- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Drakesbad Guest Ranch
9 reviews for Drakesbad Guest Ranch
9 reviews in English
-
Review from Jerry R.
Menlo Park, CA
7/6/2011
My wife, son (9) and I spent three nights last week at Drakesbad, in the Warner Valley section of Lassen Volcanic National Park. We'll definitely come back -- it's a wonderful place to stay for solitude, natural beauty, and really good food.
Drakesbad includes three meals per day, prepared by a very enthusiastic and welcoming staff. The facility is very family and child-friendly. The large pool -- at body temperature thanks to water from nearby hot springs -- is terrific after hiking the trails to Devil's Kitchen or Boiling Hot Springs. We stayed in one of the standalone cabins and one night in a room in the main lodge -- both were comfortable and fun.
Some rooms have bunk beds, making it easier for three to sleep very comfortably. Note that there is no wifi and no cell phone reception at Drakesbad, making it easy to get away for real. If you need an email fix, you can drive 17 miles to the town of Chester, which has several hot spots. -
Review from Brad P.
San Jose, CA
1/21/2012
After hiking for 2 days at Lassen we thought the hot springs would feed good, so we gave them a call to see if we could get a room. Luckily they had one room available.
The hosts Ed and Billie are great. Being European, they give the place that sort of vibe.
The overall vibe of the place is quiet and serene. No locks on the doors, no cell phone, no internet, no tv, no electricity in the rooms. Kind of like a step up from camping which is fine by me. (TIP: Bring your own booze if you drink because the wine and beer selection if fairly limited. There were a few decent beers available at dinner, but the only beer available after dinner was Coors Light- Yuck!)
The accommodations were fine and about what I expected--rustic and quaint. The beds were so-so, the gas stove in the room was a bit difficult to figure out--it seemed to be either about a thousand degrees or off and nowhere in between.
The food was OK and the menu was more creative than you'd expect at a "rustic" guest lodge out in the boonies. The food was better than I expected it to be and I was VERY happy that they had vegetarian options! But I'd have to say honestly that if it was a stand-alone restaurant, it's not a place I'd go back to for the food.
The waitress was pretty lacking in skills, menu knowledge, and service but she was nice. Just fairly clueless about being a waitress.
I see a lot of people have rated the food as "excellent". Maybe those people either don't eat out very much, or are just feeling blissful and rate the food better than it actually is because they're relaxing on vacation, and/or because they're feeling so good from being disconnected from their modern and wifi/mobile phone connected and stressful world. We all know how good ANY food tastes after a hard day hiking, so I'd imagine that influences a lot of the "excellent" ratings.
The hot spring pool is what we went for and it was a little rough around the edges. The sides and bottom of the pool were covered in very slippery algae and the water was filled with bits of algae floating through it. Literally, there were bits of algae floating in nearly every square inch of the entire volume of water in the pool. I heard several people talking about how gross it was. Because of the algae it was easy to slip and fall under the water when walking in the pool. I grew up swimming in farm ponds, creeks, rivers, rock quarries, and strip mine pits, so I'm no stranger to swimming in a natural setting. And I've also been in several hot springs around the world and I've never seen one as dirty as this. Frankly, it was gross and screamed "neglect."
I see pretty much everyone has given Drakesbad a 5 star review and I get the feeling both from the reviews and from the comments of the people I met there that much of what they are rating as "5 star" is because they are unable to use internet, cell phones, etc. which lets them relax. It seems to me that a lot of the blissful and wonderful feelings they describe are mainly from being disconnected from technology and work, slowing down mentally, and being in a natural setting, and not necessarily from the Drakesbad Guest Ranch itself.
And finally the price...being generous on the quality/quantity of food and service I'll say it was about $45 per person for food per day ($20D, $15L, $10B.) At $140 per night, per person, that means $190 for accommodations ($280 minus $90 for food) for 2 people per night.
It seems a little overpriced for what this place really is and what you get for the money. Granted, I've traveled a lot and have been in many similar places so I'm comparing the Drakesbad experience with all of these other places I've experienced. Possibly if this is the only place like this that someone has visited, they would think it's better than it really is.
I understand that it's a fairly unique place, at least for the Lassen area (I'm actually not sure if there are similar places nearby or not.) So oddly enough, people may feel inclined to pay more to get less precisely because it is out of the way and rustic. And of course the "value" is about what it's worth to YOU for the experience. That will of course vary from person to person.
So all in all it was a bit of a mixed bag for me. The food was OK, the hot spring pool was gross (but warm!), the accommodations were OK (if not a bit overpriced), the hosts were very nice, and the quiet and tranquility was very refreshing. I'm not sure if I'd go back again or not. Maybe I will give it a second visit and see how it goes.
I'm torn between a 3 and 4 star rating, but because the pool was so nasty I've gone with 3 stars. -
Review from Eric B.
5/1/2008
I have been to Drakesbad several times. The rooms are a bit small and the facility has it's rustic touches. But there is so much that this place has to offer:
A beautiful setting within Lassen National Park.
Fresh air (except at the geothermal spots) and great sleeping.
A sense of being away from it all with enough to be comfortable and a wonderful sense of relaxation. No real cell phone reception unless you climb out of the valley.
A nice historic lodge building that acts as the community living room both inside and outside.
A hot springs-fed swimming pool that's always open.
All meals (and excellent ones at that included).
Miles and miles of hiking trails and access to all those geothermal wonders.
Horseback riding, canoeing on the lake, the Wednesday BBQ, and a nightly campfire.
Friendly guests and 2 very hard working and welcoming Ranch Hosts (Ed and Billie Fiebiger).
A few cautions:
It's not cheap, although it's a great value.
Finding an opening can be difficult as people and families return often and Drakesbad is only open from June through October.
Ed can also be a bit strict with kids (including mine) that cross certain behavioural or social lines. At the same time, his admonitions are honest and caring. -
Review from M O.
Auburn, CA
9/17/2011 1 photo
A one-of-a-kind experience. If you're looking to slow life down, turn off the electronics, and flee the crowds, Drakesbad is for you. With limited accommodations (about 60 guests total), it's located in the pristine Warner Valley in the midst of a picturesque meadow. It's beauty is tough to describe, but the quiet and freshness of that valley is unforgettable.
All meals are announced by the ringing of the bell and are served in the dining cabin. Guest name tags mark the tables that are adorned with fresh flowers, and the wood stove is often ablaze. All food is fresh daily and vegetarian options are available. Overall, the food is outstanding.
The rooms are rustic and quaint and most are lit by kerosene lamps.
Activities include horseback riding, hiking, pool lounging at the hot springs fed pool, reading in a hammock, or working a puzzle in the lodge. There is a small gift shop with post cards, books, t-shirts, and other items, and soda and beer are also available. All purchases are logged in on paper using the honor system.
In the evening a camp fire is burning and s'more makings are available for roasting. The lodge does have electricity so many guests congregate fireside before turning in. The management and staff are mostly European and are extremely helpful and accommodating.
While you will spend more to visit Drakesbad, it's truly worth it! -
Review from Dylan L.
Meadow Vista, CA
7/15/2011
As a PCT section hiker, I was greeted with great hospitality, food, and the beautiful scenery of Warner Valley. The hosts, Ed and Billie, were very helpful and friendly. Whether it be with family or just to stop by for a zero day while hiking, I will definitely be taking a trip back to Drakesbad.
-
Review from Saralee S.
San Luis Obispo, CA
8/16/2010
A trip back in time to the land that time forgot. Leave your cares and worries behind, and get a look at the original National Park experience.
The knotty pine dining room features two entrees at night, and everyone eats at large tables bearing fresh wild flower bouquets. The evening were there, they featured roasted turkey or vegetarian lasagna. It was like Thanksgiving in August, with the juiciest moist turkey on a raft of mashed potatoes with browned butter. The salad featured pine nuts, and a sweet vinagrette, and desert was cheesecake served in a martini glass with a pouf of whipped cream.
If you eat at the Guest Ranch, you can then use the hot springs pool, and what a salve that was after climbing Mount Harkness that morning. We floated in the warm bath, watching the moon and stars above the mountains. The water is heated to the perfectly relaxing temperature, and individual dressing areas are provided. Although there were no electric lights in the dressing rooms, the general area was lit, and we found our way back up the hill.
One of the cabins has a sort of museum store, where Drakesbad apparel and history lessons are featured, along with picture puzzles, and rocking chairs. The cabins seem adequate, but basic, providing a nostalgic camping experience. -
Review from Hools W.
Moss Beach, CA
8/24/2009
We love this place.
It's small and very rustic, the scenery is absolutely beautiful, the wildlife is bountiful, the food is great and varied (except lunch, which could benefit from some more variety), the beds are reasonably comfortable, the activities are low-key but family-friendly, the hot springs-fed swimming pool is open 24 hours, and the marmots are cute. It's expensive but given the backcountry location, the amenities are well worth the cost.
We stayed in a cabin which was nice and quiet. Our friend stayed in the lodge and said it was pretty loud at night due to the age of the building. -
Review from Litta R.
Benicia, CA
7/11/2010
My family has been going to Drakesbad Ranch for decades. We go every other year, and on the off-year I miss it! It is such a special place. First, Lassen Volcanic National Park is a little-visited-NP. But then Drakesbad Ranch is tucked away in Warner Valley, really away from it all. It is definitely rustic, many rooms/cabins still don't have electricity, but the food is gourmet and the place is always booked because it is so special. The hiking is so wonderful--every year Devil's Kitchen and Boiling Springs Lake are special. Love the hot pool, love the Wednesday night barbecue, and the hosts Ed and Billie make it all the more special.
-
Review from Okku K.
Seattle, WA
8/25/2010
This place is a godsend for PCT hikers and other environment-friendly travelers to this corner of Lassen Volcanic National Park. When contacting the Drakesbad folks, don't be put off by any apparent gruffness in this European-dominated staff. This is actually a very friendly, accommodating place. I've not stayed in the guest rooms here, but we had a tasty dinner here, during which the kitchen was happy to deal with our kids' food allergies. It was one of the best meals I've had at a National Park concession in fact, doubly surprising given the remote location (the last few miles to the place are dirt) and local monopoly. And here's the kicker: eat a meal there, and you can use the showers and warm mineral spring-fed swimming pool for free (though they prefer you bring your own towel)! Meal prices are reasonable given the quality, remote location and NPS markups. They even offer cheap "hiker meals" for about ten bucks during off-hours. Not surprisingly, we saw plenty of tired, hungry, Pacific Crest Trail backpackers coming here. Definitely worth patronizing, and during the Summer, you'd better call in advance, even if you're only coming to dinner.
