The Need For Speed

Road trip heaven: A Texas hotel gives guests a BMW for free when they check in

Summer road trip season may be racing toward an end, but one of Texas' most posh resorts wants to keep the fun going with an intriguing freebie.

Head to the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa anytime between Aug. 27 and Oct. 26. While there, hotel guests can check out one of nine BMW models absolutely free. Drivers don't even pay for gas. Check a car out for three hours during the day or five hours in the evening for a "dinner drive."

"The (hotel) is dedicated to offering our guests best in class amenities," general manager Arthur Coulombe says in a statement. "The BMW Resort Driving Tour provides them the opportunity to experience the beautiful Hill Country region in a luxurious automobile during their stay with us."

No word from the hotel on whether guests are allowed to attempt to recreate the short film in which Clive Owen tosses a very spoiled Madonna around the back seat while hooning in an M5, but we assume that sort of, ahem, spirited driving is frowned upon.

Still, these aren't stripped down 3-series with crank windows (do those even exist anymore?). Choices include two convertibles, the 650i coupe and the big body 750Li.

Of course, when visitors aren't exploring the Hill County's famous scenic drives, the resort offers plenty of ways to relax. Try the six-acre waterpark, 36 holes of golf or full spa. The hotel is also about a half hour drive from downtown San Antonio, which is in the middle of major upswing in its dining scene.

Rates start at $309 per night, and those booking a two-night stay will receive a $100 per night resort credit. That's a definite splurge for most people, but it does come with a few hours of seat time in a Beemer.

Just resist the urge to go all Transporter.

Lounge on the back patio at JW Marriott in San Antonio.

Photos courtesy of JW Marriott San Antonio

Lounge on the back patio at JW Marriott in San Antonio.

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go rural

Tiny West Texas town tops Airbnb's 'off-the-map' destinations to visit

Matador, Texas, Airbnb, best rural destinations

Photo courtesy of Airbnb

Welcome to Matador, Texas.

More Texas travelers are shying away from tourist traps for their vacations and instead embracing the calming roadside with increasing interest in rural areas of the state, according to Airbnb, and one tiny Texas city in the Panhandle is generating buzz atop a brand-new list of under-the-radar rural destinations in America.

The vacation rental marketplace's inaugural "Off-the-Map" list features 20 rural destinations across the country where short-term rentals are bringing in "new opportunities for local tourism."

"From coastal fishing villages to Cajun bayou towns and alpine mountain escapes, America Off-the-Map invites travelers to discover something new and helps support local economies and communities across the country," the report said.

Matador, a small town about 80 miles northeast of Lubbock and 530 miles from Houston, was named the No. 1 hidden gem vacation destination in Texas. The report described Matador as a part of Texas that tourists "haven’t found" yet, which is what makes it all the more rewarding as an undiscovered treasure.

"Welcome to the seat of Motley County – where the wind is constant, the skies are enormous, and the history is deeper than the caprock beneath your boots," the report said.

Visitors can explore the Motley County Historical Museum, which explores the building's history as the Traweek Hospital that was originally built nearly a century ago. The museum also sheds light on Native American history, the life of ranchers, and other historical facts about the town and county.

Local restaurants like Chelle's Garden or TC's Ponderosa in nearby Dickens are good spots for travelers to eat like a local, while the Coffee Mill and Mercantile in Quitaque is the place to be for breakfast, lunch, and a cup of joe.

Matador is also less than an hour away from the newly expanded Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway, a popular Texas state park known for its roaming bison herd and bat colony.

According to Airbnb's website, there are over 130 short-term rentals in Matador and the surrounding Motley County area, with some homes available for $172 for an overnight stay in April 2026.

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