Alila Ventana Big Sur Pool and Spa Daycation

Meals: All inclusive meals with picture perfect views at this resort, which should be the focal point of your stay. However, the wait staff seemed to have forgotten an item during every meal we ate. I normally wouldn't mind this, but for the price per night, I'd expect a little more than having to wait until the end of the meal (that's when they reappear) to remind the waiter. Room: If you don't mind being naked in the shower with a thin see-through sheet covering the glass doors, then this place is for you. Our room also happens to be missing the doors that block the bathtub from the bed. I now understand why no kids are allowed. Activities: Awesome activities hosted by a wonderful lady. Very knowledgeable with the resort and the land surrounding it. We picked a bunch of aromatic herbs and flowers to make a bouquet, brought it back to our room, and set it out to dry on the balcony. There are also several independent activities such as swimming, playing pool, chess, puzzles.

Overall, the property was excellent. The staff, especially the room service team, were very friendly and attentive. However, the restaurant service was a bit inconsistent during busy times—while some servers were very friendly and helpful, others were not as attentive. The dinner at the restaurant was great, but lunch and breakfast were just average. The resort offers a variety of activities, and I participated in two, both of which were fantastic. The hosts were knowledgeable and welcoming, making the experiences even more enjoyable. I highly recommend trying out the activities during your stay. We were celebrating an anniversary, and thanks to our Hyatt Globalist status, we were graciously upgraded to a big sur Villa.

Not impressed overall. The setting is beautiful however there were several things that made the property fall very short of a luxurious stay. Our room was on the first floor and I would strongly warn against this. The noise from above was awful. Also the outside shower from above leaked onto our patio making our outdoor shower completely useless. In room dinning arrived with errors every time-we found this frustrating because you text your order-it’s in writing. We even had one delivery person argue that we didn’t order French toast when it was right there in the text-we did get a reimbursement for this mistake. Dinner every night was outside. No option for indoor dinning despite the low temperatures. We froze the first night not realizing this and didn’t have coats. Not sure why you’d want to eat a dinner wearing a coat but that seemed to be the expectation. Food was ok-nothing to write home about and seemed very limited in choices. We stayed 3 nights and there were maybe 5 options…considering some people don’t eat meat or seafood this was disappointing. Also the menu for in room dining isn’t the same-also disappointing since you have a $10 delivery fee. Service was the biggest disappointment. We arrived and valet took our keys and bags but said nothing about where to go from there. We had to ask. Checked in with status and they more or less couldn’t have cared less-no acknowledgement whatsoever. Massages were great -they were the best part. We hiked on property but even that was disappointing because you’re actually on roads that have occasional cars so you’re eating dust when that happens. Housekeeping ignored the do- not -disturb sign and one night walked right in on my husband and I. Also there is a free cocktail every night 4-5pm but its one drink-they never change it and it has gin in it-so if you don’t like gin-no drink. Overall the vibe I got was very cheap. It’s supposed to be all-inclusive but there are all kinds of annoying extra charges. Would definitely consider visiting the area again but sadly would not stay at this hotel again.

We managed to book two nights last minute using our Hyatt points, which turned out perfectly for our 19th wedding anniversary celebration. Check-in was smooth and quick, and we were generously upgraded to a suite with a fireplace, a luxurious bathroom, and a hammock on the balcony. The room had a cozy, cabin-like atmosphere with a gentle, dim lighting that felt like a retreat in the woods. The resort has plenty to keep you entertained, including heated pools, a Japanese bath, gym, pool table, and scenic hiking trails. You can also pre-book paid activities like axe-throwing and knife-making for extra fun. This is the ideal spot if you’re looking to unwind and relax in luxury. The location truly made it special, perched along the rugged Pacific Coast that made it feel secluded from the world. Even the air seemed quieter, adding to the peaceful vibe. All meals were included, even room service, and the food quality was excellent overall. While a few dishes could have been better, we were very pleased with most of the offerings. As a bonus, the Big Sur Wine & Food Festival was taking place at the hotel, and all guests were given complimentary entry. Since the restaurant space was used for the event, dinner service wasn’t offered, but we loved the free wine and local bites. Our favorite was the lobster bisque with caviar. Late check-out wasn’t offered, which seems to be the norm, but we were welcome to enjoy the property for as long as we wanted, have lunch, and relax by the pool before leaving. We felt fully recovered from our stay and cannot wait to return. If you’re looking to visit Alila, here are some tips: * Arrive at the property early—even before check-in time—so you can take advantage of the pool area and explore the hiking trails. * Enjoy lunch on the restaurant terrace to soak in the view. You can do this on both your arrival and departure days for a perfect start and end to your stay. * If your room has a bathtub, indulge in a relaxing soak in the evening. Room service provides bath salts to enhance the experience. * Plan to stay for 2-3 nights. A single night won’t be enough to fully enjoy everything the property has to offer.

We thought Ventana might be a nice place to honeymoon but we weren’t prepared for the level of service, attention to detail, delicious food at Sur House, and fun activities. Our room was cleaned twice a day and offered a beautiful view of the redwoods. When it came time to head to Sur House for a meal, we could either walk the gravel path in the forest or text a number for a ride and have an electric vehicle come pick us up promptly. It felt like adult summer camp with the activities: suiting up to handle bee hives, axe throwing, botanical pours, and foraging through the garden. Kaitlyn, our guide for these experiences, was awesome, and she gave us the best recs for a couple cool, short hikes in the area that aren’t heavily advertised. I also cannot underscore how incredible the couples massage experience was. It was the best massage I’ve ever received and the whole experience with a hot bath overlooking the redwoods was worth every penny. We thought that since the food was included it would be good but not great. Nope. It was incredible. And Eduardo, our server most days, was fantastic. It felt special to have the same server most every meal too. Our room had a hot tub but we actually preferred the Infiniti edge heated pool overlooking the redwoods, as it was cooler. Our toughest decisions each day consisted of choosing which pool to lay by, or whether to play board games, roast s’mores in our fireplace in our suite, or use the Japanese hot baths after dinner. We already miss Ventana and are planning our next trip back. I would note for those not from California that the marine layer—the fog over the ocean—prevents you from seeing the water. So it looks like you’re in the clouds, but it’s still beautiful nonetheless with the mountains and redwoods in the back.