Alila Marea Beach Resort Review

The Alila Marea Beach Resort opened in March 2021 and is the first newly built property for Alila Hotels in the United States. Alila has two other California properties, Alila Ventana Big Sur and Alila Napa Valley, but they were originally built under a different umbrella and rebranded as Alila properties.

If you aren’t familiar with the Alila name, you aren’t alone. The brand was acquired by Hyatt in 2018 and has predominantly been an Asia-based luxury hotel chain. They have 16 beautiful properties across Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Oman, China, and the United States.

As a brand that focuses on environmentally responsible and sustainable tourism, Alila hotels adopt EarthCheck Operating Standards, integrating the natural, physical and cultural elements of their environments. The Alila Marea Beach Resort is no different, bringing the brand’s innovative Eco-design and intimate local experiences to the coastal bluffs of Southern California.

Alila Marea Beach Resort Location

The Alila Marea hotel is perched on a coastal bluff, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, South Ponto Beach, and the neighboring coastal wetland of Batiquitos Lagoon. It’s right off Highway 101, in between the surf town of Encinitas and Carlsbad, CA. There are great views of the ocean and coastline from almost every area of the resort.

Alila Marea Lobby

Upon arrival, we were met in the circular drive, outside the front entrance, where the valet assisted us with our bags and parked our car.

The lobby was a bit underwhelming and almost felt more like a basement than the lobby of a brand-new luxury resort. The design was minimal with concrete floors and a minimal amount of natural light. There were two associates to help check us in, both of which were very friendly.

Alila Marea Rooms

The Alila Marea Beach Resort has 130 guestrooms, including 16 suites on the property. The hotel was built along the bluff, so nearly every room either has a direct ocean view or a coastal view. The design and materials used in the rooms definitely had a sustainable, eco-friendly feel to them, including concrete floors, which made the rooms feel a bit cold.

We actually had 3 rooms for this trip, all of which were upgraded with my Hyatt Globalist status. My kids and their friends were upgraded to ocean view, two queen rooms, and my wife and I were given a coastline fire pit room, which was located on the first floor.

The fire pit rooms have a large patio/balcony overlooking the coastline with a comfortable couch that wraps around the fire. These rooms are all on the first floor.

Restaurants and Bars

The Alila Marea has three dining options:

• Vaga Restaurant & Bar, which is the main restaurant and rooftop bar,
• The Pocket, which is the poolside bar and lounge, and
• Coffee Box, which is a coffee shop located at the entrance of the hotel.

At the time of our stay, The Pocket and Coffee Box was not yet open, but Vaga was serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

We ate breakfast and lunch plus had cocktails one evening at Vaga. The food and service were both very good, and the views were exceptional!

Activities and Amenities

Many of the planned activities for the hotel were not yet open during our stay. However, once the hotel is fully operational, there are going some very unique activities and experiences ranging from sunrise yoga, to surf lessons, and even open-air bi-plane adventures.

The pool area includes a small pool, hot tub, and very large fire pit area, all overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The fitness room is located on the first floor and has a variety of different cardio and weight equipment. The Spa Alila is in the lobby and has five treatment rooms, separate men’s and women’s saunas, and soothing relaxation space.

Overall Rating: Would I Recommend this hotel or stay here again?

This is a tough one. I’m definitely glad we stayed here, as I have been anticipating this hotel opening for months, but I don’t think I would come back. The service was great, and the hotel was very unique with beautiful views, but it didn’t fit my travel style, and I didn’t love the location.

During our stay, the room rates were $1,000 per night. If I am going to pay that much for a room (which I did), I expect more luxury, including a beautiful lobby, rooms with high style, and a more grand pool and beach area.

That doesn’t mean the Alila Marea isn’t a great choice for others, though. For example, if you’re a fan of staying at Aman Hotels and Resorts, then this sustainable, Eco-friendly vibe will be right up your alley, and you’ll love it. It just isn’t for me.