top of page

San Diego’s Best Kept Secret: Kona Kai Resort

Kona Kai Resort San Diego

As someone who grew up in Southern California and went to school and lived in San Diego for many years, I admittedly had never been to Shelter Island.

Shelter Island isn’t actually an island but rather a strip of land that’s a little over 1 mile long and only a few hundred feet wide. It’s home to one of the most beautiful marinas in all of San Diego and a handful of seaside resorts, including the beautiful Kona Kai Resort.

Kona Kai Resort is a beachfront resort and marina featuring incredible dining, newly renovated rooms and a world-class spa.

Kona Kai Resort, San Diego

The Hotel

Upon arriving, I was taken aback by the casual luxury of the hotel. Tropical decor and bright sun-kissed colors and accents decorated the property.

The hotel had a true “Surfer’s Paradise” feeling.

At the center of the resort, I found a beautiful pool with cozy cabanas (and my name written all over it). Fire pits lined the beach and sailboats stretched for miles along the marina.

The resort also offers activities on the property including paddle boarding, kayaking and Sea-Doo rentals.

Kona Kai Resort, San Diego
Kona Kai Resort, San Diego
Paddle Boarding at Kona Kai Resort

Rooms

After checking in, I was shown to my room. Beautiful bright accent walls and cozy beds were a warm welcome. The bayside view from the balcony was the cherry on top!

Kona Kai received a complete renovation in 2013, transforming their 129 accommodations into slices of SoCal heaven. Each morning, I enjoyed a cup of coffee on the balcony and watched the sailboats sail across the bay.

Kona Kai Resort, San Diego
Kona Kai Resort, San Diego

Spa Amenities

Kona Kai not only features a pool, hot tub and fitness center, it also has a world-class spa, SpaTerre, offering a range of services for some pampering and relaxation. I indulged in one of the Global Rituals treatments where I received the Javanese Royal Treatment.

SpaTerre’s Global Rituals are an amazing way to treat yourself to traditional spa experiences from around the world, from Balinese to Egyptian to Thai massages and body treatments.

Some Global Rituals treatments at SpaTerre on offer:

Javanese Royal Treatment: Lose yourself in this lavish ritual direct from the palaces of Java: includes a luxurious Balinese massage, essential oil and and herbal exfoliation, a cool yogurt splash and shower. To complete your experience, sink into a soaking tub prepared with rose petals and infused with tropical fragrances.

Cleopatra’s Milk Ritual: Cleopatra, legendary in her time for exquisite skincare, bathed in milk and honey to soften and hydrate aging skin. Sacred combinations of traditional practices accompany this journey of deep peace and spiritual awakening. This ritual begins with a customized sugar exfoliation; followed by a serenity milk bath soak and finish with a nurturing massage.

Kona Kai Spa Entrance
Kona Kai Spa Treatment Room

Dining

Kona Kai’s Vessel restaurant menu features local, seasonal and sustainable coastal cuisine expertly prepared by Executive Chef Roy Hendrickson. The 360 degree bar creates a casual-chic environment perfect for enjoying a glass of wine and some delicious food.

I sampled nearly everything on the menu and loved every bite, but the spicy tuna tacos, sea bass and crème brûlée were otherworldly!

Vessel Restaurant
Vessel Restaurant
Vessel Restaurant
Vessel Restaurant

Even in the Winter, San Diego features gorgeous weather, making Kona Kai Resort a beautiful destination year round. For anyone traveling to San Diego (or San Diegans looking for the perfect “stay-cation”), don’t miss Kona Kai Resort!


More Information

Location: 1551 Shelter Island Dr, San Diego, California 92106

Accommodation: Casual Luxury

Price Range: $$

Special thanks to Kona Kai Resort for hosting me as their guest. As always, the content & opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

 
 
 

Related Posts

See All

Comments

Rated 0 out of 5 stars.
No ratings yet

Add a rating*
bottom of page
Live Community

489 Members. 10 Live Projects.
Real Progress — Right Now.

These are your future squad members. They are already inside the Sprint — building, delivering, and getting paid.

489 Active Members
10 Live Projects
4 Countries
£7 Min. Hourly Pay
🚀

WorkTravel Talent Onboarding: Your 4-Week Career Sprint

489 members · Public Group · WorkTravel Academy

VIEW GROUP →
M

Just received my first payment — £280 direct to my account. No escrow, no waiting. The client approved my AI workflow automation deliverable this morning. This is real.

🔥 47 💬 12 comments
J

Blockchain credential issued. Week 4 complete. My SkillBridge AI profile now shows 2 verified deliverables. Already been matched to a second project — starting Monday.

⚡ 63 💬 8 comments
A

Squad Lead reviewed my first submission. Feedback was specific and actually useful — not generic. Already know exactly what to fix for Week 2. This is the mentorship I couldn't find anywhere else.

👏 34 💬 6 comments
D

Applied to 50+ jobs last year. Zero responses. Joined the Sprint 4 weeks ago. Now I have 2 paid deliverables, a blockchain credential, and a second project offer. The CV is dead. Proof is everything.

🚀 89 💬 21 comments
Live group activity · Updates in real time · 489 members active See all posts ↗

They were exactly where you are now — skilled, invisible, frustrated.
They chose to build proof instead of sending more CVs.

Join Them — Apply to Qualify →

Free for qualified members · 10–20 hrs/week · Results in 4 weeks

1
Brief
2
Review
3
Live Page

Start Your Project Page

Your brief becomes a live, SEO-optimised project page on WorkTravel.Agency — proof of your work, not just a claim.

🚀

Your Project Page is Being Created!

We've received your brief and will send your live project page link to your email within 24 hours.

Your project will appear at:
worktravel.agency/projects/[your-location]

🏆 My Credits
🏆My Credits
🚀 Onboarding Step 3

Launch Your Project Group

Your Group is your project landing page. It's where your squad collaborates, where Sponsors discover you, and where you earn your first Academy Credits. Create it now — it takes 2 minutes.

+ Create Your Project Group

Already have a group? Browse all groups

🎬 Learning Resources

Watch, Learn & Earn Credits

Access 45+ podcast episodes and 100+ project-based learning videos. Every completed lesson earns you Academy Credits toward your next tier.

🎙️

WorkTravel AI Agency Podcast

45 episodes covering AI operations, remote work strategy, and enterprise AI adoption. Real conversations with practitioners.

45 Episodes
🎓

AI Systems Skills Academy

Short, practical videos on AI operator skills. Perfect for building your AI toolkit step by step.

100+ Videos
💰 Membership Plans

Choose Your Path to AI Mastery

From free Explorer to full White Label Partner — every tier includes Academy Credits, community access, and a verifiable AI project portfolio. All plans include the MiniMax Bonus System.

Explorer
Free
Forever
  • 100 Welcome Credits
  • Community access
  • Blog & podcast library
  • 1 public group
Join Free
Verified
$99
One-time · Lifetime badge
  • Official Verified status
  • Priority Sponsor visibility
  • 1,000 bonus Credits
  • LinkedIn badge kit
  • All Builder perks included
Get Verified
Squad Lead
$99
/ month · Lead & mentor
  • 2,000 Credits/month
  • Lead up to 10 members
  • Mentor revenue share
  • Featured in Sponsor directory
  • Enterprise Affiliation Bonus
Lead a Squad

Full Feature Comparison

Feature Explorer Builder Verified Squad Lead
Monthly Academy Credits100 (join)5001,000 (once)2,000
Community Access
Project-Based Learning Tracks
Verifiable Portfolio Badge
Official Verified Status
Enterprise Tool Discounts
MiniMax Bonus SystemBasicFullFullFull + Mentor
Referral Commission✓ + Override
Enterprise Affiliation Bonus
Mentor Revenue Share
Sponsor Directory ListingPriorityFeatured
PriceFree$7/mo$99 once$99/mo
🌟 Enterprise Affiliation Bonus Track

Earn While You Build

As a Squad Lead or Verified member, you can earn recurring commissions by recommending the enterprise tools your team already uses. Every referral earns you Academy Credits and real cash commissions — paid directly by our partners.

1

Upgrade to Squad Lead

The Enterprise Affiliation Bonus Track is available to Squad Lead and Verified members.

2

Pick Your Partners

Choose from our vetted list of enterprise AI and automation platforms.

3

Share Your Link

Use your unique referral link in your project groups, blog posts, and client proposals.

4

Earn Credits + Cash

Earn Academy Credits for every referral, plus direct commissions from the partner platform.

Make.com
35%
Recurring · 12 months
No-code automation platform
Apply Now
🔁
n8n
30%
Recurring · 12 months
Open-source workflow automation
Apply Now
🌐
Google Workspace
$8–$27
Per sale · Per plan tier
Gmail, Drive, Meet & more
Apply Now
🤖
Anthropic Claude
Partner
Claude Partner Network
Joint market development + referrals
Apply Now
💬
Slack
Partner
Referral partner programme
Team communication platform
Apply Now
☁️
Amazon AWS
3–10%
Per service · Variable
Cloud infrastructure & AI services
Apply Now
🌟
OpenAI
Coming Soon
ChatGPT & API
Monitoring for affiliate launch
Notify Me
🚀
Grok / xAI
Coming Soon
xAI enterprise platform
Monitoring for partner launch
Notify Me
👑

Eligibility: Squad Lead or Verified Members Only

The Enterprise Affiliation Bonus Track is available to members on the Squad Lead plan ($99/month) or those who have achieved Verified status ($99 one-time). Upgrade today to unlock your referral links and start earning recurring commissions from the tools you already recommend.

Upgrade to Squad Lead →
🌟 Welcome to the Academy

Watch this 60-second overview first

Understand how Credits, Projects, and the Bonus System work together.