Alila Ventana Big Sur is a fan-favorite resort along California's Pacific Coast, one of the best ways to redeem Hyatt points – and among the hardest in the world to actually book. But a storm late last month that wiped out part of the Pacific Coast Highway is also wiping out travelers' plans to visit the resort this spring.
After repeatedly pushing back its planned reopening date due to the inaccessible Highway 1, Ventana Big Sur officially now won't reopen to guests until at least May 27. The resort has not yet informed guests directly, but a property representative confirmed the extended closure to Thrifty Traveler on Monday morning. By Monday afternoon, its site was finally updated to reflect that change.
This extended closure is a major wrench for lucky travelers who locked in an upcoming reservation using Hyatt points after some incredibly rare award availability popped up many months ago.
Highway 1 photo courtesy of Big Sur Chamber of Commerce
But then a major storm hit the coast of California in late March, collapsing part of Highway 1 – requiring extensive repairs and making the main thoroughfare to the resort largely impassable. The Associated Press reported that the California Department of Transportation has been running convoys of residents and essential workers on the sole undamaged lane just twice a day.
With no way for guests to get there, the resort has repeatedly pushed back its planned reopening date, initially aiming to open earlier this month before sliding to later this week. Now, that has been moved all the way back until at least May 27 … with no guarantee it opens then, either. That means the Ventana Big Sur will have been closed for at least two months and counting.
The resort's site urges would-be guests to “call our reservations department at 1-800-628-6500 for further assistance.” But travelers who snagged a stay at this notoriously hard-to-book property for this April or May using World of Hyatt points might be out of luck…
How Hyatt is Handling the Alila Ventana Big Sur Closure
I've been following this saga closely, as my wife and I were scheduled to visit the resort for the first time early next month. As the property's reopening timeline slid from early to mid-April, I started to get nervous.
On Monday, that slipped all the way to May 27. I still hadn't been contacted by Ventana Big Sur, so I picked up the phone to call the resort. A reservations agent indicated that the state of California won't be reopening the roadway until at least May 27, so they wouldn't be able to resume operations until then.
That agent wasn't able to help with rebooking my reservation: Since I booked with World of Hyatt points, I'd need to work with Hyatt directly. And it's clear neither Hyatt nor the resort have a firm game plan to handle prospective guests with affected reservations – if they do anything at all.
I was eventually told I'd need to either cancel my stay or rebook it for other dates with award stays available. And that's the problem: As an all-inclusive resort that typically costs $2,000 a night or more, the Alila Ventana Big Sur is one of the hardest properties to actually book using points. Booking our three-night stay for 45,000 points per night was practically a miracle.
Even after talking to several customer service representatives, neither Hyatt nor the resort were willing to make an exception and help me rebook a stay for after the property reopens. The only options with award availability were a mid-week stretch in November and a scattering of dates in December – neither of which would work with my schedule.
The storm wasn't the resort's fault, nor was the highway closure. But it sure feels like Hyatt could do much more to help members who were booked to stay here in the coming weeks make the best of a bad situation.
Without any alternatives, I canceled my stay and got my Hyatt points back.
Bottom Line
Hyatt's popular Alila Ventana Big Sur resort has been closed since late March after a storm washed away part of the highway. After repeatedly pushing back its projected reopening date, the property now says it won't reopen until at least May 27.
If you've got an upcoming stay – especially if you booked with World of Hyatt points – you'll want to contact the property as soon as possible … just don't expect a great answer. And even if your stay is after May 27, you'd be wise to monitor the situation.
Lead photo courtesy of Hyatt Hotels
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