One last hurrah at Barton Creek Resort & Spa

Last weekend, Chris and Jude and I did our last hurrah as a family of three at Barton Creek Resort & Spa. Have you been there before? I went to the country club part last winter for Chris' holiday work party, but truth be told, I didn't actually know that there was a big, all-inclusive resort there that was open to the public. Having lived here in Austin for six years, I feel like I know my city pretty well, so it's always a surprise when I find something new that I love.
With four renowned courses, Barton Creek is a golfer's oasis. Much to our families' disappointment, Chris and I are not golfers, but nonetheless, we did appreciate the view from our room of the green, rolling hills and golf course.
Our room amenities were great! His and her bathrobes, chocolates on our pillow, and a giant, comfortable bed. Jude even got fresh baked cookies and milk at night and in the morning. Way to spoil us all! It was almost enough to make me want to stay in the room and never venture out!
Almost. Beside all the golf and tennis stuff, there was so much to see and do! For guests staying longer than a night, there were books to borrow, several dining options to discover, and even a theater open on the weekends that served meals while showing family-friendly movies! There were three really great boutiques on site, and I was pleasantly surprised to see each boutique bustling with lady shoppers, oohing and ahhing over the pretty clothes and accessories (name brands included Burberry, Tory Burch, Lily Pultizer, and Marc Jacobs). One lady in the spa shop bought over $500 worth of silky pajamas!

The resort was sold out last weekend, which was incredible considering there wasn't a major convention, tv show filming, or a giant celebrity wedding happening. April, who gave me a quick property tour guide, said a lot of families get away to Barton Creek Resort as a last hurrah before school starts up again. Even though every room was booked, the resort didn't feel crowded or noisy at all. What I did notice is that there were all sorts of people there: families with little kids, families with teenagers, groups of guys, groups of women, older couples, younger couples, etc.

Although there were plenty of dining options on site, I had my heart set on trying The County Line for the first time:
This is the original County Line location and only 1.5 miles away from the resort. It was definitely worth the little trip for the macaroni and peppered turkey alone, but Jude was anxious to get back for swimming, which we had been promising him all week:
The pool was amazing! We ended up staying in the pool past dark, and by the time we got back to our room, we were all ready to sleep. Needless to say, all that night swimming made us ravenous the next morning. Since we enjoyed the Autumn in Austin package, a giant breakfast buffet was included:
Every single one of my favorite breakfast foods were there: an omelet bar, puffy bagels with lox and capers, pastries and fresh fruit galore... I wanted to gorge myself but I had a prenatal massage scheduled for 11 a.m. (my first prenatal massage this pregnancy!), so I used a bit of restraint.
Jude and Chris headed back out to the pool (and the giant chessboard) while I prepared to get pampered. For my prenatal massage I saw a massage therapist named Saffron, who has worked at the resort for over 10 years. Nearly all the employees we met had worked there a long time, and I think that's a really great sign. My massage with Saffron was out of this world. Let me tell you, it was the most blissful 50 minutes I've had in a long, long time; the treatment room had a special cushion for pregnant ladies with a dip for big tummies. It was so nice to be able to lay on my stomach for a while!

The spa amenities were unbelievable. They have a "tranquility room" where spa patrons can relax before and after their treatments. I padded in there after my massage and took the tiniest snooze while my guys were still splashing about in the pool. There's also a women's only eucalyptus steam room, sauna, and jacuzzi, which I am for sure going to take advantage of the next time I return. Thankfully there is a locals "Spa Splash" deal which includes a 50-minute spa service, a pool pass for the day, a glass of wine, parking and up to 90 minutes of complimentary childcare. Who's with me? How does late October look for you? I'm going to ask for a day at the spa and a big bottle of their Texas Bliss Shampoo and Conditioner (made on site!) for my birthday.
Our family staycation at Barton Creek Resort was amazing. There were so many family friendly activities, and although it's just a quick drive away from our house in east Austin, we felt like we were a million miles away because we were able to completely relax, enjoy the hill country view, and take advantage of a lot of the fun offerings the resort had to offer. I'd love to make a staycation at Barton Creek Resort a family tradition of ours.

I'm on somewhat of a modified bedrest plan from now until I give birth (which is a huge bummer to me), so truly, this was a real treat for me and my little family.

Disclosure: This is an unpaid review. We were not obligated via compensation to provide a positive review, but resort package and spa treatment were comped in exchange for our honest, published, opinion. For more information, please see my complete disclosure policy.