We had the pleasure of being the first guests of the season, June 5-12, 2011. We arranged to be picked up with other members of our family on June 5th in Jackson. John was assigned to pick six of us up at a hotel, right on time. He greeted us with a smile and welcome. We felt this might be the start of something great, and it was.
When we arrived, we were enthusiatically welcomed by the staff, checked in, and assigned our cabins, 8 & 10. Our luggage was delivered to our cabins, on the porch. We had cabin 8, which is a brand new cabin and it was great! The main bedroom had a raised queen bed with great pillows. The other room had a queen bed & bunk beds. Since our son was solo, he had this room to himself. The furnishings were aesthetically in form and decorated with great bedding. The bathroom was basic but had a vanity large enought for three people to store their toiletries for the week. There is a small refrigerator in the room along with a wall mounted hair dryer. The view of not only this cabin but all cabins overlooked the Snake River, hills, pasture and tack room and main lodge. So peaceful and beautiful.
The first night at dinner, the entire staff introduced themselves and the head wrangler, Kris went ot each table to assess our riding abilities. This was to help her assess which horse would be best suited for whom.
The next morning, after breakfast, we met at the tack room. We were all greeted with smiles & enthusiasm, and understanding for a novice rider (me). After assisting us in the arena in order to match our self-description with the reality, we were good to go. The rest of the week went as wonderfully and supportive. Although some in our families had better riding abilities than some, we equally received the same support & care. Rides were essentially tailored to the ability level and the trails were great.
The food was good. The only thing they need to do is not serve leftovers towards the end of the week. I really did not want to see the potato salad for three days. They also need to be sensitive that not everyone can eat spciy foods. There were two dinners which I could not eat and there were no other options. In balance, each day there were delicious homemade cookies & brownies in the afternoon. What a nice touch once you've returned from outdoor activities!
The activity schedule was developed daily, based upon what guests wanted to do. There was a framework, but much was planned based upon what the guests wanted to do. Initially, this was unnerving, but as the week progressed, it turned out to be a wonderful thing. Several nights there were indoor or outdoor activities based upon the everchanging weather. Flexibility is one of the hallmarks of Goosewing Ranch.
We found the ENTIRE staff to be overwhelmingly accommodating to each of us. In many ways, we were treated like family, not guests. This has never happended on any vacation we've taken. Just phenominal. Many of the staff easily mingled with the guests after dinner as well as during the day. They all are comfortable interacting with those who come for an experience. From Francois, the owner (tres charming & personable); to Amy, the manager; Kris, the head wrangler; Eric, the foreman; Cody, activity director; Sueshi, the dining room manager and many others (Emily, Katy, Celia-wranglers), kitchen staff, dining room staff-nothing left to say but "Wow"!
Overall, the ambience of the main lodge (huge fireplace, usually stoked), the extra grace and care of all who work here, the quality & cleanliness of the cabins, the activities, inlcuding daily riding, makes this a wonderful, relaxing place to be with those you love. We have not yet decided when we will return, but we will. We are spoiled.
This is a great value not only from the standpoint of being an all-inclusive (barring alcohol) ranch. Goosewing is truly an experience not only in having ranch experience but also it is literally a warm environment in which you can hang your hat and put up your booted feet and say, "I'm home, at least for now."
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC