Alila Ventana Big Sur - Inclusive Resort

Short get away trip with high expectations and the Ventana delivered. When you pull together great staff, comfortable rooms and good food in such a beautiful setting, it’s hard to beat. Throw in the spa, activities and pools - and you’ve got the best adult “summer camp” type experience, with options to tailor it to your desired vacation.

This is avery special relaxing reset retreat set in the beautiful coastal redwoods of California's Big Sur coast. This is a 5star luxury resort, and in rating it against other 5 star properties, I had to give it a 4 after staying at Singapore's Marina Bay Sands. Alilia is a place to reset your life- nestled in the magic of the coastal redwoods, with 2 great pools, and our room had a private hottub on our deck which was super nice and we used it a lot. Meals were in the restaurant, and you picked items off the menu (no breakfast buffet, but you could order as many items as you wanted. We enjoyed the naturist pools and the Japanese bath house, which had most excellent hottubs with great jets. Definitely recommend for anyone stressed by society and looking for a reset. Namaste

Overall my experience is good. I would like to share some feedback regarding my check-in experience, as I felt uncomfortable with how I was treated. Before I check-in, the concierge kindly helped me book a lunch reservation at The Sur House at 1pm. However, when I check-in at 1pm and asked the staff member at the front desk (a lady with black-framed glasses) for directions to lunch, I was only told to go to the Sun Deck without being informed that there were two dining options. Unaware of this, I proceeded to the Sun Deck and placed an order. Later, I saw the reminder about my reservation at The Sur House and asked the waiter if I was in the right place. The waiter explained that the Sun Deck was a more casual option while The Sur House offered a wider menu. At that point, I approached another front desk staff member, who clarified that both dining venues were available—The Sun Deck until 4:00 PM and The Sur House until 3:00 PM. She then kindly assisted us in switching to The Sur House for our meal. While I truly appreciate the help I received in the end, I couldn’t help but feel that I was not treated with the same level of courtesy and transparency as other guests. The way the first staff member handled my request left me feeling excluded, and I am concerned that implicit bias may have played a role. I wanted to bring this to your attention because I believe that every guest should feel equally welcomed and informed.

This is our 3rd year in a row that we have stayed here on points. I am a globalist, and this is one of the top properties we have stayed at. The staff is fantastic, and they remember us from past visits. The food is exceptional, and the activities are awesome too.

The all inclusive operation is amazing. The rooms are fantastic. Special treats are added throughout stay. The service is top notch. The grounds are fantastic. The views are hard to beat. Highly recommend for the most romantic occasions.