Terranea Resort

Overall we liked Terranea as a property and would consider visiting again, but there were some tough parts about the visit. We stayed for 3 nights with our young children and three other couples. The hotel location is beautiful, food was great (when we managed to find it) and there were plentiful activities to do between the pool, slide, lawn games, fire pits with smores, etc for young families. The main issue we had was that the hotel just seemed extremely overbooked with events. Every single patch of green lawn had some kind of branded event on it; when we were there, there was a vitamin company doing some kind of major promotion event, and they had taken up all of the available pool chairs around the kids' splash pad and shallow end of the pool so that other guests couldn't use them (when we arrived at the pool opening time of 8am), which felt extremely tacky for a 5 star resort. They also took up one of the major terraces for several days. This wasn't the only event going on, there were multiple weddings and other corporate events (leading to the lobby terrace being "closed for a private event" during peak hours twice). Moving trucks were constantly coming in and out to pack and unload tables, chairs, etc everywhere we looked, which really changed the ambience. About a week before our visit I called to make some dinner reservations for our group, only to find that every single restaurant in the hotel was fully booked and there was not even availability for my husband and two kids to have dinner anywhere on the property. I called several times in the week leading up to our visit, and even during the day each day and pleaded with the concierge to get us in for a table somewhere-- anywhere. We were told we could order room service, or we could wait for a table to open up. Waiting with 2 preschool aged kids in the crowded lobby between Bashi and Catalina Kitchen, we gave up when we were twice told (arriving right at 5pm, at restaurant open) that there was absolutely no availability to sit down and eat anywhere for the night. The lobby bar was similarly overflowing. As a result, we ended up eating overpriced takeout on the literal grass outside our casita because there was nowhere else for us to sit and have a meal. At no point was the concierge apologetic or even acknowledged how weird it is to come stay for 3 nights and not be able to eat a single restaurant dinner when your hotel is in a pretty remote location. Really sad about this experience because we've heard so many amazing things about Terranea over the years, and it's been such an institution of a resort in my broader social circle. but it seems like this resort has fallen on tough times if they're having to pack it this full.

Spent Fathers Day weekend there. One word: overwhelmed. 100% occupancy plus locals with day passes to the pools and restaurants—service all around was subpar. Low water pressure in the evening. Pay $75 a day for parking and the QR scan on the ticket doesn’t work and no one answers the phones = long wait times for your car. Stayed here before with positive experience, will rethink coming back.

Carson is amazing! He’s so attentive and kind! What a treat to have him as a server!

Our server Amanda at Nelson’s was amazing. She was kind, caring, helpful understood allergies, and was always happy to chat. If you plan to eat there, I wish you good luck to get her as your waiter!

Amanda at Nelson’s is the best waitress I’ve ever had. My son has allergies & she understood & knew exactly what he needed. Thank you Amanda!