Chico Hot Springs was a highlight of our nine-day, four-state road trip through Idaho, Utah,…read moreWyoming, and Montana...and there were a LOT of highlights. Originally booked as a single night, post-Yellowstone reprieve (I mean, looking at hot springs all day long makes you want to soak in one, right?!), we ended up extending our stay another day, because of how much we all (my wife and I, plus our two toddler tons) loved this place! The hot springs alone is worth the price of admission: two pools, one smaller and warmer, the other larger and cooler (but still warm enough that there is no temperature shock when shifting between them), with a poolside bar window where you can order cocktails from the attached saloon...that's pretty hard to beat! There's also an attached restaurant, but we didn't get a chance to check it out, as it was closed by the time we returned to the hotel both nights. There's also the aforementioned saloon, which is open until 11-ish every night (basically, until everyone staggers out), with a wonderful, conversational bartender, Kelby, who was warm, welcoming and engaging: a true gem in an already glittering establishment. He also pointed out their absolutely ABSURD wine selection, indicating the presence of a fabulously stocked wine vault somewhere on site, for those with expensive tastes (not me; I'll stick to my whiskey!). Rooms are rustic, but comfortable, including the beds. We stayed our first night in a private cabin up on the hill, with two small bedrooms (queen beds in each) and a bathroom. Our second night, all the cabins were filled, so we ended up in a room in the main lodge, on the second floor, which had its own aesthetic perks, as the whole building feels like an inn from a previous century (which, technically, I guess it is...but it feels even older than that, in all the good ways). It's probably also haunted. We hope it is, anyway! Beyond all these incredible features I've mentioned, there's actually many, many more: an on-site gift shop / café, open from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM every day; there's a day spa up on the hill; you can book horseback rides from the stable near the gift shop; there's a playground for the littles behind the private garden, which appears to be tended by the James Beard award-winning chefs that make the fantastic dining hall an excellent choice for either breakfast/brunch (a buffet at $22/person, and absolutely worth it), or a truly incredible fine dining service in the evening. All those things, and I'm sure I'm probably forgetting or overlooked something. In short, Chico Hot Springs has something for everyone, young or old, rustic or extravagant: our little sons LOVED the hot springs (as did we, of course), but there's so much more to love here, that it has made a lasting impression on us all. Montana has never had much of a draw for city-slickers like my wife and I, but after our stay here, our ignorance has been thoroughly rectified. VERY recommended.

I have stayed at Chico several times, and it just gets worse and worse. They clearly are getting by…read moreon the historical factor, and not their actual hospitality. We stayed in the covered wagons. First of all, they do not look like the picture. Only one has a fire pit, and that wasn't either of ours. There is a group fire pit by the bathrooms, but they wouldn't even help us with smores supplies or sticks. You are in the middle of nowhere, so if you forgot something, don't expect them to help. The area around the wagons is very overgrown. They had a horseshoe pit that was hard to see because there was so much grass. Not that it would matter, they didn't have any horseshoes there. The wagons themselves had good mattresses and comfortable bedding. However, they only had air conditioner available and no heat. Kind of pointless in the Montana mountains. I'm glad our weather was mild while we were there. We checked in at 6:30, and asked when the pool side grill would close. They said after 9pm. We got on our swimsuits, and headed to the pool, only to find the grill closed and it wasn't even 7! I went to the front desk to complain, and all they said was the girl who told us was wrong. So I asked about eating in the restaurant but they said they stopped taking reservations at 4 PM even if they have any openings. So, that left us feeding five kids in a saloon. There were only two saloon workers that night. They did their best, but you could tell they were very understaffed. It made the whole experience pitiful. It is not like you have another choice of a place to eat when you're that far from town. Overall, Chico is an overpriced waste. Save your money and go to one of the other cool places in the area. The Hot Springs at Yellowstone Hot Springs is better than the Chico pool anyway.

Staff is amazing Views are relaxing and gorgeous…read moreLodging is very comfortable and charming Food service was really solid and hearty Activities of skeet, horseback, hiking and fly fishing were all amazing Spa is even better Great place highly recommend

Mountain Sky has been our dream vacation for the last two fall seasons and we've rebooked for 2017…read morealready. My wife and I just wrapped up our second stay with them for an adults only 5 night stay. The ranch is truly like nothing else we've experienced. At the beginning of your stay the head wrangler catches up with you and pairs you with 1 of their 130 horses that are wonderfully trained and cared for on site. The food is one of the major highlights for me and you will enjoy plated 3-4 course dinners each night, with several entrees to choose from at each meal. The cabins and amenities are great, but what really makes your stay special is the people, both the staff and guests, that you spend the week with. I can honestly say it is the best customer service experience I have had to-date, and that doesn't do it justice, because you leave there feeling like family. Things to consider: 1. The Guest Ranch appears pricey to some and we definitely agree that it's a considerable amount of money to spend on a 5 night vacation. That said, we left both years satisfied and without any regrets. 2. We have only visited in late September and early October near the end of their season. Both stays had at least 1 day of rainy weather. You can ride horse and do most activities even with rain, or just read and drink coffee next the a roaring fire, but weather and timing of the visit may be something to consider. 3. Alcohol is not included but the bar is very generous and has a great wine list. That said, we've brought special bottles of wine to the ranch to enjoy with dinner, without issues.

Holy hell. First time in Big Sky and I am absolutely in love…read more The resort is MASSIVE...like, "I‑did‑three‑full‑days‑of‑boarding‑and-still-didn't‑hit‑every‑lift" massive. Every time we thought we were getting our bearings, we'd discover another whole zone tucked behind a ridge. Big Sky really does live up to its name. We kicked things off on what was supposed to be a "warm‑up run," but joke's on us, it was long, challenging, and honestly kind of brutal... in the best possible way. These runs are no joke and some of the longest I've ever ridden. But once the legs woke up, the rest of the day just flowed. Endless terrain, great snow, and barely any crowds. Absolute bliss. Had to pop into The Montage on the far left side of the mountain, and wow, the cocktails are phenomenal. Pricey? Yes. But you're on a mountain this bougie... what did we expect? Totally worth it. And let's talk about that gondola to tram combo up toward Lone Mountain. INSANE. The views are surreal, the exposure is wild, and the access is next‑level. Will I ever attempt the Big Couloir? Absolutely not. Do I love knowing it's there for people braver (and crazier) than me? Absolutely yes. Between the bowls, tree runs, off‑piste pockets, and wide‑open cruisers, there's truly something for everyone and somehow it never feels crowded. Big Sky has officially earned a top spot on my favorite‑resorts list. No question, I will 100% be back.

When we realized how close we were to Big Sky we diverted from our itinerary to include the tram…read moreand ski lift rides into our schedule and wow was it a great decision. Fo $116, one adult, one senior ticket you could ride the tram/gondolas and the ski lift all day. The tram took you up Lone Peak so far then you transfered to the gondola for the rest of the accent to 11,116 feet. It was well worth the price of the tickets. The staff were very friendly, gave helpful directions and instructions as well as informative. The whole area was clean and well laid out. There were plenty of food options and shopping, places to sit, chill, relax and enjoy the phenomenal views from gound kevel. Free parking. Riding the open air ski lift was super fun

I thoroughly researched glamping experiences all over the Rockies, and decided to give The…read moreYellowstone Collective Retreat in Big Sky Montana a try because they seemed a better value, very nice, and more authentic than the others I saw, and the photos were inspiring. WE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE PLEASED. Here's what we loved. (1.) We felt like we were really out in the wilderness, instead of a corporate thing disguised as glamping. (2.) The setting was jaw-droppingly beautiful. (3.) Our tent was comfortably and exquisitely outfitted. (4.) We had wonderful privacy and yet the staff was very available, pleasant and accommodating, and (5) The food was really delicious - not too fussy, just really good. The only thing I would suggest is that you request a graphic map with visual markers, mileage, etc., as we felt a little lost the entire time we were trying to get to the site. The staff was very nice in helping us via phone, but we would have arrived more relaxed if we'd been more confident in the route. We will definitely use The Yellowstone Collective Retreat again. SueAnn

We went to Collective Yellowstone for our 10-year wedding anniversary. It is a very unique…read moreproperty, and was a very unique experience. Our tent was amazing - very well designed, a comfortable bed, and a beautiful short walk to get to it. Also the food here was great. There's a chef that cooks breakfast (included), and a four-course meal for dinner (extra). Both were excellent. Also as first-time visitors to Big Sky, MT, the staff was extremely helpful in getting us to the best restaurants and nature activities. Everyone working there was extremely nice. However, they seemed understaffed, which obviously isn't the workers fault - they were trying very hard to keep up with interacting with us and the other guests. For such a high-end place otherwise, with a high-end price, I think Collective Retreats should hire more workers.

Beautiful hotel with tons of cool amenities, excellent restaurants and even a bowling alley…read moredownstairs

The Spa at Montage Big Sky is one of my absolute favorites, and Michelle's facial is life changing…read more-- highly recommend requesting her by name. She really takes the time to analyze your skin and tailor the treatment to what it needs. My skin looked noticeably brighter and calmer for days after.

Unforgettable vacation! We rented the entire ranch out for a bachelorette party weekend, and it…read morecouldn't have been any better. While I don't expect the staff was likely used to groups of 13 girls coming to visit for a bachelorette, the welcomed us warmly, and took amazing care of us. Chef Chris kept us extremely well fed, and the rest of the staff whipped up incredible Margaritas, and shuttled us to a wide variety of activities including tubing on the local river, skeetshooting, flyfishing, and even hosted a pottery class. The house itself is gorgeous, so many bedrooms I've lost count, with several porches, comfortable couches to enjoy the view from, and even has a small gym. The house is extremely remote, off of a paved route, so if it's the perfect place to truly getaway. We constantly saw deer, rabbits, and wildbirds, and relaxed in the evenings in the hot tub, having a drink on the beautiful wrap-around porch, or taking walks along the road to watch the sunset. Great place for a family reunion, and for taking a break from city life. Would absolutely recommend staying here for the beautiful views, amazing staff, and top notch accommodations.

Such an amazing experience. Wonderful place with professional and considerate staff. We travel a…read morelot and Grey Cliffs Ranch ranks at the top of our 'must return' list. Without exaggeration, we were quite sad to leave. The accommodations are gorgeous and with 6,000 acres to roam (including horse, elk, and deer herds) there's quite a lot to do. GCR could charge more but they kindly don't; consider the near private venue and all-inclusive world class food, and it's a bargain. The food, while we're on it, was ridiculously good (go Rory). Nearby we went on several hikes and took advantage of Tracey's skeet shooting tutorial, and Kendra's patience, to round out a wonderful weekend. The staff of Rory, Chris, Kendra, Tracey, and Maureen made our trip. In short, book it now before others learn of this place. You'll be happy you did. Chris and Katie.

The location and view do not get any more quintessentially Montana than Erik's ranch. The property…read moreis stunning, has excellent facilities and is meticulously maintained. I had originally wanted to do their 2.5 hour trail flower ride but it booked up before I had the chance to reserve so I ended up booking just the hour 'trail ride'. It was really nice that all the horses were saddled and ready to go when we arrived. They were careful to pair us with a horse that matched each of our skills and temperament. The 'trail ride' was beautiful ride up a small mountain if you will and then back down through a little valley to the stable. It was pretty short but for $50/person, I honestly did not expect more. It was a great price point to experience the horses and see the stunning views from a 360 perspective for an hour. Pro tip: Book early for the longer ride!

This place is where you want to book for an overnight dreamy modern cabin. I didn't believe the…read morephotos from Airbnb but believe me, it's more than real. The location is perfectly situated near Yellowstone and the near by town to get what you need. Yes, we took the horse ride they offered and it was great but, the small cabins they offer? Wow. Elk calling in the morning, crisp Yellowstone weather, I can't imagine another vacation. Look at my pictures, it's worth a few thousand words. Did I mention heated bathroom floors?