We had an absolutely fantastic stay (our 3rd) at this property and this has got to be one of our favourite Hyatt hotels in the US if not our absolute favourite. The property is spacious and spread out with gorgeous mountain, valley and ocean views. The all inclusive meals were excellent and service was great. We cannot recommend this property enough and cannot wait to be back again!
I chose to celebrate my birthday at the Alila Ventana Big Sur this year as I have friends who have stayed and rave about this resort as well as read many positive reviews online. Choosing to stay at this resort is without a doubt one of the best decisions I’ve made. The resort staff went above and beyond in recognizing our celebratory getaway. We had the most memorable and amazing time! The resort is well situated in one of the most scenic places in the continental US. It is breathtakingly beyond beautiful. To sum it up, it is PARADISE. This property is well maintained and has luxurious amenities. The staff, from the moment we arrived up to departure have provided stellar service. Food at the main restaurant and in room dining is excellent. Everything about this place is spectacular! …
Our fifth stay and the place is of course amazing. But for the price, I continue to be puzzled by the service issues. Eating at the pool usually means running around trying to find someone to help you, and hope you ever get your food or drinks. Overall, it just feels a little disorganized and unpolished. This time, old towels and food stayed at the pool area without anyone ever cleaning up even though clearly the previous guests had long left. Just to be clear - the front desk is always terrific, no issues, the problem seems to be primarily around the main pool area and sometimes at the restaurant (they often seem understaffed).
A wonderful stay in one of the most spectacular locations on the planet! The staff could not have been more attentive, the accommodations were luxurious and beyond beautiful rivaled only by the scenery and the setting overlooking the Pacific Ocean and huge redwood trees. A perfect place to enjoy peace, serenity and the beauty of nature.
We had a beautiful time walking around the property admiring the forest , the weather wasn’t in our favor at this time but we are looking to a new opportunity to go and enjoy the beautiful pool, spa and massage, this was our first experience on this amazing property.
My wife and I chose Ventana Big Sur to celebrate our anniversary. Our experience was exquisite starting with the location of the resort on a forested ridge with views of the Pacific. The food was outstanding and the service impeccable.
I’ll start with the positive. The property is beautiful and the staff I met in person were always lovely. Room service was a miss every single time, and it rained during our entire stay, so that was really the only option for us. It got progressively worse, with a 2 hour wait for lunch on our final full day, followed by receiving cold food after following up multiple times. It appeared to have been made at least an hour before it got to us. At least 2 things were missing from every order. Ketchup was not brought with breakfast 2/3 mornings. And the cherry on top was finding out items had been stolen from our car when we were leaving on the final day. I’d be pretty bummed if I dealt with this at any property. But for it to have happened at this extremely expensive resort, which boasts world class service, was pretty unbelievable. This kind of place is well beyond our means and this was an extremely special occasion we had planned almost a year in advance. It’s unfathomable thinking about spending even a fraction of what it costs to stay here, to get this kind of experience. C’est la vie! …
We went to this resort as a getaway for a birthday. Given the hefty price tag, we were expecting a lot and it delivered. The stunning backdrop, the michelin-level food, the impeccable service. As Globalist members, we were upgraded to a beautiful suite that opened to a balcony from both the room and the bathroom. Rooms were stylish and clean. Waiting at the room are some reusable water bottles as goodies. In addition, we received Globalist welcome amenities of a bottle of wine and some Cheese/Honey/Crackers. On top of that we were also given a bouquet of flowers and a card for our birthday woman! Finally, all rooms come with complementary goodies stocked in the mini-bar with craft granola bars, chocolate covered fruits and a variety of sparkling/still water and soda. The rooms also come with a fireplace with 3 stocked wood packs to make a cozy fire during chillly nights, a retro- style record player and all the modern ports and outlets to charge your devices. The bathroom was nice but not luxury - with a large bathtub and his/her sinks, as well as a view into the bedroom and the balcony leading to the great outdoors. We really enjoyed the all-inclusive nature of the resort as well with three high quality complementary meals and a happy hour with one free drink and Hors d'oeuvre. Free activities while limited to four/day were great as well. We participated in one of the morning workouts in the Library as well as a couple of the hikes in the afternoon. The guides were knowledgeable and great at engaging the crowd. The pools and hot springs were also a crowd-favorite as well. Overall we had a fantastic time, and would definitely return in the future. …
All the staff were most helpful. They were always asking if they could do anything. Most relaxing hotel stay we ever had. Great view of the Pacific. Big Sur is such a beautiful place. The meals were outstanding.
This is long overdue, but even though it's been a couple months, I still think of my time at Ventana fondly. I went to Ventana for a girl's weekend babymoon getaway in November 2022. I was 14 weeks pregnant at the time, and Ventana was so accommodating! My entire experience was more than I could have ever imagined. Our room was not quite ready for us when we arrived, as it was still close to noon, so we hung out in the green space by the pool that overlooked the ocean and had lunch outside. I still can't get over how gorgeous those views are! After lunch, our room was ready, and our room overlooked the ocean with beautiful high wooden beam ceilings and a nice soaking tub with sea salts that was used multiple times during our stay. Throughout the weekend, my friend and I dived into many of the activities that were offered, and they were all led by the wonderful and engaging Katie, who is the property's activities person and gardener! We did a tour of her bee-keeping area and her garden with fresh produce used by the restaurant before her cocktail making class. Since she knew I was pregnant, she led me through a delicious mocktail rendition of a lavender honey and rosemary honey gin fizz (all natural from the property). The next morning, I went on the offered redwood hike overlooking the ocean, while learning the history of Ventana's property, also led by Katie, which for my pregnant self, was the perfect 4 mile hike. That same afternoon, I took a Cabernet and Macramé class where we created wine bottle holders in the beautiful Glass House. The location of class was an absolute wonderful surprise as it was the best views on the property. Again, since I couldn't have wine, Katie had specialty mocktails made for me from the bar. I ended my evening with a prenatal massage and lavender scrub with Lorena. Along with their Japanese hot baths (clothing optional), and infinity pool overlooking the redwoods, I couldn't ask for a better ending to the night! Food-wise, on my first night, we ended the evening with the property's inclusive happy hour of their famous Marine Layer cocktail (mine was sans-alcohol), and the most delicious dinner consisting of grilled prawns for appetizers, plump, perfectly grilled scallops, and delicious fall desserts of carrot cake and a apple turnover with ice cream. I was stuffed and happy. On my final night, my friend and I decided to check out the BBQ smokehouse at the entrance of the property, where I had a generous helping of ribs, brisket, and potato salad, which I highly recommend. My overall food experiences were all on point. Not to mention, the property served smores and hot chocolate every evening! Needless to stay, my girl's weekend getaway was a huge success, and I owe so much of the experience to Ventana's wonderful and accommodating staff, most of them who live on property and are Big Sur locals! I would go back to Ventana in a heartbeat! It was definitely a five-star experience for me! …
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