The Ranch at Rock Creek

This was an absolute dream of a getaway. From the accommodations, food, staff, variety of unique activities and natural beauty you won’t regret booking a stay. At first you may not realize how much is included in this all inclusive-it’s above standard. My favorite activity was capturing the resort, wild life and natures fall beauty. The wranglers were so awesome-horse back riding through the mountains was equally thrilling. UTV rides through out the property and then there’s the spa. Erika was wonderful. With staffing issues at many places that is not the case here. They are friendly knowledgeable and go the extra mile. From Claire ( picked us up from Missoula) to Candace at the front desk I could go on and on because they all contributed to the experience.

This was one of the best vacations we ever went on! We stayed in the wrangler cabin, and it was perfect. The property is stunning and there is so many activities to do for all ages. Everything about this place is pure luxury and the staff goes above and beyond! They take care of every little detail from the moment you touch down in the airport to the moment you leave. The food is one of the best parts about the stay. We were blown away by the quality and variety! Every meal is entirely different and all delicious. Cannot recommend this place enough!

We recently had another fantastic stay at The Ranch at Rock Creek, and somehow, it just keeps getting better. We’ve been fortunate enough to visit several times now, across different seasons, and each experience has been uniquely special. The setting is simply breathtaking—wide-open spaces, a clear, rocky river running through it (hence the name “Rock Creek”!), and stunning mountain views. But what really sets it apart is how perfectly they balance luxury with that cozy, rustic vibe. Everything, from the beautifully designed cabins to the guided activities, was just perfect. The activities are a big part of why we love it so much. Our kids, aged 8, 11, and 12, couldn’t get enough of the horseback riding. The guides were incredibly friendly and made sure everyone felt safe, even when we had a close encounter with a massive moose! Fly fishing was another highlight—we’re total beginners, but the instructors were patient and helped us catch some fish. We also had a blast with archery, shooting, and I even managed to squeeze in a relaxing visit to the spa, which was awesome. One of the best things about The Ranch is the staff. They’re some of the warmest, most attentive people we’ve ever met in all our travels. From the moment we arrived, they were completely focused on making sure everything was perfect. And we can’t forget Chef Josh! He’s been there for years, and the food is always a highlight. We always look forward to his incredible meals. The kids loved the Rangers Club too—it was a hit with them, and it gave my wife and me the chance to enjoy a great dinner alone. We’re already looking forward to our next visit!

Wanted to share my experience/perspective as it is very different from many others. Keep in mind, this is without question the most expensive hotel in the world and markets itself as an over the top 5* experience. Basic rooms here start at $7000 per night and go up to $80,000 per night for suites. We have stayed at many comparable Four Seasons and Aman resorts that are 1/4 the price. For the price of this hotel, you could easily rent a yacht on the Mediterranean so the standard should be high. When we arrived, we found dead bugs in the bath tub and trash from prior guest scattered around the room. Several calls to housekeeping to take care of this. The hard product desperately needs a refresh. A hotel of this caliber should have a major renovation every 5-6 years. This is 2007 original, think moldy plastic shower curtain, my sink was clogged the whole trip, doors with manual keys rather than key cards. I understand rustic, but this was just shabby not chic. As far as customer service goes, we also had way too many bad experiences, several staff were very rude particularly at the Rod & Gun club. On the first day I asked to have my bicycle adjusted higher as I am tall and a staff member went out to grab it from the bike rack while I was talking with the desk. She pulled it right out front and adjusted it to me. As I drove off another staff member started berating me that it wasn't my bike and I needed to check the tags that I was "stealing". Keep in mind my bike didn't have a tag to begin with and the other staff member had pulled it around knowing what room I was in. The front desk main check in person at rod and gun was always on her phone and seemed angry to assist any guest. The food: Obviously we thought this would be over the top amazing. The cowboy breakfast was very fun and there was one dinner with pairings that was very good. Otherwise it's a very sad buffet that is cold outside for dinner and swarming with flies. The breakfast and lunch menu are exactly the same every day and mediocre. The staff: Senior staff members seemed very nice. The majority of staff are college kids doing a couple months on the ranch as a vacation for themselves and while nice, not really service professionals. There is a new GM and Assistant GM so really hoping they turn it around. They have their work cut out for them as far as culture and attitude. I met the AGM on first day and she seemed nice but never checked on us again to see if any issues were resolved. Never met GM. The spa: Treatment was very good. The spa is very small with no real amenities. There are 2 coed locker rooms and the front desk attendant walked me into the wrong room which a different female guest was using other than my wife. Very awkward. She seemed totally confused which I'm not sure how is possible when you only have 2-3 guests at spa at a time. Pool is very small, think 1980's style and well away from resort. Hot tub too hot to use. We travel frequently and own many luxury rental homes across the country and if a guest is having issues I go above and beyond to make sure they have a great experience. For this price point, I would expect a personal butler checking on you multiple times per day, bringing coffee to your room in am, etc. That is not the case here. Activities: I am a "go go go" type person. This was way too much for me. Your day is planned from 7am-10pm with almost no down time. We were frequently told that we could cancel activities if we wanted but you still paid for the activities even if you didn't do them so that didn't seem appealing. The drivers said the most common feedback they get from guests leaving the ranch is that they are "exhausted." So be prepared this is not a "relaxing" vacation. Gratuity: They charge a 22% gratuity on the already obscene room rates. Please be aware several staff members said only 8% actually goes to the staff and the ranch pockets the rest. Not sure legality of this, but certainly a bad look that they are essentially misrepresenting this. We were really looking forward to this vacation and unfortunately couldn't wait to leave. It is very difficult to access so really takes a lot of effort and planning that I feel was wasted as well as tens of thousands of dollars.

After lots of research and narrowing it down to 2-3 choices in its category, we settled on The Ranch at Rock Creek for a 6 day vacation with our two teenage kids. We were very happy with our decision and look forward to returning. Highly recommend!! Highlights - The food - we were not sure what to expect, worried a bit in advance that there would be little variety, average quality, only meat options, etc. Could not have been further from that. Each night was different - Lodge dining room tasting menus a few nights, outdoor bbqs other nights. There were always meat and fish options with lots of veggies. Breakfast and lunch menu at the lodge gave enough options to change it up each day. A must do is the sunrise cowboy breakfast and the rodeo / bbq dinner. The accommodations - rustic but felt high end. Eagles Perch Cabin worked really well for us. The main lodge indoor and outdoor social area was great and we loved the Silver Dollar Saloon each night after dinner. Pool tables, shuffleboard, bowling lanes. The Spa was also excellent. Pool small but beautiful and we actually never even went since we were doing other activities each day. Approach to activities - we were nervous during the planning that we would not have enough downtime or that the structure would be too much. Again, was not the case. In advance we booked a morning and afternoon activity on most days. Morning of, if one of us wasn’t feeling up for it, or if we wanted to switch, the staff was so easy going. I think it’s an overall culture at the Ranch and also made possible due to a small number of guests. (Maybe 100ish?). And there was always enough time in between everything to relax back at our cabin. Service - excellent. They get the big stuff and the little stuff right. Food service staff always served with a smile. Our guides were experienced, friendly, and outgoing. It made all the difference. These are people that we genuinely looked forward to seeing throughout the trip. Richard, Lauren, Carson, Cooper, Aarick and last but not least Sam! You all are total stars and we miss you already! A few tips - Pack long pants for your day activities, in addition to shorts. We were there in late July and needed pants and fleece pullovers. You don’t need to bring hiking boots. You can do either a trail running type sneaker or a low rise hiking shoe. Pack some snacks. There are options throughout the lodge and a few snacks in your tent/cabin but not always enough so especially with the kids, it would have been helpful. Bring a little blue tooth speaker for music your tent/cabin. No need to pack water bottles, they have canteens to take with you each day. Have a great time!