Worth the Drive, Park Hyatt Aviara
By: Amanda Huntsman
My family and I were invited to a festive celebration this holiday season, unlike anything we have been to in Southern California. The Park Hyatt Aviara Resort’s new holiday programming, dubbed “Tis the Sea-Sun,” is for resort guests and locals alike. In addition to the robust festive experiences for which the hotel is known, Park Hyatt Aviara unveiled its inaugural Cabana Christmas Village, which transformed its Splash Pool into a holiday spectacular offering memorable experiences for the entire family.
About the Cabana Christmas Village: Guests are instantly transported into a dazzling holiday wonderland with twinkling lights around the cabanas, dancing snowflakes projected on the waterslides, and string lights adorning the resort’s iconic palm trees. With five festive cabana activations around the Splash Pool Deck, there is no shortage of holiday fun. The five cabanas comprise:
The Creative Cabana offers professional holiday face painting.
The Crafty Cabana provides a variety of crafts, such as ornament painting, wreath making, and more.
The Cocoa Cabana serves hot cocoa and hot apple cider.
The Cookie Cabana features holiday cookie decorating and pre-made boxes of holiday cookies from the resort’s pastry team for purchase.
The Capture Cabana has a festive photo booth where guests can snap selfies or take pictures with Santa Claus as he visits on select days.
Cabana Christmas Village activities are available seven days weekly from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Additional holiday programming: The Aviara resort brings holiday magic to life with lobby décor featuring an expansive gingerbread display and a grand Christmas tree to greet guests and immediately set the mood. Additional festivities include traditional High Tea and carolers singing holiday songs on select dates. The Teddy Bear Tea invites guests to give back, as each child is asked to bring a teddy bear or unwrapped toy to be donated to the Ronald McDonald House. The children also experience entertainment by Peppermint Princess and holiday-themed food items.
We were so grateful to experience their Holiday magic firsthand! When I asked my daughter, who is 4, which experience she found most memorable, it was a quick response; The Teddy Bear Tea. Little princesses and princes adorned the ballroom in their holiday best while sipping hot cocoa with pinkies up. It was the perfect setting for an enchanting holiday afternoon. The event featured a delightful tea menu and entertainment by the Peppermint Princess, who arrived straight from the North Pole. She first read the children a book and later walked all attendees to the lobby to look at the various holiday decor. The gingerbread house is incredible; the details must be seen in person!
My favorite part of our stay was dinner at Ponto Lago. We enjoyed Baja-inspired cuisine by Chef Carriker. Chef Carriker, previously the corporate chef for Death by Tequila, Wokou Ramen, and California Native, has worked in the culinary arena for 17 years. He served as Executive Chef at International Smoke in San Diego, prepping for Chef Michael Mina’s first venture in San Diego and serving as a task force chef for other restaurants in the Mina group. Chef Carriker has earned a reputation for forward-thinking, farm-fresh sensibilities. Carriker gained additional high regard and notoriety as executive chef at Portland's former Gilt Club. During his time there, he traveled to New York City to cook a dinner at the James Beard House and appeared in an episode of the Food Network's "Meat & Potatoes."
We were honored to get a behind-the-scenes look at Chef Carriker bringing his creations to life. My family enjoyed our fantastic meal from the coveted Chef’s Table. The icing on the cake was the famous Ponto Churros with spiced Mayan chocolate sauce and mixed berry compote for dipping. We will be back for those and the chintextle rubbed seabass with avocado tomatillo sauce.
All in all, I recommend adding the Park Hyatt Aviara to your next Holiday getaway list. This was the Cabana Christmas Village's inaugural year, and I see it becoming more popular as the word gets out about how magical it is. Only 45 minutes away from Newport Beach, this weekend destination is worth the drive!
