Carmel Valley Ranch
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2 Reviews for Carmel Valley Ranch
21
232 families found this helpful
"Good, not Great"
I think our expectations were too high, given how fancy the place looked on the website. As it turns out, only 4 rooms (and the lobby) have been renovated, with the rest of the rooms unchanged. That being said, the room was clean enough, although not as spacious as claimed on the website (I think that they include the outdoor balcony area in what they call "square footage of the room," which I feel is misleading). The resort is rather hilly, which is good if you have kid who likes to run. The golf course looked top notch (we saw it, didn't play it). The food options at the resort are expensive, so I would recommend going elsewhere (there are grocery stores and restaurants about 10-20 minutes away). The resort is fairly remote, which is good if you want a quiet getaway, but keep in mind that it will take you at least 30 minutes to drive to attractions like the Monterrey aquarium or Dennis the Menace playground.
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'10, '11, '12
0 families found this helpful
"Renovated and Rocking"
We came out 2.5 years ago and had a nice stay, but felt the place needed a little more love. Now $35 million later, the Carmel Valley Ranch is truly a getaway for families.
After a 2 night stay here this past September 2011, it was hard to leave. The rooms are completely updated with a modern look and provided a cushy stay. We got a room where the bathroom was separated from the bedroom which made things a lot less tricky with a sleeping child in the bedroom.
The Citronelle restaurant is now under a new chef and renamed the The Lodge restaurant. It was delicious and the service was excellent. They now have a fully loaded kids' menu too. The Ranch now offers tons of daily activities onsite and the River Ranch area is just heaven for kids (pool, camp, daycare, bocce ball, and a variety of other activities).
All in all, we're totally in love with this place and will definitely come back for more.
Go to http://blog.trekaroo.com/2011/10/14/carmel-valley-ranch-a-heavenly-stay/ and read my full review on the updated Carmel Valley Ranch.
The following review is for a stay in 5/2009...
My husband recently was sweet enough to book a weekend getaway for my birthday (Memorial Weekend 2009) in Carmel Valley. We stayed two nights at the Carmel Valley Ranch with my 2 year old rambunctious son. The entire resort is nestled in Carmel Valley, an all-suite resort surrounded by the Santa Lucia Mountains. The highlights of our stay were the golf cart rides around the resort which was our toddler’s favorite part, the room setup and the kid-friendly service.
My husband booked the spacious Veranda Suite (850-900 square feet room)! The room is nice, but not as nice as the photos on the website portray. The history on the hotel is that they were acquired by LXR Resorts who planned on renovating and converting them into condos. They got through the lobby (stunning) and 4 rooms before the economy went down the tubes and all the funds dried up. The rest of the rooms are still in their original condition. Don’t get me wrong, the rooms are still nice, but they’re definitely from the 90s with their tile flooring. The website preps you to expect something a bit different. The price is reasonable price considering the amount of space and service you receive (we got a 1 bedroom suite for $250/night - $290/night if you include their $25 service fee and tax).
The living area is stocked with a mini fridge and they brought a microwave and highchair for us upon request. We requested a crib as well and it was nice to have a crib with a real mattress versus the typical pack-n-play cribs that they usually setup for babies. If your toddlers a climber, this is probably not the best, but it worked perfectly for us. Both the bedroom and living room area each have a fireplace which is cozy and has a separate bedroom. The fire tending tools are a bit dangerous, but there was plenty of space on the mantel for them.
The room is located right next to the 12th tee which had 4 sand traps. When my son approached our room and saw the sand traps, he took off running to play in the big "sandboxes!" He was in total heaven and loved the fact that these sandboxes came with big people sized rakes. He quickly got to work making tiny little footprints all over the sand traps and then trying to rake it up before heading off for the next "sandbox." He was certainly having too much fun to consider taking a nap, so it was a bit of a challenge convincing him to get some shut-eye. However, once he was in his comfy crib, he quickly zonked out for about 2 hours. Those 2 hours are the golden period where my husband and I get to recoup for the next round of parenting fun.
The resort has 2 outdoor swimming pools, a golf course, tennis courts and fitness center. It was freezing the weekend we were there (about 60 degrees during the day and rainy), so even though the pool was heated, it wasn’t inviting enough for us to take a dip. The in-house restaurant Citronelle is Michel Richards’ delicious new restaurant. We ate in the lounge area which is more casual and were seated immediately. The restaurant’s got highchairs and were nice to my son, but unfortunately there are no kid-sized portions. So, you’ll either have to share or be ready to spend ~$15 on a burger for Junior. I had a seafood salad which was divine and the presentation was meticulous.
The Carmel Valley Ranch is located less than a mile away from Safeway, so we were able to pick up bagels, fruit, and milk for breakfast and some other snacks. From here, we were 15-20 minutes from all the major attractions in the area: Point Lobos State Park, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Monterey Bay Aquarium, MY Museum, and more. The resort itself was also full of woodland animals which are fun for any kid under the age of 5. We saw deer, rabbits, squirrels and a swan on the lake. We were told that there are often wild turkey sightings, but we didn’t catch any during our stay.
Lowlights, Carmel Valley Ranch charges a $25/day service fee to cover all tips for golf cart rides, housekeepings, etc. We didn’t like that fact because what if the service wasn’t any good? So, be sure to use all of their services to the max! Since the resort is set in the hills, the walkways are often sloped. Our little guy loves to run and bit it a couple of times, but no injuries. I wouldn’t recommend this for 1 year olds who are just getting their walking legs. Could be a little tough for them to maneuver.
Overall, our stay was great. It was easy access to all the major attractions in the Monterey/Carmel area and a spacious room. The rooms could definitely use a little upgrading. Overall, I would recommend it for other families.
Location.
This Carmel family friendly hotel is located in the mountains.
Features.
Dining options at Carmel Valley Ranch include a restaurant and a
bar/lounge. Recreational amenities include 2 outdoor swimming pools
and 2 spa tubs. Also located on site are a health club, a golf
course, a fitness facility, and a children's pool. The property's
full service health spa has body treatments, massage/treatment
rooms, facials, and beauty services. This 4.0 star property has a
business center and offers small meeting rooms, secretarial
services, and audio visual equipment. Complimentary wireless
Internet access is available in public areas. This Carmel property
has event space consisting of banquet facilities,
conference/meeting rooms, a ballroom, and exhibit space. Business
services, wedding services, concierge services, and tour/ticket
assistance are available. Guest parking is complimentary.
Additional property amenities include a coffee shop/café,
valet parking, and a children's club. The property has designated
areas for smoking.
Guestrooms.
Guestrooms have balconies. Furnishings include fireplaces, desks,
and sofa beds. Refrigerators and coffee/tea makers are offered.
Bathrooms feature separate bathtubs and showers, makeup/shaving
mirrors, bathrobes, and complimentary toiletries. In addition to
complimentary wireless Internet access, guestrooms offer multi line
phones, iPod docking stations, and voice mail. 42 inch high
definition televisions have cable channels. Air conditioned rooms
also include blackout drapes/curtains, irons/ironing boards, and
clock radios. Guests may request a turndown service and wake up
calls. Housekeeping is available. Cribs (infant beds) and rollaway
beds are available on request. Guestrooms are all non smoking.
Check-In: 4 PM
Check-Out: Noon
Number of Rooms: 139
Number of Suites: 0
Pets: yes
Recreational Facilities:
Pool
Fitness Facility
Services:
Laundry Facilities
In house Restaurant
In house Bar
High Speed Internet
WIFI
Children's Equipment
Full size cribs
High chair
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