Alila Ventana Big Sur

The price doesn't match the experience. The people are great, the rooms are amazing, and the property is fantastic. But it's not a Four Seasons-type experience. You have to get up and go order your drinks at the pool; no one is coming to check on you; drinks at the pool are very limited. Food menus at breakfast and lunch stay the same, and the dinner menus barely change, so if you were there more than a few nights, you might run out of interesting food options, and for the price, that isn't acceptable. Food is good but not great. The food was overdone or underdone several times, and even when I sent it back, it came back wrong again. I think a lot of this feedback seems very rediculous, but when you are paying over $3,000 a night you are going to have high expectations and when its just good not great, well then that is not acceptable.

The only place to stay in Big Sur. The property feels very remote, yet close to the coast highway. Panoramic views of the forest and ocean. Didn't realize that meals were included when I booked. The food was fabulous. They make changes to the menu each night. Poolside menu great too. Wonderful massage at the spa. Our room had spectacular views, comfortable bed and furnishings. Everything in the room was clean and showed no wear. Activities included if that's your thing. We chose to chill by the pool, enjoy the spa, and take in the scenic beauty. The resort is geared for adults. Would not recommend for the kiddos but highly recommend for a nice adult getaway.

I found this to be very mediocre. There is nothing terribly wrong. Everything was "nice", and nothing more than that. It certainly did not wow us or exceed any expectation. For nearly $3,000 a night, it felt like a waste of money. We came from the Four Seasons San Francisco Embarcadero which was 1/6 the price and a bit more polished. At this price point. one would expect something amazing, but this stay did not deliver in that regard. It's certainly not a bad place to stay. If this was an $1,000 a night experience I'd say it's ok, but at the league they are playing in price wise, the level of service is not there. This was not like a world class Aman or Four Seasons property despite being priced comparably.

The property itself is absolutely beautiful and incredibly peaceful, and there were several aspects of our stay that we really enjoyed. The food was excellent, and the service at the restaurant was amazing. We had just returned from our wedding celebration in Spain, and with it being my partner’s birthday, we decided at the last minute to spend a night at Alila Ventana Big Sur. Rooms were running close to $3,000 for the night, but we were fortunate to book using 65,000 World of Hyatt points. Given the caliber and price point of the property, as well as my Globalist status with World of Hyatt, I was disappointed with the overall recognition and service surrounding our stay. My Globalist status was never acknowledged at check-in. We did receive an upgrade to a room with a fireplace, which we appreciated. I completely understand that suite upgrades are not guaranteed; however, since we were only staying one night and suites were showing as available when we booked that morning and oddly were even priced lower than some standard rooms. I was a little surprised that a suite upgrade was not offered. The biggest disappointment, however, was the late checkout policy. I was surprised to learn that this property does not honor the 4:00 PM late checkout benefit normally associated with Globalist status. Standard checkout was 11:00 AM, and after quite a bit of back and forth with the concierge, we were only granted an additional hour until noon. For a one-night stay at a property commanding nearly $3,000 per night, having to leave by noon significantly limited the amount of time we could actually enjoy the resort. Overall, Alila Ventana Big Sur is a stunning property with an incredible setting, excellent food, and wonderful restaurant service. However, for a hotel positioned at this level within the Hyatt portfolio, I expected a more elevated experience when it came to service, recognition of elite status, and flexibility. At 65,000 points or nearly $3,000 for a single night, those details make a meaningful difference in whether the experience feels worth the premium.

The BEST couples trip! Everything is truly 10/10 - the food, the lovely staff, the rooms, the grounds and every corner of the property. It's one of those trips we talk about all the time and can't wait to go back.