What’s included at Balboa Bay Resort — and what costs extra
Your nightly rate at Balboa Bay Resort covers your room or suite and a mandatory resort fee that includes access to the pool, 24-hour fitness center, in-room coffee, and Wi‑Fi. Expect extra charges for parking (self or valet), spa treatments and salon services, pool cabana/daybed rentals, most food and drinks (restaurants and bars are a la carte), boat and equipment rentals, airport shuttle, and pet fees.
In this guide
- What the nightly rate and resort fee cover
- Dining and drinks: mostly a la carte
- Parking, transportation, and shuttles (extra costs)
- Spa, salon, fitness and pool extras
- Water recreation and the Recreation Center
- Fees for pets, accessibility and incidentals
- Event spaces and added costs for meetings or weddings
What the nightly rate and resort fee cover
When you pay your room rate you’ll also pay a mandatory resort fee; third-party listings show a nightly resort fee amount, and hotel summaries say the resort fee covers items such as fitness-center access, pool access, in-room coffee and internet/Wi‑Fi.
Rooms and suites (examples: Room (Newport), Room, Bay View, Standard Suite, 1 Bedroom, Superior Suite, 1 Bedroom, Bay View, Executive Suite (Governor), Presidential Suite, Premium Room, Beachfront) include standard in-room amenities; larger suites can reach several thousand square feet.
- Resort-fee inclusions reported: 24-hour fitness center access, pool access, in-room coffee, Wi‑Fi/internet in-room and public areas
- Room types on the property range from Room (Newport) to Presidential Suite (use exact room name when booking)
- Check-in is 4:00 p.m.; check-out is 11:00 a.m.; minimum check-in age is 21
| Included | Notes |
|---|---|
| Pool access (heated 25 m pool) | Pool listed as open daily; resort fee reported to include pool access |
| 24-hour Fitness Center | Equipment includes Peloton bikes and a MIRROR |
| In-room coffee and Wi‑Fi | Resort-fee coverage of Wi‑Fi is cited in hotel summaries |
Dining and drinks: mostly a la carte
Balboa Bay Resort is not an all-inclusive property. The resort’s restaurants and bars operate a la carte: A+O Restaurant | Bar, Bar nineteen48, Blend Cafe, and Waterline Pool Bar provide separate menus and charges.
In Room Dining is available for an extra charge; poolside drink service and Onboard Provisions (delivery to private boats) are offered but billed per order.
- A+O Restaurant | Bar: breakfast, lunch, dinner; Daily Happy Hour Mon–Thu 3:00–7:00pm; hours listed on the resort site
- Bar nineteen48: cocktail lounge with limited hours (Thu–Sun) and food/drinks billed to your folio
- Blend Cafe: grab-and-go items and coffee (hours on site), billed per purchase
- Waterline Pool Bar: seasonal poolside menu and craft cocktails (charges apply)
| Venue | Typical charge type |
|---|---|
| A+O Restaurant | Bar | Pay per item (menu prices); happy hour discounts apply |
| Bar nineteen48 | Cocktails and small plates billed a la carte |
| In Room Dining / Onboard Provisions | Delivery and in-room orders billed per menu |
Parking, transportation, and shuttles (extra costs)
Parking at Balboa Bay Resort is available but not free: third-party listings show a self-parking fee and a higher valet rate that typically includes in/out privileges. An on-site electric vehicle charging station is available (charging may have its own cost).
The resort offers airport shuttle service on request for a surcharge and also provides a free beach shuttle and a local-area shuttle covering up to about 3 miles—confirm availability and any fees when you book.
- Self parking reported as a surcharge (example: USD 40 per night on some booking sites)
- Valet parking reported on third-party sites (example: USD 50–60 per night with in/out privileges)
- Airport shuttle: available on request for a fee (reported one-way charge on some listings)
- Local shuttles: free beach shuttle and area shuttle (up to ~3 miles) reported by some listings
| Service | Reported extra cost |
|---|---|
| Self parking | Reported surcharge (example figure on listings) |
| Valet parking | Higher nightly fee with in/out privileges (reported range on listings) |
| Airport shuttle (on request) | Reported one-way fee on some listings |
Spa, salon, fitness and pool extras
The Balboa Bay Spa provides massages, facials, waxing and salon services; spa treatments and Drybar services are charged separately from room and resort fees. Spa locker rooms and spa appointments follow published hours and age rules.
The fitness center is included through the resort fee (24-hour access). Pool access is included, but private day-beds, cabanas, hot tub use is subject to availability and rental fees.
- Spa booking: call the spa number to reserve (spa reception hours published); guests must be 16+ for treatments and under-18s cannot use locker rooms
- Spa facilities: nine treatment rooms, eucalyptus steam room, whirlpool; appointments billed per service
- Pool extras: private day beds and cabanas available to rent (rental fees apply)
- Drybar salon operates on site and lists its own hours and service charges
| Amenity | Included or Extra |
|---|---|
| Fitness Center (Peloton, MIRROR, cardio equipment) | Included via resort-fee |
| Spa treatments and salon services | Extra (book and pay separately) |
| Cabanas/day beds at pool | Extra (rental fees) |
Water recreation and the Recreation Center
Balboa Bay Resort operates a Recreation Center at its private dock offering boat and equipment rentals—motor boats, kayaks, paddleboards, Duffy boats and bicycles are available for guests but are charged per rental. Onboard Provisions delivers resort food to private boats for a fee.
If you plan water activities, budget separately for rentals, fuel or guide services; the resort’s marina and dock services are a distinct extra cost from room and resort fees.
- Recreation Center: land and water rentals from the private dock (motor boats, kayaks, paddleboards, bicycles, Duffy boats)
- Onboard Provisions: food/drink delivery to yachts and Duffy boats (billed per order)
- Boat rentals and marina services: typically charged separately—confirm rates and requirements with the Recreation Center
| Activity | Typical charge |
|---|---|
| Kayak / Paddleboard rental | Per-rental charge (ask Recreation Center) |
| Motor boat / Duffy rental | Per-rental charge (may include fuel / operator fees) |
| Onboard food delivery | Per-order charge via Onboard Provisions |
Fees for pets, accessibility and incidentals
Balboa Bay Resort is pet-friendly; third-party sites report a one-pet limit (dogs only), weight limits and a pet fee charged per stay. Service animals are exempt from pet fees. Confirm pet policies, limits and exact fee with the hotel when booking.
Accessible rooms and meeting spaces are available; incidental charges (room damages, extra housekeeping requests, mini-bar, etc.) are billed to your folio at check-out unless prepaid.
- Pet policy reported: dogs only, limit one pet, maximum ~35 lbs; pet fee reported on booking sites (examples vary between listings)
- Service animals are exempt from pet fees
- Payment and incidentals: property accepts major credit cards; a government ID and card or deposit may be requested at check-in
| Item | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Pet fee | Reported fee per stay on third-party sites (confirm exact amount with hotel) |
| Accessible rooms | Available (on-water accessible rooms and accessible meeting spaces reported) |
| Incidentals / deposits | ID and card or deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges |
Event spaces and added costs for meetings or weddings
Balboa Bay Resort offers many event venues (Grand Ballroom, Bayfront Lawn, Lighthouse Room, Commodore, Library, Ambassador Yacht and more), each with published capacities and space descriptions. Using event spaces typically involves venue rental fees, catering minimums, and service charges.
Private events often require F&B minimums, audiovisual or setup fees, and coordination with the resort’s events team—ask for a detailed quote that lists which services and items are included vs. additional.
- Grand Ballroom, Bay View Room, Bayfront Lawn, Lighthouse Room and other spaces have published capacity and square-foot figures
- Event bookings commonly add charges for catering, bar service, rentals, A/V and staffing
- Ambassador Yacht is a separately managed floating venue with its own capacity and rental terms
| Venue | Capacity (example) |
|---|---|
| Grand Ballroom | Published capacities up to multiple hundreds (see resort for details) |
| Bayfront Lawn | Outdoor capacity figures published on the resort site |
| Ambassador Yacht | Separate capacity and rental terms apply |
