I'd like to preface this review by noting that, despite a few rough-around-the-edges issues this resort had (limited restaurants and hours, unpleasant meals, etc.), the grounds were outstanding and the service was a pleasure.
Months before even checking in to the resort, I spoke with Chloe numerous times to arrange for flowers to be delivered to the room, and to ask about activites, and she was always extremely helpful and patient. She was very professional and the exact person you'd hope would answer a call if you had questions about an experience.
I'd like to also mention Mack, our awesome UTV-and-nature-guide-in-one; Cory, who we learned was responsible for many of the cute complimentary activities; Claire, a manager at the Paradox who was attentive and genuinely cared about whether we liked a meal or not (commenting if something had been left behind); and Bruno, the worker at the Palisade Ranch who was very kind.
There were also many servers (Sean, Rachel, and others whose names I didn't catch) who were awesome and did their best. All of these people really contributed to us enjoying the resort and smoothing out the rough edges. The only unpleasant experiences at the resort really just included the dining situation: long waits at the restaurants, the barside restaurant closing very early (at 6, even though it was the only place with casual food) and limited menu options. These issues would make a long stay at this resort unpleasant, but for a short stay, it could be tolerated. The natural beauty of the canyons surrounding you more than makes up for it, and the paradisaical landscaping and quiet privacy of the grounds completed the experience. I am only giving it 3 stars instead of 4 because I also experienced an emergency at the resort, which I've detailed on another platform.
**Edited to include my emergency situation, which is why I lowered it to two stars*
In August 2021, I visited Gateway Canyons with my family for my sister's birthday, and everything was great (except for the food, to be honest) until we hopped on for the resort's horseback ride activity. We were barely 10 minutes down the trail when I was thrown by the horse I was on, Lil Buck, and all hell broke loose. The only worker there with us rushed back and forth to get meds and try to contact the resort with a spotty radio, Lil Buck was off to the side eating, and my family and the other family with us were super anxious about being left alone (though the other horses were calm). Once our guide finally did contact the resort, the resort called for an ambulance, and after some misdirection, the ambulance finally arrived after about an hour and a half. After I returned from the hospital, the resort wanted me to meet with their head of security. The guy had me write down everything that happened, gave me a copy of the waiver, and made no promise about whether we'd be charged for the activity or not -- he said something non-committal, like, "We don't usually charge when things like this happen." And lastly, as icing to the cake, he said, "This may have gone better if the ambulance got there quickly." So, he was throwing the EMTs under the bus despite the resort's sub-standard emergency protocols. Pretty tasteless. They didn't confirm that we wouldn't have to pay for the activity until checkout. So, no, I would NOT recommend Gateway Canyons in the case of an emergency. In what was an extremely high-stress moment that, frankly, makes me not want to get near another horse for a long time, Gateway Canyons treated me like a liability instead of a guest. I'm just glad my injuries weren't much worse. read more