Ventana Inn & Spa

We spent Father’s Day morning at Ventana Inn restaurant. I was pleased to find out that they take reservations as many of the local restaurants in the area do not. Being a holiday, I was worried that we would be waiting forever, so we opted for a guaranteed seating. As it turns out, the restaurant was not very busy which actually made it that much more enjoyable. We were seated outside with a beautiful view in a wonderful setting. The service was attentive but not pushy. We were allowed a long leisurely breakfast of several hours which was just what we wanted while visiting our son on Father’s Day. Kudos to Ventana for that!
The menu was somewhat varied from the norm with a lot of healthy options. I ordered Chicho’s Benedict made with Chico’s guacamole, poached eggs, shaved radish, sauce choron, spinach and english muffin. It looked great and was good, but not great and I would probably try something else next time. I had a bite of the White in Black Frittata which was very interesting in taste and texture. It was made with black quinoa cooked in egg whites with avocado, kale, roasted tomatoes and Manchego cheese. My take is that sometimes restaurants try to be different, which I think is good, but don’t always hit the mark on taste while doing it.
So yea on view, setting and service. Menu was interesting and food was certainly worthy of a nod.

Secluded, rustic, upscale resort. Rooms are spacious with great soaking tubs. Although fine, it seems a bit cramped for how much space they have and a bit busy with golf carts scurrying about.
The natural setting is nice and we had a few encounters with deer, quail, and even saw a rare California condor flying overhead.

I enjoyed this place so much more than I thought I would. I’m always a little wary of super pricey establishments because it’s rare that they live up to the hype. I loved it here. Super quiet, super chill, and super relaxing. Great customer service. And the massage was one of the best I have ever had, which is also rare because hotel massages are often not worth the extra cost. This one totally was! I got the Essence of Big Sur massage and I almost fell asleep. You should check this place out.

Great food, exceptional staff, breathtaking views. Hate so say it this wasn’t our first choice! We first went to Deetjen’s and what a bad experience.
The food at Ventana was amazing and the service exceptional! We will be back again.

Lovely lodge style hotel in the wilderness. Outdoor hot springs and hiking trails all around. The breakfast buffet was quite nice. Steep pricing but worth the tranquility and convenient access to Big Sur. Highly recommend the spa as well.

My husband and I were very excited to spend our babymoon here. While the property is beautiful, the price we paid was not worth the stay we received. Our room walls were very thin and we could hear our neighbors walking, watching tv and flushing their toilet.
We ordered room service twice and both times it was inedible. My steak (ordered medium rare) was so well done it was impossible to chew it. My husband’s burger was cold. Since the complimentary breakfast was disappointing and the breakfast server was rude, we decided our second morning to give room service another try. Big mistake. My pancakes were soggy and my husband’s breakfast tasted frozen then microwaved.
Both pools were full of dead bugs so we gave up on swimming. The Japanese spa bath were nice, but there was always trash from previous guests, including a champagne bottle floating around in one of the baths.
Between being woken up multiple times by neighbors on all sides every night, the dirty pools and spa, the disappointing food, we were kind of disappointed with our overall stay. I don’t think we will be back.

Positives: Beautiful grounds, amazing amenities, kind and helpful staff.
Negatives: I’ve never paid near this amount for a room so went in with high expectations. The room, although very nice, is not near $ 1200 nice. Not even close. Add in the incessant banging (seemingly of staff cleaning and adjusting rooms at all hours) and it was not a pleasant experience. I tried to take a nap mid-​day and was repeatedly (like every three minutes) interrupted by slamming doors, etc. This also happened repeatedly during the night, which resulted in being awoken numerous times. All in, the walls are incredibly thin and expect to be disrupted countless times by loud noises. Lastly, the breakfast is «included», unless, of course, you want an omelette, then you’re paying extra. Ya know, after you dropped $ 1200 already.
Overall, blah.

First day at Ventana and this place does not disappoint! From the moment we pulled in people were there to greet us and take us to the lobby with our things.
Front desk got us to our room efficiently without a lot of waisted time. We were able to get the vacay started. Yummy wine receiption! Complementry 10 min massage. Then back to our room for a dip in our private jacuzzi before a fabulous dinner at the hotel!
Great service by David driving us around when needed. He was great!

Peaceful and relaxing. We spent two nights here honeymooning after our wedding and we didn’t want to leave!
Our room was spacious and absolutely beautiful with a real wood-​burning fireplace, large bathtub, and comfy hammock on the back porch. We were welcomed by a bottle of champagne on ice waiting for us with a card congratulating us on our wedding — so sweet! We really enjoyed our fire each night, the rooms come with bags of ready-​to-​light wood that make it impossible to mess up!
There are two pool areas, one clothing-​optional, with Japanese soaking tubs. The property has plenty of trails to walk and an on-​site spa. Each afternoon/​early evening there is a complimentary wine and cheese tasting. We didn’t go to the tasting the first night and experienced a lot of regret upon visiting the second night — several varieties of wine along with a large assortment of cheese and other appetizers, it was so pleasant to sit outside by one of the fire pits and enjoy a glass of wine watching the sunset!
The restaurant was also excellent, we enjoyed walking the trails each morning and evening, though they do have drivers that will take you if you prefer not to walk. The view over breakfast was gorgeous and the continental breakfast, which is an understatement, was delicious. We decided that the dress code is «Patagonia chic» and outside of the restaurant, enjoying the property in your robe is perfectly acceptable :)
Overall, we loved it and wished we had booked more nights there. We will definitely return for an anniversary or other special occasion in the future.

I had an absolutely fabulous two days here. My boyfriend took me here as a surprise for our one year anniversary.
Service: Great! Very attentive but not too intrusive. Because we checked in late in the day and missed the free cheese/​wine hour, the gentleman who checked us in had cheese/​crackers delivered to our room. HOWEVER, said cheese and crackers sat in our room for the full two days and were never picked up, which got a bit gross after a while. What’s AMAZING is that they have free shuttle services to/​from anywhere you want to go on the property, which is pretty spread out. They always arrived very quickly to our room to pick us up, as well. Also, the front desk recommend activities to do in the area (as well as give you a booklet), which is a huge help.
Amenities: This is the first hotel/​inn I’ve stayed at that offered this level of activities. You must pay a daily resort fee (I believe $ 55), but in turn you get free access to: 24 hour pool and Japanese hot bath, fitness center, fitness classes in the morning (mostly yoga), daily morning walk/​hike, continental breakfast, wine/​cheese hour, and ability to sign up for a 10 – 15 min chair massage during the wine/​cheese hour (first come, first serve). HIGHLY recommend the nature walk, I loved it, and the guide was hilarious.
Room: I’m not sure which level room we had, but it was certainly a suite. We had a sitting area with fire place, large soaking tub, and a balcony with a hammock (which we didn’t use at all). Room was great and comfortable, I have no complaints!
All in all, I truly enjoyed my stay here, and I think it was worth all the money my boyfriend paid ;)

My boyfriend brought me here for my birthday. I was amazed by the service and the scenery of this place. Greeted by smiles all along our stay, breathtaking views, and a peaceful trail. Our suite was beautiful and enjoying. We had the pleasure of spending our night in the beautiful «Big Sur Spa Suite» and we loved it! We had our own private hot tub, and hammock… We even recieved a bottle of champagne! It was an unforgettable experience and I thank my boyfriend for making my birthday this year the most amazing one of all! :)

Such a great lunch today out on the deck over looking the ocean. My friend had the salmon melt and I had the wedge salad. Both delicious! This is a great place to celebrate a special occasion or a Thursday afternoon.

This has always been one of my favorite resorts to visit. Besides the entire resort being well maintained and beautiful with breath-​taking views, the staff is really what makes my experiences there, always so wonderful. I must say that they are some of the nicest people I’ve ever dealt with in the hospitality industry. A woman by the name of Stephanie helped my Fiancé and I out with finding the most appropriate room to celebrate our engagement, as well as went out of her way to book our dinner and spa reservations. She was extremely accommodating to our needs and made us feel like royalty. Thank you again Stephanie and the rest of the staff for providing us with such wonderful customer service. We cannot wait to visit in the near future!

I was sick and called more than 24 hrs in advance but they kept 1,500.00 anyway.

I’m very conflicted with the review for this place. In my opinion, a 5 star hotel/​resort is a combination of the amenities, service, and property/​locale.
There’s no doubt that the property/​locale is fabulous and a shining star in showing off the splendor of mother nature in Big Sur. The service was also great from the check-​in process to Housekeeping providing additional towels when needed to the service in the restaurant to the check-​out. Everyone was polite and provided appropriate level service. These were both 5-​stars.
Now we get to the amenities and that’s where there’s an issue. We were in the Big Sur suite which has a nice big balcony with a hammock, a wood burning fireplace, nice bathroom, and a great big bed that looked really comfy. First issue for me, was the shower. The shower was a tremendous let down in that I simply couldn’t contort myself adequately to clean all of my body parts. The shower head was installed in a manner where it just didn’t hit the appropriate spots and the shower head didn’t have different spray options. I still felt dirty after that frustrating shower. I guess due to my moving the shower head all over the place, the water had leaked out the stall and created a little creek in the bathroom all the way to the living area. Hence the need to ask Housekeeping for more towels. Then the next issue for me was the bed — it was big and tall and grand but very uncomfortable. The bed was hard while the pillows were really soft. I just couldn’t get comfortable and kept waking up throughout the night. These two issues for me, simply killed my enjoyment of the resort in that I didn’t feel clean and didn’t get enough rest. The room positives were the great large bath towels, the fabulous bath robes, the fireplace, and the balcony.
The Restaurant, which is the name of their restaurant, was also a let down. It was nicely decorated and had pretty decent service. But the food was really not that great. We had the tasting menu — butternut squash soup, tuna tataki, mushroom gnocchi, crispy artichoke, pork chop, rib eye, butterscotch trifle, & chocolate brownie. The food was either salty or sour with no other subtlety or note. The best items of the dinner were the desserts.
Taking everything into account, it’s really saddens me to give this place a 3 star rating as it had so much potential to be a place we go to for some R&R.

I am giving this place three stars because of the spectacularly beautiful location in Big Sur. Otherwise it would be two stars. Here is why.
My wife and I are from San Francisco, and we are certainly not new to nice accommodations, but we are not nasty, overly picky or snobby. We went for a little post-​wedding getaway, and needed a place that is romantic, peaceful and chic. Purchased on Groupon — maybe that should have been a warning flag?
The room — was good, but not great. The fire place is pretty sweet and works well. The shower and tub are nice, and so is the bed. As to décor and the furniture, again — nice but not luxury– resort nice… The buildings themselves are in pretty questionable shape, I think those wooden structures were built thirty-​plus years ago. One can hear all kinds of creaky noises from people walking around (upstairs, outside the door, etc). By the way, my wife says: «don’t forget the dingy, gray towels in the room!». The housekeeping did not replace our towels that were left in the tub — hinting that they needed to be. We are talking about a thousand-​dollar-​a-​night accommodation — for that money they should include brand new towels every time.
The food — nothing special at all. Expensive, yes. But not great or even very good. Very typical hotel, «I am here for a work event”-type continental breakfast. A soggy burger bun as part of the room service also comes to mind. Basically, we ended up grabbing dinner at a place nearby instead of the Ventana restaurant.
The staff — I hate to be saying this, but not particularly friendly. You rarely get a smile, or a friendly nod when you are dealing with the staff. And I am a pretty friendly dude, and my wife is a sweetheart who will get a smile from a statue…
The highlights — beautiful natural setting, still somewhat peaceful and serene. Nice swimming pool, quiet and clean, with a fantastic view. And a fun wine and cheese thing at 5 pm every day.
Bottom line. I think the place is struggling. Certainly does not live up to the hype. I would go back every year for a week or so to relax in Big Sur, if it was around $ 300-​ish/​night because I think that basically is the value of what they provide. For what they charge — definitely my first and last time.

Wow. That’s it. That’s all you need to know… but you may want details. The staff is incredible– Nick, at check in, gave us a bottle of champagne when he learned it was an anniversary trip. The bellman, room service staff and server at the awesome, and complimentary, wine and cheese reception were equally terrific. The property and room are breathtaking. We are just getting out of our private hot tub and going to check out other parts of the property. As urbanites, we’re digging the deer and wild turkey who simply look at you like «what’s up?» and keep grazing.
I can’t remember what I paid since I did it at the time of booking so I’m not thinking about value or any of that not in Big Sur worry crap. I vaguely recall 2 nights here being 1 night at Post Ranch. I’m sure PR is wonderful but I don’t feel deprived. My advice, come check it out.

Of the two luxury resorts in Big Sur, Ventana is more rustic lodgey chic. Atop the cliffs, select areas have an ocean view even though it’s on the mountain side of highway one.
The property is so huge and spread out, they have golf carts and SUVs to take you from your room to the restaurant and elsewhere. Despite this spread out layout, if you’re on the first floor you hear everything your neighbors above are doing and that’s just unacceptable at $ 600/​night.
I ain’t even mad because the atmosphere up here is so serene and related. Wish I could bottle the scent of the fragrant plants and grasses throughout the property. The warm morning sun, sunset views, and amazing stars at night make you feel on top of the world.

Surprising find. Cannot go wrong with the food. We tried a variety of things and each was tasty, well-​made, and portions were generous.
Highly recommend this as a stop for anyone in Big Sur. Good wine as well.

My boyfriend surprised me with a weekend getaway in California and night at Ventana was included after he proposed to me on the beach. I absolutely LOVED my stay here and didn’t want to really leave. We experienced amazing service for our stay, the hostess at the restaurant went out of her way to help my fiancé’s parents surprise us with a bottle of champagne. Need a shuttle to the restaurant or even the beach? No questions even asked, they were there for us. The grounds are beautiful, we enjoyed a lovely walk from the restaurant back to the hotel after breakfast. The restaurant was absolutely amazing, available even if you’re not staying at the hotel, and worth every penny.
Now the main few tiny details on why I gave this hotel 4 stars instead of 5. The beds were waaaay too hard for me, I could barely sleep. Because I had a hard time sleeping I tried watching tv, which barely worked. And unfortunately their wifi setup is one of the worst places I’ve had to connect to, ever. Small details if you don’t need them but we’re young and like these small details.

Stunning location, beautiful and clean luxurious room (w/​unique architecture), amazing view at breakfast, and lovely cheese and wine hour (where we sat around a cozy fire pit). Relaxing and romantic in every way. There was a t.v. in the room and it was never even turned on because there was so much to see, do, and experience. Wood burning fireplace that you could see from the bed and bath tub was a huge plus! We were only able to stay one night on our honeymoon up the coast, but we would have stayed 3 if we could have afforded it. It was pure magic!
Our only disappointment was the restaurant for dinner. We had a nice drink at the bar and the staff was extremely friendly and efficient (from the host to the waiter), but the dinner was only slightly above average. The quality of the dishes just were not up to par for the prices. We enjoyed our appetizers more than the main courses, so maybe ordering a few of those to share is a better idea than getting an entrée. I would recommended going to the Sierra Mar at the Post Ranch Inn across the street for at least one night’s dinner (it was amazing!). We were there the following night when we stayed at a smaller hotel down the road.

The property and land at Ventana is lovely with deer wandering about, set back from roads, so it is extremely dark and quiet at night which makes for good sleep! We stayed 3 nights in the Big Sur suite that had a private hammock on the deck which was nice. We were here for our small little wedding.
The reason I would only give 3 stars is because it is not nearly worth $ 1,000/night. You would think for that much money you would get amazing amenities, when that’s not really the case. It’s very nice here, don’t get me wrong, but they over charge most likely to pay for all the staff’s retirement accounts and their gas to and from work.
The hotel charges for phone calls from the hotel room which is absurd! We already paid $ 1,000/night I’m sure that can cover a few phone calls to law enforcement and banks since all my credit cards and major belongings were stolen from the beach. But no sympathy from the staff so they just keep charging!
The spa at Ventana is just mediocre. I’ve been to better, and for my $ 150 50min massage I found it VERY annoying that the masseuse just talked non-​stop for the whole 50 minutes! Most people like to be in silence during massages so they can actually relax. She would miss spots because she was too busy talking. She was nice enough, but the quality of the massage was just mediocre and I didn’t even get to relax.
The included breakfast buffet was fantastic (minus the lack of breakfast meat options), and the firewood delivered every day to our room was nice to have fires.

I’ve stayed here twice now and it has always been a highlight. Staff are really catering and pleasant. It’s also convenient that rides can be arranged to surrounding hotels and restaurants.
The complimentary hike in the morning is a must-​do. Refreshing and meditative.

VERY UPSET AND DISAPPOINTED AT THE LACK OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE RESTAURANT AT VENTANA INN.
My boyfriend and I had planned a weekend get away and decided to visit Ventana Inn and Spa as we had heard and read great things about this place and we were considering staying for a night and getting a spa treatment. We arrived on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015 approximately at 1:30pm and decided to have lunch first before checking for room availability. We drove to the restaurant and were seated outside on the left side of the porch overlooking the ocean. The restaurant didn’t seem busy and it appeared that there were enough staff dressed in pink and blue shirts to attend to the customers. We had looked over the menu and placed them down and were ready to order. To our astonishment, NO ONE SERVER CAME OR GLANCED AT OUR TABLE, NO ONE GREETED US, NO ONE ASKED US IF WE WERE READY TO ORDER OR IF WE NEEDED ANYTHING, AND ON TOP OF IT ALL, WE WERE NOT EVEN OFFERRED OR SERVED A GLASS OF WATER!!! WE EVEN RAISED UP OUR HAND TO TRY TO GET THE ATTENTION OF THE STAFF, AND WE WERE IGNORED! THERE WERE 2 CUSTOMERS THAT WERE SEATED ADJACENT TO OUR TABLE ON OUR LEFT EATING THEIR LUNCH. A TALL AND OBESE SERVER DRESSED IN BLUE CAME TO THEIR TABLE AND ASKED HOW THEIR LUNCH WAS. WE THOUGHT HE WOULD THEN TURN TO US AND ASK IF WE WERE READY TO ORDER (WE HAD BEEN WAITING 15 MINUTES). HE JUST WALKED ON BY WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING OUR PRESENCE! WE HAD NEVER FELT SO INVISIBLE! (My boyfriend is Caucasian and I am Filipino with brown skin and black hair). THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME WE HAD BEEN TREATED LIKE THIS AT A HIGHLY REGARDED PLACE. THIS WAS INTOLERABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE!
We went inside and asked to talk to the manager. We expressed our dissatisfaction and the POOR SERVICE to Matthew H. (manager). He seemed like he didn’t want to talk to us and that we were a nuisance. He did apologize, and asked, ‘What else can I do?”. He didn’t offer us anything to rectify the situation nor did he address that this kind of behavior was not acceptable or tolerated at Ventana Inn and Spa. If this is the kind of attitude that a manager has, then it’s no wonder that the staff are behaving this way. It’s a reflection of the incompetence.
We called the front office and talked with Shane (front office manager) who was very understanding of our concern and forwarded us to Kate (Director of Food and Nutrition Services). Kate took the time to listen to our concern, apologized and informed us that the standards at the restaurant was that within 3 minutes, customers would be served, this was not acceptable or tolerated behavior, and offered to rectify the situation by offering us a free dinner to show us how the service at The Restaurant at Ventana is suppose to be. But, we declined the offer as we felt that it would be an uncomfortable and unfair situation both for the staff and ourselves. It would not have been a true reflection of the service that was offered at the restaurant. We hope that in the future there would be more training given to the staff regarding at least minimum acceptable customer service. We also hope that this kind of experience will not happen to anyone else in the future.

I was hired by an LA couple to plan and coordinate their wedding at The Ventana Inn and I can honestly say it was one of the most wonderful experiences I’ve ever had.
I also happen to work for a wedding venue in LA so I know how important it is to be as helpful as possible to the wedding vendors who don’t know the area. We truly depend on the venue people for getting guests shuttled to the ceremony site to finding the wifi password!
I worked with Allison and Sofia and they were incredible. From the very first email weeks before the wedding to our good bye hug, they were hands-​on, professional, sweet and extremely helpful. Allison gave me her cellphone number so I could call her anytime if I had questions. She made sure to introduce me to the banquet captain before she left and he (Juan) was just as wonderful.
If you are lucky enough to get a shuttle ride with David who’s been working for the inn for 26 years, then your trip will be complete.
Can’t wait to go back for more weddings and enjoy the beauty of Big Sur and the friendliness of the Ventana staff!

We visited Ventana Inn for our honeymoon. We stayed in a spa suite of the bay house (room 56). The interior of the room was wood with a fireplace, oversized bath tub, nice shower, and his/​her sinks. Our patio had a hammock, two chairs, and a full hot tub jacuzzi. The room was amazing.
The grounds are beautiful. It isn’t too built up and still has the feel of big sur. Pools were both nice, and the clothing optional area/​japanese baths were great. Breakfast and dinner were both great!

Visited this wonderful place about 4 years ago. I was taken here for a surprise day trip I’ll never forget. I was scheduled for a 90 minute massage and it was incredible. Then took a dip in the pool and enjoyed the hot baths, which have male and female sides and a small part where both can be. Clothing is optional in the hot baths and pool. We also ordered food and just enjoyed the beautiful scenery of being in the mountains and nature. Big Sur never disappoints.
This is the ultimate get-​away place and very tranquil. Let’s you relax and maybe release some inhibitions. Highly recommended!

We came to Big Sur for a relaxing weekend filled with views, sunshine and splendor… to remind us of how amazing mother earth can be.
Unfortunately Ventana fell short of that. The first spa suite room we had with an «ocean view» was the darkest cave and the Ocean view so barely there that you had to squint. The trees blocked the view and the windows were on the short side allowing no light in. Not to mention that the small tv was at the side of the bed and you could only pull it out slightly. So you are straining your eyes to look sideways just to watch the tv while laying in bed.
We asked to move to a different room and ended up in an even darker room (but at least the tv was straight in front of the bed). The staff working that day obviously didn’t solve a darn thing with offering an even worse room. We could hear the folks upstairs taking a shower and had to listen to water noises for their entire shower. The rooms they show on their website are the ones at the top of the property filled with sunlight and views.
The only nice thing was the shuttle service to all the restaurants within 4 miles of the property.

My boyfriend broke up with me yesterday via whatsapp/​text messages, and as a result of that, I was surely inebriated and missed my flight to Washington DC. I decided to spend my valentines/​3day weekend here and reflect.solo. Last minute reservation cost me dearly $$$$, but you can’t put a price on r&r.
I love the pool, love the view, and love the privacy.
This place isn’t as intimate as Post Ranch Inn, but just as lovely and luxurious.
I recommend this place for couples and for anyone who wants to get away from the city, mainly couples though…

Ventana Inn is beautiful, rustic and tucked away off of Highway 1. If you drive a little too fast, you might miss it. (This is advice for a late check in). We stayed here for 1 night in the Big Sur in a hot tub suite with views of the ocean. We were lucky that the weather was still good so we could get views of the ocean from the hot tub and bathtub.
The room was large, clean, and had a fairly large sized bathroom. There were a lot of details that I liked — a bay window next to the bookshelf so you can gaze at nature whilst reading the latest NYT bestseller, a flashlight/​nightlight in the bathroom and a lavender pillow mister. I know the Inn was built for tall people because the robe they provided was too long; for my next visit I’m going to request a short robe.
The had a spa which we didn’t have time to use but I’m definitely coming back and utilizing the spa. The spa offers Japanese Soaking Tubs, pool and dry sauna in adjacent clothing optional outdoor area.
After a good night’s sleep on their super comfortable bed, we went for their complimentary breakfast in the restaurant. The breakfast buffet was fully stocked with eggs, pastries, hot oatmeal and an assortment of the best berries I’ve had at a hotel. If you opt to sit outdoors, you put your breakfast on a tray and walk outside to their patio. It’s a nice and leisurely way to enjoy the morning.
Unfortunately for us, we had to leave early and didn’t get to spend any time on the property hiking on their trails but I will be back in the summer. I thoroughly enjoyed my brief time at Ventana, with sweeping views of the famous Big Sur cliffs and crashing waves.

My husband and I stayed at the Ventana Inn & Spa for one night this past weekend over 4^th of July wknd at the Big Sur Suite. We completely indulged in this retreat above the cliffs overlooking the vast Pacific Ocean. WOW. I booked this place a couple months in advance, knowing that we’d be spending this wknd in Carmel and Big Sur. I think one night is just enough if you ever want to come here to celebrate a special occasion or just be at peace from the rest of the world. :)
I selected the Big Sur Suite, hoping that there would be a possibility we’d get the ‘ocean view’ room. I sent an email a couple days in advance of our arrival, informing Ventana Inn that we were celebrating a special occasion and to our surprise (and suspense) — when we arrived and checked in to the hotel, the guest receptionist informed me that we were given a suite with an ocean view! SCORE!
Our room had a fireplace (which we didn’t use), a hammock off the balcony, on the upper floor with barely any other guests around us. We had ultimate peace and tranquility at this resort.
The facilities were nice, we enjoyed the spacious room, the comfortable bed, the soothing music, the free wi-​fi, and the great views from our room. :) We also experienced the Japanese spas (fun and really warm!), the 2 pools on the grounds, and even did the walking tour to the scenic look-​out point!
This place is really like a piece of heaven above the clouds. :) No wonder it’s so pricey!
We loved that anywhere we went — they could drive us around in their Range Rover or golf carts.
Upon our arrival, we were picked up from our car and driven to the reception area to check-​in. We were even driven to our room in the golf cart too. It was so fun.
There was cheese hour during 4 – 5 pm daily, so we took advantage of that too. :)
Also, we had an amazing dinner at The Restaurant at Ventana Inn, with amazing views of the ocean and mountains. You should go just before sunset, as the seating is outdoors on the terrace. We were able to get a reservation for 7:15 pm, so it fit perfectly.
The breakfast in the morning is complimentary (if you do the buffet option), so be sure to enjoy that. There are plenty of pastries, fruits, OJ and milk, eggs, for you to enjoy. You get to sit at the terrace again for some morning views of the clouds beneath you. :) Amazing!
After our stay, my husband really wants to bring our parents back for a visit, so they can also enjoy this little piece of heaven in the Big Sur! Thank you Ventana Inn for being so friendly and accommodating during our entire stay!

Big Sur is a wonderful part of the California Coast south of Monterey. It is rustic, lots of brush and trees, and feels like «history» is all around these parts.
I have been having trouble writing Unilocal reviews lately because Unilocal itself has been emotionally tied to my experience with another Unilocal Elite whom I fell In Love with, deeply. We met through Unilocal and She and I had a special relationship for a number of months last year. The reason I mention this, is that She and I had a short vacation planned which included a stay at the Ventana Inn & Spa.
She cancelled on me last minute (literally)! But I was determined to enjoy myself either alone or with someone else. By some act of divine synchronicity, I called up another female friend of mine asked if she would like to go to Big Sur and stay with me at Ventana Inn & Spa and leave with me in less than 60 minutes! Oh My God! She said Yes!
I picked my friend up at her apartment, suitcase in hand, with a pretty smile and a welcoming kiss for me! We sped down the peninsula to the coast and made it in time for all the activities I had set-​up for our special trip!
Ventana is just off Highway One so that you really can’t see it from the road. Once you make your way to the front gate, you can see this is A Nice Place! Since the buildings are all built among the trees, the small roads meander trail-​like and are illuminated with path-​lights at night.
The Hotel Parking Steward shuttled us from our car to our room in a golf cart. Our room was spacious, huge bathtub w/​jets and a backdoor leading out to a concrete deck and field overlooking the ocean! It was very dark and the stars were very beautiful!
We freshened up and dressed for a splendid dinner at The Restaurant at Ventana which is fancy. We both loved the cuisine, the wine and the company! ;-)
The Hotel Staff all treated us very well and we both felt this was a well run outfit! The next morning we explored the lovely grounds with art sculptures decorating the hotel property.
It’s been five months since we had our visit at Ventana Inn & Spa, so my memory on specifics are a little thin. But I will never forget how luxurious our room felt and how much we enjoyed ourselves!
This is definitely a 5 Star Place!
Review 0127