages are so inexpensive you almost can't afford not to go! You can't usually get a room alone for these prices, let alone a package that includes breakfasts and amusement park tickets -- it's like getting the tickets for free!

Built in the remains of an old rock quarry, Six Flags Fiesta Texas celebrates the Texas lands and heritage too -- in a cheesy commercial theme park sort of way. The park's themed areas pay tribute to the Spanish, German and Western heritage of the area, as well as the nostalgia of 1950s San Antonio. But lets face it, you don't go to Six Flags for history and culture, you go for rides and roller coasters. The park delivers enough options to merit weighing the wisdom of whether or not chowing down on churros and cotton candy all afternoon really is such a good idea after all. Nonetheless, the kids and the roller coaster fans will have fun and the unusual setting of an amusement park nestled among high granite walls makes this park particularly scenic.

The kids will also enjoy La Cantera's Enchanted Rock kids club which offers all kinds of supervised activities for kids that will give mom and dad some alone time. Click for details.

World Class Golf
Golfers will love the unique award winning courses here, which are quickly becoming the home of the Texas open PGA tournament. The 7,001 yard, par 72 championship caliber golf course has won nearly every major golfing award possible, including "Best New Public Course of the Year" (Golf Digest), #1 Course in Texas (Golf Digest), and "One of America;s Best Golf Courses for 1995." Not content to rest on their lauhrefs, the resort developed a second course, the 250 acre, par 71 course designed by Arnold Palmer. The natural beauty of the land shines through all the golf experiences at La Cantera with rock croppings, dry creeks, rolling hills and spectacular views all around.

If your game needs some help, the La Cantera Golf Academy, where you can work out the kinks on a 15 acre practice facility, is the place to go. The state-of-the-art school offers a 4:1 student/teacher ratio, so your golf game will be up to par in no time.

Pools, Spas and Shopping
If golf or roller coasters aren't your thing, no problem. You can work out at the resorts gym with fitness routines designed by Reebok, or take a swim in one of the resorts many pools. Especially scenic and tranquil are the "lost quarry" pools, a series of five pools connected by bridges and channels, and featuring a waterfall, water slide and two hot tubs.

After exercise, relax in the full service spa where you can enjoy a variety of services including massage, facials, manicures and pedicures and more. Especially recommended are the hot stone massages, and the seaweed facial (which also includes a little massage and hot stone treatment too). There's something deeply relaxing in the steady penetrating warmth of the smooth heated stones on the body.

After relaxing, indulge your materialistic side at the Shops at La Cantera -- a beautiful outdoor high end shopping experience, just a 3 minute free shuttle ride from the hotel. Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Dillard's and a host of upscale boutiques greet visitors with a wide variety of designer clothing and merchandise.

Dining at La Cantera
The resort offers lots of dining options from casual to haute cuisine. For breakfast, head downstairs to Brannon's Cafe where you can order off the menu or simply help yourself to the extensive breakfast buffet set out each morning. The buffet options really gives you the best of both worlds, as you can still order omelets made to your liking, while having the option to graze on the large assortment of fruits, pastries, yogurts, cereals and more.

If hunger strikes while on the links, point your golf cart towards the Palmer Grille for casual fare with a southwest flair. Our favorites at the Palmer Grill were the Chicken Tortilla Soup (homemade poblano chicken broth with tomato, chicken manchaca, avocado, shredded cheddar cheese and crunchy tortilla strips) and the Mesquite Plank Grilled Salmon (served with tomato, avocado and pineapple, along with sautéed spinach and potatoes).

The whole family will enjoy the rustic Texas food and atmosphere at the La Cantera grill. The view here off the patio is amazing, so weather permitting, you may want to dine outdoors here. During the summertime, the La Cantera grill is a wonderful vantage point from which to take in the nightly fireworks displays at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. The culinary team at the La Cantera Grill carry the theme through to their signature dessert, a decadent brownie hot fudge sundae, brightly ablaze with an actual sparkler. Kids and adults alike (the latter often shyly) delight in the extravagant and flamboyant presentation, not to mention the dessert lover's dream nestled under the whipped cream and flaying sparks.

But man does not live by dessert alone, and the La Cantera grille offers some hearty fare that can fill up the hungriest of cowboys. This is Texas, and of course, the steaks are excellent. If you like your steak with a southwest flair, try the Chile Rubber Tenderloin, which is served with a savory mushroom polenta, avocado relish, asparagus tips and a pepper jack cheese enchilada. Purists can also enjoy premium steaks with red wine demi-glace, béarnaise sauce, horseradish cream sauce or simply seasoned with coarse ground sea salt and cracked black pepper.

If you're not in the mood for steak, try the Black Striped bass with Sweet Onion, Honey Glazed Smoked Salmon, Roast Chicken or Lobster Tails. While there are no vegetarian entrees on the regular menu, there are a wide variety of vegetable side dishes, and an incredible salad made with Blue Cheese and Marinated Tomatoes that's practically a meal in itself.

As usual, we save the best for last. The resort's signature restaurant, Francesca's at Sunset, raises the culinary bar, presenting some of the best (if not the best) gourmet fare in San Antonio. The menu is a collaborative effort between consulting celebrity chef Mark Miller (of Coyote Cafe and Sage fame), Executive Chef John Northcutt, and Chef de Cuisine Jesse Perez. The result is gourmet fare with a distinctive Southwest and Texas flair. The menu changes seasonally, but you can always expect at least one game dish on the menu. In addition to the exquisite cuisine, you'll also find memorable views at this romantic restaurant -- they don't call it Francesca's at Sunset for nothing. Try to time your dinner so you can advantage of nature's daily light show in the sky.

After dining, stop in at Steinheimers for a cocktail, a fine cigar and/or a game of shuffleboard. Take look up while there. You'll find a painted replica of the bar's namesake's legendary treasure map on the ceiling. The old Texas prospector's gold was never found. For all we know it may still be buried somewhere in the Texas Hill Country.

San Antonio
With so much to do at the resort, you may be tempted to never leave. But don't forget, you're an easy 14 freeway miles away from downtown San Antonio with its scenic river walk and historic attractions like the Alamo and the Mission Trail. While there are no shuttles from the hotel, it's an easy drive if you have a rental car.

Practicalities
The Westin La Cantera Resort is located at 16641 La Cantera Parkway in San Antonio. Call 800-WESTIN-1 toll free for reservations or visit www.WestinLaCantera.com for more information.

The Shops at La Cantera are located at 15900 La Cantera Parkway in San Antonio. Find out more at www.TheShopsAtLaCantera.com.

Six Flags Fiesta Texas is opened seasonally (closed in winter), call 800-473-4378 for more information or visit the Fiesta Texas website.

For more information about visiting San Antonio in general, call the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-ALAMO-07 or click to www.SanAntonioVisit.com.

For more information about visiting the charming town of Fredericksburg in the nearby Texas Hill Country, call 888-997-3600 or visit www.fredericksburg-texas.com.