Originally Posted by oodl

I just got back from a one-night stay on points, where I paid 45k points for a double queen vineyard room.The night before check-in, around 7:00 pm, I received a voicemail saying their AC wasn’t working and to call them back for options. With daytime highs expected to reach 90°F, I started to worry I’d have to cancel my trip. Shortly after, I got an email outlining three options:

1. Full refund

2. Move to Andaz Napa, Carmel Valley Ranch, or Alila Big Sur

3. Stay without AC and receive 50k points as compensation



I ruled out Andaz and CVR because I didn’t think they were worth 45k points. I was willing to drive to Big Sur (4 hours away), but when I called to make the change, they informed me that Big Sur had no availability. Not surprising, given its popularity, but frustrating that they even offered it.

After discussing with my wife, we decided to go with option 3. We were looking forward to Napa so didn’t want to cancel and we figured since temperatures drop to the 50s at night, we could crack open the door and use the natural air to cool down the room.

The room wasn’t unbearably hot when we checked in around 5:00 pm—probably in the low 80s. They provided a large floor fan to circulate the air. We turned it on, dropped off our stuff, and headed to Ad Hoc for dinner. When we got back around 8:30 pm, it was still warm. We left the door open for about an hour, which helped, however, we decided to eventually close the door to minimize bugs flying in. It wasn’t the most comfortable, but not unbearable either. In the end, we slept fine in our underwear without covers.



The rest of the experience at Alila was great.

The concierge helped us book complimentary wine tastings at partner wineries which was a big win as tastings have become really pricey. At Alpha Omega, that was worth $250, and at Faust, $150. Both were fantastic experiences. They had several wineries to choose from so this benefit could result in several hundreds of dollars of savings. Just make sure to call concierge a few days before your visit as reservations do fill up.

We also took advantage of the free hotel shuttle, which was fast and convenient.

We spent two hours in the spa’s steam room and relaxation area, which was included in the resort fees. They had tea and snacks, and we had the place to ourselves.



Overall, it was a great experience. It’s hard for me to complain since I essentially got paid 5k points to stay there. I wouldn’t pay cash for it. Also, it’s not a Ventana Big Sur situation where I’d go out of my way to book it with points if I could get it, but if I head up to Napa again, I’d be happy to spend 45k points at Alila Napa Valley.