Jun 30, 2023, 9:42 pm
Last edit by: SanDiego1K
Dinner reservations and activities: email [email protected]
Big Sur Smokehouse is closed at least thru end of July 2023.
Your stay includes all meals, whether in-room 24 hours a day, lunch on the Sur House Terrace from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., or dinner at The Sur House—our award-winning restaurant that is open for dinner from 5-9 p.m. Please see our dining menus here.
Signature experiences:
· Morning Movement (Tai Chi, Yoga, Meditation, Big SurCus Poi Dance)
· Coast Ridge Hike
· Bees and Big Sur
Falconry
· Foragers Hike
· Redwood Hike
· Sur House Social
· S'mores
· Astronomy
July 2023 activity schedule:
https://www.ventanabigsur.com/pdf/JU..._AtAGlance.pdf
Big Sur Smokehouse is closed at least thru end of July 2023.
Your stay includes all meals, whether in-room 24 hours a day, lunch on the Sur House Terrace from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., or dinner at The Sur House—our award-winning restaurant that is open for dinner from 5-9 p.m. Please see our dining menus here.
Signature experiences:
· Morning Movement (Tai Chi, Yoga, Meditation, Big SurCus Poi Dance)
· Coast Ridge Hike
· Bees and Big Sur
Falconry
· Foragers Hike
· Redwood Hike
· Sur House Social
· S'mores
· Astronomy
July 2023 activity schedule:
https://www.ventanabigsur.com/pdf/JU..._AtAGlance.pdf
Ventana Big Sur- Alila - REVIEW MASTER THREAD
Feb 18, 2022, 11:00 am
#1907
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: IAH
Programs: UA 2MM, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,163
Saying the room is "still available" is probably not correct. More likely, it's newly available as the guest holding the reservation has been upgraded to a different room.
Feb 19, 2022, 1:55 pm
#1909
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 57
Feb 19, 2022, 4:59 pm
#1912
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 25
Thanks for sharing. Your post inspired me to check again and found 3 nights 6/21-6/24 at 35k a night. I booked two rooms. Doesn't seem to be more on that date.
Feb 20, 2022, 6:08 pm
#1913
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 36
Yea I definitely had a hard time hitting the button but I figure I can continue to mull on it for a while and it won't cost me anything to cancel in a few months if I change my mind or maybe as we get closer I'll be able to book a standard room which would be more ideal for me. I can easily justify the 70k for 2 nights over the 140k now.
Question to the knowledgeable folks on this forum. If I book 3 nights but only stay 2 there's no charge for that correct? And secondly, is it worth downgrading to the standard room from the big sur outdoor shower suite to save 35,000 points? 3 nights @ 35k each vs 2 nights @ 70k each.
Edit: Nevermind, guess it's no longer available. I suppose that helps make my decision easier.
Feb 21, 2022, 8:34 am
#1914
Join Date: Sep 2020
Programs: AA EXP, BA Gold, VS Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,947
So I saw someone mention that for standard rooms there's a 3 night minimum. I went back and extended my dates from 2 nights to 3 nights and am able to book a standard room for 35k points a night.
Question to the knowledgeable folks on this forum. If I book 3 nights but only stay 2 there's no charge for that correct? And secondly, is it worth downgrading to the standard room from the big sur outdoor shower suite to save 35,000 points? 3 nights @ 35k each vs 2 nights @ 70k each.
Edit: Nevermind, guess it's no longer available. I suppose that helps make my decision easier.
Question to the knowledgeable folks on this forum. If I book 3 nights but only stay 2 there's no charge for that correct? And secondly, is it worth downgrading to the standard room from the big sur outdoor shower suite to save 35,000 points? 3 nights @ 35k each vs 2 nights @ 70k each.
Edit: Nevermind, guess it's no longer available. I suppose that helps make my decision easier.
Personally I would have done the 3 nights at 35k rather than 2 nights at 75k. 75k a night is a lot for any property... and the shower suites aren't worth a >2x premium over the standard room rate.
Feb 23, 2022, 7:20 am
#1916
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Mlife NOIR
Posts: 320
I see your point but unfortunately there's significantly more demand than supply. They only have so many rooms available for redemption and points have been amassed by the millions through out the pandemic. Not to mention you can just transfer from Chase which has made it incredibly easy to earn URs. You wouldn't pay 2k/night but plenty of people from Silicon Valley and Hollywood would. This property is routinely sold out for weddings and corporate retreats despite its price tag.
Having stayed at Ventana 3 times now on points, I don’t think it’s in the same league as many of the top resorts in the US. Personally, I’d be fine paying $1-1.5k/night for Ventana, but certainly not more than $2k. The rooms aren’t that special and the service / interactions with the front desk have generally felt more 4-4.5 stars. My sense is that the rates for base rooms at Ventana are a little inflated to compensate for those using points. I’ve noticed the same thing (unusually high rates for base rooms with suites barely more expensive) at other popular points hotels such as the St Regis Deer Valley. I assume it’s a way for properties to maximize the payout they get for redemptions from corporate.
Feb 23, 2022, 7:48 am
#1917
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 829
We have been fortunate to stay in 20-30 top resorts over the last couple of years (Blackberry Farm, Amanera, Amanzoe, Montage PB, Auberge, and several wilderness lodges and ranches…). Many, if not most, of these were around $2k+/night. We thought they were all worth it.
Having stayed at Ventana 3 times now on points, I don’t think it’s in the same league as many of the top resorts in the US. Personally, I’d be fine paying $1-1.5k/night for Ventana, but certainly not more than $2k. The rooms aren’t that special and the service / interactions with the front desk have generally felt more 4-4.5 stars. My sense is that the rates for base rooms at Ventana are a little inflated to compensate for those using points. I’ve noticed the same thing (unusually high rates for base rooms with suites barely more expensive) at other popular points hotels such as the St Regis Deer Valley. I assume it’s a way for properties to maximize the payout they get for redemptions from corporate.
Having stayed at Ventana 3 times now on points, I don’t think it’s in the same league as many of the top resorts in the US. Personally, I’d be fine paying $1-1.5k/night for Ventana, but certainly not more than $2k. The rooms aren’t that special and the service / interactions with the front desk have generally felt more 4-4.5 stars. My sense is that the rates for base rooms at Ventana are a little inflated to compensate for those using points. I’ve noticed the same thing (unusually high rates for base rooms with suites barely more expensive) at other popular points hotels such as the St Regis Deer Valley. I assume it’s a way for properties to maximize the payout they get for redemptions from corporate.
Feb 23, 2022, 7:50 am
#1918
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Mlife NOIR
Posts: 320
Feb 27, 2022, 11:43 am
#1920
Join Date: Feb 2022
Programs: American Airlines Exec Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 16
Just keep looking
Brand new to FT...I've been following for years but never signed up.
About 2 weeks ago I found 3 nights (Sept 5-8, 2022) at Ventana using 30-35k points/per night. Since then I've been trying every day to find 3 more nights. This morning I found Sept 2-5 for 35k per night and booked in an ADA room. Keep checking! As others have noted, though, nothing in March of next year. I was hoping to book before the March 22 devaluation.
About 2 weeks ago I found 3 nights (Sept 5-8, 2022) at Ventana using 30-35k points/per night. Since then I've been trying every day to find 3 more nights. This morning I found Sept 2-5 for 35k per night and booked in an ADA room. Keep checking! As others have noted, though, nothing in March of next year. I was hoping to book before the March 22 devaluation.