I booked a long weekend at Scott Valley for my teenage son and I to get away for some time together. I was totally unprepared for the experience we had.

The rooms were indeed rustic, but there's no surprise there. The website clearly explains what you can expect to find in terms of amenities and surroundings.

What I thought was going to be a 'hardship' (no phones or televisions in the rooms) was actually a blessing in disguise. Being a very busy working parent with three children (two are teenagers) I seldom have time to spend like I would want to with them on an individual basis. Not having television and telephones in the rooms allowed us to really focus on spending quality time together.

When I booked the reservation with Kathleen Cooper, the ranch owner, we chatted at length about what to expect, what to bring, etc., and I can say that she did a phenomenal job of setting the proper expectations for our visit.

Our stay was in the late fall, so we were one of only two groups there, which was fantastic, since it allowed us a lot of time to interact with the other people and the ranch staff. I might also mention that I still know the names of each and every person I met at the ranch that weekend (Tobin, Della, Tim, Rose, Al, and Katherine, not to mention Kaye and Nickie, our fellow guests), and I'm a person who forgets your name as soon as you introduce yourself to me... that speaks VOLUMES about the wonderful people at the ranch.

The horses were great and extremely gentle to a novice rider, the food was excellent (and I'm a good cook myself, so I'm usually very critical about food), and the Ozarks in the autumn blaze of full color was awesome. Kathleen even let me into the kitchen on a couple of occasions, so I wouldn't go totally into withdrawl.

I've kept up contact with Kathleen since our stay, and am planning on bringing the entire family back for another stay this fall.

I read through the other review which was not favorable, and can tell you that it was the exception and not the rule, based on my experience and the comments of the other guests while we were there.

If you're looking for the Ritz Carlton, keep right on looking. Scott Valley is a guest *ranch* which caters to people who are looking for a great time away from the hustle and bustle of day to day life. The rooms aren't posh, the grounds aren't manicured, and the staff don't wear a coat and tie. The rooms are indeed rustic, but after a day in the saddle, I slept like a baby. The meals are served family/buffet style, and I didn't have a single thing to eat that wasn't good. Kathleen jokes about her menu having two choices, "Take it" or "Leave it", but she bends over backwards to accomodate you and especially children who tend to be picky eaters. And if you leave the table hungry, it's your own fault.

You can count on great service, a staff that treats you like one of the family, relaxation like I've seldom experienced, and horse riding in some of the most beautiful scenery the Ozarks has to offer.

Load up your boots and jeans (and some Advil... if you're not used to riding horses, you'll need it...) and make plans to spend some time at the ranch. You won't regret it.

Again, this place is at the top of a very long list of places that I will return to regularly.