This San Diego luxury resort will make you feel like you're in Europe

Photo courtesy of Joanne DiBona

Mediterranean ambiance in a Southern California setting

Spring is here, as well as renewed interest in luxury travel. If a visit to Southern California is on your radar, consider a relaxing stay at the Park Hyatt Aviara resort, which just completed a $50 million transformation. Located in the city of Carlsbad in North San Diego County, the property is situated on a ridge overlooking a picturesque lagoon and the Pacific Ocean.

It offers its guests a perfect place to re-energize, connect and explore.

Photo courtesy of Joanne DiBona

Unforgettable ocean vistas

Is it the Italian Riviera – or the coast of Southern California? The resort’s stunning architecture, coupled with a twilight view over the blue Pacific, makes for exceptional, non-stop photo opportunities.

Photo courtesy of Tony DiBona

Sweet spot for golf

If golf is your game, this is the perfect place to play it. The Aviara Golf Club, California’s only coastal-designed Arnold Palmer signature golf course, winds along the Batiquitos Lagoon, a spectacular wetland preserve. The course is also home to the LPGA Kia Classic professional golf tournament, which is held annually.

Photo courtesy of Tony DiBona

A "Top Chef" helms the resort's newest restaurant

The resort offers several immersive dining experiences, the most recent being the launch of the Ember & Rye restaurant, helmed by Richard Blais, winner of "Top Chef: All Stars."

The restaurant overlooks the 18^th hole of the resort’s golf course and features vintage steaks, fresh seafood and modern twists on timeless culinary concepts (such as pimento cheese sandwiches on white bread you may remember as a kid!).

Photo courtesy of Park Hyatt Aviara

Find your zen

Soak away your stress in the resort's adult pool, perched on a hill overlooking the lagoon and Southern California's magnificent countryside. Private luxury cabanas are also available for the ultimate in relaxation and serenity.

Photo courtesy of Joanne DiBona

It's not Holland, it's Carlsbad

If you're visiting the resort from March through mid-May, don’t miss a visit to the Flower Fields of Carlsbad Ranch, a mere three miles from the Park Hyatt Aviara. The fields feature the giant ranunculus blooms, as well as a wide variety of other flower species. It’s the next best thing to Holland’s Keukenhof – only on California’s west coast!

Explore: Flower fields around the world that are super gorgeous

Photo courtesy of Joanne DiBona

Relax in a luxury spa

The resort is also home to the luxurious Aviara Spa, which boasts 20 treatment rooms offering a wide variety of services.  After a spa treatment, guests can unwind under a spacious skylight to the sound of a gurgling fountain.

Photo courtesy of Joanne DiBona

Explore the magnificent beaches of Carlsbad

Craving a Southern California beach experience? The lovely coastal city of Carlsbad, California is just a few miles down the road from the resort. The coastline is renowned for its pristine beaches shadowed by magnificent cliffs rising above the white, sandy shore.

Photo courtesy of Park Hyatt Aviara

Family fun

Catering to guests of all ages, the resort features a spacious family pool to provide a relaxing dip or fun adventure for every member of the family. A water slide tower keeps active kids entertained for hours as they roll down the slide and splash into the shallow kids’ pool, while parents enjoy a soak in the hot tub or a vigorous work out in the main pool.

Photo courtesy of Tony DiBona

Elegant ballroom

It’s a given that this luxury resort is also a popular venue for corporate events, soirees, fundraisers and (of course) weddings. The expansive main ballroom features a break-out patio area beyond its doors that serves as a picturesque and intimate reception area.

Photo courtesy of Joanne DiBona

Exceptional cuisine

Fine dining takes on a whole new meaning at the resort’s Ponto Lago restaurant, which serves inventive Baja California-inspired cuisine with a local influence. To enhance the experience, these exquisite culinary offerings can be enjoyed with the backdrop of an unforgettable Pacific ocean view.

Photo courtesy of Tony DiBona

Open-air bar

The bar at Pacific Point, with its open-air view on the ocean, is one of the resort’s most popular venues. That being said, intimate bars are scattered throughout this luxurious hotel for guests to enjoy in a variety of attractive settings.

Explore: Enjoy a tropical island retreat in the heart of San Diego

Photo courtesy of Park Hyatt Aviara

Luxurious accommodations

You’ll enjoy the utmost in comfort during your stay. The resort offers 327 guestrooms, including 43 suites. All rooms are outfitted with luxurious pillow-top beds, wired and wireless internet, 55” flat screen TVs, in-room Bose stereo and more.

Photo courtesy of Tony DiBona

State of the art

No matter where you turn along your stroll through the Park Hyatt Aviara’s corridors, you will be met by stunning, original artwork, part of the Hyatt corporation's commitment to artistic design throughout their properties.

Photo courtesy of Tony DiBona

Golf virtually

Even if you miss the opportunity to play on the Park Aviara’s golf course, you can enjoy an interactive, virtual golf experience at two Topgolf Swing Suites in the hotel. Enjoy an immersive social experience that offers a floor-to-ceiling screen delivering a one-of-a-kind simulation that is fun for golf enthusiasts and non-golfers alike.

Guests can also enjoy the lounge’s billiard table or catch a game on one of the many televisions.

Photo courtesy of Tony DiBona

Peaceful vistas surround the resort

Beautiful vistas from all sides surround the resort. The Southern California vegetation is unique and varied, and the hiking trails around the resort will yield many opportunities for an excellent nature hike.

Photo courtesy of Joanne DiBona

Clean sweep

There’s no question you'll feel safe from any adverse health issues during your stay, thanks to the Hyatt Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment. Stations such as this are at every corner to ensure your health and safety. In addition, intensive cleaning practices in public spaces and guestrooms are in effect throughout the property.

Photo courtesy of Tony DiBona

Romantic ambiance

Evening always casts a romantic charm over the resort. While you may not physically be on the Riviera in the south of France, chances are you can look out on the amazing views and imagine yourself there.

Photo courtesy of Park Hyatt Aviara

Old World luxury in the heart of San Diego North

The coastal beauty of Southern California is world-renowned, with a climate that makes any time of the year perfect for a visit.