An almost all-inclusive nature retreat only 2 hour drive from San Francisco. Let’s explore the cottage suite at Alila Ventana!
This might have been the most expensive and most anticipated trip we took this year because we were excited we could bring along our pupper. After canceling our Disneyland trip, we decided to book a weekend stay at this very exclusive resort in Big Sur. Since Alila Ventana is a dog friendly resort, we can drive down PCH with him and show him the beautiful Northern California coast. This resort is usually booked for special occasions (aspirational even) typically with Hyatt points; we were super excited to be able to get a discounted rate for Alila’s cottage, one of their speciality rooms. Be aware that Alila is a category 8 resort in Hyatt’s portfolio and costs at least 45k points a night during peak times for a room; it is also very difficult to find award availability.
During the drive down to Big Sur through Montrary, we were treated to beautiful views of the coast on Highway 1. There were many people flocking towards the coast since it was a beautiful summer weekend. Soon, we arrived at the main gates of Alila Ventana Big Sur!
Arrival and Check in
Arrival process to Alila Ventana Big Sur was wonderful, as we pulled up to the resort, we were met by security at the property’s main gates. After confirming our names, the security guard let us through. The compound offers self parking and valet parking. We opted for self parking. As we parked, they promptly met us with a guest golf cart and helped us with our bags we brought. This was the first time our dog rode in a golf cart, he was a little timid but ended up doing just fine.
They certainly take care of you upon arrival. The golf cart brought us to the check in/welcome building, the Social House, then whisked our bags away to our room while we checked in. The staff were very friendly and quickly checked us in and answered any questions we asked. They provided special wooden pucks that worked as keys to the room and any resort areas. Although we arrived at the resort in the early afternoon, and to our delight, Alila had our room ready. They informed us that we are welcome to have lunch with them on the day of arrival up to 3pm, but we weren’t able to take advantage of that.
The Cottage – A secluded suite all to yourself
Since we wanted to have a place all on our own, we booked a stay in the cottage. This “room” is off on its own without any neighbors, a true cottage/cabin in the woods. It offers a large king bed, with a large sitting area for eating in (room service is included for a small delivery fee) and a large patio featuring a private hot tub.
The bathroom has a large soaking tub and a shower, all opened to the rest of the room. All bathroom amenities are included, not just the basics. Items like toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, etc. are provided. Alila branded bath salts are also provided if you didn’t bring your own.
We definitely enjoy the spectacular views of the valley on the large extended balcony with private jetted hot tub, loungers, and hammock. It was truly secluded and we enjoyed all the time we spent in the cottage. They had stocked up the mini fridge with drinks and snacks which were also included. Do note that alcohol is not included and I highly recommend you to bring your own. Did we mention there’s a fireplace in the cottage? Alila Ventana provides firewood bags. More bags are available at the Social House, if needed, or refilled during daily room cleaning.
Amenities and Welcome Gifts – A Nice Additional Touch
Alila also provides a ton of other amenities. An example of this is the reusable bottles provided to eliminate the need for plastic bottled water. We loved this touch, especially because these reusable bottles are for you to keep at the end of you stay. As for other “freebies”, because it was our anniversary, Alila Ventana also gifted us a charcuterie board and a small bottle of champagne, which we promptly enjoyed.
Alila Ventana’s official website: https://www.ventanabigsur.com/
In the next blog, we will dive into our stay experience at Alila and our opinion on if Alila Ventana was worth the amount we paid.