DKN Hotels today announced a fresh chapter in the life of its Cardiff by the Sea Lodge. The three-story hotel has a new look after a comprehensive revitalization to its exterior, rooftop deck, public spaces and all guest rooms. The 17-room hotel located at 142 Chesterfield Drive is owned and managed by DKN Hotels of Irvine, California.
A San Diego native, Vanessa Tewilliager recently began her role as assistant director of food and beverage, where she will work alongside Chris Simmons to oversee the restaurant operations at Alila Marea Beach Resort. Having began her career in hospitality at only 16 years old, Tewilliager discovered her passion for the industry early, and has held numerous impressive positions at various hospitality groups and organizations, including most recently serving as the general manager and director of training and development for the Villagio Hospitality group in Northern Virginia where she aided in the opening and managing of various concepts including a brewery, live music venue, large banquet hall, food trucks, full service catering business, fast casual, polished casual, and fine dining restaurants. Throughout her work, Tewilliager has enjoyed participating in local community festivals and hosting events for non-profit organizations. Tewilliager also brings extensive senior leadership experience to the property from working as the general manager for Kona Grill and assistant manager for TD Bank.
A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts - Pasadena, Jessica Carreira is a skilled and experienced chef who brings her global experience and perspective to Alila Marea Beach Resort's idyllic seaside location. A San Jose native, Carreira joined the property's culinary team for its opening in March 2021, working in the pastry kitchen until recently being appointed to resort sous chef where she is currently managing the property's poolside surf-inspired bar and lounge, The Pocket, which recently opened to the public. Carreira's experience includes roles in Michelin Star restaurants in Portugal, assisting in the opening of her family's Portuguese restaurant, Adega, where she worked as the sous and pastry chef and helped earn a Michelin Star only 10 months after opening. Carreira looks forward to being a part of the very exciting culinary future for this award-winning property.
A seasoned beverage expert and no stranger to the local market, Juan Sanchez was born and raised in San Diego and brings a myriad of beverage experience to Alila Marea Beach Resort. As Beverage Director, Sanchez will oversee the beverage component of all F&B outlets, as well as beverage menu creation, and more. Previous to his new role, Sanchez has worked at Manchester Grand Hyatt, JRDN-Tower 23, the Trust Restaurant Group, and was most recently the beverage director for Belmont Park Entertainment. With a hospitality-first approach, Sanchez is looking forward to coaching, mentoring, and learning from his colleagues, and is excited to help create a team that understands and appreciates the importance of every role.
As Director of Restaurants, Bars, and Events, Chris Simmons oversees the entire food and beverage program at Alila Marea Beach Resort, including its signature dining destinations VAGA, The Pocket, and The Coffee Box, in-room dining offerings, along with events operations and more. Having been a part of the resort's culinary team since opening in 2021, Simmons helped craft the unique food and beverage experience the resort is now known for, and plays an integral role in continuing to elevate the resort's culinary offerings. Previously, Simmons held roles at a number of iconic San Diego hotels and restaurants serving as outlets manager at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa and the director of food & beverage for celebrity chef Brian Malarkey's esteemed restaurant group. As a Level Two Master Mezcalier, Simmons also serves as Alila Marea's resident certified catador, responsible for creating the recently launched seaside Agave Dinner Series, in which Simmons partners with notable agave brands to take guests on a journey through expertly crafted food and beverage pairings.
Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas and James Beard Foundation Best Chef West semifinalist Chef Claudette Zepeda are proud to announce the appointment of Ananda Bareño as executive chef of Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas. Bareño will oversee the day-to-day culinary execution of VAGA, in addition to overseeing the menus for The Pocket Pool & Bar, Coffee Box, special events catering and in-room dining. Chef Zepeda will assume the role of chef consultant and will continue to be the creative visionary behind the bespoke culinary experiences at Alila Marea Beach Resort, while also furthering her work to champion regional Mexican cuisine within the global culinary community.
Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas opens its doors, delivering authentic and bespoke experiences in a world-class beachfront setting. The crafted luxury resort joins the Alila portfolio, which totals 16 locations worldwide, bringing the brand's sustainable tourism, innovative eco-design and intimate destination experiences to Southern California.
Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas is pleased to announce the appointment of Benjamin Thiele to General Manager. Situated along the coastal bluffs in one of Southern California's most iconic coastal towns, the 130-room Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas is slated to open early 2021 and looks to deliver authentic luxury experiences in a world-class beachfront setting. As part of Hyatt's growing Alila brand portfolio, Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas is set to mark a significant milestone for the brand as the first new-build Alila resort in the Americas and second property in the U.S.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today plans for the first new-build Alila resort in the Americas, located in Encinitas, Calif., a quintessential beach town in San Diego's North County Coastal region. Developed by JMI Realty and Fenway Capital Advisors, Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas will add to Hyatt's growing Alila brand portfolio, joining Ventana Big Sur, an Alila Resort, as the brand's second hotel in California and the U.S., along with 14 other luxury properties worldwide. The Alila brand features luxury hotels and resorts in unique locations, distinguished by innovative eco-design, a strong commitment to sustainable tourism as well as rare and intimate destination experiences.