Alila Marea Beach Resort Review: Everything You Need to Know

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Last week we spent two nights at the Alila Marea Beach Resort in Encinitas, San Diego's newest beachfront hotel.

Perched on the cliff overlooking South Ponto Beach guests can enjoy breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and nearby Batiquitos lagoon. Whether you're on a staycation or visiting from out of town, it's one of the best beachfront hotels in North County, San Diego.

The luxury boutique resort is one of only three Alila resorts in the United States. Ventana Big Sur was the first United States Alila resort.

I've stayed at Ventana twice and LOVED both visits. So I knew what to expect from the Alila brand and was excited to have one so close to home.

Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas's decor is casually elegant beachfront luxury with soft warm woods and muted woven fabrics.

From Aaron Chang's surf photos to blown glass resembling water bubbles the art throughout the hotel bears tribute to the natural surroundings, specifically the beach.

One of the things I loved about Alila Marea Beach Resort is how much thought went into providing places to relax and enjoy the view. Throughout the hotel, you'll find areas where you can sit and rest.

130 Rooms

Having lived in North San Diego most of my life, I knew Alila Marea Beach's footprint would be small.

All 130 rooms have a view of the garden, coastline, or ocean. Rooms range from 437 square feet to 1,037 square feet.

There are six garden rooms, 68 coastline view rooms, 16 fire pit rooms, 26 ocean view rooms, 9 studios (junior suites), five one-bedroom suites, and two Presidential Suites: the Ponto Suite and the Grandview Suite.

The only difference between the suites is the location: the Ponto Suite is on the corner of the resort facing the ocean on the first floor and the Grandview Suite is on the second floor above the Ponto Suite.

How to Get to Alila Marea Beach Resort

Alila Marea Beach Resort is easily reached from the south or north. The hotel is a 35-minute drive, longer with traffic, from the San Diego Airport. It's a 1 hour and 37 minutes drive without traffic from the Ontario Airport and Los Angeles Airport.

Jeff and I live 20 minutes from the resort. We could have easily taken an Uber ($10 monthly credit from the American Express® Gold Card or Lyft (free year of Lyft pink from the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card.

Coming from the north and taking the N Coast Highway 101 offers the best views of the oceanfront luxury resort.

Pro-tip: If you coming from LAX to San Diego and don't want to rent a car or can't get a cheap car rental, you can take Amtrak to the Carlsbad Poinsettia Station or the Encinitas Station.

Both stations are within three miles of the resort. So you can use the hotel's complimentary shuttle service, included with your resort fee.

Alila Marea Beach Resort Fee

The resort fee is $55 a day (subject to change)and includes:

• Free use of Electra Go! electric bikes
• Leucadia Loop transportation Shuttle service within 3 miles of resort
• In-Room Nespresso Coffee
• Access to 24-hour fitness center
• Daily Yoga Class
• Beach Concierge Service to set up a lounge chair and umbrella on Ponto Beach (this is postponed until the summer)
• Surfboard and wetsuit rentals
• Surfboard and Bike storage
• Pool Towels & Sun Bum Sunscreen
• Premium Internet
• 2 Welcome Beverages
• 2 Welcome Water Bottles
• Weekly Sound Bath Experience
• Unlimited Local Calls
• Print Services

Pro-tip: When you travel hack and stay on points, you don't pay the daily resort fee. Globalists get waived resort fees on paid, point, and free night stays.

The lounge chair and umbrella set up by the beach concierge and surfboard use are not yet offered. The hotel plans to launch the program in summer when the beach is sandier.

Electric bikes are available from 6 am to 6 pm, sunrise to sundown. Although the bicycles have lights, the hotel prefers that you don't ride in the dark.

Pro-tip: Encinitas is a bike friendly city but drivers are easily distracted. It can be a little dangerous riding through Encinitas and Leucadia.

You can pick up a bike and helmet from the valet. Helmets come in small, medium, and large. Small helmets will fit children.

The daily wellness classes are sunrise yoga, BodyFlyFitness, a Beach Run, and a Lagoon Hike. During my visit, there wasn't a posted schedule or any information. I'm assuming because the hotel's still new and figuring things out.

Optional activities, Alila Experiences, include surfing lessons from Surfin Fire Surf School, biplane tours from San Diego Skytours.

Parking at Alila Marea Beach

If you're driving to Alila Marea Beach, the hotel only offers valet parking in the underground garage. Parking is $52 a day.

Pro-tip: Hyatt Globalists using points or free night awards get free valet parking.

The parking garage has a maximum height clearance of seven feet. So if you have a large vehicle like a Sprinter van or a large 4x4 truck you should use a different car.

Alila Marea Beach plans to adopt a policy restricting large vehicles. Because when three large cars are parked in front of the hotel, it blocks the driveway.

Pro-tip: You can park for free at the Carlsbad and Encinitas train stations.

My car was in the shop. Because on my way back from Ventana Big Sur someone backed into it at the gas pump. Our Sprinter van was too tall so we drive our old truck.

While not quite the jalopy from the Beverly Hillbillies, I'm sure the other guests driving the Porsche Cayenne, BMW, and Lexus were appalled. The valets, on the other hand, thought it was awesome.

Check-In

We arrived at 12:24 pm and were able to check-in. We were offered a choice of a Low Cobra shot (ginger tumeric lemonade with vodka) or sparkling or still water.

Low Cobra all the way. It was quite tasty and the vodka comes from San Diego's You & Yours Distillery.

Globalist Benefits at Alila Marea Beach Resort

I've had great Globalist benefits at Ventana Big Sur, an Alila Hotel. But Alila Marea Beach hasn't quite figured out how to treat Globalists.

At least, that was my experience. I'm hoping that the Globalists who stay after me will be treated better.

Globalist status was acknowledged and the breakfast and bottled water benefits were explained.

For breakfast, there isn't a set dollar amount. Globalists can order one entree, one side dish, and one non-alcoholic beverage per person.

All guests get two reusable bottles of water in their room. Globalists can have as many reusable bottles of water as they desire.

Upgrade

I had tried to use a Suite Upgrade when I made the reservation months ago and continued to try until two days before check in.

According to MHC (My Hyatt Concierge), the hotel was still learning and it might take a few months before a suite upgrade can be used.

Suite upgrade awards book into the one bedroom suite coastline view with firepit or a one bedroom suite ocean view.

However, there are only five suites so finding availability is near impossible.

Because the suites weren't showing on the website, some Hyatt hotels will upgrade Globalists into premium suites. I asked about upgrading to either the Ponto Suite or the Grandview Suite.

I was quoted $3,000 a night to upgrade to the Ponto Suite and $5,000 a night to upgrade to the Grandview Suite.

Given that I had already paid 25,000 points a night and the Ponto Suite was pricing at $4,193 a night and $5,693 for the Grandview, it didn't make sense to pay for an upgrade.

When asked about the high upgrade cost, I was told that points have no monetary value. So they can't figure out what they're worth.

Pro-tip:  If you aren't a Globalist, here's how to get VIP treatment at hotels. These tips normally work but not so much at Alila Marea Beach.

After some push back I got upgraded to a studio king coastline view with a balcony. You can read my room review.

Pool and Infinity Hot Tub

Despite playing games with upgrades and some pretentious staff (that's another post), the only bad thing about Alila Marea Beach Resort is the small shallow pool.

At only 3' 6" you can easily stand in the pool and only be half submerged.

Because the pool area is compact, when children are playing in the pool, if you're sitting on the chairs viewing the ocean or on the cabana loungers, you will get wet.

No ifs, no ands, no buts. Plan on getting splashed when kids are in the pool.

The pool is heated to 70 degrees. I'm not sure if it's heated all year. Hopefully, not. The infinity hot tub is heated to 100 degrees.

Seating is limited to three, two-seater daybeds, 27 chairs, 4 cabanas, and two large cushioned concrete bench areas with fire pits.

Those of us familiar with Ponto Beach know that during the winter, there isn't much sand.

So if you're planning to stay at Alila Marea Beach in the winter, stake your claim on a chair early or you'll have to rent a daybed or cabana.

You can rent daybeds starting at $100 a day Monday through Thursday. The three smaller cabanas start at $250 a day Monday through Thursday and $350 a day Friday through Sunday.

The Cabana Plus, the largest cabana, nearest the ocean, starts at $350 a day Monday through Thursday and $500 a day Friday through Sunday.

Cabana rentals include:

• Use of the two loungers in front of the cabana
• Bottled water
• A bottle of wine
• Fruit plate and snacks
• SunBum sunscreen kit
• Cabana attendant

You can refill your water bottle at the water bottle refilling station near the restrooms by Pocket.

There's a limited poolside menu. The resort bars are not full bars in the sense of having almost every type of alcohol. They only stock some spirits.

This means drinks are limited to what is on the menu. Or what can be made from the alcohol they have. This will change once they build up their bar.

Pool hours are 9 am to 9 pm.

Restaurants

Alila Marea has three restaurants: Coffee Box, The Pocket, and VAGA Restaurant & Bar.

The Coffee Box and The Pocket hadn't opened yet during my visit. But they should open in the next month or so.

Due to California dining restrictions during my visit, VAGA Restaurant & Bar is currently only open to hotel guests. Unknown date as to when the general public can dine at VAGA. I'm going to assume it will coincide with the opening of The Pocket and Coffee Box.

Coffee Box

You can purchase coffee from the Lofty Coffee Co, drinks, pastries, acai bowls, and other light snacks from The Coffee Box.

Beachgoers will appreciate the walkup pickup windows. You can walk up to the restaurant from the beach and get your coffee to go. Or stop by as you walk down to the beach.

Pro-tip: You do not have to stay at the resort to purchase items from the Coffee Box.

The Pocket

The Pocket offers a relaxing atmosphere for resort guests to enjoy drinks and snacks.

VAGA Restaurant & Bar

VAGA's Chef Claudette Zepeda features a menu that highlights sustainable and locally grown ingredients.

The restaurant is open daily for brunch from 7 am to 3 pm and for dinner every night from 5 pm to 9 pm. The bar & lounge are open daily from 3 pm to 5 pm. You can order cocktails during brunch. 😉

You can dine inside or outside.

Pro-tip: The best seats are at The Perch, the Bar, and the farthest east table on the fake lawn.

As a Globalist, you can order any entrée, side, and non-alcoholic beverage from the brunch menu. This includes the VAGA burger and the Sea Bass.

We ate at VAGA several times. Instead of haute cuisine minuscule portions, you get normal-sized portions.  You can read my review of VAGA Restaurant.

Spa Alila

Spa Alila, on the ground floor past the reception desk, is open.

Fitness Center

The fitness center is open 24 hours. For a smaller hotel, it's very well equipped with free weights, kettlebells, machines, treadmills, stair steppers, a rowing machine, and two Peleton bikes.

Use Points or Pay Cash

A free night at the Alila Marea Beach Resort costs 35,000 points. Hyatt points are easy to earn with cards like the World of Hyatt Credit Card, and The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card.

You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points from cards like Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card, and Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card.

See the complete list of cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points.

Alila Marea Beach Resort
2100 N Coast Highway 101
Encinitas, CA
760-776-1234

Check rates & reviews: Expedia

Conclusion

Alila Marea Beach Resort overlooks Ponto State Beach. The luxury boutique beachfront resort is one of three Alila resorts in the United States.

The resort offers an intimate experience suitable to guests of all ages.

Based on my Alila Marea Beach Resort review, would you stay at this hotel?