We booked on Groupon so we could save some $$ which was good so we could do thr two activities later afternoon. On the email it doesn't provide crunchtime with the Tigers which starts at 4:20 and then Buddy's bedtime which starts at 5pm so good thing we arrived at 2:40 for checking in since by 4pm Angie was already gone. We stayed in the #1 bungalow which was nice, Angie was able to add my 2 daughters on the reservation so they set up the futon as a bed. Sam was great for the crunchtime tigers feeding but the other gal who didn't introduce herself for the Rhino bedtime seemed flustered and not friendly at all. After watching the mandatory video of how the rhinos came to VQ, we proceeded to their area. Another gal (Danielle?) joined her and same no welcome, no friendliness. Almost felt these 2 gals were forced to interact with other humans and sure they prefer the animals. At night the Lion constantly roared which didn't bother me since I was knocked out. Angie delivered the continental breakfast which was nice. 9:30 we went to feed the camels and once again the 2 non friendly female staffers were back at it with the camels. Angie and Sam are great and made the visit memorable and worth it. I did knock off a star since if we would of arrived close to 6 as mentioned in the email, we would of missed the 2 activities offered in the evening. read more

Vision Quest Ranch - Camels - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Salinas, California

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We had a great time in the Monkey Manor! It's right next to the lions and you can hear them roar SO LOUDLY! The bungalows are spread out with tall grasses in between so there is plenty of room. There is a viewing area overlooking the zebra/rhino/water buffalo area that is great to eat breakfast at. In the afternoon they bring you 2 different animals for a private viewing, we had a skunk and an alpaca. In the morning we got to feed camels! For extra at 5:00 pm they have a rhino bedtime experience where you get to go into the rhino sheds and then give them pats and rubs! What an experience! Also included is one day at the zoo and they even bring your breakfast at your bungalow! We loved our visit!! read more

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I've stayed at this property before and had a truly magical experience -especially the mornings when elephants would bring breakfast, which was unforgettable. This time, we stayed in a different bungalow (Monkey Palace), and while the setting is still beautiful, the experience didn't quite live up to what we remembered. The elephants are no longer part of the experience, which was disappointing, especially since price is still the same if not more. The bungalow itself could use some maintenance-our remote didn't work, the heater was broken, and there was a small hole in the door that let in spiders and lizards at night. It just felt like some of the charm has faded and upkeep has been overlooked a bit. There also seem to be more added charges now, which made the stay feel less all-inclusive than before. That said, most of the staff were absolutely lovely-friendly, informative, and welcoming. We really appreciated their kindness. One staff member did come off as a bit rushed and disengaged, which stood out during otherwise positive trip. I understand people have long days, but part of what makes this place special is the immersive, welcoming atmosphere. This property still has a lot of potential and we hope it gets back to the magical experience we once had. read more

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The bungalow alone was magical - we went to bed early to listen to the wind, lions and birds! Included was a Continental breakfast brought to our bungalow and tickets to the zoo. We loved the zoo - fed carrots to camels, paid extra to have a private visit with the rhinos, up front and personal. We chose Pachyderm Palace, which is ADA compliant and allows you to drive right up to your bungalow. An amazing experience - one we hope to enjoy again in the future! read more

This is our second time staying in the bungalows each time staying a different one now we are in the lions on and it's just as amazing just wish we would used the blinds that are provided but they are all zip tied up so not very private to our neighbors as they can see in. Other then that we love this place all of the staff is very knowledgeable the meet and greet was awesome we hope that one day they will bring back the bigger animals to deliver your breakfast in the morning like they used too in the past. It gets very cold in the night and early mornings so bring warm clothing even extra blankets they offer heated blankets but they are on the lower end and do keep you warm same with the heaters the long wall one only heats up to 55 and the plug in one is very k if your standing in-front of it so bundle up no reason for them to upgrade they for safety reasons. A nice warm shower did the trick. Laying in bed getting woken up by the lions is awesome random times in the night they would rawr super cool you can feel the rawr. It's super nice here relaxing read more

Yes it's a Zoo, Yes there different opinions about the captivity of animals. However if you are comparing zoos this one is far more superior compared to other places like San Diego or Los Angeles. But they need your support to ensure they can keep doing what they do. I like this place because it's less crowded and off the beaten path. You can stay over night, feed the animals and have close encounters with them while still respecting the fact they are not tamed/domesticated. I would recommend this place to others so they can continue providing a quality of life for the animals they do have. Please support them, stop by on your next road trip. The zoo is compact so you can see all the animals within an hour. About overnight stays: Set your expectations accordingly. It's glamping at a zoo. The lodging is still a canvas tent structure exposed to the elements. Can still be fun for the family. read more

Vision Quest Ranch - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Salinas, California

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My daughter went again, but this time with mom, dad and little brother. It was THE BEST! It was an incredible experience. I don't think my kids appreciated it as much as I did. The nature of it all and listening to lions outside our bungalow all night. Feeding the tigers and putting the rhinos to sleep were awesome. When else do you get to do that?! I didn't know much about rhinos before, but now I have a whole new appreciation for them. Unfortunately, the rain limited our experience within the zoo itself, but it wasn't anything anyone had control over. I can't express enough how cool the experience was and would highly recommend to others! read more

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I love Vision Quest Ranch and the Zoo, This last trip I did the new "Walk the Rhinos" It was so much fun. They have three Rhinos and I got to meet all of them up close. I took tons of videos and pictures. I also got to pet the Rhino, and fed them too. It was amazing, and I highly recommend the Walk with the Rhinos experience. I've been here many times. I love staying in the bungalows, meeting the animals, and the views are amazing. The staff is outstanding and so knowledgeable. The bungalows have two heaters, and a heated blanket on the bed, and I've never been cold at night, even in the winter. I love hearing the lion roar all night long. read more

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We love Charlie Sammut and the Monterey Zoo / Vision Quest ranch. He works so hard to keep this amazing place going, and has the daily challenge of operating such a unique destination while contending with the seemingly never-ending ridiculous legislation that California passes making in more difficult every day to run a business in CA. I moved my business to Utah because of this. Please support this wonderful place. The animals are a sight to see and they are treated a lot better than in the big city zoos around the country. Staying overnight in the tents and hearing the big cats is a really cool experience. read more

My Daughters gave me a Mother's Day present of visiting Vision Quest B and B. Do not think it's a typical Bread and Breakfast. You stay in canvas tents which makes the experience rustic. We had a great time the first day being with a small group of people touring the place where the smaller animals lived. We had the experience to feed Butch, one of the Elephants carrots for a snack. We also got the opportunity to wash Butch him with a large soapy brush. He was behind large metal bars, easy to reach him to wash and touch him. In the evening we went into the building where he sleeps and got to feed him again. We went into Salinas for dinner and found a great restaurant called Patria. It's a great restaurant, it is on the expensive side so you won't want to take the kids there. When you check in they give you information about turning on the heater fan before you go on the tour in the evening. You will want to do that because it does get chilly in the evening. We brought two blankets with us because I had read about it can get cold. It was a lot of fun and we learned so much. It was also fun feeding the Tigers their dinner and seeing the large cats, such as the Lions in their enclosures. There are different options of tours to take. You can see what sounds interesting and then call the front desk so they can explain which tour sounds good for you. In the morning they deliver a box that had bananas, apples, bagels, and pastries, it was perfect for us. They also have some drinks in the fridge that is free. It was a great weekend trip for us, so different and exciting. read more

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I loved this place. Friendly staff. It's a small zoo, but worth the time. I got to meet the owner, awesome. Praise GOD. read more

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My family spent the night this past weekend at Vision Quest Ranch and visited the Zoo on Saturday. It was a great experience, and my children really enjoyed the Zoo and staying overnight at the Bungalow. We arrived on Saturday and toured the Zoo. It was pleasantly not crowded, and so we were able to spend time at the exhibits without feeling rushed to move on. Yes, some of the animals seem a bit crowded, but the Zoo is very clean, as are the exhibits. 90% of the animals were out and easily viewed which may the experience more enjoyable. I find it frustrating when attending zoos, and the animals are either inside, or hidden away behind obstacles. We were able to check into our Tent Bungalow in the early afternoon which was nice. No waiting until 4pm... Our Bungalow (which was the Big Cats one closest to of course the Big Cats) was spacious and enough room for 4. It was clean and with a large bathroom. A refrig with water and orange was a nice touch. You can definitely hear the Male Lions throughout the early night and early in the morning, so be aware. We did not mind, and it literally felt as if the Lions were right outside our place. The Bungalow also has a view of a large exhibit that currently has Rhinos, Zebras, Water Buffalo, and Wildebeast. In the late afternoon we choose the duo activity of feeding the Tigers and then putting the Rhino's to bed. This was the highlight of the trip, and well worth the extra expense. Being that close to the animals was very exciting for the kids and us. Also before this activity, we did have animals taken to the front of our bungalow which included a Lemur and Skunk. There is a small breakfast provided the next day which was nice. Overall the staff were friendly and engaging, and for us, well worth the experience. A definite hidden gem located in the western foothills of Salinas. read more

Had one of the best times! The website can be overwhelming but if you call or email the staff will walk you through your stay. Angie was a huge help. All of the trainers and staff were fantastic. It's extremely cold at night, you are sleeping in pretty much a tent so be prepared. Space hearted doesn't work well and the bed warmer takes the edge off but not nearly enough. Noting to do in the city due to COVID so you don't really need more than a one night stay. We did all of the activities between the day we arrived and the next day. The continental breakfast, pastries were yummy and the bagels were large and fresh. Lost of food per person. Coffee is available but if you're a coffee snob, find the local Starbucks. If you're an elephant lover this is the place for you! read more

Vision Quest Ranch - Us amd Butch! - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Salinas, California

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Reserved this place for 459.00 for room number 7 for 2 adults and 2 kids for 2/1. Read these warnings first: No restaurant on site No microwave In winter months bring warm long johns extra clothes and YOU MUST bring your own extra blankets for each bed because it is super cold at night. Bring a 12 pack of bottled water, soda, snacks that can be refrigerated and eaten cold. We arranged for the bears den #7. No view of the animals, you have to walk across to the viewing deck There is a gas station and a tiny restaurant within DrivIng distance. I ordered from doordash And had to drive to main entrance to accept delivery, as you are not allowed to give them access code to make Deliveries. We ordered Thai and Italian. We checked In at 2pm. Got in the room right away. Room was clean with 2 full beds, Sitting table with 2 chairs. Television, space heater, wall heater, bathroom with 4 robes, coffee maker with tea, hot chocolate, nice refrigerator to store drinks and things to make cold sandwiched, shower with limited hot water , sink, toilet, hair dryer, towels and alarm clock. Bring your cell to call front desk. You need a phone charger And there is no WiFi. I paid 469.00 for room and 70.00 for 2 tiger feedings. The room has a view of greenery. You get in and out with a code. You have to drive 7-8 miles into town for good food. Staff was friendly but rooms need renovation. Animals were cool but sparse read more

Vision Quest Ranch - Room - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Salinas, California

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I wrote a review that you did not post. You should reconsider as my review would help people who are considering paying $500 plus more to stay there. What you advertise is not anything like what you get. Be aware. read more

We had a wonderful stay at Vision Quest Ranch! Did a mother daughter trip and booked a VIP tour through the Zoo. The staff are wonderful, they truly care about the animals here. Our tour guide Lanier was fantastic! Both knowledgeable and friendly and quite funny. We enjoyed her and the wealth of knowledge she brings. We got to pet and scrub the rhinos, feed and pet a Cavy and Kangaroo, and feed a Camel. What a unique stay that will provide endless amounts of wonderful memories! The BnB itself was comfortable and warm, plenty of food for breakfast. We could hear lions and hyenas all night. Would definitely come back and bring the whole family! read more

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What an amazing experience- truly one of a kind and you get exactly what you would expect from reading reviews. The warm do everything staff makes you feel so involved and truly feel like you are a part of the zoo! We stayed a Joseph's room at the edge and we loved it! Comfy yet stiff bed - the heated mattress was so good I have one being delirious my house yes it can get cold but at 50 degrees we did not sleep in sweats the heater plus mattress pad & of course socks was plenty. The crunch time experience was unforgettable and the lions roaring in the pen next to us just made it that much better. My one regrets - we didn't put butch to bed - and there really isn't much to do around there... Get ready fir lion roaring nights and hyenas wooping. Followed by roosters who don't know about daylight savings time. All in all it was perfect. Can't wait to come back with kidos read more

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This was the best stay of our vacation. First and foremost, this is Glamping at the Monterey Zoo. The Monterey Zoo is a small non-profit zoo that is still very young. It is my speculation that the B&B is used as an additional funding source for the zoo and to raise additional awareness for the zoo. It's imperative when you stay with Vision Quest B&B you are mindful that it is non-profit for the zoo, and that it is not in the same peer group of other hotels and B&Bs, it is Glamping and is a unique experience!! You have amenities of a comfortable bed, running water, a shower, and a great yurt like tent that will keep you dry and protected from the elements. Again you are Glamping, so if there is a storm, you may experience the winds in a way you have never experienced them and sounds are like you are outside. It is fantastic! Check in is at 3:30. You should for sure check in at that time since the animal walk starts at 3:45 and is followed by the tiger feeding and then the elephant bed time (package add ons). There are other packages that you can do and I think you can do those the next day. It is best to call ahead, but everyone at the Monterey Zoo works with the animals, so you may need to leave a message and someone will be back with you. All staff was polite and nice. Sometimes they seemed tired, but that is understandable. The zoo has over 100 animals and it is extremely evident each worker knows each of the animals, their behaviors, needs, and puts the animal's and the guests safety first while wanting to give everyone new exposure to the animals to have a great experience. Should you check in late, call ahead. There may be a late fee. We drove from LA and arrived after 6. We called ahead and were told there was a late fee. We didn't know ahead of time. But we understood. It was clearly spelled out in the email we received ahead of time. Plus we were staying 2 nights and we wanted to enjoy our drive on CA-1! When we arrived late Angie drove up and checked us in, another keeper was in the car with a kangaroo. Clearly, the staff is always working with animals and they deeply care. So arriving late is getting the workers off their schedule with the animals! We stayed in bungalow #6. The inside of the bungalow has electricity for a mini refrigerator, small heaters, lamps, and a space heater. The bed has a heated mattress pad with two sided control. The refrigerator came with small waters, orange juices, and a small coffee maker. You have a hair dryer and towels also available. A tv is available but there are only a couple channels available and no internet. This is no bother because, again, this is Glamping. We would have been pleased without a TV. If you need to have your streaming you will need to bring your own fire stick (or equivalent) and use your phone as a hotspot. Card games, board games, a good book, or just enjoying great conversation is also wonderful. The bungalow had a great private outdoor cool water tub. We really wanted to use it, unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate since it was rainy and cooler on the day we hung out. In the morning continental breakfast was delivered by a zoo worker. It was in a cute box that gave directions on where to go for feeding the elephants. Breakfast included two fresh bagels, two pastries, a croissant, 2 apples, 2 yogurts, 2 bananas, cream cheese, and jelly. The baked goods were so fresh, we think they must come from a local bakery. Feeding the elephant in the morning was really fun, the trainer was informative and They make sure you get great pictures with Butch. Evening Crunch Time is an amazing experience and worth the add on. You see the tigers up close and see the different personalities. The zoo keeper explains where they come from, why the coloring is different, and how the zoo obtained each tiger. You get a nice q & a session and the keeper is very knowledgeable and able to answer with great detail. Again, it's evident that the organization handles the animals with great care, is a newer zoo that plans to grow. Elephant Bedtime is also well worth the add on to be up close and personal with these magnificent beasts. They are so gentle and you can see they have relationships with their trainers. There is again, a Q &A session and more snacks for the elephants to interact with the animals. A unique experience to have great memories. Overall Vision B&B gets 5 Stars for a fantastic, unique, once in a lifetime Glamping experience. It was peaceful to listen to the animals roar through the night, the trickle of the rain, and have hands on experience with animals. We enjoyed the animal walk, feeding elephants and tigers, and loved seeing some animals we have never seen at the Monterey Zoo. We enjoyed our getaway at the Joseph's Jungle, and relaxed watching the elephants do elephant things, and loved that sassy zebra frolic with Butch. read more

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I cant say enough how beautiful, idyllic oasis this was. Gorgeous room, loved outdoor tub, meeting the animals, and feeding the camel Humphrey , breakfaat and hearing lions, and wild anumals beyond cool.. I went to the animal park ten years ago , coming again in 2022 words cannot express how well the animals cared fir, habitats wonderful, staff gear and engaging. read more

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I truly did not know what to expect as I had never heard of Vision Quest Ranch until I saw a Groupon for it. I am so glad I came here! The zoo itself isn't super big, we went on a holiday weekend and it was perfect. Not too crowded, they had a variety of animals and some were surprisingly very active. After visiting the zoo, we checked in promptly at 2:30 (as advised via a phone call so we could go to our bungalows and then see the animals coming to visit.) We drove over to our bungalows and found a cute set up. We stayed In the pachyderm palace. Liked: the whole feel of the place, coffee machine and fridge. They provided toiletries. Disliked: how close it was to the highway, not the best view of animals from this bungalow. It wasn't as cold at night as I thought (read previous reviews, so I came prepared). The breakfast the next morning was some tasty pastries , yogurt and fruit. We got to feed animals the next morning, that was unexpected so it was a nice little surprise. Definitely would like to go back and stay in a different bungalow. read more

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I wish this review was what I anticipated to write based upon the other 3 or 4 amazing times we have stayed at Vision Quest, however this just wasn't the case this time. With all that is going on in the world with COVID-19 and what our own family has been faced with; we were immensely looking forward to a much needed little get away as a family with our 4-year-old son. He was so excited to stay in a bungalow, feed the big cats and elephants and go on the pachyderm tour. Shortly after bringing EVERYTHING in (remember we have a toddler) and unpacking all our belongings in our bungalow, we noticed quite a few ants that quickly continued to fester. Even after someone came into spray, we ended up having ants on our food, in our drinks and even found some crawling on us. There were also quite a few yellow jackets outside in our patio so we couldn't enjoy the view of the animals while eating our lunch, let alone enjoy eating inside with all the ants. Furthermore, a chair was broke outside so we could not sit outside as a family anyways. Mind you a price per night for the bungalow we stayed in is $439. One of the employees provided exceptional customer service planning our trip, upon our arrival and attempted to accommodate us for all that we encountered. However, when the owner Charlie got involved it all went south from there. He came out to talk to me already confrontational and while talking removed his mask. The owner only had his best interest at heart and lacked any sort of customer service. He was rude, self-centered and lacked any sort empathy or remorse. We were only provided the price difference for the less expensive room that was available to stay in. However, he was not willing to provide any other accommodations or discounts for the inconvenience that we faced. The owner has no regard for the customers who help keep him in business! Instead of a nice relaxing day spent away from all the craziness, we spent a good portion of our visit contending with the ants and yellow jackets, unloading, loading and unloading again moving into a much smaller bungalow that didn't even accommodate our family. We contemplated just leaving but the owner wouldn't refund our stay. On Sunday when we went to feed the elephants, a couple was running late because they forgot their masks. I don't believe the owner knew I overheard his conversation telling one of his employees that this can't happen again (mind you we were talking about 10 minutes) and that people should know what they should be doing due to COVID-19. Sadly, there was no grace. We are all in this together and are all still learning what we should and shouldn't do, can and can't do with the never-ending changes. Ironically the night before, an employee was about 10 minutes late meeting us at the gate for feeding the big cats and Butch's bedtime. Also, on Sunday, there were several occasions when Charlie was not wearing his mask handling merchandise and a delivery. He also walked out and back into the check in/shop area without wearing his mask. Employees and guests are held to a higher standard that I guess he doesn't need to adhere to. Such a double standard! I also could be mistaken but I thought Governor Newson closed zoos last week. Lastly I will add that our entire stay was over $1k so this was not an inexpensive visit, especially during COVID-19. I will say this, our family will never stay at Vision Quest again, nor support the zoo. It is also my understanding that the owner is just as rude to his employees, micromanages them and tells them not to be so nice. Sadly, I would not recommend the Monterey Zoo or Vision Quest. Drive the extra distance to Santa Rosa to Safari West; a 400 acre private wildlife preserve. read more

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You don't have to go all the way to Africa for a Safari there's one just down the street in Salinas!! This is a small place with only eight bungalows. It's like going Glamping in the middle of a zoo. You get to spend the night while listening to the animals in the zoo. I'm not a big fan of zoos but some of the animals are rescues and they have a lot of educational opportunities here where you can learn about the animals. I loved our bungalow. It was super cute and I got a great deal on Groupon. Keep in mind like most places it's a little more expensive on a Friday or Saturday but I can understand why since they're such a unique destination. They are very strict about their cancellation policy which also makes sense because if people cancel last minute they only have so many rooms so I'm sure it's very difficult for them to get new occupancy fast. Unlike a hotel with hundreds of rooms, this place only has eight vacancies so they can't afford for people to cancel. We bought several packages which ones were crunch time feeding the Tigers which is bedtime which was feeding the elephants and we did the VIP package. You definitely should do the VIP package! It was worth every dollar! They had staff bring us around the zoo and teach us about all the animals. We got to hold a lemur and another squirrel monkey and take pictures with them. We also got to bathe Butch the elephant which was amazing and take pictures with him. It was an amazing experience, we even then got lunch because we all know food is important. If you're visiting Monterey or Carmel this place is pretty close and even though there's not a lot of food places you can drive into town in like 15 minutes to eat so that's not a problem either. I was pleased with our bungalow and even though it was cold we had heaters so we were not cold at all inside. They provide continental breakfast which is included and there is even hot water for the shower. I was very pleased with the accommodations. The reason for the four stars, minus in one star is the owner needs to work on a little bit better communication. Even though I'm sure he has great intentions and doesn't seem like a bad guy he definitely should not be the frontman dealing with customers because it's not his strong point. The problem is we were told to check in at 3:30 and they do a cool thing at 3:45 which is walking the animals around the bungalow so you can see all the animals. It's just not enough time to get in our bungalow and all settled and see the animals. We ended up feeling panicked to get to the room. Another problem is we weren't out of the office till about 3:43 and trying to rush up to our bungalow. Unfortunately, when we were trying to find the bungalow we got lost, we even drove into the zoo, I guess the gates were open and shouldn't have been. Now, to be honest, my sister had a map and she's not great with maps and I was rushing so maybe if I had a better copilot we would've got to the Bungalow faster but I'm sure the map can be confusing to some people. My problem is why not check people in earlier and avoid this rush? The second thing is we had crunch time at 4:45 which is also pretty soon after checking. I know they told us the time but after the panic and it took us like 45 minutes to get to the bungalow we didn't settle till about 430. When we got to the room we spent some time reading the paperwork and even though it mentioned on the map crunch time was at 4:45 by 5:00 we realized we were late. We missed most of the time to feed the tigers. This was a huge disappointment because we drove all this way to have the full experience. We were very excited to feed the tigers and elephants. We were only staying one night so we didn't want to feel like we were missing out. I think it would've been helpful if the girl that checked us in reminded us that we needed to rush and make sure we got to our crunch time in less than an hour. I understand these might seem like our responsibility but I think it's helpful especially when we're rushing to get to the first place and it's overwhelming. Two of the employees (girls) that we dealt with weren't very nice and when the owner finally came out he was pretty rude. In his defense, I think he's just not good at customer service and his intentions aren't bad but he should have someone deal with the customers since he seems to get frustrated easily. I think with just a little improvement this place could be pretty busy it's an amazing place and this is not something you're going to get everywhere this is pretty cool, I mean we could hear the Lions at night and the hyenas. The only improvement they need is a little bit bigger cages which they say they're working on and a little bit of better customer service from some of the employees and the owner. The girls that did our VIP tour were exceptional! read more

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Just stayed here night before last, with high hopes for an unforgettable experience for my foster grandson. What a disappointment. Check-in staff were unhelpful, and our cabana was missing the robes and the netting over our beds (a big part of the experience). The afternoon animal visit was limited to a 30 min. window, right at check-in time, so we missed it . Great to be so close to the lions roaring at night in Monkey Manor, and the Zoo was fabulous. read more

stayed here over the weekend (couldn't get a room in Monterey due to car show). Had read about it a few years ago, and figured a great way to kill two birds with one stone. The good - tented rooms looking out over the elephant pen. VERY much like where we stayed in Africa. - the elephant pen with its five retired circus elephants was very roomy and well done. - having a 10' elephant deliver your breakfast in the morning is kinda cool The bad - cages. Lotsa cages I think for kids, this is an ok place to visit, and as a B&B, not a bad deal at all. But to go to a place called "vision quest" and see lions and tigers and bears in VERY small wire cages was not so cool for moi. read more

Vision Quest Ranch - Breakfast waiter - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Salinas, California

I wanted to come here for my husbands birthday, so I called to get information at 1:05pm on Monday June 29th. I just wanted information on the different tours and the check in times. She had a rude time with every thing she said & I just did not feel welcome at all. I live in Los Angeles so it's important I get information and feel comfortable traveling that far. Anyways. (She was a total Karen and lost business from us) Thanks. read more

My boyfriend scheduled a stay here through Groupon as a surprise for my birthday. I was so excited when we pulled up and I saw that I'd be staying amongst animals...so I thought. The Groupon ad mentions that check in is from 2:30-6:30. So we expected to see some animals! WRONG. Nowhere in the ad does it say that the time frame for animals to pass by your bungalow is only an hour (3p-4p). So we missed that which was disappointing as hell since we traveled 2 hours for this. But fear not! We were VERBALLY told return to the main office at 10 am the next day for an animal interaction. So we arrive at 10am just to be told "ooops we meant 9:30a & now it's too late." WHAT!!? So you mean to tell me that my man spent all that money just for us to stay in a freezing cold bungalow with 0 animal interaction? We could've stayed home! Not to mention, we were also VERBALLY told we'd have breakfast dropped off between 8a-9a, but we were instead woken up by loud voices by our door at 6:50a. And breakfast was just bagels, fruit, & Activia yogurt. Oh...and there is NO elephant right now! Needless to say...we were definitely SCAMMED & my birthday trip was lackluster because of our less than special experience. 0/10 read more

We were so excited about our upcoming visit to Vision Quest. Arrived and was immediately confused due to lack of signage. Took a call but we finally arrived after a 3+ hour drive. Check in was at the Monterey Zoo gift shop...huh? So we checked in and promptly went to our bungalow which was disappointing and cold. No prior preparation for guest arrival. Surprising for a $418 one night stay. As promised, promptly at 3:45pm we were greeted at our bungalow for animal walk around. To receive this visit, you must remain on your bungalow balcony for our personal safety from the llama and skunk who visited with staff. That actually made me LOL!!! During the animal walk around visit, a sudden torrential rain hit for the balance of the night so we didn't participate/purchase any of the events as they were outside. Now we are hungry...Oh my much to our surprise no restaurant was on site so we had to venture into downtown Salinas for a nice dinner. Spent the balance of our evening in our bungalow playing cards. Moving on to the morning looking forward to our breakfast. Per everything we read, we were supposed to have breakfast delivered by staff and an resident animal. At 8:45am, an SUV arrived with a staff delivering bagels and yogurt. When asked where our special delivery friend was, the employee replied "oh, we haven't done that in a year and a half or so". Obviously the written material in paper and or online hasn't been updated in a year and a half or so! Moving on; we engaged in an event to feed an elephant. Again, lack of signage caused a bit of confusion as to where we were to meet. The sign actually states "for evening tours, meet here". The feeding was enjoyable but staff was not friendly to the point as if a question was asked about the elephant, it seemed as it was an imposition to them to have to engage back with the guests. We were done by 10:00am with nothing else available to due until 1:00pm complimentary walking tour. Needless to say, the whole experience was amazingly underwhelming and disappointing. Especially for the cost! I have to admit my expectations were high due to my amazing experience at Safari West in Santa Rosa. Facilities there were fabulous. On site restaurant was top notch and all the events were extremely engaging, enjoyable and memorable! Follow up: Just finished the tour which was very good. Richard was our guide and he was super knowledgeable as well as very kind. Wish all the employees here where is nice and engaging as Richard. Thank you Richard read more

My boyfriend and I stayed at vision quest ranch for my birthday and it was awesome. We stayed in the pachyderm palace, it doesn't look out over the elephants, but it was very close to a viewing spot where you could see them. We got to hear the lions all night and the elephants in the morning. Even with it being a cold rainy night, the space heater and heated bed kept us comfortable in the glamping-style tent. Our tour guide, Richard, was super knowledgeable about all the animals on exhibit. Feeding the elephants in the morning was definitely the best part! We will definitely come again. read more

Vision Quest Ranch - Breakfast with the elephants! - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Salinas, California

This is an incredible place. I have gone on several field trips here and must say they do an incredible job. Lots of interesting animals And the bed and breakfast was such an adventure. Where else can you be at a safari sleeping in your room surrounded by many wild animals all safely behind bars so you know you are safe. A great place to visit read more

Let's start with the positives. RICHARD, was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful throughout the 1pm tour. He knows a lot of fun facts about the animals! The girls at the elephant experience were also very nice and knowledgeable! I believe it was LUCY that was working the elephant, Butch. Such a tiny lady for such a big elephant, I was so impressed! The lions, tigers and bears exhibits are beautiful! INEZ was so sweet and also very informative. Now on to the negative. The gift store experience started out well, we bought our tickets from PETER, hes the one who told us about feeding the elephants! (Thanks Peter!) However; when we came back into the gift store, we were trying to purchase some shirts and had some questions about making monthly donations. Unfortunately we did not have the pleasure of working with PETER this time...rather we encountered the office manager, ANGIE. How one person can be so rude and just downright mean to paying customers blows my mind. She spoke to us and other customers as if we weren't worth her time and treated us like we were too dumb to understand anything. We walked around the store for a few more minutes until we were ready to make our purchase, then waited at the front desk until she was done flirting with a man that was in what I assume is her office. Very inappropriate for customers to see. I sincerely hope that the owners plan to help ANGIE with her customer service, looking at past reviews...she could use some additional training. To conclude, the zoo is beautiful and almost all of the staff is amazing. We will be buying our tickets online next time or maybe we'll just ask for PETER! read more

This place is awesome. We stayed for two nights, purchased a VIP tour and crunch time. The bungalow: it was cold on arrival. BUT we researched before hand and brought warmer clothes and blankets. There is also a plug in space heater provided, heated blankets and a built in heater. We cranked those up and were comfortable through the night. If the cold isn't something you can handle, I would suggest booking in the warmer months. Breakfast was delivered to our bungalow between 8-9am. A couple fruits, yogurt, bagels and pastries. Posted on the box were a map and directions to get to the morning feeding of butch. Super easy to follow. At 3:30, a couple of animals are walked by the bungalows while we stay on the porch. It's pretty cute seeing a lemur on a leash lol. It was so cool being able to hear the animals roaring and making noise from the bungalow throughout the day. We stayed in leopard's lair and it was situated right in front of the play yard so we could just sit on our porch and see the zebra and elephants roaming around. The VIP tour: omg, this was amazing! It's a 4 hour guided tour through the zoo with photo ops of two animals and giving butch a bath and a feeding. Lanier was very knowledgeable on every animal in the zoo, answered all of our questions and joked around with us. The other two staff that assisted during butch's bath and animal encounters were also friendly and answered questions. Crunch time: pretty cool feeding the tigers. This has the option of being paired with butch's bedtime, where you feed butch and put him to bed in his heated barn. We didn't opt for that so we just did crunch time by itself. I feel bad for not remembering our guide's name for this but she was also friendly and you can tell she's passionate about the big cats, giving us all sorts of info. All in all, this experience was unforgettable. It is a bit pricey but it is completely worth it for everything we got. These animals are so majestic and seeing them up close and the staff's relationship with them is awesome. I can't wait to go back. Side note: the animals' names are hilarious if you enjoy puns and pop culture references. read more

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Charlie your comments are not in line or clear with what your staff told us that day. WE WERE NOT OFFERED ANY other ROOM or cabin option AND WE DROVE HOME THAT VERY NIGHT AFTER PICKING UP OUR BOARDED DOG from Carmel. On the 7th morning we did CALL AND SPEAK TO ANGIE as requested by your staff the evening before AND NEVER ASKED TO PAY FOR ANY HOTEL STAY AS WE RETURNED HOME the day were were asked to check out by your gift shop staff. There was someone who was in another bungalow who also witnessed the rudeness of your staff and when they told us to leave cause they had nothing else to offer us and it was not their problem where we spend the night and as we booked through Groupon they would contact Groupon to issue us the refund the following day. It would have been appreciated had your staff actually made some calls to secure another place for us to stay. However the exact words quoted " I can chose to talk to them for another room but they don't have anything else to offer and instead we should not ruin our evening further by asking her more questions (because she already told us they have nothing else to offer) but instead spend 5 mins on Expedia to look for another room." So I had to pack our belongings and my senior mom and LEAVE. Attached are the two numbers your staff provided saying we could go there as one of them worked at Hyatt and that was a good property and the rates maybe comparable. Inter continental quoted us $650/night at 6pm that evening. I have a call log of places I called for a nights stay. Instead we ate at the Monterey fish house and returned home. I did request your staff to put us at a different hotel for the night of October 6 as we had plans for October 7. I had exchanged emails with vision quest are letting them know it was a surprise birthday celebration which was kind of important. Yet the kind of service received it was completely distasteful. Other yelp reviewers have also commented on their Groupon experience at your facility and or the rudeness of your staff. I merely listed my experience and threatening to sue only proves my point. Especially because that was my experience of your staff in the gift shop, as witnessed by a couple other guests residing there. read more

Vision Quest Ranch - Note from hotel staff - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Salinas, California

One of the most amazing experiences of my life! We stayed 2 nights in Giraffe Manor, fed the tigers and put the elephants to bed. It was amazing to fall asleep to the sounds of animals and wake up to breakfast brought by an elephant. The staff is very friendly and helpful, they all know their animal facts and we learned so much from them. My husband and I sat on the patio for hours watching the animals and relaxing. It felt like a safari and I didn't have to travel all the way to Africa! read more

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We had a wonderful overnight Saturday evening. I read quite a few reviews and was unsure what to expect. I was so glad we went! My pros/cons list as well as things I wish I knew before I went are below: PROS Beautiful grounds, animal habitats are meticulously cared for and cleaned by super dedicated staff! If you scan the QR code, you learn even more at each spot-about the animal name, where is came from and why it is there (e.g., heart murmur, needed shelter, etc). Every single employee we interacted with was kind, went over and above our expectations. I never called or emailed beforehand. I saw what the website said about the staff caring for the animals and taking care of guests and those in the bungalows Bungalow was super clean, Monkey Manor didn't have the monkey quilts-it was white duvet bedding-also fine. I packed a plug in tea kettle because I didn't know if there was hot water. The dual single serve coffee machine generates hot water for tea/hot chocolate without the pods (that they provide) so good to know ahead of time! There are large beautiful coffee mugs to drink from-brought my own since I didn't know. Shower was warm and perfect! There are 4 cushioned chairs and a glass circular table on the deck. The breakfast has whole fruit, pastries, and yogurt-small paper plates and napkins! Monkey Manor is closest to the lions. They roar or make noise throughout the night and sometimes get Ed the Hyena going too. We loved it as it was part of the experience - but my earplugs also worked great:-) We door dashed the Ginger Thai place. It was perfect. Small fridge had some waters and OJs-nice touch. Hot chocolate, coffee, tea was provided. When I checked in at 2:30 PM, we added on crunch time. I saw people complain about pushing raw meat with a pole under a fence. CA law does not allow you to touch the big cats and --that would be dangerous. But we learned a lot and when behind the scenes-great experience for $35 each. In the morning, probably due to COVID, we had our breakfast box delivered but then drove down to the entrance to do another animal visit (included in our stay). We got to feed the camels carrots. Plenty of carrots for everyone to participate. Super fun! You can go in the zoo on your day of arrival. I don't know why some people said you couldn't. CONS The elephants are no longer there:-( One passed away and they didn't want one to be alone so it went elsewhere. BUT, they walked by (at 3:15 PM) two cute animals instead which to me was a bonus. A couple bungalows have viewing areas that you walk a couple minutes to. #1 & #2 for sure-and a couple others that I don't know the numbers for. We were in #2, Monkey Manor. Not a big deal but if think you will want to sit on your deck for a 3:15 PM walk by, you should know that ahead of time. My friend's heated mattress pad didn't work. Picnic tables are blocked off for COVID, no outside food. But we had a blanket and sat on the grass at the upper parking lot with our picnic food. The main road has some car noise, even late at night/early in am. You can hear it from #2 - Monkey Manor, not sure about the other bungalows. That was one thing that kept you from feeling you were across the world in Africa, but just can't be helped. Could have been better at another bungalow, I don't know. Thank you for a wonderful stay! Everything was clean and we truly enjoyed this once in a lifetime experience! read more

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Marked by extraordinary indifference to your needs, this is not a place you want to visit. This was our second and final visit. (The first was six years ago.) The stay was expensive. The glamping tent was cold. The plumbing leaked. The bed was unsupportive. The interactions with the animal trainers were short and memorized. The parking was zoned off and prioritized their vehicles. The front desk staff eyerolled when asked to use the bathroom, and seemed put out by even the smallest change request. The animal interactions were upsold; otherwise, here are three pieces of carrot to give to a camel. The elephants are gone, but you wouldn't know it by their logos, artwork, and photographs. Spend your hard earned money at a real zoo and on a real hotel. Not here. read more

We loved this place! The bungalow was awesome and well equipped. Surprisingly we stayed warm with the space heater and heated mattress pads. Incredible to hear the lions at night and look across at the zebras and water buffalo from our deck. On our arrival day, the staff walked a few animals by the bungalows and spent a few minutes talking to us about them. We did a private tour and it was so enjoyable with the staff being friendly and engaging and the zoo was immaculate! Breakfast was a generous box filled with various pastries, fruit, and yogurt. I was very impressed! We enjoyed our stay so much and highly recommend Vision Quest! read more

It has been almost a week since our stay at this place and I miss it every single day! We only stayed a night, but I wish we stayed longer. However, the two days we were here....MAGICAL! We stayed in the Leopard's Lair which was fully decorated with Leopard prints from pillows to blankets. It does get cold at night, but they provide a heated blanket. We didn't end up using it because the cold was bearable, it wasn't too bad. We turned on the convection heater before the cold started so that helped out a lot. There were four of us in one room and it was still roomy. In fact, we didn't really stay inside too much. We were outside the bungalows majority of the time. BECAUSE THE ELEPHANT PLAY YARD WAS RIGHT ACROSS! There were three elephants in total : Butch, Kristi, and Buffy. Along with Jasmine the sassy pretty striped "elephant", and water buffalos. The elephants were just really walking around and eating the whole time, but this is something you definitely don't see everyday. It was quite a sight. On our first night there, we got to meet a few animals staying in the zoo. They usually do this prior to Crunch Time and Butch's Bedtime. They stopped in front of your bungalow and educate you on the animals they were with. They were very patients with whatever questions we had. They told us how and when the animals got to the zoo and even why they're there. It was very interesting and educational! (The whole visit was very educational actually). Crunch Time was overwhelming. I have never been close to tigers as close as I was when I was feeding one of them. They were really intimidating with their growls. My 7 year old was really excited and volunteered to feed one of the male tigers. Butch's Bedtime was quite an experience. We got to meet Butch and Kristi. We were able to feed both. Funny because Butch kept asking for more when you'd only put two slices of carrots. Lucy was very attentive and made sure that she answered questions we had. She's the elephants trainer and boy, she's great! The next day, we got to feed the elephants breakfast. This is where we also got to take pictures with the elephants. Richard and Madison were awesome. The pictures they took were awesome. They were very patient with each bungalows and made sure everyone had their turns. We also got to bathe Butch! We somehow got into a VIP Tour as well which was pretty awesome! During the bathing time, we were able to touch Butch and feel his skin. We gave him a bath using big brushes and made sure to scrub hard enough so he was able to feel the scrubs since his skin is very thick. This is actually the best part of the day because we got to take individual pictures with Butch. Megan did an awesome job with the pictures and the tours. She was also very patient and answered all the questions. She didn't rush us when we wanted to look at an animal a while longer. She made sure we had enough time with the animals we wanted to see. The whole experience was definitely something I'll never forget. I will definitely be back and next time, I'll stay longer! On a bad note, Angie didn't give the best customer service at the reception desk. We actually started our visit with her and her customer service so it left a bad taste in the beginning. But the rest of the staff were awesome! read more

Wow! I got more than I expected and had a ton of fun. This is the cutest place I've been in a while. I love the location and it really feels like you are on a safari. The canvas cabin was clean and maybe we just got lucky but the temperature was perfect! Not too hot during the day and not too cold at night. We got there around 1 and did our tour of the zoo. It seemed rushed, but I get it, the zoo isn't actually open yet and some people in our group were rude and weren't listening to the guide. After, we headed to our cabin viewpoint and waited for our animal encounters. We got to meet Stitch a lemur who entertained us with her territorial calls and Bert a cavy. That evening we were able to hear the spotted hyena, Ed, make noises. He got pretty loud too! The next morning we got breakfast which was more than enough for 2 people which included juice, fruit, yogurt and pastries. Then we headed over to feed their elephants. We got to feed Butch, their big boy, and he was amazing! So much power in that trunk it's crazy! He posed for some photos too and we got to see inside his mouth. There are several extras that you can add onto your experience. Bed Time with Butch, Chow Time with the tigers, the bathing of the elephants, and a VIP tour. We paid $35 extra per person and did Chow Time with Richard and their four tigers. It was so much fun, Richard is amazing has great personality, is very energetic and is extremely knowledgeable. Being a dog trainer and dealing with behavioral issues I was a little surprised he put himself in the position to have Titan supposedly resource guard towards him. But maybe that was just for show. The tigers are still very new to the zoo and even newer to ChowTime! And it was great to be able to experience the feeding routine behind the scenes and get to feed them ourselves! All in all it was an amazing experience and I recommend anyone that wants to go to a safari but can't get to Africa to give it a try. You won't be disappointed. Even if you don't add on any extras it is well worth it! read more

We had the best time here. My husband and I did the pachyderm package and were treated to a nice little tour of the zoo. The trainers were great dealing with the elephant! With the pachyderm package we were able to wash the elephant, be hands on, take pictures with and feed the elephant. We also lodged overnight. Our room was pleasant, nicely decorated and overlooked the elephant yard. The walls are made of canvas so it got a bit cold at night. I would suggest maybe bringing an extra blanket with you. They do supply a small heater that plugs in and the bed had heated blankets. (Not sure ours we're working). All in all we had a wonderful time! We will visit again and take our children next time (We attended when the fires were going all around San Francisco so the smoke was blowing this way... also during covid so masks are required at all times except in your room or on your patio. They have hand sanitizing stations set up everywhere for your convenience). read more

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My boyfriend and I stayed one night and I have to say...I absolutely LOVED the experience! If I could I would've told him to stay two nights. We're from Los Angeles, so the drive was about 4 hours with no traffic. We left super early that day and arrived Super early as well. I loved everything about it. We participated in the Crunch Time & Butch's Bed Time and that was amazing...at least for me because I love elephants. I was in a daze being able to touch and feed the Elephants. Feeding the Tigers was so much fun as well. I think that's the closest I've ever been to a tiger. Hobbs was adorable. It was interesting knowing that their tongues can reach your bones by the 3rd lick!!! The Cabin. We stayed in 'The Big Cat House' and it was cozy and I liked the fact that it wasn't over the top. It was a straight cabin/tent. The covering of the tent is ALL CANVAS. At night I would get so scared because you could hear the wind against the canvas. But I got use to it and I actually found it relaxing. At night I went out on the patio and I had never seen so many stars in the sky. It was beyond amazing. Hearing lions roar at 2am was absolutely exciting. Considering our tent was the closest to lions den. The staff mentioned during 'Crunch Time' that people that have stayed the nights would call and tell them to turn off the recording of the roars. People actually thought it was a recording when in reality it's the actual lions. That experience was amazing as well. Breakfast delivered by Elephants is so much fun. You thought you could get close to Elephants during 'Butch's Bed Time.'? Oh!!! Just wait for the breakfast delivery. You're extra close to the Elephants. Above all it was an AMAZING and fun experience for me. I would definitely come back and stay longer. I am definitely bringing my daughter to this once she's old enough. ( no children allowed under 4 :( ) read more

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