Pinegrove Family Dude Ranch

I had SO much fun at pine grove! There was so much to do all day and night long. We jumped on the blob, just hung out by the pool and went horse-​back riding twice because it’s so affordable. At night we were able to make the magic show AND trivia night! BTW the bartender Taylor is awesome. Oh! And did I mention the BBQ dinner?! Don’t miss it. I can’t wait to go back!

I just wrote a review on the other Unilocal page. But the more the merrier!!!
Where do I start. This place had me at 3 stars until my boyfriend got violently ill. This place has potential if it was run the way it’s supposed to be. First thing, get a flipping water filter system!!! I wish I can curse on this thing I’m livid.
I’m not that ill (did feel nauseous last night) because I really think he got sick from the tap water. We both pretty much ate the same stuff so I can’t see what else it is. So first off, if you come here (please don’t) just do not drink the tap water!!! Or anything that they will use with water.
We bought a groupon but we didn’t look at the Unilocal reviews first (lesson learned). We saw google’s reviews which showed that it wasn’t bad, but I bet they’re all fake reviews lol. I noticed that someone else that stayed here got sick too :/​
We never know a business owner’s problems, burdens etc., but I’m going to first start off by saying that if you don’t have the sufficient funds to upkeep your business then flipping sell it!!! But if you are just greedy and don’t give a rats ass about your business and customer service then shame on you.
pros first. Friendly staff, lots of activities to do so you’re never bored, awesome time horseback riding, pool was fun but lots of bugs I hope they clean it out.
cons:
I read the reviews after buying the groupon and desperately tried to get my money back but we wouldn’t have had enough time because it’s the owners decision (apparently), so we were pretty much forced to go. So sad for us.
The place really needs to be renovated. The lobby is really cool except the awful carpet. Carpet is cheap so no excuse. Other reviews have shown the rooms in unacceptable conditions, but ours was surprisingly decent. Again, the carpet has GOT TO GO. the bathroom was alright.
Towels are extremely small and old feeling. Soap and shampoo really suck, so bring your own if you even decide to come here. Hairdryer doesn’t work. No iron!
The food is alright. More like cafeteria food as other people said. Breakfast is probably the best. For lunch there a salad bar or you have a choice of a variety of fried foods and sandwiches. Pizza is awful. Cheeseburger is alright. Dinner is alright too lol. Nothing is homemade. Everything seems frozen and packaged. The fries were good.
We did order pudding one night and it was so sour. It looked clumpy (not how it’s supposed to look). The waiter was so nice to us though; he went to check why and said he saw them open it. But he then brought out new pudding, which was still warm though, but not his fault. They need to be more careful of the food spoiling. You don’t have too but we tipped him at every meal.
Sorry that was long. This post was for everyone who is considering this place but also it was a vent for me. We spent almost 500 for two nights for my boyfriend to be violently ill. I think you can guess if we’re ever going to come here or not. I’ll also be writing to the owner. We should not have paid 500 for my boyfriend to be sick half of the trip, so thank you for that!!! I want my money back

Pine Grove Dude ranch is a very special and wonderful family resort. You might need to get pass some minor issues to really allow yourself to relax and enjoy all the true benefits of the experience. But if you long for days when people talked and were friendly to strangers, children played outside for hours, and people of all ages laughed and could share a good time, then Pine Grove Dude Ranch is for you. No one was attached to their electronics, families played board games, the schedule was packed with minute to minute activities with a great variety, children played and wandered free without fear of getting lost or worst. The grounds are lovely and spacious.
Most importantly, every employee was dedicated to pleasing the customer with a smile. From needing extra towels and toilet tissue, handing out over a thousand ice cream cones in a day, to making calls for a massage, everyone worked really hard, especially the head of all the lifeguards, dedicated to keeping everyone safe around the water slides, you trust that the staff at PGDR will go out of their way to get it right.
No one works harder than the dining room staff. Serving hundreds of people several times a day with starters, salad, entrees, desserts, coffee, and extra everything, these servers bust their humps, carrying big heavy trays and remembering many orders at once. Each employee is hoping to receive a thoughtful tip that demonstrates that their hard work has been noticed.
BUT, the star of this ranch, of course, are the horses and their wranglers. Beautifully cared for and maintained, horse back riding is the main attraction for the guests. Even people with disabilities were set to ride with special attention. Anyone interested in riding horses, this place is a heavenly bargain.
Did I mention how affordable this family resort is!!! Well, it can’t be beat. For a little more than a $ 100 a day, you get a room, 3 meals, pool, games, entertainment and family fun. They also offer a happy hour with beer and wine every evening with snacks and a chocolate fountain. The rooms are comfortable enough for sleeping but they are not designed for hanging out. The expectation is that you will not be in your room much.
Unfortunately, my room was the only place that the air conditioner really worked well. They would benefit by adding some ceiling fans in the main dining room and lobby area. I would also like to see them start using recycling containers too. So much waste with the food, it saddens me that there is not a recycling program here as well.
I brought my own pool towel and was glad I did. The regular towels are small for pool use and some of the lounges are busted. There is a Starbucks in the resort which was a life saver for many because the coffee was below par. Bug spray and room freshness should also be on the packing list for Pine Grove.
This review is honest and to the point about what really matters in life. Fond memories of family togetherness that remind us for our time that we are loved.
Nancy A. August 20, 2015

My fiancé and I had a lovely weekend at Pinegrove. Our room was clean and covered all our needs. We weren’t expecting a luxury hotel, since this is ranch. The horseback ride I took was great. It was fast paced with trotting and climbing up and down hills and through swamps. Not a boring trail ride at all! The petting zoo was great! Friendly animals that actually wanted to be pet. The outdoor pool was lovely, and so was the little gym. The bartender, Brian, was a total sweetheart, as was almost all the staff we encountered. Just super nice people who seemed to really care that we were having a nice time. Pinegrove also seems like a great place for a family trip since there is a lot for kids to do. We came back to the city relaxed and refreshed.

First I would like to say that we were here on our senior class trip. There are six of us here on the bus ride home writing this review. We would like to provide a true and accurate representation of our stay here at the dude ranch.
Cowboyz during the day clubbers at night
Aesthetic appeal– some rooms were eh, while others were really nice. No matter the room, they are quite comfy. The decorations were very rustic and we considered stealing them. You are surrounded by a beautiful nature landscape. NO ROOM WIFI. Our mirror seemed wobbly, so we took it off the wall and a pentagram and blood was covering the back. The Starbucks is conveniently located in the lobby, however service is slow and rude.
Utilities– To some, the showers were very confusing. By midnight, the hot water was completely gone. The water often came out brown. The place was a little crowded.
Food– the food was decent. There was not a lot of variety or options. It was very hard to find drinks and stay hydrated. If you paid five dollars you received a 7 oz cup that was supposed to be used for your entire stay. However, there are few places that you can fill your cup up at. The cafeteria was loud and kind of small. The vanilla ice cream was good, but they need chocolate.
Activities– the pools: very crowded. Liners need changed. Dirt and debris in the outdoor pool. Indoor pool nice but congested. The bounce pillow is amazing. The playground is covered with demonic symbols, but we had a nice photo shoot nevertheless. We didn’t get a chance to go rock climbing but it looked like a lot of fun. The arcade looked sketchy and dated with several couples giving each other kisses. Ping pong and pool were fun. Karaōke was a blast from the past. A Spanish boy named Gabriel who very well could have been an angel sang more beautiful than any white girl. Paintball was fun and exhilarating, but felt like the Bataan Death March. They made you pay for water. Horseback riding was the greatest experience of our entire lives. The horses are sassy, but that’s half of the fun! Sedona, Dune, Dualy, and Duke were a few of our favorite hungry horses. Oh… The petting zoo. The petting zoo is a mockery of petting zoos everywhere. A true violation animal rights and the saddest place I’ve ever been in. The sheep had the hugest balls and a fur coat that was not fit for the summer weather. There was also a cow who tried to lick me. We went paddle boating on our last day and a group of three was on a paddle boat in the center of the lake and it began to sink. The group had to frantically paddle back to shore with tears in their hearts. The hayride was missing hay, but still a good time. Oh we saved the best for last— the club. Opens at 8:00 pm and closes at 1:00 am. This club has changed our lives for the worse and for the better. We had four senior girls that were literally gang raped but they had a wonderful time. No matter what crazy stuff happened we just kept coming back for more .
Employees– Overall the employees were nice and friendly, some exceptions are present and they were a little too casual for our taste.
10 tricks that’ll make your stay at Pine Grove Dude Ranch 10x better.
1. DO NOT BRING FIREWORKS
2. Make friends when other guest regardless of race.
3. The ice cream is fantastic!
4. Three days is all you’ll want to stay for because after that you’ll want to die.
5. Step out of your boundaries and try something new.
6. If you’re into MILFs you’re in for a treat, the Silver Dollar Saloon is stocked full of them!
7. Bring your own towels!
8. Pace yourself with food cause you’re going to eat so much food.
9. Bring roughly $ 70 for expenses not covered in the purchase of your room.
10. If you’re a high schooler come with an open mind and you’ll have a great memorable time, if you’re a parent DO NOT COME DURING SENIOR TRIP SEASON.
It was a culture shock, but we all had the best time of our lives.

STAY FAR AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!!! It is not a Resort, but a MOTEL with campground and horse stables.
SCAM! SCAM! SCAM! Bought a groupon FEB 2015 to visit Pinegrove May 23 – 25, 2015. I purchased the NEVADA Room which was the updated wing.
got ROOM 148 (not a Nevada Room):
to get to room, you walk up stairs, (carpeted stairway which were filthy! You can tell no one had run a vacuum cleaning in the place in years)
ROOM 148 = SHOCK. It was disgusting. I immediately opened the door to see a ripped chair that was probably 40 years old (I am still wondering what lives inside it)…YUK! Ceiling lights had dead bugs. The window sill filthy. The air conditioning did not work. The walls/​ceilings had large stains (mold???) The heaters were filthy/​broke. The remote was so gross, we did not watch TV because no one wanted to touch it! The shower had mold. The comforters just scared me! I literally took my foot (shoe still on and kicked it off the beds). The carpet had gum stuck throughout and I can guarantee there are mites living in the carpet. I had to keep reminding my son to keep his shoes on at all times. We do not live like this and when on vacation do not want to live like this either.
BUT THE BEST THING OF ALL IS THE WATER IS BROWN!!! I told the front desk and they told me that is normal. Normal according to who???
We wanted to take a break during the day, but tried to stay out of the room as much as we could.
In the hallway, gross orangish chair, broken heater, large stains on carpet = GROSS
When I realized I was not in the Nevada wing, I approached the desk. The man at the desk became very sarcastic with me. I told him I paid for the Nevada room BUT was given Room 148. He said, «What do you want me to do about it?» He told me all the rooms are the same price. Which then why on Groupon did they «specify the room name?». Why didn’t they just offer «a room» at Pinegrove on Groupon.
He asked me «what is wrong with the room?» I said, first of all there is a chair that is ripped and the room is absolutely disgusting. He said, «they might be outdated, but all the rooms are clean.» I am not sure where he is from, but NOTHING WAS CLEAN IN THAT ROOM OR THAT CORRIDOR!

I asked him to speak to someone who was going to help me. He replied, «you are speaking to someone.» He told me they overbooked and and cannot guarantee anyone to get the room they paid for. I said, then they should give people something for their inconvenience. He seemed to not understand. I told him, like the airlines, they over book but give $$$ in vouchers.
THIS IS SUCH A SCAM. THERE ARE ONLY 8 ROOMS in the Nevada Wing, so only 8 rooms are updated and when I say that, I do not know what they look like inside, but the wing had no carpet (laminate floors)…which is better than the filthy carpet!
I would be soo embarrassed to recommend this place to any of my friends/​family/​ANYONE!!!
There were many amenities, but most were not open and if they were it was for 2 hours a day. The place definitely understaffs employees.
1. The rock climbing wall was made of 4 large board (painted)…looked very unsafe. my 6 year old son said it lo
2. The wooden playground was very wobbly. Kids were climbing all over and my husband went up the ship at one point and noticed if someone pushed or even kicked the side with a bit of force, they pirate ship would break.
3. The indoor pool deck was filthy (the water vents had hair clogged) I guess no one ever looks down that works there!
Snack Shop: was suppose to be open most of the days (with a couple of breaks). Several times my son wanted an ice cream, the snack shop was closed.
FOOD: nothing special
DRINKS: you can purchase a small cup for $ 5 for «bottomless soda». My family does not drink soda and with the water being brown, we drove to Walmart to get a case of water. You can purchase water for $ 1.75 per bottle.
PONY RIDE: Son was too young to go on trail. Younger kids ride the ponies. My son went in small circle and got off… it was lame.
Tractor Ride: I was hoping for a relaxing ride around the lake, but it turned into all guest talking about their bad experience there.
Archery: The archery was opened, but the line was so long and when you finally got up there, you were able to shoot 3 times… it took about 30 seconds per person. Not worth the wait in line.
Comedy Show: Saturday night we went to the comedy show which was FANTASTIC!
Magic Show: Sunday night was magic show. Although not as good as the comedy show, the magic was great for small kids. The mic was not working properly for the magic show, that might of played into my review a bit… I was a bit annoyed listening to the magician muffled.
Just in case you missed my opinion:
Pinegrove Dude Ranch and Family Resort is more like a MOTEL style accommodations with lots of food and campground style activities, plus horse stable.

Talk about bad experience! Why didn’t I read all the reviews on this site before going? Checked in on Friday, missed dinner which was ok. Paid for the horse back riding for Saturday morning a $ 20 per person. The room wasn’t all of that. Bathroom was horrible. Why does the water come out brown? The door was so awkward looking and right up against the toilet which gave no room to move if you want to use the shower. The shower curtain even had mold on the top… eww! The food was horrible and very tasteless. Snacks are ok but not all of that. If you don’t purchase a $ 5 cup and walk around all day with it for free refills then you basically don’t have a drink, unless you want to pay the vending machines every hour. Arcade area was filthy! The place was full of school groups and high-​school kids, they bombarded the pool area, lord knows what’s lurking in the pool water! All game equipment was dirty. Don’t know how this business has been up and running so long. The front desk had a huge leak as it rained, which they ended using a huge garbage can for the water. Never going back here again, I even ended up leaving the «resort’ to experience something better and cleaner. The only nice thing about this entire trip was probably Horse Back Riding! Mind you I got there 10 minutes before they started loading, I was told to come back at 10am and when I did come back they told me I was late and that I would have to be put on the «standby» list? Are you kidding me? I paid money for this and was told I was going to put on a list?? I refused to wait when I was actually first before everyone else. And that’s when they put me on a horse. Overall it was a shitty experience. Maybe fun for kids, but definitely not a spot for Adults…

It’s like the twilight in here. We’ve been here for a few hours, leaving tomorrow. I couldn’t wait to write the review so here it is.
You’d think, dude ranch– awesome, right? Lots of activities, all inclusive, how could you go wrong?! Well… Lots. This place is simply filthy& unsafe. I’ll start with the drive in– the lot was completely untreated from the snow. Strike 1 (of many). The previous guest’s sock and some random tin lid were under our bed, strike 2. The pack and play the hotel provided had stains, strike 3. The lamp in the room literally had dust on it, seriously– thick layer of dust! Strike 4. The walls in room and bathroom have stains on the wall from liquid spills (the kind you’d think can easily be cleaned off). Strike 5. Mold on the bathroom door. Strike 6. Bath/​shower combo that clogs super quick and creates a bath like shower cause– gross! Strike 7. Off to the pool. Brace yourself. It’s musty, rusty, and small for the crowd. Strike 8, 9, & 10. Don’t look at the mini golf next to the pool, the floor will peel off any minute, strike 11. No elevator to pool– strike 12. Filthy layers on the floor drain near pool– & I mean filth– thick black «dirt» strike 13. As we walk down the hallway back to room, someone’s puck from the air hockey table hit my baby in stroller (all ok, she was covered with thick blanket because the hallways are freezing –strike 14-​& therefore protected) strike 15 — why put these tables in hallways?!! Water is not part of the all inclusive package, but ice cream is!?! Strike 16. Dirty plates and cups everywhere. Strike 17. Dinner time. Oh boy. Nice table size, good live music. Get served some gross sweat potato — pre cooked frozen highly processed sweat potato bites with marshmallow fluff! I won’t give that a strike — since food is a personal choice. Fingerprint stains all over the pitcher — even ON the pitcher spout area isn’t a personal choice! Strike 18. Salad looks like it’s been sitting out since yesterday (you know, that soft flimsy look). Strike 18. Here goes my fav strike. About to be served salad plates sitting on top of dirty dishes container, big strike 19! Health dept, where are you!!? By the way, the food manager didn’t think it was a problem when we confirmed him about this which is def strike 20 (if the visible unsanitary visible areas are acceptable, don’t wanna know what’s in the kitchen!!). Garden burger is flimsy, square, the kind you can totally expect to buy at a dollar store. No strike here, since again food is a personal choice. Checking in at 3:30 offers really no activities so beware. Bar accepts only cash and ATM out of service, strike 21. Bartender offers to charge to room but directs folks to front desk to get some prepaid on the room charge envelope & front desk has no idea about what this request is & we have to ask bartender to call front desk. Great internal communications! Bartender tells interesting story — he had to get his own bottle opener because the hotel provided one had rust on it and he felt uncomfortable using it.
Rip off!!! This place sucks people in from the city to pretend to give them a country, rustic feel and knows these ppl will spend money. In return, they don’t re-​invest any money back in. Horrible horrible horrible! It truly is scary that so many people are blind to see what filth they’re overspending for!
As I wrap this up, I’ll leave you with strike 22– the footsteps of the people walking in their room, above our room is incredibly loud thanks to the old, decrepit floors.
Let’s see what tomorrow brings, if anything of interest, I’ll come back to edit.
Strike 23: several hours after leaving, our 8.5 month old developed pink eye. Thanks pinegrove.
Don’t go here!!! please!!!

The facility is very «tired» and much smaller than implied. The activities are offered on a scheduled basis so don’t think you’re tubing, ice skating and doing archery on the same day. The hotel room bathroom was clean. We are not total germophobes but the place was sketchy enough to go home a day early and lose about $ 200. The 2 stars are for the very nice employees — they are friendly and enthusiastic for the kids. The manager and assistant manager put the ownership on the customer for bring sucker enough to come to such a hole in the wall. Buyer beware.

It’s ok
Pros–
Food is good, and not self service
Horse back riding is great
Several activities
Starbucks in resort
Cons–
Rooms and bathrooms do not work (uncomfortable mattresses, broken toilet, etc.)
Several areas such as the playground are outdated… I mean at least paint the playground
It was pretty good – I usually go to rocking horse ranch — this resort did provide a change, just not the perfect change
Ps– the four stars is just to be generous

This place is a rip off. We had 2 rooms (which I was told was one of the renovated ones). Water was muddy in color. It would not flow in the wash basin or the bath tub, there was no hot water either so no shower. Poor motel quality rooms. Inn quality breakfast, lunch and dinner with limited option. Poor service since one server was serving about 40 people in 90 min. The property is old. The hygiene kept us away from the pool. Everything else as well about the property is very dated. It was a let down Christmas vacation for my 4 kids. Very sorry state of affairs.

Brooklyn does The Catskills. With this girls trip to a ranch, I felt like I was reverted back to an episode of The Simple Life. It is a scenic drive from NYC going through the mountains but the traffic trying to get out of the city can be horrendous. I could write a novel length review on this place but I will give you a condensed version of the good, the bad, the ugly and the mehhhh.
The Good: there are a vast amount of activities to do at Pine Grove: Rock Climbing, mini golf, trampoline bounce, indoor and outdoor pool, arcade games, archery, horse back riding, a pool table, ping pong, shuffle board, a playground, nature hike and paintball. All of which were loads of fun as long as you dress well if you go during the cold months. The staff is welcoming and down to earth folks. Coming from the city it was awesome to experience horse back riding on a trail. There is also the flexibility to walk around the grounds freely while you have daylight.
The bad would be the lack of upgrades around the ranch, this establishment could be maintained better. I totally get the rustic environment but there is a level to where you have to have sufficient upgrades and repairs done.
The Ugly was definitely the brown water that occasionally came from the pipes. Is that what they made my pasta with? Yikes.
The Meeehhh is the food. It’s ok but could be better. It was a standard but ok variety for breakfast with a omelet station, cereal station, buffet style with pancakes, French toast, bacon and fruits. Lunch was your run of the mill burgers, subs and pizza. Dinner varied by day with pasta and family style dining — a variety of large portion items.
I think your experience at PineGrove is based on your expectations. I have been to a few camp sites in NY. I had the expectation of camping but in a more resort like environment. That’s exactly what it was. This is not a five star facility but it was worth the experience to enjoy the outdoors and getting away from the city for the weekend.

Pinegrove ranch is a reasonably priced dude ranch, but unfortunately you get what you paid for. I did enjoy the corny games, which actually had $ 5 pinegrove winnings. It is helpful when you can use that towards the starbucks. I also enjoyed the unlimited ice cream/​hotdogs/​pretzels. And who wouldn’t like the old style saloon offering 2 for 1. However, the ranch is not service oriented. The dinner stunk. Most of the workers seem that they don’t want to be there, and the actual amenities are below par. There was just random ping pong tables and pool tables (that you had to pay for) and it seems they just put it there to increase their amenities options. The lake that allows fishing and rowboating was very small and they had limited life jackets. Horseback riding was fun, note there was very little training, and they did charge $ 20 a ride. If you want an all inclusive ranch for your youngins and is half the cost of riding high or rocking horse ranch, come here and try it out if you would like. You wont break the bank. But if you want a great experience and money is no factor, skip it.

All inclusive and very pet friendly. the room is clean but outdated– very small bathroom.
They offer activities all day long and have 2 happy hours and half priced drinks. There is nightly entertainment .
Horse back riding is a MUST! It’s an extra charge but worth it. They place your ride on your experience –beginner, intermediate and advanced .
The horses are very well cared for and the handlers are great and friendly.
The front desk staff and bartenders are very friendly!
Tips: bring your own towels for the pool, bring boots and jeans for horse back riding and don’t forget to tip your bartender or horse handlers.

Nate mac
I also went through Groupon this was a Big disappointment they should be ashamed the place hasn’t been renovated in years a complete dump I rate this 4 thumbs down.

Two stars is being generous. I went here on a school trip once. The food was terrible. The «bunny slope» was a steep hill of snow, the same hill for the «advanced students» And they advertised a bunch of activities that didn’t even seems to exist. I’m not sure of it was my schools fault telling us that the place had more activities than it it or just plain false advertising, but I hardly had fun here.

Pingrove Ranch might be the biggest rip-​off between NYC and Canada. They ran a Groupon, then hid in the fine print that children above 3 cost extra per night. It wasn’t explicit until after purchase. So It ended up being nearly $ 300 per night via Groupon and then an ADDITIONAL $ 343.81 just to add a 4 year old and a 6 year old. Rude service at the desk and the place smelled like they have no cleaning service.
Will never return, and will let everyone I know who lives in the Catskills they should avoid as well. Haven’t felt this ripped off in a long time.

I wish I could give the ranch a better review but despite some bright spots I won’t be returning.
After my interest was piqued from Groupon, I went directly to the website oh get a better idea of the accommodations. That’s when I saw a mid-​week 50% discount for the days I wanted to stay. Seemed like a deal I couldn’t pass up! 2 nights and 3 days for me & my two kids with all meals included for $ 350? And the activities list was endless…
My kids (10&13) we’re optimistic but even young people have limits. What kid doesn’t LOVE a pool? We went once and that was it. Unfortunately it smelled musty, looked stained and the metal stair rails were so rusty my daughter joked «am I up to date on my tetanus?» I would have liked a higher bleach content in the water as well.
Then a quick stop for snack at the Chuck Wagon. The veggie burger was a microwaved mush. The cook was put out when we asked if there were eggs in it (?!).
Meals were meh — surprised when the veggie option (stir fry two nights in a row) was actually pretty good. Not the worst food but not anything I would pay to repeat.
The environment could have been quaint but ended up coming off as just old. Now there’s nothing wrong with that (as long as it’s dusted). They even have a K-​9 bedbug unit!
Highlight was the trail ride! Staff are patient and awesome (kids first time). The horses sweet & tame. I just wish it wasn’t the only thing…
My kids and I tried so hard to love it but the three hour drive will not be made again. It’s not just for us.

Pinegrove is an amazing place to take the family. It is a rustic, warm, and busy resort that will not leave you bored or hungry. Check in is busy. There is a long form (release etc) to sign and many guests have many questions. Be patient. My suggestion: email me the form before I arrive and I bring it completed. I also suggest a «get to know Pinegrove tour» for 1^st timers. The rooms: we stay in a spacious Dakota room. Sleeps 6. Bunks-​king-​full. Some are updated. Some are not. I think all are clean and comfy. The food: many meals are excellent. Some are mediocre. Few aren’t goid at all. And in that case your server can just get you another meal. Its that simple. You won’t starve. The snack bar can hold you over in between meals. It has burgers-​dogs-​fries-​ice cream. 11am to 11pm. The activities: the schedule is full. Ryan is the social director and he keeps adults and kids busy. The pools: indoor and outdoor. Both with twisty slides. And lifeguards who work very hard to watch the kiddos whose parents do not enforce the pool rukes. «No running. No horse play. 2 on slide platform. Etc.» The bar: the daily free happy hour features free beer, wine or drink of the day. Nicole works hard to keep your cup filled. Tips are not expected (like on a cruise) but certainly earned by many staff. The staff: this category has my lowest rating. I felt like every time I asked for something at dinner that I was a bother to Curtis. Like one egg or one slice toast versus two. Or extra butter he would say «I am busy it will be 5 min». The telephone staff when booking often sound annoyed with your call. This time I git Betsy. And what a treat. She was pleasant and patient. The maids are super. The young man in the chuck wagon is awesome. The dining room staff work hard but they show it in their demeanor. The carving chef is a gem. The wranglers and horses are fantastic. Our kids (4) rode 40 times in 5 days! Mike, Flynn and others are superb.
Lets not forget. .Archery. bounce pillow. Rock wall. Wagon ride. Fishing. Paddle boats. Tennis. Basket ball. Playground.
Overall this place is by far an amazing family vacation spot! Value and service. The GM Paul is visible, personable and helpful. My last few suggestions: require all staff to wear name tags. Hard to acknowledge them in reviews without their names. Give guests «kudos» coupons to hand out to exceptional staff. The staff turn these in to their supervisor for recognition of their service. Thank you for a wonderful stay. I have 1.5 more days here.

My bf and I just got back from a Valentine’s weekend here. We used the Groupon deal, which was a discounted room rate, plus $ 50 in onsite credit. Because it was also our anniversary, I called ahead and asked for the «Fun for Two» package featured on their website — «Let our staff make your stay Fun for Two by creating a Personalized Room Decoration, Bottle of Champagne, and a Welcome Cheese, Meats & Crackers tray on arrival.» The woman on the phone was very helpful and polite.
We didn’t get out of the city until 6 on Friday and had to stop in Bridgeport to pick up the car, so we didn’t get there until nearly 11. We were expecting it to be pretty quiet, but there were actually a lot of people up and about still, drinking, playing board games by the fire, etc. Check-​in was quick and easy. Their normal rate includes one trail ride a day, but the Groupon didn’t (which we knew already), but we’d missed the sign-​ups that evening so they told us to call the stables first thing in the morning to reserve a time slot.
We were in a Nevada room, which sleeps up to four in two Queen-​sized beds, although ours was actually on Full and one Queen. I’d read a lot of reviews and seen photos before we went, so I was prepared for the condition of the room. It clearly hadn’t been renovated in many years, but was pretty clean. The Fun for Two package was disappointing. The bed was decorated with balloons, streamers, and (fake) rose petals, which was cute. But the «champagne» was a warm bottle of cheap sparkling wine, not even in an ice bucket, the «cheese, meats & crackers tray» was a dish of Hershey Kisses, and there was a pink, size L Pinegrove t-​shirt. We filled the bathroom sink with cold water to try to cool the champagne while we went out to explore the hotel, but that didn’t help much, and we ended up just not drinking it.
Of the meals we had there, breakfast was definitely the best. The corn muffins especially. Everyone has an assigned table in the dining room that they use for the length of their stay, so we had the same waitress the whole time. She was really nice and attentive and helpful. Don’t forget to tip your server! We did lunch at their «restaurant», which was just kind of meh. The other lunch options might have been better. Dinner was not so great. The ribs were crunchy, the bbq sauce was a little gelatinous, the mac n cheese tasted like the stuff from a hospital cafeteria. But the breakfast was so damn good that it pretty much made up for lunch and dinner. And dinner was salvaged by the bloomin’ onion and bread loaf that they brought out beforehand, and the apple pie and ice cream dessert. Seriously good stuff. Another huge convenience was the $ 5 bottomless soda. When you check in (or at any point during your stay), you can buy a plastic cup with a lid/​straw (re-​usable kind kids get at a restaurant) that you carry around with you all day and get free unlimited refills of soda (Pepsi products).
As for the activities, we didn’t do as many as we’d planned, which was fine because we still enjoyed just being there. Saturday morning after breakfast, we went out to the archery range, then checked out the gift shop and hung out in the lobby for organized board games. My bf won a round of bingo (the prizes were mostly small amounts of onsite credit). Our trail ride after lunch was really fun. Because there was so much snow accumulation, everyone had to do the beginner trail in a single-​file line. That was fine for me, as a beginner, but my bf is an experienced rider and was a little disappointed. But we both still had a lot of fun. There were lots of other activities, most of which we didn’t do, but my bf had fun in the pudding eating contest, and our team won first place at Family Feud. Cocktail hour was pretty cool, but super crowded. My bf and I spent the evening in our room watching South Park and taking turns making booze runs.
Because our stay was so short and it was snowing most of the time we were there, there was a lot of stuff we didn’t have a chance/​enough energy to do. We definitely want to go back in the summer and stay for a week or so, so we can do everything but not feel rushed. Some things we’ll keep in mind for our next trip:
— BYOB: Outside cocktail hour, booze options are limited and expensive
— BYO snacks: The snack bar only has hamburgers, hot dogs, and soft serve. Anything else, you’ll have to get from the vending machines.
— Go offsite for dinner: Not every night, but I wouldn’t recommend eating at the dining room two nights in a row.
— Stay longer: Do all the activities, but don’t knock yourself out.
All in all, we had a great time and definitely plan to go back. I think it’ll be a lot better in the summer, and would be a lot of fun with kids. Just don’t go in expecting a 5-​star resort, and you won’t be disappointed. It’s kind of like being at camp. Just have fun!