After 2 and a half years, I’m finally back in Southern California to visit friends and family for the holidays on a month-long remote working trip. I wanted a chance to treat my mom a bit and do a mother/daughter staycation and when the opportunity arose where I could schedule a quick mid-week trip to the Park Hyatt Aviara to shoot some content for the hotel I was so excited to take her along. Here’s my honest review of what it was like.
The Hotel:
Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa is a Forbes Five Star and a AAA Five Diamond luxury resort located in Carlsbad, California – just north of San Diego. Originally part of the Four Seasons chain of luxury hotels and resorts, Hyatt acquired the hotel in 2010, and while this has always been a uniquely upscale offering in low-key San Diego, it wasn’t until the recent $50-million renovation that Aviara has really started to come into its own.
The property is set a mile inland from the Pacific Ocean, atop a hill with stellar views of the coastal Carlsbad area. While both Legoland and the main strip of Carlsbad with shops and restaurants are several miles away, the hotel itself is located in a quiet (and residential) part of town which is great as you feel like you’re at a tranquil getaway.
The hotel really has something for everyone:
- For golfers and tennis enthusiasts – there’s the 18-hole Arnold Palmer designed course and state of the art tennis facility
- For couples or girls trips, there’s the expansive spa and swoon-worthy adults-only pool and private luxury cabanas.
- For families, the main pool now offers a brand-new waterslide and tide-pool splash pad area, a great amenity for kids of all ages.
- For solo travelers, there’s an abundance of included activities to keep you occupied ranging from nightly meditation classes to yoga and guided walks around the Batiquitos lagoon.
Overall, the decor of the lobby lounge could be described as California classic with a bit of modern flair with a blend of marble and hardwood floors and carpeting, a color palette of gray and white tones, and plenty of natural lighting. It’s inviting without feeling too over-the-top. The property also has some stunningly gorgeous outdoor spaces including a massive courtyard and an outdoor terrace on the lobby level where you can catch the sunset.
The Room
We stayed in a premium coastal room decorated and designed to provide “residential-inspired luxury experience.” This 1,140-square-foot suite was furnished with a king bed, a separate living room with a full-size sofa sleeper, a full master bathroom with dual vanity sinks, and a separate smaller bath. There were tasteful pieces of artwork and pottery scattered throughout the living space, too. Every room and suite at the Park Hyatt Aviara has a private outdoor space and our balcony came with two chairs, a table, and views of the property and lagoon in the distance
Other features and room amenities:
- 55” flat-screen HDTV
- Chromecast video streaming
- Turndown service
- Bose stereo
- Digital newspaper & magazines
- Individually-controlled heat and air conditioning
- Blackout curtains
- Premium Le Labo bath amenities
- Two Frette bathrobes
- Illy espresso/coffeemaker
- Tea kettle
- Minifridge
- Iron and ironing board
- In-room safe
Dining
Guests have a choice of four places to indulge in dinner and drink, including one that is exclusive to resort guests.
- Pacific Point – a chic lobby bar and terrace restaurant is the spot for dinner, drinks, and sunset views offering. Pacific Rim food – highly recommend the Waygu short ribs. The restaurant’s outdoor terrace offers heat lamps to take the chill out of fall and winter California evenings. Enjoy live music on the terrace on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.
- Ponto Lago – offers Baja-inspired cuisine available for breakfast, dinner, and weekend brunch at Ponto Lago. Menu items include fried egg and blue corn griddle tortilla and conchas French toast for breakfast, a daily roast special, catch-of-the-day, and an extensive ceviche and Crudo menu for dinner. Diners will also find a craft cocktail menu and a large list of available agave tequilas to enjoy on the Ponto Logo’s lobby-level terrace. We went for dinner and ceviche and churros dessert were top notch
- Ember & Rye – the hotel’s newest restaurant offering a fusion of high-end coastal cuisine with the tradition of high-end golf clubhouses and old-fashioned steakhouses. For drinks, Ember & Rye emphasizes retro-style cocktails while also offering generous glasses of wine from prominent California winemakers
- Water’s Edge Resort – located poolside this is guest only service offers casual food and handcrafted cocktails that you can enjoy while taking in your beautiful surroundings.
The Spa
While I didn’t splurge on any services I did get a quick tour of the Aviara Spa – a massive space located on the ground level, taking up 15,000 square feet and is worth a visit in and of itself. There are a total of 20 individual treatment rooms with an indoor solarium lounge area, whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms, and locker and dressing areas. Though it specializes in all things Swedish and deep tissue massage, facials are considered some of the best in the area. Also included as a part of the spa area but open 24 hours for guests is their large fitness facility with a wide variety of machines and equipment which I found impressive.
Service
The staff is incredibly helpful and friendly. With no one else in line behind us after check-in, the agent, Manny, even walked us to the elevator to show us our room as he continued to explain the amenities of the hotel. Park Hyatt Aviara offers some of the best service you’re likely to experience in San Diego. The hotel’s ethos of being the premier low-key luxury resort in town is truly reflected in the staff who will go out of their way to make you feel both pampered and right at home in equal measure.
All in all, we really enjoyed our stay at the Park Hyatt Aviara, my mom especially saw it as a wonderful spot for her and my dad to go together in the future as he’s an avid golfer and would enjoy the course and facilities while she would enjoy the spa and fitness facilities.
The Park Hyatt Aviara is located at 7100 Aviara Resort Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92011. For more information and bookings please visit the website.
Disclaimer: During my time in Carlsbad, Park Hyatt Aviara hosted me for a few nights to shoot photography content with no obligation for a hotel review. As always, all honest opinions are my own.