Carmel Valley Ranch

Recommends

sflj

Joined 4 years ago

beautiful, contemporary resort. overall, the resort is beautiful. driving in, you pass the tennis courts, golf clubhouse and the lower 9 holes of the course. the course is short but challenging to play, with narrow fairways and recently installed bent grass. the guestrooms are set higher on the hill and are clustered around the lodge, restaurant and pool. the staff is friendly and seems eager to help. the concierge and front desk are knowledgeable, and bellstaff are friendly - they will also happily take you around property on one of the golf carts.

the lodge, and all public spaces, are a successful mix of sleek modern and rustic lodge. the pool is on the small side but is not crowded and has great lounge chairs. on a patio off to the side there is casual poolside food and drinks service. the fine dining restaurant, cintronelle, is casually elegant and the food is excellent - fresh and not fussy. the bar is a bit more rustic, with large leather chairs alongside more contemporary furnishings.

the guestrooms are scattered in smaller buildings around the lodge. the grounds are well maintained and deer freely graze all around, which is a treat to see. ***here is the kicker - the guestrooms, with the exception of the "estate rooms" have not been updated to the level of the public rooms.*** there is a lot of pattern and country wrought iron - sleek modern meets rustic lodge has definetly not made it to the rooms. everything is clean and neat, however. beds are comfy and have quality linens. the guestrooms are indeed large, with plenty of room in the sitting area for 4-6 people to hang out. the views from the balcony are very pretty, looking out over the valley floor.

essentially, this is an excellent travel deal. in my opinion, the public spaces and amenities far outweigh the dated guestrooms.

Doesn't Recommend

mmmbreakfast

Joined 6 years ago

definitely overrated. so we chose a room with the spa on the balcony. it's was nice to sit in, but it was really scary when i got out and my white top was covered in green mystery substance. apparently in hadn't been cleaned in a while. when i shared this with the staff, there was no offer to make up for this financially or otherwise. the rooms were not nearly as nice as one would expect for such an expensive price. the 70's decor was lacking, and the view was not much to look at. the staff were friendly and helpful, however, and the food was great (though of course overpriced). overall, we would not choose to stay here again.

Recommends

Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

A quintessential, Northern California resort.. The Scene
Six miles from Carmel, this all-suite resort resides on a 1,700-acre estate. The views of the surrounding valley and mountains are fabulous. The great outdoors are capitalized on by the open and airy design of the interior spaces. A full conference planning service and flexible meeting spaces make this property popular for both small and large corporate gatherings.

The Details
The suites take the business of luxury seriously. Along with separate bedrooms and grand bathrooms, they feature wood-burning fireplaces, Jacuzzi tubs and private decks. When it comes to listing superlative amenities, it's hard to know where to begin. The 18-hole, Pete Dye-designed, championship golf course is integral to the beautiful landscape. If tennis is your game, the tennis club features 12 hard and two clay courts. Summer guests cool off in two swimming pools, while winter weekenders prefer to unwind in the hot tub.