Keystone CO River Ranch

We are all watching our pennies, aren't we?

So when you save for an entire year to take a family vacation and the trip (AKA: Customer Service/Accommodations) turns out to be less than desirable, it's pretty disappointing.

And what recourse do we really have? Sure, I can complain to the Manager but truthfully, do they REALLY care if you come back? You're just one family after all.

Because I know this, I am going the old fashion route...I am going to let the masses know about it. This will make me feel better and I can hopefully help someone else from not making the costly mistake we made.

First, we bought a package deal that included a free night of night skiing when we arrived (about a $200 value). However,the night skiing season closed the day before we got there. The front desk guy apologized and said there was a mix up but because it was a "free" pass, there was nothing he could do about it. Forget the fact that we had friends meet us so we could all ski together that night.

Then we arranged to go tubing at a cost of $30 per person for one hour. I treated my friends to the tubing since they came all the way to meet us for night skiing.

The River Ranch employee's were rude beyond belief. At the bottom of the tubing run, they would yell at us to "Move it"! It's not easy to get yourself out of the tube and drag the tube to the top at warp speed - especially for the young kids and it wasn't like we were moving at a snails pace. At one point they yelled, "Get out! This ain't no salad bar"! I have on video the two guys shouting at us...my 6 year old son was asking why he was being yelled at. No fun. When they were yelling at my friend and his son, my friend said, "Buddy, there is no need to talk to us that way" and the employee kicked him off the mountain. $30 wasted. It was quite humiliating and degrading for all of us to be treated that way.

There are several restaurants in the River Ranch Village so we would hop in and get a bite before skiing again. The waiters and waitresses acted like it was an inconvenience waiting on us (no exaggeration) with eye rolling, etc. and I'm not just talking about ONE restaurant. It was every place we ate (except Woof Rock). Not to mention, most places were out of something or another we ordered.

Our family stayed at The Springs, a condo right by the slope and although the room was spacious the beds and pillows were disgusting and uncomfortable. Old blood stains and mysterious hairs on the sheets, lumpy beds/pillows that smelled terribly. I slept on the sofa.

My last big complaint (no need to ramble about all the little things) was when I picked my son up from ski school. I asked him if he had a good time. He said, "No Mommy, the ski instructor yelled at me all day saying I was doing it wrong". This was his FIRST time snowboarding. Needless to say, he did not want to go back and I didn't blame him. You can bet I spoke to that ski instructor privately.

When we were on the slopes skiing and having family time, we had a blast! However, this trip to Keystone River Ranch was beyond the worst money ever spent. So take heed...if planing a ski trip, look elsewhere.

Although this isn't my "typical" blog post, I felt that getting the word out any way I could is my best recourse.

I will be contacting the Manager at River Ranch to check in here to read my review.

Please feel free to forward...

Truly,
Tracy