Alila Ventana Big Sur

This was our second January visit to Ventana and except for the weather it was superb. This all inclusive resort when booked with Hyatt Points represents the best value you can get when you consider rooms are close to $2000 a night. That being said the highlight is the employees. They are all trained so well and are polite and professional and no request is denied. We were upgraded to the Big Sur Suite, a 600+ suite with a fireplace and two easy chairs, a large deck and a hammock. The fireplace was especially nice as it rained most of Monday and Monday night. We used it so much we ran out of firewood which of course they replaced with no charge. The food in the Big Sur restaurant is superb, beautifully plated and delicious. If you arrive early afternoon and your accomodations are not ready they invite you to have lunch on them, either at the restuarant or the pool. After checking out, we were permitted to stay on property using the pool and hot tub and also getting lunch. SWEET! Every employee we came accross were wonderful, but I want to especially thank Jamie in Reception and Angel, Michael, Rachel, and Juan in the restaurant. I can hardly wait for next January. Cheers! Marius

We stayed at Alila Ventana Big Sur in early January 2026 to celebrate our anniversary. I’m a public school teacher and my partner is a comedian/writer, so we absolutely do not make the kind of money it takes to casually book this place. Our three-night stay would have cost about $8,400, but I saved Hyatt points for over a year and snagged three nights at 45,000 points per night. It is, without question, the best Hyatt points redemption you can get. We’ve done points stays at Park Hyatt Paris, Vienna, and Secrets all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, and this was hands-down the best experience we’ve had anywhere. Service The service is genuinely insane. If you’re used to true five-star service, maybe this matches what you’re accustomed to—but for us, it was next level. Everyone knew our names and room number. Everyone wished us a happy anniversary. We valeted our car, and somehow when our room was ready, our bags were already inside without us ever telling them which bags we wanted. Housekeeping deserves its own standing ovation. The room wasn’t just spotless—it was thoughtful. They lined up our shoes. They hung our bathing suits to dry. Every detail made us feel genuinely cared for in a way we’ve never experienced before. Room We were upgraded to a Deluxe King Room with a fireplace, and it was both spacious and cozy. The bathroom was large, and we loved the balcony that opened directly to the forest—it felt incredibly private and peaceful. The fireplace really made the room, especially at night. Globalist / Guest of Honor Benefits We used a Globalist Guest of Honor award and asked about upgrading to a room with a private hot tub. That wasn’t available, but they did upgrade us to the fireplace room, which we were very happy with. In hindsight, this probably isn’t the best place to use a Guest of Honor award since all meals are already included for everyone, so you’re not getting the usual Globalist breakfast value. That said, the 4pm checkout on the last day was really nice and made departure day much more relaxed. Food The food is very solid—way better than anything we’ve had at Secrets. Over the trip we had the filet, scallop crudo, duck, chicken, and pasta. Everything was good, but the pasta is insane (they make it fresh). The restaurant itself is gorgeous, with sweeping ocean views. It’s a short hike from most rooms, or you can call for a shuttle. We also did room service (there’s a $10 delivery fee), and it was excellent. If I had paid the full $8,400 cash rate, my one real gripe would be the lack of menu variety. Over the trip I had shakshuka for breakfast, meatballs for lunch, and mussels for dinner—and the base sauce for the shakshuka and meatballs was the same. The sausage in the meatballs and the mussels was also the same. Everything was delicious, just very similar. I could see getting bored if you stayed longer than three days. The pool food, however, leaves a lot to be desired. I’d recommend eating all meals at the main restaurant if possible. Weather & Timing We lucked out with gorgeous early January weather. Cold but sunny every day, no rain at all. It was the perfect excuse to cozy up by the fire or warm up in the hot tubs without ever feeling overheated—ideal winter Big Sur vibes. Property & Amenities The property is the real star of the show. Massive redwoods everywhere. Views of meadows, ocean, forest, valleys, and cliffs—all in one place. The ocean-view pool is stunning, but my favorite hot tub was the one overlooking the forest and valley. The Japanese-style hot tub was also fantastic. There are a few resident cats wandering the property, which I loved. We didn’t do any of the resort programming because… budget ($0 lmao). That said, they offer a ton of cool-looking classes, activities, and spa treatments if that’s your thing. Maybe one day! Vibe: Who This Is (and Isn’t) For This resort is way more relaxing and romantic than social. It’s a perfect choice for a honeymoon, minimoon, or babymoon. I saw a couple of groups that looked like friends traveling together, but overwhelmingly it was couples. Everything is quiet—the pools, hot tubs, bar, all of it. If you’re trying to make friends, party, or have a lively scene, choose somewhere else. And definitely don’t bring kids. Getting Around The property is large but very walkable if you’re in normal shape. We only took a shuttle once, and the wait was maybe a minute—super fast. That said, if you struggle with mobility, this might be less relaxing since you’d need to rely on shuttles to get to many areas. Minor Downsides There was some loud tree trimming happening near our room on Monday, which was a little annoying but not a huge deal. Honestly, I think if I had paid the full $8,400 cash rate, I might have found more things to be critical about. Final Thoughts If I were spending $8,400 of my own money on a vacation, I’d probably fly to Paris or Hawaii and stay for a week or two instead. But if that kind of money isn’t insane to you, you will absolutely have a beautiful, relaxing, rejuvenating time here. And if you have the Hyatt points to make this happen—DO IT.

A beautiful place, we were immediately placed in room we didn’t book, we were told it was an upgrade but it was not. The Pacific House was what we booked, we were placed in something similar but not that one…very little hot water in the shower. Food was not on par. Charred too much, too many ingredients in some dishes. A couple nice starters. Artichoke and Crudo. Massages were good. Outside ones were loud due to wind (flapping curtains & crowing crows.) some may enjoy, for others it may be too loud. The bell staff & housekeeping staff were amazing. Be sure to check your reservation ahead of time.

It’s more than terrible experience, the ac in our room is keeping sending noise constantly, the cracking sound makes us have to wear ear plugs every minute in the room. Raining makes the hotel more like haunting house than a resort. Can’t tell it’s a Christmas or a Halloween. Worst ever experience and won’t recommend to any friends.

Traveled to Big Sur for an anniversary getaway and so glad we chose to stay at the Alila Ventana Big Sur. It was a perfect, relaxing, enjoyable experience that we certainly hope to replicate in the future. Staff was very attentive and helpful. Food was delicious. The location and the views were amazing. Highly recommend.