pawswap

Hi! I'm a Globalist and I'm thinking to book just for one night using their cat 7 award certificate (standard room for 2 pax), the problem is there's going to be 3 adults staying. I wonder would they charge for additional person or would they just let me just slide Booking for 3 pax would force the apps to only show Villa as the lowest category and would be priced almost double than the standard room. We're fine to sleep like sardines in a can for that one night haha, hopefully the property is not too strict with the number of occupants. I hope someone here had a similar situation and have the answer for my question. Thank you!

myperks

I think I read somewhere upthread the 3rd occupant is charged at like $300 per night or so since this is an all meals included property. Plus there is normally a 2 night minimum stay requirement for the standard room and they will not waive the requirement.

pawswap

Thank you for the reply! $300 is actually not bad for an inclusive property with a calibre of Ventana Regarding the 2 night minimum stay requirement, I'm finding availability for a one-night stay for March, I can't make a dummy booking since I'm still short of 3 nights to reach 60 nights to get the award certificate. I wonder if now they allow 1-night point stay?

myperks

I can’t seem to find that specific post anymore so don’t quote me on it. Did you find single night availability in March at 30k points? Maybe only just weekend that has minimum stay requirements.... if they allow 30k room redemption, you should be able to use the cat1-7 cert. But with the reopening, people are reporting no lunch on day of departure so one night stay is only dinner and breakfast.

pawswap

Yes, that one night award is for weekdays, but availability is very limited! Thank you for your help! much appreciated!

hedoman

One night, 30,000 point booking happening this week.

Gberg

I did this at one point last year and it was $250. Unsure if it has changed. Was in a suite and they brought in a roll away.

pawswap

Thanks for confirming! $250 for a rollaway bed with inclusive meals for a Ventana is actually 'OK' and in a suite! how was your experience then?

yeah! i saw availabilities for Feb and Mar, interesting!

jp65467

Just got back from my stay this weekend at Ventana. Their services and all-inclusive offerings are changing for the worst--huge reduction in menu items and the food quality tastes like a bad all-inclusive resort in Mexico. Happy hour is now paid. No lunch on the day of departure. And the rooms are beginning to show huge wear and tear only 8 months after my last stay.

I'm really beginning to think this property is not worth the points anymore, regardless of what the cash rates are since very few are paying for this property anyways the cash rates are basically just made up.

ps9a

We were there for 3 nights over the weekend, also. Used 60k/night for a vista hot tub suite. Honestly, I thought the room was great. And the property is great. Value was fine for what we spent. We'd stayed at Ventana a couple of times before it joined Hyatt... the food is significantly worse than I remember from back then. I'd prefer they get rid of the all-inclusive angle, because I do think it resulted in lower quality dining. On Valentine's day, they had a special menu... it was $100 extra/pp... I didn't do that, but I paid the $50 upcharge for the ribeye that was on that menu. Ribeye was great and better than any of the other entrees I'd tried at the resort. I'd already had the short rib (which would have been mediocre for a domestic airline meal.) We didn't go to the happy hours, and we skipped a few meals along the way-- French toast, burger (minus the dijonnaise, which my first burger was swimming in), and shrimp lettuce cups were my favorites. Anyway, we weren't headed there for a culinary adventure, so that didn't really upset us... I'd suspect most people head to Big Sur for the hiking/coastline/views, and Ventana is well situated for all of that.

nsx

The food reports are discouraging.

I have to believe that devaluing the experience will impair its future sales even if the management intends to switch to non inclusive soon.

We now have yet another example of why it’s best to jump on an exceptional value when it appears. These hot deals are fragile.

I’m so glad I went there a second time in September, deciding to book it at 9am the same day. It was magical, including a 2 hour hike to the ridgeline and back.

SFO_FT

During a stay during the Feb reopening weekend, I had a completely different experience with the food. With the exception of some dry pastries and uninspiring desserts, everything else was absolutely delicious. Had the octopus appetizer 3 times, the char and seabass were fantastic. At lunch, the shrimp tacos as others have noted are crazy good, as was the guacamole. Avocado toast was delicious. Our food was most certainly not standard hotel fare.

hedoman

First stay thirteen months ago in Big Sur Suite. Much more comfortable layout versus this week's Pacific House Suite. Fireplace was problematic as smoke alarm went off three times this stay. Plus the fireplace is not well situated in this suite.

Miss the open happy hour versus the paid for one crappy glass of Cab outside. The best value at Ventana nowadays is the $50 corkage fee. You'll be much happier and way ahead of the game bringing your own nice and expensive bottle. Haven't noticed this small piece of advice upthread.

Dinner and breakfast served in suite. Thumbs down on spaghetti. Four thumbs up on the chicken. But seriously......these are two of the four dinner choices? I remember a quite nice dinner first time here.
There is nothing all inclusive about this place. Two pretty mediocre meals included for an overnight stay. Toss in a hamburger if more than one night + two more pretty mediocre meals. I found the deserts and and first courses unlikable. If you can wait until 10 PM, the chocolate chip cookies are fine. Didn't dare ask for glass of milk for fear of a ten dollar charge.

Also uninspiring is the stocked fridge. But, I was happy to see the very small bag of beef jerky. My suggestion is go if it's a first time visit. Save yourself disappointment if doing a return.

coleslaw

$50 corkage fee (on top of everything else you mentioned) is pretty bad.

SNA_Flyer

Depends. If I'm bringing a bottle that would cost me $2000 on a wine list then it's not so bad.