Hyatt Vacation Club Wild Oak Ranch: A San Antonio Nature Escape

Hyatt Vacation Club’s Wild Oak Ranch in San Antonio, Texas, offers a secluded, nature-focused escape that feels authentically Texan. It sits on a sprawling 39-acre property, roughly 15 miles from both the airport and tourist attractions like the Alamo, and features a restaurant, lazy river and nature trail.

Even though it’s far from the hustle and bustle of downtown, there’s no shortage of things to do. As a homesick Texan, I felt like the property’s laid-back charm and fun activities were a warm welcome back.

Wild Oak Ranch covered my stay and meals, but the opinions expressed in my review are my own and not influenced by the resort.

Not officially Hyatt, but bookable with Hyatt points

Although Hyatt Vacation Club carries the Hyatt name, it’s a separate entity from Hyatt Hotels and Resorts that offers timeshare ownership. If you don’t own a timeshare, you can also pay for a stay with cash or use World of Hyatt points.

Hyatt hotels fall into one of eight categories. The higher the category, the more points it will cost to stay there. Wild Oak Ranch is a category 4 hotel, so rooms will normally start at 15,000 points, though you might be able to snag a 12,000-point night with an off-peak rate. A peak night will cost 18,000 points. Between June and September 2025, I found nightly rates between $160 for an off-peak night and $222 for a peak night.

Hyatt loyalists looking for a stash of points should consider the World of Hyatt Credit Card, which has an annual fee of $95. On top of a lucrative sign-up bonus, cardholders get a free night award each year that can be used at category 1 to 4 hotels. But if you’re not loyal to one hotel brand, you can also transfer points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio from Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card or some Chase cards, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

Location

Wild Oak Ranch is well within city limits, but the resort feels pretty secluded and provides a nice escape from the crowds in downtown San Antonio.

While you won’t have quite the same experience at a resort in a city as you would in smaller Texas Hill Country towns, the location just can’t be beat. It’s quite incredible to have a large hotel property with so many outdoor activities this close to an airport and only a 10-minute drive to the nearest HEB, a popular grocery chain based in the city.

Rooms

Wild Oak Ranch rooms range in size from studios to three-bedroom suites. All the suites have a full kitchen and a balcony and most also have a washer and dryer. The studio rooms have a kitchenette.

I stayed in a one-bedroom suite and was pleasantly surprised how spacious it was. Depending on when you book, nightly rates can range from around $200 to $300. Cash will likely be a better option for this room, since you’ll need to shell out 21,000 to 27,000 Hyatt points to stay here.

The kitchen is also very large for a hotel suite, and it would be easy to cook a full meal here.

The bathroom is massive, with a shower, tub and long vanity that would easily hold everyone’s toiletries. I also appreciated that there were entrances to the bathroom from both the bedroom and the common area.

Dining

Since most rooms have full kitchens, this hotel is definitely geared towards cooking more than dining out. But there is one restaurant on the property, J.B.’s Poolside Restaurant, which has a casual, pub-like vibe and offers southwestern cuisine. There’s nothing particularly unique about the restaurant’s fare, but I did enjoy the tacos I ordered.

The Grounds

The resort’s 39 acres feature a nature trail, a firepit area, an indoor/outdoor pool, a lazy river and lawn games.

Even though you can swim outside in an unheated pool for a lot of the year in San Antonio, I love that the pool is both heated and partially indoors. Even if it’s unseasonably cold when you visit, you’ll still be able to swim.

Kids will also enjoy the slide.

But my favorite feature, by far, is the lazy river. Even though it was a man-made pool, the trees lining the path reminded me of floating the Guadalupe River 45 miles north in New Braunfels.

Sure, you won’t get quite as spectacular a view at the lazy river, but you also can’t order a cocktail while floating the Guadalupe. My only complaint: It was a little hard to snag an adult-sized tube.

Activities

Wild Oak Ranch also offers activities that kids and adults will enjoy. During my trip, we did a resin-making class, a wine tasting featuring Texas wines, and lessons on how to make guacamole and tortillas.

Like any self-respecting Texan, I’ve been making guacamole since I was a kid (though I’ll never say no to making — and eating — more). But I loved the tortilla-making class. I’ve also made tortillas before, but they’ve always turned out pretty tough. The instructor taught us how to make softer, chewier flour tortillas by adding baking soda.

Is it worth visiting?

If you’re going to San Antonio for its rich history, staying downtown will be closer to the action and give you more of a quintessential San Antonio experience. But if you’re primarily looking for a quieter vacation, Wild Oak Ranch allows you to enjoy nature with all the convenience of staying in a city. Texans will likely feel immediate familiarity with this hotel’s design and activities, while people from out-of-state will get a slice of the Lone Star State without ever having to leave the grounds.