Spacious suites and beachfront views: A review of Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach, Curio Collection by Hilton

Beach hotels in California aren't exactly novel. But it's harder than you might think to find a resort located right on the sand.

However, a bit north of Los Angeles, in the laid-back surfer town of Oxnard, the only thing between Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach and the Pacific is a gorgeous stretch of beach.

What's more, this Hilton-owned Curio Collection hotel is a rare oceanfront all-suite property, so even when you book the cheapest room, you can still spread out in a spacious one-bedroom accommodation. Plus, on-site perks include a large lagoon-style pool, California-inspired dining, beach gear rentals and plenty of activities.

I recently checked into the hotel with my husband and two kids for a family beach vacation. Here's what our getaway was like.

Related: The best coastal hotels to visit during your next seaside getaway

What is Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach, Curio Collection by Hilton?

Formerly an Embassy Suites resort, the nine-acre, 250-suite hacienda-style hotel was reimagined in 2022 as a member of Hilton's boutique Curio Collection.

Related: Your ultimate guide to Hilton hotel brands

According to Hilton, the property was renamed in honor of the sugar mogul Henry Oxnard, who wanted to grow sugar beets (the hotel's casual breakfast and lunch spot, located in an Airstream trailer, is named for this) in the area in the early 1900s and had plans to name it Zachari, which means "sugar" in Greek. The hotel's rental and grab-and-go shop, Henry's Sundries & Gear, is also named for him.

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Now, following a full-scale renovation from its Embassy Suites days, the hotel has a California cool meets Mediterranean feel with terra-cotta tile, dark wood fixtures and arched walkways alongside manicured grounds with picturesque ponds, cascading waterfalls, lush landscaping and bistro lighting over a central courtyard that leads to the beach.

The lobby, in particular, is open and inviting with dramatic high ceilings, gorgeous lighting and sleek sitting areas with a fireplace and coworking spaces.

Getting there

Located a little over an hour north of Los Angeles, the Zachari Dunes resort is situated where the LA area and California's central coast meet. Mandalay Beach in Oxnard is about 35 miles south of Santa Barbara and less than 10 miles south of Ventura.

I drove from my home in Southern California near Palm Springs, and the trip took me about 3 1/2 hours.

While easily accessible by car from all of these points, you'll definitely need one to get there. A ride-hailing service from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), which is roughly 70 miles away, would be quite costly. Even Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA), which is 45 miles away, would cost at least $100 via Uber.

Plan to fork over $38 daily for overnight self-parking at the hotel. Alternatively, valet parking costs $42 per night. Both have full in and out privileges.

I opted to self park in the parking garage, where an elevator connected me directly with the building where my room was located.

Booking details

Zachari Dunes has 250 guest rooms, most of which have a one-bedroom layout with either one king bed or two queens in the bedroom and a pullout sofa in the living area; they differ in price based on the view. These rooms also have two full bathrooms and come with a balcony or patio and sleep four to six people comfortably.

There are also presidential suites, with two bedrooms, that sleep up to six people. One has a king bed, and the other comes with two queens; these suites also have two balconies.

According to the hotel's website, standard rooms start as low as $267, or 68,000 Hilton Honors points, in summer for midweek stays. Over winter, that price drops down to $234 or 63,000 points per night. Weekends throughout the year, however, will cost a bit more, depending on when you want to visit.

I planned my visit while searching for a summer getaway for my family after receiving the 170,000 Hilton Honors welcome bonus (no longer available) when I enrolled and fulfilled the initial spending requirements for a Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. The current offer is 165,000 Hilton Honors points after spending $3,000 within the first six months of card membership.

Since we live in a hot desert area, I wanted to get out of town for as long as possible. And with a toddler and a baby, I needed a suite where my kids' differing bedtimes wouldn't create chaos at night. I had around 330,000 points sitting in my account and I considered a few options before landing on Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach. I was able to book a five-night stay in a standard-view suite for 80,000 Hilton Honors points per night, and received the fifth free as part of a promotion offered at the time of booking. I only paid 320,000 Hilton Honors points for the entire stay.

When booking Zachari Dunes, you'll want to use one of the credit cards that earn the most points for Hilton stays, as well as one that possibly offers automatic Hilton Honors elite status for value-added benefits. These include:

• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card: Earn 12 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels, automatic Gold elite status and the ability to upgrade to Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year by spending $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year.
• Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: Earn 12 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels, automatic Gold elite status and the ability to upgrade to Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year by spending $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year.
• Hilton Honors American Express Card: Earn 7 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels and automatic Silver elite status and the ability to upgrade to Gold through the end of the next calendar year when you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year.
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Earn 14 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels and automatic Diamond elite status.

The information for the Hilton Aspire Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The room

My reservation was for a standard one-bedroom suite with a king bed. That meant I wouldn't have a premium view facing the ocean or pool. Initially, I was okay with it. I figured we'd be out of the room for most of the trip, and as an experienced traveler with little kids, I knew it was unrealistic to expect that my husband and I would have much time to sit and clink drinks on the patio in peace.

As I followed the posted directions to my room, I was surprised to see that the corridor was flanked by a lot full of dumpsters and parked trucks. Thankfully, my room's windows faced the other way.

When I opened my door, I was greeted by a spacious room with a high-top dining table and four chairs a few steps in front of me.

To my right was an empty closet, aside from a bedding kit for outfitting the pullout sofa.

To my left was a full bathroom. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were two bathrooms in the suite. This was especially useful when my baby was napping in the bedroom, and the rest of us were out in the living room.

In this first bathroom, nautical-inspired wallpaper wrapped the room, and there was also a toilet, sink and walk-in tiled rainfall shower.

Back in the living room, across from the dining area, a kitchenette housed a minifridge, a microwave, a sink and a coffee machine stocked with a few pods and coffee accouterments.

The wood-style tiled floor led to a carpeted living room with midcentury-style furnishings that included a plush red couch and an armchair, as well as a flat-screen TV over a mod-looking entertainment unit and sliding doors leading to a balcony. While this area initially struck me as contemporary, upon closer inspection, I realized the sofa was a bit worn out, with threads coming loose.

From the living area, a door led to the bedroom. Here was the king-size bed facing another flat-screen TV with a bench underneath it.

The nightstands had lamps on either side, each with built-in plugs. I especially appreciated the multicord charger cables provided for various USB device types. This came in handy when I realized I forgot the charging cords for my daughter's travel night-light and sound machine.

The bedroom had an additional closet where I found an iron and ironing board. I was surprised that neither closet held a safe.

The bedroom also had an en-suite bathroom with a double-sink vanity, a shower and tub combo and a toilet separated by a door. The bathroom was so large, this was actually where we placed my baby's pack-and-play at night for her own separate sleep space. Both bathrooms came stocked with multiuse toiletries branded by BeeKind and plenty of fluffy white towels.

From the bedroom, I had a view of an inner courtyard of landscaped paths and waterfalls that spilled downward into the parking lot below. I thought it was a pretty area but since my window faced three floors of open corridors and a few room balconies, I kept my curtains drawn most of the time for privacy.

Back in the living room, my balcony was up against an open-air hallway leading to an elevator. It felt odd to have patio seating adjacent to a busy walkway. For this reason, we didn't use it very much.

Overall, the room was a good size for the four of us, though not soundproofed very well. The first night was so noisy, I had to alert the front desk. While I tried to soothe my baby to sleep, I heard the shouting of rowdy teenagers next door who were so raucous, it made my bed jolt. Thankfully, the complaint helped resolve things, and the following nights weren't quite as bad (but it was never completely quiet during our stay).

The best parts of staying here were the pool and the beach

We loved the pool and beach access at this hotel.

The pool was large enough to fit the crowds without feeling chaotic, and I liked the faux rock detailing that framed an extra-large hot tub, an outdoor shower for rinsing off and another decorative waterfall area behind the pool.

While shaded seating was limited, pool loungers and towels were never in short supply, and waitstaff served food and drink from Dive, an adjacent bar area.

It was just a short stroll from our room to the sand, and Oxnard is a real gem in that the beach is wide, clean and beautiful and somehow never felt overly crowded, even during a holiday week.

The walkway along the beach was lovely for a stroll, and a park next door had a playground my kids loved. The hotel's location was central to the local marina, too, so we could walk to a few restaurants instead of driving.

The resort fee didn't include much, and it was especially evident on beach days

The hotel does not service the beach or have any setup on the sand.

Instead, as part of a $35 daily resort fee (excluding tax), you can borrow beach chairs and umbrellas. But there's a catch. Guests may rent items for free for two hours per day. Anything extra incurs a charge. And it's not straightforward, either. For example, for a full two-hour rental, it could only be one item. If we wanted to borrow two beach chairs, we'd be able to use each one for an hour. In other words, each item "costs" an hour. A beach chair and umbrella together were collectively only free for an hour.

And while the ocean was close, if you've ever spent time on a California beach, you'll know these are extra-wide stretches that can easily take 15 minutes to walk from one side to the actual surf. If I only borrowed items for an hour, I would have spent at least half of that time going back and forth from the shop to the sand.

We borrowed two beach chairs for an hour the first day and then ended up going to Walmart to buy our own since we needed some anyway. They cost around the same as one day of resort fees, and now we have them forever. However, the shop does rent a wide variety of interesting items as part of the daily two-hour allowance, and they go far beyond beach chairs (like surf and boogie boards, wetsuits, hoverboards, board games, basketballs and even a guitar or a Nintendo Switch).

The resort fee also included internet access, fitness/wellness classes, PressReader access and discounts on parasail, Jet Ski and kayak rentals.

The hotel did offer additional daily activities that I initially wanted to join until I saw they weren't included in the resort fee. A cookie-decorating class, for example, was available for $20 — per person.

While some things were free, like bubbles on the beach, I was disappointed that so many activities were not included and rental times were limited.

The food we tried was pricey but good

Likewise, food wasn't cheap.

The hotel has three dining venues. The upscale Ox & Ocean, which connects from the lobby and flows into a central courtyard facing the beach, is a beautiful venue, but we skipped it to keep things more casual with our young kids.

Instead, we had breakfast at Sugar Beats, a parked Airstream trailer behind the pool serving limited breakfast and lunch menus.

In the morning, we tried the breakfast tacos ($15), a breakfast burrito ($18) and a decadent plate of French toast covered in Nutella ($16). The food was good, but brewed coffee was only available on one morning of our stay. A staff member let me know that due to the Airstream setup, it would take around an hour to heat up water and brew coffee, so espresso-based drinks were the only option. After the first morning, we came for our Americanos and ate groceries in the room, instead.

We also had lunch at Sugar Beats on our first day, trying the fried chicken sandwich ($18) and the fish 'n' tots ($17). Both were good, but with such a small menu, we didn't feel the need to come back.

There's also a spa, workout facilities and a game room

Near the pool were a number of other recreational offerings.

Part of Dive (the bar area serving food and drinks to people at the pool) was a game room with board, card and arcade games, as well as darts and pinball. All of these were free to use on a first-come, first-served basis. Most of what they had to play with was geared to older kids, though my 3-year-old still liked it.

Next to the game room was a spacious fitness center with plenty of cardio equipment including Peloton bikes, as well as free weights and weight machines and separate areas for stretching.

On the other side of the gym was a small spa. I took a look inside and saw a nicely curated shop with jewelry, candles and clothes. The spa itself was a small facility with just a bathroom in lieu of a locker room and a handful of treatment rooms.

Behind Sugar Beats, a path led to pickleball or tennis courts, as well as basketball courts. To use these, you could allot your daily gear rental for racquets and balls at Henry's or pay to rent them.

Accessibility

The hotel is ADA-compliant and has wheelchair-accessible entrances throughout the resort. I noticed that the Jacuzzi had a chairlift, but the pool was not accessible.

There are also multiple accessible room types, including a standard king bedroom, a two-queen pool view, a two-queen ocean view and a presidential suite option, which all come with bathroom grab bars, handheld shower wands and lowered features such as light switches, peepholes, toilets, shelf storage, sinks and thermostat controls.

Guests can find the most information on the hotel's website by navigating to the Suites page and selecting Accessible Amenities. This pop-up details the features throughout the hotel, including accessible parking, public entrances, dining, routes around the property, doors with 32 inches of width, registration desks, Braille signage and more.

Standout features

• The cheapest standard rooms here are all one-bedroom suites.
• The suites are large and cost a fraction of what they might at other Hilton properties, especially Curio-level resorts.
• The hotel has an unbeatable location with direct beachfront access and a fun pool.
• There are multiple well-designed, striking common areas, from the large airy lobby to outdoor sofas and a large communal firepit lined with Adirondack chairs.
• The sundries shop is well stocked with unique rentals, snacks and toiletries.

Drawbacks

• The hotel can be noisy, depending on where your room is located. For a quieter, more peaceful escape, book a beachfront, top-floor room — but know there still might be some noise bleed.
• While the base price is affordable, expect to pay extra for parking, activities and rentals over one to two hours, even while paying a resort fee.
• The on-site dining is limited. There is only one real restaurant.
• Despite a recent renovation and opening only two years ago, the hotel is showing signs of wear and tear.

Checking out

The all-suite format and affordable price point, even in summer and over holiday periods, make this beachfront stay an approachable choice that's naturally popular among families like mine, and I spotted plenty of couples here, as well.

I was able to stay in a suite in a beachfront setting for a lengthy five-night period — and over a holiday — for just 320,000 Hilton Honors points. This felt like a feat that was unmatchable anywhere else.

I'd come back, but only in an oceanfront accommodation where I'd have better views and a quieter location with less foot traffic from other guests.

Ultimately, I don't regret using my points to stay here; however if I was doing it all again and booking the same room type, I'd stay only two nights to check out before the noise became a nuisance and all the extra charges added up. Then I could have saved more of my points for a splurge somewhere fancy and indulgent.

Yet Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach is still a great value, perhaps an unbeatable one, given the prime beach access and the fact that all standard rooms are suites. It's especially a good fit for families with older kids who can use the fun rentals and won't mind a little hubbub — just bring your own beach chairs.

Related reading:

• The award traveler's guide to Hilton Honors
• How to choose the best Hilton credit card for you
• What is Hilton Honors elite status worth?
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• Which credit cards offer the most lucrative rewards for hotel stays?