Alila Ventana Big Sur

Data aggregated from FlyerTalk and various blogs, tallied to give a rough idea of your chances at an upgrade.

24 stays reported, newest first

• Feb 2026FlyerTalk

  Upgrade

  Higher room category

  Room

  regular King Room → King Room with Fireplace, ocean-view patio by the Social House

  Breakfast

  Full: buffet and à la carte

  Late checkout

  Honoured

  Early check-in around noon on Valentine's weekend, and arrival-day lunch still came despite reports it was cut. Wonderful, worth the points and worth repeating.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• Globalist · Feb 2026FlyerTalk

  Status

  Globalist

  Upgrade

  Suite, with a suite upgrade award

  Room

  Booking with a suite upgrade award applied (base room type not stated) → Big Sur Suite, room 58

  Breakfast

  Full: buffet and à la carte

  Great food, but confusing rules on what to order when, and the suite felt like a large junior suite. Keen to return for two nights.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• Oct 2025FlyerTalk

  Upgrade

  Suite

  Room

  Big Sur Villa

  Canned lemonade, some moldy raspberries at breakfast and little made from scratch. Still a really nice stay, and probably a return.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• Sep 2025FlyerTalk

  Upgrade

  None

  Room

  Big Sur Forest Shower Suite → Double-story room opposite the forest suites (Room 26)

  Room 26 was scuffed and tired, the spa was full despite emails ahead, and service was very poor. Good food at Sur House.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• Globalist · Sep 2025FlyerTalk

  Status

  Globalist

  Upgrade

  Higher room category

  Room

  King → King Deluxe

  Late checkout

  Honoured

  Welcome amenity

  Not given

  A mixed fourth visit: asked ahead to avoid Ridge House, yet got the same room there as two years earlier. Yellowjackets pushed dining indoors.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• Globalist · Mar 2025FlyerTalk

  Status

  Globalist

  Upgrade

  Suite

  Room

  Hot Tub Suite

  Nice room, bad spot right in front of valet check-in. Lunch came on arrival and departure days, the second as a packed hikers lunch.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• Globalist · Feb 2025FlyerTalk

  Status

  Globalist

  Upgrade

  Suite, offered without asking

  Room

  points stay (room type not stated) → Shower Suite

  S'mores came to the room, but paid cocktails replaced the free happy-hour drink. Lovely, yet hard to justify at roughly $2k a night in cash.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• Dec 2024FlyerTalk

  Upgrade

  Suite

  Room

  Forest Shower Suite

  Extra space on a Guest of Honor booking, close to the lobby and pool. Ground floor, though, with noise from guests and a dog above.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• Globalist · Nov 2024FlyerTalk

  Status

  Globalist

  Upgrade

  Suite, offered without asking

  Room

  standard king room on points (45k per night) → The Cottage House

  Breakfast

  Full: buffet and à la carte

  The anniversary upgrade was a surprise. The Cottage House is a standalone villa with a big private deck, hot tub and hammock.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• Globalist · Oct 2024FlyerTalk

  Status

  Globalist

  Upgrade

  Higher room category, offered without asking

  Room

  standard King room on points → King room with fireplace

  No suite and no resort credit, and that was fine. The one-entree-per-person rule covers in-room dinner orders too.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• Globalist · Oct 2024FlyerTalk

  Status

  Globalist

  Upgrade

  Suite, offered without asking

  Room

  standard room on points → Forest shower suite, room 10 (ground floor)

  Breakfast

  Full: buffet and à la carte

  Late checkout

  Declined

  Lovely sunsets and a quick text concierge, but poor pre-arrival contact and a $10 room-service delivery fee. Wonderful on points, not at $2k a night.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• Member · Sep 2024FlyerTalk

  Status

  Member

  Upgrade

  Suite

  Room

  points stay (room type not stated) → Big Sur Suite

  A friend's Guest of Honor award, on a points stay with no Hyatt status. The Big Sur Suite was very nice.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• Globalist · Aug 2024FlyerTalk

  Status

  Globalist

  Upgrade

  Specialty suite, offered without asking

  Room

  standard room (points) → Big Sur Villa

  Welcome amenity

  Given

  Would have traded the villa for a simpler one-level suite. Cheese and a half-bottle of wine on arrival, with upkeep and text replies much improved.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• GlobalistBlog

  Status

  Globalist

  Upgrade

  Suite, offered without asking

  Room

  Standard room (points, 30,000/night) → Villa

  Breakfast

  Restaurant or F&B credit

  Welcome amenity

  Given

  No standard suite for the upgrade award, but check-in brought a Villa anyway. Meals ran on an $82 daily credit.

  Read the post on Blog ↗
• FlyerTalk

  Breakfast

  Full: buffet and à la carte

  All meals included and excellent at Sur House, though room delivery costs $10. Liked the setting and food better than Post Ranch Inn.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• DiscoveristFlyerTalk

  Status

  Discoverist

  Upgrade

  Suite, offered without asking

  Room

  standard room (30k points/night, 2 nights) → Big Sur Shower Suite (corner, redwood view)

  The upgrade appeared in the app the day before arrival. Hammock and outdoor shower on the patio, plus a redwood picnic and s'mores.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• GlobalistFlyerTalk

  Status

  Globalist

  Upgrade

  Specialty suite, offered without asking

  Room

  two nights (30k points + Cat 1-7 cert) → villa (premium accommodation)

  Breakfast

  Full: buffet and à la carte

  Welcome amenity

  Given

  Anniversary chocolates and champagne in a two-story villa. Bucket-list worthy as a redemption, less clear at the cash rate.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• FlyerTalk

  Upgrade

  Higher room category, offered without asking

  Room

  Big Sur Suite (award stay, 3 nights) → Big Sur Hot Tub Suite with Ocean View (room 56)

  Room 56: near the hot baths with a sunset view, but facing the parking lot, so less privacy in the hot tub.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• FlyerTalk

  Upgrade

  None

  Room

  Big Sur suite (extra points) → Big Sur suite

  Worth the extra points for the Big Sur suite, not for the outdoor-shower version. So many Globalists on property that many went without upgrades.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• GlobalistFlyerTalk

  Status

  Globalist

  Upgrade

  Suite, offered without asking

  Room

  standard room (30k points/night, 2 nights) → Big Sur Suite (pre-check-in upgrade)

  Breakfast

  Full: buffet and à la carte

  Welcome amenity

  Given

  Feels very exclusive at 50-60 rooms, all-inclusive except alcohol, with free valet and turndown gifts. Internet was very poor.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• GlobalistFlyerTalk

  Status

  Globalist

  Upgrade

  Specialty suite, offered without asking

  Room

  base King (points) → Pacific House suite (woodburning fireplace, private patio hot tub)

  Breakfast

  Restaurant or F&B credit

  Late checkout

  Honoured

  Welcome amenity

  Not given

  4pm checkout, granted with a morning call. Social hour just okay, no welcome champagne, and an ordinary breakfast with $82 covered.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• DiscoveristFlyerTalk

  Status

  Discoverist

  Upgrade

  Suite, offered without asking

  Room

  base room (30K points/night) → Big Sur Shower Suite (corner)

  The upgrade showed up in the app the day before the birthday trip, a kind gesture. Redwood view, a hammock and an outdoor shower.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• GlobalistFlyerTalk

  Status

  Globalist

  Upgrade

  Suite, offered without asking

  Room

  villa (premium accommodation)

  Welcome amenity

  Given

  A two-story villa with the bedroom and open bathroom upstairs, plus surprise chocolates and champagne for the anniversary. Would definitely recommend.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗
• GlobalistFlyerTalk

  Status

  Globalist

  Upgrade

  Suite, offered without asking

  Room

  base King (points) → Pacific House suite

  Breakfast

  Restaurant or F&B credit

  Late checkout

  Honoured

  The suite sells for over $1,800, with a wood-burning fireplace and private patio hot tub. Breakfast was ordinary even with the $82 allowance.

  Read the post on FlyerTalk ↗