Zachari Dunes assessment – The Factors Man

What’s Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Seaside, Curio Assortment by Hilton?

Previously an Embassy Suites resort, the nine-acre, 250-suite hacienda-style lodge was reimagined in 2022 as a member of Hilton’s boutique Curio Assortment.

Getting there

Reserving particulars

Zachari Dunes has 250 visitor rooms, most of which have a one-bedroom format with both one king mattress or two queens within the bed room and a pullout couch within the dwelling space; they differ in worth based mostly on the view. These rooms even have two full bogs and include a balcony or patio and sleep 4 to 6 folks comfortably.

There are additionally presidential suites, with two bedrooms, that sleep as much as six folks. One has a king mattress, and the opposite comes with two queens; these suites even have two balconies.

In accordance with the lodge’s web site, commonplace rooms begin as little as $267, or 68,000 Hilton Honors factors, in summer time for midweek stays. Over winter, that worth drops right down to $234 or 63,000 factors per evening. Weekends all year long, nevertheless, will value a bit extra, relying on once you need to go to.

The room

My reservation was for the standard one-bedroom suite with a king mattress. That meant I would not have a premium view going through the ocean or pool. Initially, I used to be okay with it. I figured we might be out of the room for many of the journey, and as an skilled traveler with little children, I knew it was unrealistic to anticipate that my husband and I’d have a lot time to take a seat and clink drinks on the patio in peace.

As I adopted the posted instructions to my room, I used to be shocked to see that the hall was flanked by so much filled with dumpsters and parked vehicles. Fortunately, my room’s home windows confronted the opposite manner.

Once I opened my door, I used to be greeted by a spacious room with a high-top eating desk and 4 chairs a number of steps in entrance of me.

To my proper was an empty closet, except for a bedding package for outfitting the pullout couch.

To my left was a full toilet. I used to be pleasantly shocked to seek out that there have been two bogs within the suite. This was particularly helpful when my child was napping within the bed room, and the remainder of us had been out in the lounge.

On this first toilet, nautical-inspired wallpaper wrapped the room, and there was additionally a bathroom, sink and walk-in tiled rainfall bathe.

Again in the lounge, throughout from the eating space, a kitchenette housed a minifridge, a microwave, a sink and a espresso machine stocked with a number of pods and occasional accouterments.

The wood-style tiled ground led to a carpeted lounge with midcentury-style furnishings that included an opulent pink sofa and an armchair, in addition to a flat-screen TV over a mod-looking leisure unit and sliding doorways resulting in a balcony. Whereas this space initially struck me as up to date, upon nearer inspection, I spotted the couch was a bit worn out, with threads coming unfastened.

From the dwelling space, a door led to the bed room. Right here was the king-size mattress going through one other flat-screen TV with a bench beneath it.

The nightstands had lamps on both facet, every with built-in plugs. I particularly appreciated the multicord charger cables offered for numerous USB system varieties. This got here in helpful once I realized I forgot the charging cords for my daughter’s journey night-light and sound machine.

The bed room had an extra closet the place I discovered an iron and ironing board. I used to be shocked that neither closet held a secure.

The bed room additionally had an en-suite toilet with a double-sink self-importance, a bathe and tub combo and a bathroom separated by a door. The toilet was so massive, this was truly the place we positioned my child’s pack-and-play at evening for her personal separate sleep house. Each bogs got here stocked with multiuse toiletries branded by BeeKind and loads of fluffy white towels.

From the bed room, I had a view of an internal courtyard of landscaped paths and waterfalls that spilled downward into the car parking zone beneath. I assumed it was a fairly space however since my window confronted three flooring of open corridors and some room balconies, I stored my curtains drawn more often than not for privateness.

Again in the lounge, my balcony was up in opposition to an open-air hallway resulting in an elevator. It felt odd to have patio seating adjoining to a busy walkway. For that reason, we did not use it very a lot.

General, the room was measurement for the 4 of us, although not soundproofed very properly. The primary evening was so noisy, I needed to alert the entrance desk. Whereas I attempted to assuage my child to sleep, I heard the shouting of rowdy youngsters subsequent door who had been so raucous, it made my mattress jolt. Fortunately, the criticism helped resolve issues, and the next nights weren’t fairly as dangerous (nevertheless it was by no means fully quiet throughout our keep).

The very best elements of staying right here had been the pool and the seashore

We liked the pool and seashore entry at this lodge.

The pool was massive sufficient to suit the crowds with out feeling chaotic, and I appreciated the fake rock detailing that framed an extra-large scorching tub, an out of doors bathe for rinsing off and one other ornamental waterfall space behind the pool.

Whereas shaded seating was restricted, pool loungers and towels had been by no means briefly provide, and waitstaff served foods and drinks from Dive, an adjoining bar space.

It was only a brief stroll from our room to the sand, and Oxnard is an actual gem in that the seashore is huge, clear and exquisite and by some means by no means felt overly crowded, even throughout a vacation week.

The walkway alongside the seashore was beautiful for a stroll, and a park subsequent door had a playground my children liked. The lodge’s location was central to the native marina, too, so we might stroll to a couple eating places as an alternative of driving.

The resort charge did not embody a lot, and it was particularly evident on seashore days

The lodge doesn’t service the seashore or have any setup on the sand.

As an alternative, as a part of a $35 every day resort charge (excluding tax), you’ll be able to borrow seashore chairs and umbrellas. However there is a catch. Company could lease objects totally free for 2 hours per day. Something additional incurs a cost. And it is not simple, both. For instance, for a full two-hour rental, it might solely be one merchandise. If we needed to borrow two seashore chairs, we would be able to use each for an hour. In different phrases, every merchandise “prices” an hour. A seashore chair and umbrella collectively had been collectively solely free for an hour.

And whereas the ocean was shut, for those who’ve ever hung out on a California seashore, you may know these are extra-wide stretches that may simply take quarter-hour to stroll from one facet to the precise surf. If I solely borrowed objects for an hour, I’d have spent a minimum of half of that point going forwards and backwards from the store to the sand.

We borrowed two seashore chairs for an hour the primary day after which ended up going to Walmart to purchase our personal since we wanted some anyway. They value across the identical as sooner or later of resort charges, and now we’ve them endlessly. Nonetheless, the store does lease all kinds of fascinating objects as a part of the every day two-hour allowance, they usually go far past seashore chairs (like surf and boogie boards, wetsuits, hoverboards, board video games, basketballs and even a guitar or a Nintendo Change).

The resort charge additionally included web entry, health/wellness courses, PressReader entry and reductions on parasail, Jet Ski and kayak leases.

The lodge did provide further every day actions that I initially needed to hitch till I noticed they weren’t included within the resort charge. A cookie-decorating class, for instance, was out there for $20 — per individual.

Whereas some issues had been free, like bubbles on the seashore, I used to be upset that so many actions weren’t included and rental instances had been restricted.

The meals we tried was dear however good

Likewise, meals wasn’t low-cost.

The lodge has three eating venues. The upscale Ox & Ocean, which connects from the foyer and flows right into a central courtyard going through the seashore, is an attractive venue, however we skipped it to maintain issues extra informal with our younger children.

As an alternative, we had breakfast at Sugar Beats, a parked Airstream trailer behind the pool serving restricted breakfast and lunch menus.

Within the morning, we tried the breakfast tacos ($15), a breakfast burrito ($18) and a decadent plate of French toast lined in Nutella ($16). The meals was good, however brewed espresso was solely out there on one morning of our keep. A workers member let me know that because of the Airstream setup, it could take round an hour to warmth up water and brew espresso, so espresso-based drinks had been the one possibility. After the primary morning, we got here for our Americanos and ate groceries within the room, as an alternative.

We additionally had lunch at Sugar Beats on our first day, making an attempt the fried rooster sandwich ($18) and the fish ‘n’ tots ($17). Each had been good, however with such a small menu, we did not really feel the necessity to come again.

There’s additionally a spa, exercise services and a recreation room

Close to the pool had been a lot of different leisure choices.

A part of Dive (the bar space serving meals and drinks to folks on the pool) was a recreation room with board, card and arcade video games, in addition to darts and pinball. All of those had been free to make use of on a first-come, first-served foundation. Most of what they needed to play with was geared to older children, although my 3-year-old nonetheless appreciated it.

Subsequent to the sport room was a spacious health heart with loads of cardio tools together with Peloton bikes, in addition to free weights and weight machines and separate areas for stretching.

On the opposite facet of the gymnasium was a small spa. I took a glance inside and noticed a properly curated store with jewellery, candles and garments. The spa itself was a small facility with only a toilet in lieu of a locker room and a handful of remedy rooms.

Behind Sugar Beats, a path led to pickleball or tennis courts, in addition to basketball courts. To make use of these, you could possibly allot your every day gear rental for racquets and balls at Henry’s or pay to lease them.

Accessibility

The lodge is ADA-compliant and has wheelchair-accessible entrances all through the resort. I observed that the Jacuzzi had a chairlift, however the pool was not accessible.

There are additionally a number of accessible room varieties, together with a normal king bed room, a two-queen pool view, a two-queen ocean view and a presidential suite possibility, which all include toilet seize bars, handheld bathe wands and lowered options corresponding to gentle switches, peepholes, bogs, shelf storage, sinks and thermostat controls.

Standout options

• The most cost effective commonplace rooms listed below are all one-bedroom suites.
• The suites are massive and price a fraction of what they may at different Hilton properties, particularly Curio-level resorts.
• The lodge has an unbeatable location with direct beachfront entry and a enjoyable pool.
• There are a number of well-designed, putting widespread areas, from the big ethereal foyer to outside sofas and a big communal firepit lined with Adirondack chairs.
• The sundries store is properly stocked with distinctive leases, snacks and toiletries.

Drawbacks

• The lodge could be noisy, relying on the place your room is situated. For a quieter, extra peaceable escape, e book a beachfront, top-floor room — however know there nonetheless is likely to be some noise bleed.
• Whereas the bottom worth is reasonably priced, anticipate to pay additional for parking, actions and leases over one to 2 hours, even whereas paying a resort charge.
• The on-site eating is proscribed. There is just one actual restaurant.
• Regardless of a current renovation and opening solely two years in the past, the lodge is displaying indicators of damage and tear.

Trying out

The all-suite format and reasonably priced worth level, even in summer time and over vacation intervals, make this beachfront keep an approachable selection that is naturally fashionable amongst households like mine, and I noticed loads of {couples} right here, as properly.

I used to be in a position to keep in a collection in a beachfront setting for a prolonged five-night interval — and over a vacation — for simply 320,000 Hilton Honors factors. This felt like a feat that was unmatchable wherever else.

I might come again, however solely in an oceanfront lodging the place I might have higher views and a quieter location with much less foot visitors from different company.

Finally, I do not remorse utilizing my factors to remain right here; nevertheless if I used to be doing all of it once more and reserving the identical room kind, I might keep solely two nights to take a look at earlier than the noise grew to become a nuisance and all the additional expenses added up. Then I might have saved extra of my factors for a splurge someplace fancy and indulgent.

But Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Seaside continues to be an ideal worth, maybe an unbeatable one, given the prime seashore entry and the truth that all commonplace rooms are suites. It is particularly match for households with older children who can use the enjoyable leases and will not thoughts a bit hubbub — simply convey your personal seashore chairs.

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