I recently spent a week at Four Seasons Aviara week in May 2018.
I read many glowing reviews of the resort and had very high expectations.
This is a very long review, so I am just going to state upfront that I will NOT be visiting this property any time soon. I made the staff aware of all the issues I had while there and they did nothing to help. This is the biggest disappointment. Had the staff taken more interest in my concerns and issues, I would not be leaving this review.
I own two residencies at Aviara. One would think that they would want to keep owners happy.
Definitely, NOT my experience. And, this was my first stay!
Unfortunately, here is what I experienced:
My stay was in residences 2014 and 2015 in The Summits. I did like this area of the resort.
To me, this is NOT even close to a five star luxury residence, but most certainly geared toward a higher level of laid back California-style client in mind.
I would rate it a four star, at best, and that is assuming that many of my experiences were uncommon.
My friend and I shared a two bedroom, 2 ½ bath lock-off residence. I stayed in the one bedroom and she stayed in the studio.
Perfect arrangement! Both living areas were spacious.
One bedroom:
Has a full kitchen with all appliances you could possibly need: Full size stove, refrigerator, dishwasher and microwave. Coffee maker (with gourmet coffee and tea available), toaster, blender and tea kettle. Glasses (including wine and champagne), dishes and utensils for every possible scenario.
The appliances were very dated. A few minor issues: The refrigerator had an ice-maker that was supposed to be filtered, however the water had an odor, so the filter clearly needed to be replaced. I had to buy a case of bottled water.
I loved the ice cube and water dispenser on the outside, but when getting ice cubes, ice spewed all over the floor. I wound up putting a bath mat in front of the fridge so I didn’t slip on the wet floor. Also, the ice maker was extremely noisy. Had the engineer come by twice to fix it, but as soon as he left it started making noise again. I’m on vacation, right? Why did I have to deal with this??
Bottom drawer of the stove was broken, so when I pulled it out, it crashed to the floor.
The utensil holder in the dishwasher was also broken.
The door of the microwave was cracked in several places.
There was a very large, live centipede in the kitchen drawer where the utensils were… just disgusting! So, I felt that I needed to put all of the dishes, glasses, utensils,etc into the dishwasher to be cleaned. Again, I was on vacation! Didn’t feel like I should have needed to do this. The resort's response was asking if I called housekeeping. Really?? housekeeping let this happen.
There is a large living area with a pull-out sofa, 2 side chairs, fireplace, 42” TV and work area. The work area is missing USB ports, so that was very unusual and disappointing.
The fireplace is an unattractive, cheap black metal. I think Four Seasons could do better. I would love to see it put out heat, but it doesn't. It was just for show.. It is nice for ambiance, but ugly! And, functionality would be great/.
Sliding glass doors allow for a nice breeze, though there is a lot of noise from the nearby traffic from Aviara Parkway and Palomar Airport when the doors are open.
The dining area has a full-size oblong table with six chairs. There is also a breakfast bar with two stools.
There is a half bath in the hallway to the master bedroom, which is perfect for guests to use.
The stackable washer and dryer are also in the hallway.
The master bedroom is very large with an incredibly comfortable bed and pillows! I slept great every night. There is plenty of storage. The master bath is huge! There are marble counter-tops with double sinks, a soaking tub, separate shower and toilet room. They provide shampoo, conditioner, body wash and body lotion that all smell fabulous! The water is soft, which is always a treat.
Studio:
Has an area with a mini-fridge, sink, microwave, utensils and glassware.
The large bath has a granite countertop with double sinks, a shower/tub combo and a separate toilet room.
It has the same super comfy bed, a pullout sofa, and a round table with 2 chairs.
Due to a bad leg, I chose a first floor residence. I’ll never do that again. I realize it can’t be helped, but the daily housekeeping makes a lot of noise while cleaning and, unfortunately, I also had the misfortune of having a herd of elephants in the upper residence.
If you are looking for quiet and can physically manage it, definitely opt for a top floor!
The terraces are wonderful, with beautiful landscaping all around. The Four Seasons have clearly placed a great deal of thought into creating a private and serene outdoor space for residents to relax in. The studio has a private terrace, the one bedroom has a terrace, and there is a third terrace off the master BR.
Room service is exceptional. Your meal is delivered in a heated container and they set up your table for you. Just be aware there is a $7 delivery fee and 18% gratuity automatically included for In Villa Dining. So, you do not have to add anything, which I did because I didn’t know for the tip, was already included.
Parking is close to villa.
I was planning on visiting the pool area, bud didn’t since I heard a lot of children, and I wanted a quiet place to relax. I am a senior vacation. Not the resorts fault.
Would love to see a recliner in the room! It would have been nice to have a daily paper delivered.
Daily housekeeping is great… if you want it, however, they absolutely DO NOT respect the Do Not Disturb sign.
Even though I had the sign out each and every day, they still rang my bell and actually tried to open my door and yelled into the room that it was housekeeping. REALLY??? I wanted my peace and privacy. I even called the front desk to let them know, and the next day, was yet again disturbed!
The free WIFI is ridiculously slow! I would have thought that upgraded wifi would just be included at a resort of this caliber, but they really nickel and dime you, which is a huge disappointment.
Free On Demand.
This is not a place for a stay and walk vacations. A car is necessary to get to the area attractions.
