The Resort at Pelican Hill

Pelican Hill is a beautiful resort. It is expansive. The room was well appointed and large. We had an ocean view suite. The views were stunning. Yuri at the front desk was warm, friendly and professional. Almost every employee we encountered was very nice and professional. The gym is dated and could use a significant refresh. The golf course was very nice although the golf carts need to be replaced as they are worn out. All in we had a terrific stay. Everything is expensive but we knew that going in. I would definitely recommend the hotel.

A beautiful resort! This was my 13th visit to the resort and it was fantastic! The bungalows, grounds, pool and restaurants are all fabulous! The pool is the best and the service is great there. The entire property is gorgeous with beautiful views. The Coliseum is a wonderful place for breakfast. The staff at the resort is friendly and professional. Looking forward to going back next summer.

My recent visit to The Resort at Pelican Hill warrants a 3-star rating. While the room itself was undeniably beautiful, a luxury resort of this caliber should consistently deliver excellence, and unfortunately, several operational issues detracted significantly from our intended relaxing getaway. Upon arrival, we encountered multiple maintenance problems within our room. The sink was clogged, there were noticeable stains on the floor, and the bathroom door would not close properly. Additionally, some other doors throughout the room were stuck together, indicating a general lack of attention to detail in upkeep. Service also fell short of expectations. Housekeeping did not arrive until after 4 PM, which was inconvenient as we needed to prepare for dinner around that time. A simple request for coffee cream also went unfulfilled, as the resort apparently did not have any available. I will acknowledge that the housekeeping team appeared to be short-staffed, but those we did interact with were excellent and performed their duties admirably despite the challenges. As a frequent traveler with high expectations, particularly for a luxury property, these recurring issues were disappointing. Our primary goal for this trip was relaxation, and the need to address these various problems certainly hindered that. For a resort positioned at the luxury end of the spectrum, every aspect, from maintenance to service, should be in impeccable working order to meet and exceed guest expectations.

We truly enjoyed the beautiful grounds and the quality of our room. However, our stay was significantly impacted by two key issues regarding Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite benefits. First, despite our Titanium Elite status, we were disappointed not to be offered a room upgrade during our stay. Second, and more concerning, the resort does not honor the complimentary breakfast benefit for Titanium Elite members. When we inquired, staff indicated this was due to the property's recent acquisition by St. Regis, stating they are still "working on following Marriott standards," even though the acquisition occurred over a year ago. For fellow Marriott Bonvoy members, particularly those for whom complimentary breakfast is a valued perk, please be aware that this benefit is currently not offered at this resort.

I’ve stayed at this property many times over the years when it was The Pelican, and unfortunately, this recent stay—my first since it became a Travel Marriott—was a stark contrast to the consistently excellent experiences I had in the past. First, despite booking a confirmed early check-in for 1:00 PM five months in advance (which was also noted on my reservation), and confirming again the day before, I arrived at 1:15 PM only to be told no rooms were available. I wasn’t given keys until after 4:10 PM, and was told there was no bellman available to assist with luggage. For a hotel of this caliber, that’s unacceptable. Second, our room had an ocean-view balcony, which we could barely enjoy because of a large dog in the neighboring room that barked every time anyone stepped outside. I contacted security multiple times over three days, and nothing was done to resolve the issue. Third, Saturday morning breakfast was a disaster. The only option was a $90 per person buffet—not exactly ideal for families with children heading to the pool. The buffet was almost empty (staff even commented on how slow it was), and we were redirected to the coffee shop, where 20–25 people were in line trying to avoid the buffet. By the time we reached the counter, they were out of nearly everything except fruit cups and banana smoothies. After a 30-minute wait for basic items and coffee, we returned to the pool to find that the chairs we had claimed (with towels, sunglasses, sunblock, and clothing) had been cleared and our belongings placed in lost and found. Worse, the staff member I spoke with didn’t speak English, and had to call another employee over to help. Fourth, we ordered lunch at the pool around noon, but didn’t receive our food until after 1:15 PM, and two meals were cold. We weren’t the only ones—several people around us were complaining, and I saw the overwhelmed server removing items from multiple checks. Fifth, and most baffling: the pool was closed at 4:30 PM on Saturday for “routine maintenance.” This left many guests frustrated and confused. The Pelican used to be a standout for service and guest experience, but sadly, it seems that since Marriott took over, the standard has dropped significantly. For the price of over $2,000 per night, the level of service and attention to detail we experienced fell far below expectations. This was truly disappointing, especially at a property we once looked forward to visiting.