My sister, mom and I stayed for three nights at this lovely property. The property is gated when you drive up with security. The drive to check in had lots of deer and wild turkeys along the drive. The lodge has a huge stone fireplace as you enter and there is a gift shop, restaurant and bar area along with a library. Check in was efficient and they offered to take us to our room, we declined. Our room had two "double beds" in the bedroom and a pull out in the living room. Pull out not comfortable and double bed very small, smaller then I remember a double bed being! The living room has large flat screen t.v. with some comp snacks and fresh fruit and water (YAY!) There is a coffee maker and mini fridge. Bedroom has wonderful fireplace, flat screen, radio and large private deck with comfy chairs over looking valley and golf course. Bath large with private WC and soaking tub and large shower. Single sink. Robes and slippers are nice touch. We really loved the room and got a great deal online, pay two nights third free. We had massage and body wraps, used walking paths and ate s'mores after dinner outside by pool and fire pit, so fun! We had a lunch and dinner while staying and enjoyed both very much, martinis properly prepared. Huge fire place in dining room also where we lingered with coffees after lunch on a rainy day. Fun day trips to Carmel by the Sea. We went to TRX class in the huge workout facility by the front gate which was free, there were steam showers, lap pool and huge gym and nautilus area. Did not use golf course, rained every day we were there, we still found plenty to do! Loved our stay, staff very accommodating and friendly. Spa area just beautiful. This whole property felt brand new and decorated so lovely.

My husband and I decided to take our children to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for a family vacation a few days before new years. We have a 2 year old and a 4 year old, so we need SPACE! We reserved a Garland suite and there was enough room for all of us! The room was beautiful with a living room with TV, fold out comfortable queen bed, mini fridge, fireplace, and desk. The bathroom was pretty spacious with a very nice bath tub and separate shower. The " master" bedroom had a great bed and fireplace, with a great view of the majestic hills and grazing deer!
The main restaurant is not really meant for young children, especially for dinner. Expensive, great ambience, slow relaxed service. Breakfast buffet was great or them, hot and great choices. Lower restaurant onsite "the Ranch Cafe"? was great for both kids and adults. it is adjacent to the SUPER fun family pool area. There is a large warm salt water pool, a large jacuzzi, a small whirlpool 2ft deep, and a crazy water spray area. Also a small dry play structure.
I used the child care facility one morning for an hour, the kids seemed to have fun and I got my workout across the pool at the nicest "resort" gym I have seen!
The s'mores in the evening were VERY VERY social and FUN!
We will return soon as a couple to try the adult only pool area and the beautiful spa!

I had high hopes for the Carmel Valley Ranch based on the positive reviews that I had read on this site. When I pay $300 + a night plus a daily $25 resort fee at a resort I expect to have a special experience. I kept waiting for something to happen that would set this resort apart from the others but unfortunately my experience was average. I could have received a similar experience at a mid-priced chain hotel. I chose this resort to spend a romantic weekend with my husband an I have listed the pros and cons below:
Pros-
-Peaceful setting
-Large, spacious room with separate bedroom/living room and two fireplaces that turned on with the flip of a switch (we had a Garland Suite - the Garland Suites on are the ends of each block of rooms.)
-All natural, paraben free, phthalate free shampoo, conditioner, lotion and shower gel
-The staff was very nice and friendly
-The bellman will pick you up in a golf cart and take you where you need to go within the resort grounds.
-The dinner that I had at the restaurant was tasty. I had chicken with polenta and vegetables.
-The Pure Balance massage that I had at the spa was very interesting. 7 different massage oils for the 7 chakras.
-There were snacks (apples, trail mix, Sun chips) and bottles of water in the room upon arrival
-Roxy the bull dog mascot was so cute!
-My husband enjoyed making smores at night.
-The turkey burger and sweet potato fries at the cafe were delicious.
-My husband and I had to change rooms due to an ant infestation and the staff was helpful during this process.

Cons-
-I felt like this resort was over priced and I was nickeled and dimed for everything.
-The turn down service was inconsistent and when we did receive it the only thing that happened was that the maid turned down one corner of the bed.
-The cleanliness of the room - gum wrapper and crayons behind the door, half eaten chocolate on the rug in the living room, dirty coffee mugs, sticky spots in the armoire
-When we had requests we had to ask twice. For example the first room we had didn't have 2 bathrobes so I called to request another one and nothing happened. I waited 3 hours and called again and then the robe arrived. We also were surprised that the room didn't contain slippers and when we moved to the second room there were slippers.
-$40 for two turkey burgers and a side of sweet potato fries at the cafe (gratuity was added in automatically).
-The spa amenities were just okay and the treatments were expensive.
-We had a view of the parking lot from our room.
-I had made special arrangements with guest services about dietary restrictions for my dinner and they were not honored.
-Not really a resort that caters to couples. Many families and small children around.

I really wanted to like this resort and there were several things that I did like. I just don't know that I would return. Perhaps the resort would be more enjoyable during the months with warmer weather. It was very relaxing but I had high expectations due to the price.

This casually elegant inn and spa is tucked away in the rolling hills of Carmel Valley. Spacious suites set in single-story units amid beautiful old oaks feature luxurious bedding, high speed internet, plenty of closet space, and a grand bathroom with both shower and tub. The inn's own special soaps, shampoo, and lotion provide an especially nice touch. (The lavender and sea pine shampoo is original and refreshing. I loved it so much that I bought two fuul-sized bottles to take home with me.) If you are travel-weary, head for the beautiful infinity jacuzzi and relax as you look out over the surrounding property. Don't be surprised if a family of deer steps gracefully into view. If a massage or special beauty treatment is in order, the inn's spa awaits you. And, for fitness buffs, there are excellent workout facilities just down the hill with state-of-the-art machines and excellent fitness classes. If you love the outdoors, you can hike for miles on trails readily accessible from behind the inn. And, if you need a little help navigating, guided hikes are available. After a relatively short but steep initial climb, you will be rewarded with breathtaking views. All in all, this traveler's haven provides a relaxing getaway in an exceptionally lovely setting.