Hilton Vacation Club San Luis Bay Avila Beach

The pool and tennis courts were great, and our clean room had an ocean view and all the basics we needed. When we requested fresh towels, Chris, Eileen, and Rebekah got them to us right away, still warm. This was our first time at Hilton Vacation Club, and we’ll definitely return on our next visit. Thanks to the Hilton team!

Watching the sunrise over the ocean from our balcony was unforgettable. We were lucky to get a room with that view, and the beaches and restaurants are an easy walk away. The suite was spacious, beautiful, thoughtfully laid out, and very clean, with a great kitchen. It felt much better than a typical compact hotel room. There were two TVs with plenty of streaming options, plus washers and dryers on every floor. The staff were especially kind: they let our kids use the pool after checkout and gave us everything we needed for one last shower. Even with holiday prices, the hospitality made the stay feel worth it.

The new renovations look nice, but this stay was horrendous and disappointing. The couch bed was incredibly uncomfortable, the vending machines were empty, and service was subpar. Our room door wouldn’t open unless we kicked it or put a shoulder into it. I called several times for pool and other towels, but was told housekeeping was busy. I got what I needed only about half the time, and when I asked for the trash to be emptied, only half the room’s cans were emptied. Staff didn’t feel welcoming, and we had problems throughout the stay despite being told they were short-staffed. While I waited about 10 minutes to check in, I saw three other guests having issues. At 4 PM, one woman was told her room wouldn’t be ready until 5, with no apology, just an explanation that housekeeping had a lot to clean. A visibly frustrated man said maintenance had knocked and asked to enter several times despite his do-not-disturb sign. Another guest needed sheets for her pullout couch because the ones left were the wrong size. She’d called multiple times the night before, but no one brought any. Those were just the problems I witnessed in the lobby. We’ve stayed here before, and the renovations are the only good thing I can say.

The room itself was okay, though a little tired, but we left pretty disappointed. I should have researched the hotel before booking: it’s a construction site, check-in is in a strange hallway, and nobody was there to help with our bags. Guests behind us couldn’t check in at the scheduled time, apparently because there weren’t enough cleaners. When I reached the room, someone else was trying to get in because they’d been given the wrong room number. We wanted a quick bite, and the place they suggested, a local golf club, was pretty dumpy.