Alila Ventana Big Sur

The stay at Alila Ventana Big Sur was relaxing. The room was specious with look of greens. Although they advertised the room as ocean view, but it was mostly block with plants. Although an All-inclusive resort, I found it quite boring at the hotel. We only sign up for redwood hike as there were fees for other activities. I do find the hotel does not utilize the property to its full potential, such that the loft is empty with only a pool table, The library is not open, the gym is super small with only one treadmill and very few equipment. Also, the only place to grab a coffee is at the restaurant or in room dining with $10 delivery fee. The food at sur house was okay, the view probably out-beat the food. It was also very weird to make s’more with a fireplace. I can say I had a relaxed two days trip because there was nothing to do basically. But the room itself was nice with the big tub. The housekeeper didn’t come for turndown on the second day but came knocking at 9pm. For an all inclusive experience like this, I’d rather take a cruise or go to Mexico.

The food is not as good as it once was. They are clearly cutting costs to boost profits. They cut out the free marine layer cocktail at happy hour, and the dinner was not good. I went with a group of 4 people. We tried virtually everything on the menu. The food quality has just declined. There is no other way to put it. This was a huge disappointment, as we had looked forward to dining here all summer. The rooms are nice. The staff were fine. But the management decision to cut costs on food was a bad decision. Hopefully they fix the food. I will go elsewhere next summer.

We had a wonderful stay for our 3-day, 2-night babymoon. Such a gorgeous place! The food was delicious (especially the homemade campanelle spring pasta with mushrooms--unfortunately not featured in my photos, but I also loved the burger and tuna melt, which we had by the pool). The staff was very kind. Michael (one of the waiters) and Carmen (another member of the waitstaff) were particularly attentive. The fog was still pretty thick in July but we still got great views at different points of the day. At night, the restaurant also has blankets, in case you get chilly, and I love that it's dog-friendly (though we didn't end up bringing ours). The nightly evening, homemade marshmellow s'mores were a perfect touch for me, and the views by the pool, infinity hot tub, and even outside our room were hard to beat! We did not take advantage of any of the activities (free nor paid) since we weren't particularly interested in the ones on Wednesday and didn't come in early enough for the Tuesday ones nor stayed long enough for the Thursday ones, but if we go again, I would definitely make more of an effort. We predominantly stayed / lounged around on the property itself, but we did get a Pfeiffer Falls Trail + Valley View hike in (~4-miles), which I enjoyed (even being 36-weeks pregnant) and got to visit the Henry Miller Memorial Library, which was a quick drive south. Hard to go wrong in Big Sur generally but this was definitely a memorable stay!

My husband and I visited Alila Ventana Big Sur for the first time over a weekend for our wedding anniversary and it was absolutely wonderful and magical. The service was top-notch throughout and the resort itself is woven into the redwoods so you feel like everything is integrated well. The gorgeous walking around from one's room (we had a standard suite for our special occasion) to either the Sur House (restaurant), Social House, Spa Alila, etc., was very enjoyable and made for easy exercise. We did one of the complimentary activities (Coast Ridge Hike) and that was lovely. The all-inclusive food at Sur House and for in-room dining are delicious. Alcohol and other specialty items (like mocktails or alcohol-free beer) are not included, which is fine, but note that even though you'll intuitively write-in your own tips on those extra dining costs, they'll also add on their gratuity, so try to avoid double-tipping. Got an amazing couples massage for our wedding anniversary at Spa Alila and the views were jaw-dropping. Our masseuses were great and the cost was reasonable given the fact that it includes the gratuity (they explained it better). We also paid for another activity -- Summit Sips, which is a small-group guided hike where the guide also makes cocktails. Our guide, Riley, took us to a gorgeous beach cove that was a decent hike and not long. So memorable. We will absolutely be back!

If you're looking for a resort that centers your experience through a lens of incredible, warm service + fabulous food and amenities, please look no further. The team at Alila Ventana Big Sur has left no stone unturned - literally, because they're going to leave crystals on your bed if you request full turndown service. I chose this trip to spoil my mother, who has recently recovered from a significant health setback. The way she "oooh'd" and "ahhh'd" over every special "extra touch" made me rush to book our next trip to this resort before this one had even concluded. What makes this resort so special is that, while it's incredibly luxurious, it also feels accessible. It's anything but sterile and the staff is as warm and kind as the energy emanating from the hundreds of redwoods that surround the property. We will return every year that I am blessed to have my mother with me.