- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
Sponsored Result
You Might Also Consider
Fess Parker Wine Country Inn & Spa
- 8 reviews
- Location:
- Los Olivos, CA
"We stayed here for our engagement trip on their wine and spa package. I let the reservations girl know ahead of time and they were awesome…" read more »
3 reviews for Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort
Hey Ya All, back at the ranch another summer! Well lemme tell you things are definitely amiss here at the ole' Alisal ranch.
Back 14 years ago when I first went to Alisal, it was a MAGICAL place. Just brimming with fun and splendor.
However, I have some real issues with them now.
1) They charge $700 bucks a night to stay at the ranch. Which is up there with most five star resorts. However, this is not a 5 star hotel.
2) They have the same decor (exactly) as they had 14 years ago. Let me tell you the bathrooms are one step below a Motel 6. Motel 6 is actually better. This year the wall paper (yes wall paper) was peeling off the bathroom. Does no one check this stuff out. And remember, this place ain't cheap
3) Coffee- come on! Anyone heard of cowboy coffee? This place has coffee that is one step above water. Where is the strong brewed stuff!
Things I love about Alisal
1) 5 star dining every night. We are talking all the steak, potatoes, chocolate cake and wine you could possibly eat. And every night you stay there they have a fantastic dinner planned.
2) 5 star breakfasts. Wonderful french toast, eggs, pancakes, huevos rancheros, sausage, etc.
3) The old Saturday night BBQ poolside is always fun. And they have a great BBQ of every kind of meat you could think of. They start BBQing around 3pm so the meat is too die for!
4) The ambiance is spectacular. I love the rolling grass, hills and great outdoor feeling you get at Alisal.
I am sure we will keep bringing our kids here for many more years, but seriously, they need to remodel.
I absolutely loved it. Tranquil, serene, oak trees and horses everywhere, a cottage overlooking the creek with a fireplace and sunken tub...sigh...if I could click my heels three times, I'd be back there now. I found the Alisal such a lovely place to unplug and check out. I adored that all of their guest rooms and cottages had fireplaces, but no TVs.
The setting was most compelling--just gorgeous and filled with calm. But perhaps my favorite part of this resort was that it felt like a real ranch resort...not the standard over-the-top Four Seasons kind of resort. My guess is the high room rates go toward upkeep of the land, as opposed to having super-cool & edgy designed lounge chairs and spa services. Dinner and breakfast in the dining room was good, and the musician playing in the bar was fun and completely entertaining.
What is absolutely worth mentioning is the kindness of the staff. They don't just "sell" you the veneer of a down-home experience, they live it. I was aware they required a 2-night minimum for any stay. However, I was only going to be in town for one night, as I was attending a funeral nearby the next day. When I called and asked if they'd be willing to make an exception given the circumstances, they didn't miss a beat in saying, "of course." Proof that Santa Ynez Valley is NOT the Napa Valley, and I'm so glad.
When I arrived hours later, they upgraded my cabin. The next morning, I struggled to find a taxi to take me to the funeral (I suppose anyone who lives near Solvang or Santa Ynez would think it's hilarious that some urbanite from Oakland thought there was cab service in town). After the front desk tried to find me a taxi with no success, I received a call in my cottage from the assistant to the general manager of the ranch. He'd overheard the front desk staff trying to arrange for my transportation to the church in the valley, and offered to drive me himself. As the world could be a small place, turns out he knew the family gathering for this particular funeral. Although he wasn't attending the service, he was kind enough to take me into town and get me there on time, and offered to pick me up and bring me back to the ranch. So kind and above-and-beyond. During our ride, I learned a lot about the ranch and it's history of families who return every year for their annual visit. Sounds good to me.
If you like Portola Valley, Woodside, Boulder Creek, etc...and ever find yourself in the Santa Ynez valley...check out the Alisal.
For the yuppie in you who wants to reconnect with its cowboy roots (or not). My sister got married here back when they still let people do that (30 years ago? She's ancient). The Alisal has a pretty lake, a pretty tennis court complete with tennis pros, a pretty golf course, and lots of pretty oak trees. It also comes at a pretty penny (wocka wocka wocka). I really don't recommend shelling out the benjamins to stay here (in their "cabins", dressing for dinner), but I do recommend sneaking in to make use of the nice pool. Just don't say I told you. Make sure you get a drink from the poolside snack shop and grill and tip the kid behind the counter - that once was me. If Pam is behind the bar, get her to make you a drink and tell you some good gossip. And if you're really lucky, you might see Carl Karcher and the whole Carl's Jr. clan as he celebrates birthday #108 or something like that.
History
Established in 1946
A century after Carrillo received the grant for "Rancho Nojoqui," the Alisal was purchased by a man who expanded the reputation of the Alisal in an entirely new direction -- hospitality. Originally, Charles "Pete" Jackson, Jr., purchased the Alisal as a working cattle ranch alone -- but on the advice of manager Lynn Gilliam, the cattlemen's quarters were converted to quarters for dude ranch guests. On July 16, 1946, the Alisal Guest Ranch was opened for summer seasons with a maximum capacity of 30 guests.
