Rancho de Los Caballeros

The suite was pleasant enough – though having to request cutlery and plates was ridiculous – as this is a ranch not the Ritz. But the $620/night plus taxes price tag (three-night minimum) was excessive for just the room and a canteen-style breakfast. All meaningful activities were extra and priced at the higher end. Similarly Restaurant ‘19’ is ok for country club, not haute cuisine (which is how it’s billed). If you charge city slicker prices then you’d better deliver city slicker quality. (And it can be done – our next meal, in Sedona, is testament.) The new owners are investing heavily in expansion on the property. No doubt – at this quality-price point, it must be throwing off decent excess cash!

This ranch reminded me of Hemingway's Montoya hotel, the locale for aficionados. If you enjoy horseback riding or golf, or want to learn, I couldn't imagine a better place to go - the backdrop is stunning and the staff are fantastic and extremely accommodating. I went with my younger son. Neither of us had much riding experience, but were immediately put at ease by the skill of the wranglers. They try to have some variety each day with lunch cook outs and team penning, but you can easily enjoy a morning ride and afternoon activity every day without getting bored. The golf course is intertwined with the ranch, but it's well designed and not intrusive. You can easily get a day pass and hit balls at the range at any time, and the assistant pro fit my son in for a great lesson (he made a point of making it enjoyable, at his level, and stoking his interest). We had excellent instruction at the archery range, who made us feel right at home trying something new. The food is decent, and I felt there was real value with the meal plan (which includes an amazing breakfast buffet, as well as lunch buffet and three course dinner). The dinner menu didn't change over the week, but they offered daily specials. The steak and game (I had the elk one night) were perfectly cooked. On the evenings my son was too tuckered out for a sit down meal, they were great about bringing the food over to our room. We also found out quickly this isn't a vacation spot for sleeping in. The morning buffet closed promptly at 9am, with the expectation most guests were getting their day going by then. I was surprised there wasn't a children's lunch menu, but the staff were extremely helpful again when my son couldn't find something to eat. The room itself was clean and very comfortable, with a ton of space, and homey atmosphere. There really wasn't much in terms of luxury or extras, but the emphasis was really on getting you out and about the property. The concierge and front desk were extremely responsive, and had nothing but positive interactions with them. Overall, we had a wonderful time. This place feels like a real undiscovered secret.

My family of five and I traveled to Arizona for the first time just this week and this resort made our trip the best one we’ve had in years! We had two rooms that were connecting and the rooms were clean, spacious, and overall nice. They had so many activities and it was very welcoming for family’s with children. They constantly had things for us to do throughout the day. We did the horse ride through the desert which was everyone’s favorite. We also did Skeet shooting, archery, and penning. The golf club located on the ranch was an oasis. We visited the driving range which was very reasonably priced for unlimited balls. We wanted to visit the restaurant there but the times were mixed up and we were unable to make it. The breakfast and lunch was great and the pool was so beautiful. It’s a very short drive into the small downtown of wickenburg for dinner or other meals. The dinner at the resort was also great, they had very large portions for children, and savory foods on their regular menu. If you are thinking about coming to a ranch in Arizona this is the one you must visit.