WasKnown

I cannot find any award availability at this hotel. Is the best way to book cash rates through a preferred agent? Looking to do a 6 night stay soon. Price difference between base room and next category is huge. Is it worth burning a suite upgrade certificate here?

coleslaw

Youll probably be one of the first people on FlyerTalk to actually pay the cash rate for this property.

For a six night stay I would say a TSU is worth using.

WasKnown

Thx. I will do research elsewhere on cash rates then. Feels bad to pay cash but there just weren’t any points options available (even for suites) for my last minute trip. Maybe I’m searching incorrectly?

Just to be clear, is this suite worth putting the TSU on? https://www.ventanabigsur.com/stay/big-sur Would I be able to get upgraded even further? Hoping to be lazy for a few days lol

coleslaw

I think part of your problem will be that the property is sold out for many weekends - so a six night stay is probably going to cover some sold out dates if you’re trying to stay in the next few months. You’d maybe have better luck doing a midweek four night stay.

I’ve stayed in Forrest Shower Suites and enjoyed the larger rooms and better views from the deck. I didn’t really use the shower since it was never warm enough outside to want to actually use it. There are reports of others getting upgraded into other premium suites without using TSUs. I think it’ll just come down to how busy they are.

The other factor for TSU use is how scarce they are for you and how easily you can get more. Im well past 100 nights so I can’t earn any more. If I was there for a six night stay I would burn one. If it was a two or three night stay I would be a little more hesitant to burn it (mainly because I have many other 6-7 night stays through to the end of the year where I would use them).

WasKnown

Thx this is really helpful.

exmike

Personally 6 nights at ventana is wayyyy too long. 3 nights would be my max without a lot of off property excursions.

beachfan

I could easily go four nights. With just a couple nearby off property day trips. And warm enough weather to enjoy laps and lunch by the pool. Yes a tsu is worth it for four nights, or three.

beachfan

Dupe]

TravelingChef

That was my first thought as well. Having followed this thread for a few months, I can only conclude that us Bay area folks must value this property *much* differently from other folks. For us it's obviously a nice little weekend trip. 3 nights is the max I'd consider. I do recall folks upthread saying how 4-6 days worked for them, so clearly everyone's mileage varies here.

If I had unlimited money and/or unlimited points, I still couldn't find a way/reason for this place to work for me for more than 3 nights. I'd need a change of scenery/menus by day 4 for sure.

Perhaps us Bay area people take it for granted because we can hop down there generally any time and the wow factor must be much higher for out of state folks.

WasKnown

Thx. Any recommendations for other options in norcal then? We are staying with a family friend in Napa and considering a few nights at Ritz Half Moon Bay. Not married to the idea of a long Big Sur trip, especially as the points availability is so limited. Wasn’t planning on doing activities every day at Ventana either. Rather, I was thinking about taking a few days to relax and do nothing. Any suggestions for other places that can accommodate this comfortably? Also mulling over trying to golf at pebble beach (if it’s even an option rn) but I wouldn’t know where to stay.

coleslaw

If you’re looking to relax / decompress and do nothing for a few days then you’ll struggle to find a better option than Ventana Big Sur. Six days might be a little much… but four days would be very manageable.

drewdawg199

FYI there’s currently a 36 person corporate ~half buy out on property, Chairman’s Circle for First Citizens Bank. Ton of loud people from North Carolina and perhaps some Texas sprinkled in. Very annoying to say the least. Tonight at dinner the group took over the whole main patio at the restaurant for their dinner event, leaving the other hotel guests for 4th/5th row tables back near the building and many guests inside due to the major yellow jacket and fly problem.

The yellow jackets were so bad yesterday they advised everyone to take breakfast indoors.

TravelingChef

I should clarify that while I do think 6 nights at Ventana is arguably too long, my logic there is based on a combination of its cost on cash or points, and just generally limited "stuff to do."

I've stayed at the Ritz Half Moon Bay a few times for work and if you're not from the area I think it'd certainly be nice for 2-3 days. The hard product isn't on par with Ventana but the overall experience and location is quite nice.

Again, Half Moon Bay is a 40 minute drive for me and we go to the Ritz a few times a year for a weekend staycation, so others very well may find it a far more compelling option than I do, as I'm admittedly generally jaded with Bay area options after a decade here.

Without scrolling back up, I think I recall some folks who considered doing a Ventana Big Sur trip and a Napa trip as a split. If logistically feasible for you (timing, rental car, points availability etc), I think that's a winning combo, the Big Sur vs Napa change of scenery is significant enough that you feel like you're getting two totally different vacations on the same trip.

Without traffic, Big Sur to Napa is a 3.5hr drive. I get pretty antsy in a car after little more than two hours, so I totally understand if someone were to say that trek sounds like more trouble than it's worth. Though, in this instance, if someone were up for the drive I think it'd be worth it. Especially if you've never been to Napa and/or are really into wine.

Scrotty

Any idea when they will be gone? We will be there in about a week.

Can anyone recommend active things to do outside of the resort? We will be there for seven nights and will be at the CVR for two nights before that. Already planning a few day hikes, falconry, and foraging if it's available.

WasKnown

Thx. Won’t derail this thread too much with non Ventana Big Sur stuff other than to ask if you have any suggestions for hotels comparable to the Ventana near the Pebble Beach area?