Four Seasons Resort Aviara, Carlsbad

Ratings: Baby/Child Friendliness: Romance: More about the ratings... Contact Information 7100 Four Seasons Point Carlsbad, California 92009 Phone: (760) 603-6800 Fax: (760) 603-6878 www.fourseasons.com

The view from my suite (pictured here) of the Batiquitos Lagoon and further off, of the Pacific Ocean.

2008 Visit
My husband and I ventured to the Four Seasons Aviara resort in beautiful Carlsbad for Sunday brunch at the California Bistro in March 2008. We took our four kids, ages 8, 7, and 5 year-old twins. Since I had not been to the resort since my oldest daughter was a baby, I wondered if such an elegant resort would also still prove to be kid-friendly for so many kids and this age range. It did! Their replete brunch served such a range of options as to meet the needs of many palettes. The menu changes weekly, but during our visit, this is what the bistro offered for its illustrious brunch:

• A cheese and bread station.
• Omelet station.
• Traditional breakfast items such as sausage, bacon, and pancakes.
• Notably, a sushi/sashimi section as well as a dim sum section.
• A carving station which included ham and prime rib.
• A variety of salads including Caesar and different salads with seafood toppings.
• Champagne and guava juice. The juice changes weekly and sometimes pineapple or passion fruit is served.

As a sushi and sashimi lover, I was very excited about the sushi section. The fish was cold, fresh, and delicious.

For the kids:
My kids were immediately offered crayons and activity/coloring sheets to keep them occupied and happy.

A kid’s food station displayed chicken fingers, steamed vegetables, pasta, and fries. This station changes weekly and sometimes offers other kids’ favorites such as corn dogs, salads, cheese sticks, and pizza.

My kids were most delighted by the lavish dessert display, which included a cake table offering such choices as carrot, chocolate, key lime, chiffon and cheesecake varieties. I enjoyed the crème broulle. A candy station offered chocolate almonds, macaroons, and other delicacies. A unique feature of this brunch is the ice cream station that resembles a Cold Stone ice cream situation with a server who mixed the toppings into the Vanilla ice cream. Topping options included gummy bears, sprinkles, candies, and fruits.

After the brunch, my kids enjoyed strolling through the relaxing Aviara property, and they discovered a game area with air hockey, ping pong, a pool table and even a room filled with high-tech video games. This was a nice conclusion to their brunch experience.

The California Bistro brunch is designed with the whole family in mind and is one of the top buffets in San Diego county for fine family dining, in terms of kid-pleasing choices, display, and the lovely surrounding environment. Adults are $58.00 and kids, ages 5 through 12, are $24.00. Children under 4 eat free. Brunch is served between 11:15 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. Please read the following section for a complete review of the resort from a previous visit.



2002 Visit

The Four Seasons Resort Aviara at Carlsbad, a 4-Diamond, 5-Star resort which opened in August, 1997, is absolutely plush and luxurious and yet completely conducive to a family stay. This resort is the perfect getaway for the sophisticated family.

In the lobby and outside at the pool, one immediately notices a plethora of baby carriages and young children romping about, far more than one usually sees at five-star hotels. This reality seems to be a result of the overall family-oriented focus of the resort. Aviara states, "We are committed to making your child's stay here a spectacular one."

The resort exudes a sense of overwhelming comfort, from the suites, to the lobby, to the spa, and restaurants. My suite offered an unforgettable view of the Batiquitos Lagoon and further off, of the ocean. It provided two private decks with cozy, cushioned chairs. Although it was not private enough to nurse a baby for those concerned with utter privacy, it was certainly perfect for sitting and reading with a child or gazing at the Lagoon and ocean. The suite was comprised of two very large rooms, offering enough space to easily accommodate the stroller, crib and all my baby paraphernalia. In addition, it had two bathrooms, very convenient when traveling with children. For Mom and Dad, the suite included internet access, cushy robes and a large selection of movies. For children, a Sony Playstation was available in the room.

The lobby was expansive with many plush chairs and sofas and a very unusual feature--a safety-proofed, barricaded fireplace, that still offered much warmth. A nearby statue of a small child reading indicated the child clientele to whom the Aviara caters. The lobby offered an excellent place to curl up near the safe fireplace with your child and read a book or plan a day at nearby Legoland.

Aviara is a blend of terms, aviary, a home for birds and terra, meaning earth. The resort was conceived of over ten years ago as part of the award winning master-planned Aviara Community. The resort is not the focal point amidst the 1,000 acres of prime ocean-front, Northern San Diego property. The Resort Club offers luxury vacation ownership. The main building of the resort is composed of 331 guest rooms and suites, four restaurants and lounges, a series of boutiques, a fitness and spa center, a world-class hair salon, and over 30,000 square feet of space to socialize and meet new people.

The grand layout consists of two main courtyards: The Palm Court, located off the lobby; and The Pool Courtyard, consisting of the pool, children's pool, whirlpools, and the Ocean Pool bar and grill.

Family activities available include hiking on trails, the tennis center, and bike rentals.

Mom and Dad can take advantage of the in-room fax machines, catering and conference services and film development on the premises.

An array of upscale shops are located within the resort, almost resembling a small village. This is another convenience for a traveling family; there is no need to get in the car and leave for shopping. Shops available:

• The Collector, for fine jewelry.
• The Premier, for home furnishings and accessories.
• An exceptional gift shop.
• A golf Pro Shop for golfing apparel.
• Peaches En Regalia, for men's and ladies' clothing.
• Moonbeams, for children's clothing.

Health and Fitness:

The Aviara has an utterly plush and complete fitness center, much like that of a country club. Air relaxation rooms are available with fruit, water, and magazines to relax after a spa treatment, workout, or massage. Facilities include locker rooms, a steam room, whirlpools, a dry sauna and luxurious products for guest to pamper themselves with, such as four different kinds of hair gels, foams, brand new brushes, cotton balls, Q-tips, body lotions and liquid talc; everything one could need after a workout or treatment. Their exercise room is like a state-of-the-art gym. Equipment includes life-fitness cross-trainers, cybex strength equipment, dumbbells, recumbent cycles, stair master climbers, upright cycles and treadmills. The equipment features private televisions with individual headsets. Also available for guests planning to work out are walkmans and workout attire such as tee shirts, shorts, socks and athletic shoes.

Massages available include aromatherapy, neck and shoulder, seaweed, shiatsu, sports, and Swedish massages. Body treatments are comprised of body wraps, turkish salt wraps, and chamomile body scrubs. Facials include aromatherapy, glycolic, mud, European deep cleansing, and cellular repair.

Dining:

Afternoon tea is served daily in the Lobby Lounge. Here, among the luxurious sofas and chairs and tables draped with crisp, white linens, guests can unwind at the end of the day and gaze through the floor-to-ceiling windows which form relaxing views of the Pacific Ocean and the Palm Courtyard.

Baby/Child Friendliness:

The very essence of this resort is to present a welcoming atmosphere for families with children. A myriad of child-specific services are available here, including:

• My suite came baby-proofed and baby-friendly. When I arrived, I found padded guards connected around all the tables, a diaper genie, soft dinosaur play toys on the bathtub nozzle, and a stool for bathing a baby or young child. There were also little kits in my suite which contained diapers, little bathing suits, bibs, and baby toiletries, including baby shampoo and bath soap.
• The Aviara is clearly a place not only for pampering Mom and Dad, but also the little ones as well. For instance, most resorts, if you are lucky, offer a gift store with a section for children's items. The Aviara has its own quite large store of children's apparel and toys, called Moonbeams, which sells infant to teenage clothes.
• A specially designated children's play pool is available although one will also see many young children splashing around with their parents in the adult pool. Full food service is available for the whole family around the pool. The food is brought to guests on trays.
• An on-call doctor twenty-four hours a day, very reassuring to traveling parents.
• Baby cribs, high chairs, and strollers.
• Air-fresheners.
• Children's games.
• Heating pads and hot water bottles, humidifiers and vaporizers.
• Babysitting service.
• Laundry service.
• Room service.
• Aviara states, "Our younger guests are very important to us at the Four Seasons Resort Aviara." They offer a Kids For All Seasons program for children four to twelve. Younger children can participate with a parent or babysitter. Kids join Avie the Frog to spend days exploring the natural wonderland of the resort, playing games and listening to stories. This is not a babysitting service although such services are available. In this program, parents must remain on the resort property while kids participate. Parents are free to enjoy the resort activities. This program is complimentary.
• A playroom stocked with games, videos, arts and crafts, and a well-trained staff is offered.
• The outdoor area is designed to combine nature with educational activities. Children walk around the wildlife preserve of Batiquitos Lagoon, observing the wildlife of the area. They can visit the teepee for storytelling or play games, sports, or race around the lawn.
• Indoor activities include arts and crafts in which children can make postcards, brighten coloring books, or make their own Avie the Frog, feed Avie and his friends in the frog aquarium, play games, watch videos, or listen to stories.
• The playroom contains books, computers, kid-sized furniture, and kid-sized washroom facilities.
• Upon request, kid-proofing for your room can include a toilet lid cover.
• Each Sunday, kids under twelve enjoy their own special Sunday brunch. Buffet tables are set to kids' height and filled with stuffed animals and kids' food such as chicken strips, macaroni and cheese, fruit and vegetables.
• In-room dining offers an extensive selection. One menu specifically for kids, the "Kids For All Seasons" menu, is very cute and not all junk food like many kids' menus. "Slurpies, Slushies and Goodies" offers strawberry smoothies, name-your-own soda float, ice cream Fondue and gummy bears. Also offered is a noodle alphabet soup; macaroni and noodles with meatballs, cheese, tomato sauce or just buttered; chicken fingers with French fries; Idaho baked potatoes with sour cream, cheese and avocado; shrimp spring rolls; and tropical fruit salad with yogurt.
• "For Night Owls" is a special menu for 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. If you need a snack when baby wakes in the night, you can order a Caesar salad or fruit plate with cottage cheese or, for a real meal, rosemary chicken, pizza with cilantro chicken and artichokes or other selections. Specialties on this menu feature milk shakes for kids and café latte for Mom.
• Nearby Legoland opened March, 1999. It is 12 acres featuring over forty rides and adventures, Lego creations, and puppet and magic shows. Tickets to Legoland are included in the "Destination San Diego Getaway Package."

Romance:

This resort is very romantic in general because of the setting, the facilities, and the pampering. In addition, many packages are available including Bed and Breakfast; Golf and Spa; and the Relaxation, Package which includes the room, a bottle of Aviara Grapefruit Body Lotion, and a massage or body treatment.

Beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean are foregrounded by the Batiquitos Lagoon, a wildlife preserve. The resort has attempted to sustain the beauty of this natural paradise with its rolling green hillsides.

Although near all the attractions of busy San Diego, there is an appealing hush about the Aviara that makes one feel galaxies away from the business. This is amplified by the Four Seasons Aviara Golf Course that surrounds the hotel. The Golf Course is award winning and offers opportunities for the seasoned golfer as well as for the novice.

Vivacé, which means "alive" in Italian, is the signature restaurant of the resort. The wine list features fine eclectic Italian, American, French and "New World" wines. Italian cuisine meets southern Californian cuisine, combining to make wonderful dishes of local seafood and traditional Italian specialties. The server presents Italian flat breads, served on warm slabs of marble, and complimented with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and artichoke tapenade.

The ambiance of this restaurant is warm and elegant featuring floor to ceiling windows with views of the ocean and lagoon. The Venetian plaster walls are faux-finished in burnt orange with rich wood paneling and stone tiled floors. The carpet, handmade and designed in Ireland, is deep eggplant purple with light green accents. The tables are decorated with elegant china, colorful stemmed crystal ware, colorful hand-blown Vonves glass. Dramatic floral arrangements and a Roman stone fireplace complete the setting. Outside seating is available where one can view olive trees planted in stone planters for a taste of Italy.

The California Bistro offers casual dining, either indoors or on an outside terrace, with a panoramic view of the ocean and golf course. Daily breakfast and lunch buffets are served here and they do offer a children's menu.