Rocking R Guest Ranch

Unfortunately, while the venue itself is beautiful, our experience was overshadowed by the owner’s/manager’s (Kara’s) behavior from start to finish. After the wedding, we were told we would be charged a $500 hot tub cleaning fee, even though several of the groomsmen commented before getting in that the hot tub was already dirty. I get that the groomsmen should have contacted the owner before, but they just decided to sit on the edge with their feet in. Kara said she had never seen hair in the hot tub before and in addition to the bugs and pine needles, this would prompt a $500 cleaning fee. That charge felt completely unreasonable given the condition it was already in. The money is not the issue here; it’s the principle. Throughout the wedding weekend, the owner was consistently rude, condescending, and unprofessional. She spoke to our wedding coordinator so harshly that she was nearly in tears. She was also disrespectful to the bride’s parents and sister simply because they were decorating the wedding cake in the kitchen. I understand that we were supposed to sign a contract in order to use the venue’s kitchen, however, the manner in which the owner approached us was very unprofessional and rude. To make matters worse, we were told there would be an additional charge just to provide paper plates and plastic forks for serving the cake. Plastic forks and paper plates cost next to nothing, and when it comes to the cost of booking a wedding venue, I would expect that these would be included. There were also issues with services we paid for but did not receive as expected. We paid extra for an outdoor bar that was supposed to open promptly at 3:00 p.m., but it wasn’t available as promised. Guests were also charged full price for drinks, despite being told they would be $5 each during that time. One of the most shocking moments was seeing the owner physically push a groomsman out of the way so she could slam and lock the tent doors. That level of aggression toward our guests was completely unacceptable. The amount of flies inside the tent was also shocking, as you would expect some form of pest control to have taken place prior to the wedding. The only thing done to control the fly issue was fly tape hanging above the bar, right where bartenders make and serve drinks. The saddest part of the entire experience was that the bride spent the day after her wedding in tears because of the way her family and friends had been treated. No couple should have to remember their wedding weekend because of poor customer service and unnecessary conflict. A wedding venue is about much more than a beautiful location. It’s about creating a welcoming, supportive environment for one of the most important days of a couple’s life. Sadly, the owner’s attitude and behavior completely overshadowed what should have been a joyful celebration. I cannot recommend this venue based on the way we and our guests were treated.

We spent 4 nights of relaxing bliss in the Bunk House. Our hosts Kara and Ryan were so welcoming and ready to make our experience a great one! Our accomodation was perfectly luxurious, clean, cozy, contained everything we needed. The hot tub was amazing and we also enjoyed a camp fire at night where we met our neighbours in the Hitching Post cabin. We especially enjoyed the horses in the pasture at our front door and also the donkey,pony, goats, and of course Buddy the very enthusiastic puppy that makes everyone feel loved! We did some great day trips from the ranch but made sure to save our last day to enjoy the sanctuary of the Rocking R before for flying home! We also enjoyed the Wine Down Wednesday special culinary event with a lovely meal prepared by chef Easton! Will definitely return to this gorgeous place of peace on earth! Note: Next time we will do the horseback ride in the foothills!

My better half and I spent my birthday weekend at the Rocking R Guest Ranch. Absolutely loved it. Kara and Ryan are excellent hosts. Checkin was smooth despite the frigid cold. The Bunkhouse, where we stayed, is quaint and cozy and well equipped. My favourite feature is the wood stove which we had going most of our two day stay. The breakfast, delivered to our cabin every morning was delicious. Eggs Benny and French toast. And always with a smile from Kara. The views from the ranch are extraordinary and our last night we had the best sunset we have seen in a long time. The ranch offers extras including massages, which we took in, and sleigh rides (too cold) to name two. We loved it so much we have already reserved my next birthday weekend. #rockinrguestranch