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This Carmel Valley Ranch review and photos are from a recent site inspection stay.
Carmel Valley Ranch Location and Check-In
Located at One Old Ranch Road in Carmel, California, Carmel Valley Ranch is a ~20 minute drive from Monterey and about a 2 hour drive from San Jose Airport (a little over 3 hours from San Francisco SFO).
We arrived in the early evening, and while the parking lot was full and the lobby was busy, especially with families, we were surprised (and not in a good way) to find only one associate working at Reception. We patiently waited while she seemed to take an inordinately long time explaining various things on a map to the guests in front of us, and when we tried to then check-in, she pointed to another group seated at the other, unstaffed desk and somewhat rudely informed us that she had to help them first. Hmm. We told her we'd check in later, since we had to get to a dinner reservation outside of the resort.
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Vineyard Oak Studio King Room
We were in a Vineyard Oak Studio King Room, which is 700 square feet. Hyatt beds (even at Park Hyatts) often have uncomfortably firm mattresses, so I was relieved to find that the king bed was more comfortable than at most other Hyatts I've stayed at.
While we arrived at night, after dinner, we were pleased to see a nice welcome amenity of Pinot Noir and fruit, cheese, and bread, which we saved in the mini fridge and enjoyed the following day.
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A cozy feature of most of the Carmel Valley Ranch Studios and Suites are gas fireplaces.
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Another nice feature is the bathroom's heated floor, although the bathroom itself is a bit small. For that reason, there's only one sink, and no separate toilet chamber. The shower has a regular shower head, not a rain shower.
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Bath products have a lavender scent to them, which isn't my favorite, but might be others'.
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In the morning, we were able to appreciate the lovely view from our outdoor terrace of the valley.
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Something to keep in mind with at least some of these Vineyard Oak Studio accommodations is a shared gravel area. In the morning, there was quite a bit of noise from our neighbors, who were a family with young kids and dogs (the dogs were far noisier and more obnoxious than the kids).
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Breakfast at Valley Kitchen
Valley Kitchen is Carmel Valley Ranch's main restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast is served from 7am, and is complimentary for up to two guests per room for TravelSort Clients. The Salmon Omelette with creme fraiche and capers was excellent, although the jam for the side of toast was cloying and not high quality.
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Views, Corral, Golf, Lodge Swimming Pool
We took a walk up past part of the golf course to The Corral at Carmel Valley Ranch, where the animals are.
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One of the alpacas gazed at us inquiringly:
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A white horse had more pressing business, drinking some water:
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The goats were the most playful and also looked the most hungry (we obeyed the instructions not to feed them anything).
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On our way back down to the lodge we enjoyed sweeping views of the resort and golf course.
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Carmel Valley Ranch has three swimming pools. The Lodge Pool, by reception and Valley Kitchen, is for guests ages 16 and older. This pool is open 24 hours a day.
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The Flex Pool at River Ranch is between the fitness center and the tennis/pickleball courts, abd is also for adults only.
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The Family Pool also encompasses a Junior Olympic Sized Pool, and near the pool are ping-pong tables, the Adventure Den, and playground, plus a new lounge area with fire pits.
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Hyatt Prive Benefits and Upgrades
- Welcome amenity
- Early check-in/late check-out (may be confirmed in advance for non-peak periods)
- Room upgrade confirmed within 24 hours of TravelSort's request (for non-peak periods)
- Daily breakfast for two
- $100 resort credit once per room per stay
Potential Hyatt Prive confirmed upgrades
- Vineyard Oak Studio with King Bed to Vineyard Oak Studio with King Bed and Outdoor Tub
- Vineyard Oak Studio with King Bed and Outdoor Tub to Ranch Suite with King Bed
- Ranch Suite with King Bed to Ranch Suite with Double Beds
- Ranch Suite with Double Beds to Hilltop Ranch Suite with King Bed and Outdoor Tub
- Hilltop Ranch Suite with King Bed and Outdoor Tub to Estate Suite with King Bed
- Estate Suite with King Bed to Vineyard Suite with King Bed and Outdoor Tub
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The Verdict
We enjoyed our overnight stay at Carmel Valley Ranch despite the rather off-putting “welcome” we received at reception. I'd recommend managing expectations: this is a 3.5-4-star resort, not a luxury property, based on the staffing, the bathrooms (single sink, no separate toilet chamber, regular shower head), the lack of response to an email with a dead link, etc. But there's plenty to do, what with three swimming pools, golf, tennis and pickleball, archery, fitness and yoga classes, the spa, the ranch animals, beekeeping, and crafts for little ones. And on a sunny day, the views while walking around the property are beautiful.
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