Alila Ventana Big Sur: A Luxe, Romantic Summer Camp for Adults

Remember sleepaway camp as a kid? School was out of session, music lessons and soccer practice were on pause and, for a few glorious weeks each summer, your parents would ship you off to run wild with your peers in nature. There was a little adult supervision, sure, but mostly, it was a kingdom of children. You may have spent afternoons splashing in a pool or lake, working on handmade lanyards or learning some unusual skill like archery. After sundown, you’d sit around a campfire and share stories. 

On California’s precipitous Central Coast, Hyatt’s Alila Ventana Big Sur resort feels like a grown-up vision of the same—the adults-only, all-inclusive property caters primarily to couples who overnight in luxurious rooms hewn from weathered cedar (some with roaring fireplaces, private hot tubs or outdoor showers). Many guests seem to be repeat visitors, not unlike the kids who returned to camp every summer, year after year. 

Days at Ventana Big Sur are spent hiking through the redwood forests, discovering the merits of having a massage with a view and soaking in one of two heated pools: the infinity-edge hot tub and the Japanese hot baths. Axe-throwing, falconry and knife-crafting are just a few activities on the docket. It’s a realm of fun-loving adults, where you can congregate for happy hour cocktails, but also still gather around a fire for s’mores.

For 50 years, the property (formerly the Ventana Inn & Spa) has anchored a 160-acre estate overlooking the Pacific. It’s one of only a few accommodations in the area, thanks to stringent land-use regulations designed to keep Big Sur wild and undeveloped.

To get here, you must drive along California’s iconic Highway 1. Alila Ventana Big Sur is roughly an hourlong drive from the nearest airport in Monterey (MRY) or 2.5 hours from San Francisco (SFO), and the journey itself is in no small part why travelers flock to this part of the country. The serpentine two-lane road threads through state parks, crossing narrow bridges you’ve seen in postcards and curving past knuckle-whitening drop-offs. If it’s your first time in the area, expect the drive to take twice as long: It’s nearly impossible to resist the urge to pull over and admire the coastal views.

Though the drive is scenic, it can also be stressful, and so pulling up to the resort from the driveway that cuts through the planet’s tallest trees can feel like a deep exhale, particularly when you toss your keys to the complimentary valet drivers (a perk included in your room rate). The resort—a collection of “houses” containing no more than eight rooms each—capitalizes on its varied views and terrain, and everything is strung together by a series of curving trails and footpaths. (Don’t worry: There’s always someone on hand to shuttle you from one area to the next if you don’t feel like walking.)

Did you dream of being a beekeeper when you grew up? Maybe not, but this is just one of many unexpected activities on the docket here.

Wellness and sustainability are core pillars of Alila, so it makes sense that this property, with its proximity to nature, was chosen for the brand’s North American debut. By offering healthy fare and fitness programming alongside more indulgent activities, Ventana Big Sur also fosters a sense of balance. Fireside s’mores and lazy afternoons, it turns out, are just as good for you as morning meditation and hemp-heart pudding. 

Whether you spend a few nights or a whole week, the resort easily delivers on a promise many hotels try to make: You’ll leave a very happy camper, nourished by the views of the ocean, the scent of cedar and blooming winter daphne in the evening breeze and, it should go without saying, some very good food. 

The Room

Staff members joke there are 54 different room categories since no two rooms or suites here are exactly alike. But there are common elements throughout, including a generous use of leather, cedar and natural stone that makes each space feel as if it were carved from the coast by a pioneering homesteader. At 414 square feet, even the smallest rooms could easily be private cottages; all have views of the forest, the ocean, the meadow or the canyon, which are best enjoyed from your private deck, patio or cushioned window seat. Each room also has a walk-in shower and a separate soaking tub.

For something special, book the Big Sur Forest Shower Suite, which features a two-person outdoor shower on the deck. There are also suites with private outdoor hot tubs, and rooms and suites with wood-burning fireplaces, perfect for cool nights on the coast. 

Because this retreat is so popular with couples—especially those celebrating anniversaries, babymoons or some other special occasion—the soaking tubs and hammocks are large enough to accommodate two, and many rooms have double vanities. You’ll feel the romance even in the smallest details, like the twin walking sticks hewn from fallen redwood trees hanging by the door.

The Features

Most treatment rooms at the spa have a view, but the outdoor cabanas with copper soaking tubs are not to be outdone.

Don’t miss: Happy hour at The Sur House terrace every day at 4 p.m. It’s the perfect time to mingle with other guests while sipping a complimentary glass of the resort’s signature cocktail, the Marine Layer. Crafted with gin, lavender, citrus and prosecco, the light, effervescent drink comes with tableside flair: a bubble of lavender smoke meant to evoke the misty veil of fog that clings to the California coast year-round.  

Standout features: Binoculars in every room; a high-end hair dryer and exclusive spearmint-rosemary soap and bath salts from the Social House bath salt bar; and a collection of vinyl in the Social House (ranging from classic jazz and rock to hip hop and pop) you can play on your in-room record player. 

Can’t stop thinking about: Spa Alila, where most treatment rooms have a gorgeous view, and two outdoor cabanas feature oversize copper tubs. Book a couples True Embrace treatment with your partner that begins with a shared soothing soak, followed by side-by-side massages. 

The Lowdown

Make sure to save time to watch the sun set over the forest from the infinity-edge hot tub.

Who are you bringing? Your partner, lover or paramour. Babymoons, it seems, are particularly popular at this resort, but a romantic getaway of any kind will do just fine. 

What might surprise you: A bit of nudity, if you’re not expecting it. The Mountain Pool and Japanese baths are the resort’s two clothing-optional spots, though in general, most guests stroll around the property in bathrobes.

The souvenir you’re bringing home: Sachets of herbs and salts from the bath salt bar, also called “burden bundles.” Fill yours with a blend of spearmint and silver fir salts, arnica flower, rosemary and willow bark to relieve pain, or mix together combos to invoke sleep or banish stress. 

Save time for: Lounging in the Social House, which—in addition to a pool table and beverages like coffee and lavender lemonade—is stocked with books, puzzles and classic games. Keep an eye out for Lily, the unbelievably tolerant cat who “adopted” Ventana Big Sur as her home. You might just find her snoozing on a chair.

What’s on the speakers? Nothing. Save for some low-key tunes in the Social House and Spa Alila, the only sounds you’ll hear while sitting by the pool or walking the trails are those of the ancient forests and the waves crashing on the rocky shore. If ever you’ve wanted to download a birdcall identification app, now is the time.

The scenic Pacific Coast Highway is one of California’s top attractions, so leave plenty of time to stop for hikes and photographs.

Fast Facts

• Number of rooms: 54 
• Number of pools: 2, plus a hot tub and Japanese baths
• Fitness center? Yes
• Spa? Yes
• Salon? No
• Number of bars/restaurants: 1
• 24-hour room service? Yes
• Childcare and kids club? No

This feature, based on a visit in March 2024, includes information that is subject to change. Please check with the hotel to confirm information prior to your stay.