A Carmel Valley Ranch Review for Families

Any Carmel Valley Ranch review must begin by acknowledging the joys families can share at this beautiful playground located in the sunniest spot of the Monterey Peninsula.  For those who have already enjoyed a southern California road trip, this enormous property, two hours south of San Francisco, is a gem of an inland northern California experience, just above the first peaks of the beautiful Santa Lucia mountains.  

We take an annual trip to the area, and this is—by far— one of our favorite destinations as there is so much to do for both children and adults. Carmel Valley Ranch review leads with praise for the resort being extremely family and pet-friendly.  Adults will enjoy the award-winning 18-hole golf course (with golf clubhouse and driving range), tennis courts, spa, fitness classes, and restaurants.

Guest Rooms

Our family stayed in the Hilltop Suite.  These guest rooms are ideal for a family of four as they include a separate bedroom and living room with a long hallway in between— so there is ample privacy.  The living room contains a pull-out bed,  and the large bathroom featured a huge shower and separate bath tub.  Carmel Valley Ranch always supplies amazing bath products made with lavender grown at the resort.  And suites also contain refrigerators for kids’ snacks.

Couples should consider a Vineyard Oak studio featuring a king bed, ample deck (featuring an outdoor tub overlooking the vineyard lawn) and an indoor/outdoor travertine fireplace.

There are more than enough outdoor activities for families to enjoy during even a week-long visit.  The Activities Director will assist you in planning a great experience (or two, or three) well-suited for your family. My daughter and I opted to not even leave the property during our most recent visit. Parents who want to have a special night out can leave children at the kids club from 6 to 10 pm.

The hotel’s Valley Kitchen restaurant had amazing offerings for foodies but was also very accommodating for children. The children’s menu is much healthier than your average fare. My son enjoyed the catch-of-the-day, a beautiful piece of salmon with a side of fresh vegetables from the organic garden.  The hotel has several fire pits and offers S’mores at the lodge each night from 6 to 10 pm. Skip dessert at dinner.

There are two gyms and many exercise classes – yoga, TRX, core, spin.  I loved the larger gym that had everything I could dream of – free weights, machines, spin bikes, etc.  This is a great hotel for fitness buffs because you can swim in the lap pool and run or hike on the trails and complete your workout with a soak in the hot tub.

The property is also well-known for their swings that are sturdy enough for adults. There are so many enormous trees optimal for climbing, too, including a group up by the hotel’s stable that are very generous for young climbers.  You will notice green stuff hanging from the trees – this is called “old man’s beard” and only grows in the cleanest air – the photos don’t do it justice.  It is truly breathtaking.

The main pool, lap pool, and kiddie pool are heated and relaxing, and there is also a fountain in this area for children to run through. These water features and pools are by the casual restaurant, River Ranch Cafe. It offers more casual fare, in a unique building over 130 years old.  My kids loved this food.

Outdoor Experiences

Each morning Carmel Valley Ranch offers a guided nature hike. We also toured the organic garden and ate purple bell peppers right off the vine. We went to a tasting in the salt house where guests can witness the formation of salt.

My favorite part of the stay was the Bee Experience.   The resort has a contained beehive on the property which guests can tour while wearing full bee keeper suits. My daughter has always been terrified of bees — this experience gave her a better understanding of the insects and how to avoid antagonizing them. 

Did you know that, when aggravated, bees will fly towards your ears and eyes?  This is their natural defense against bears and other animals that are after their honey.  As such, you should cover your ears and look down when an angry bee is bothering you. They sell honey in the lodge that is harvested by the beekeeper who leads the tours.  This experience may sound scary but it actually feels very safe.

The new stables offer trail rides, and my amateur riders were 100% comfortable going on a 45-minute trail ride with a very competent staff leading even the beginner rider. The group we were with included someone who has never been on a horse, and she was also very happy. The trail guides are very nice and patient and stop at a vantage point to take your photo.

Carmel Valley Ranch feels like no other California vacation; its unique setting is spectacular and we so enjoyed its offering of some of the very best aspects of an inland Northern California experience.

VIP your stay at Carmel Valley Ranch

Luxe Recess can book your stay at this hotel with several added amenities per stay including daily breakfast for two per bedroom, a resort credit, and upgrade and early check in based on availability. Reach out for this significant savings and fill out our hotel booking form with your travel dates, and we will book the stay for you.