Devil's Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa

The food, hospitality and entire experience was nothing short of amazing. The entire staff was so helpful – the bartenders, Pioneer Challenge staff, activities guides, and everyone within DTR. The smiles and greetings from the ENTIRE staff were welcoming and made such a difference in the stay. A HUGE shout out to Brandon and Junior as they were an integral part in the success of our time there. Brandon was always responsive and had everything structured out perfectly. Junior was on top of all our needs for every catering meal that he was involved in. I have received nothing but positive feedback and praise from everyone’s time at Devil’s Thumb. I would HIGHLY recommend DTR to anyone and everyone for a corporate retreat, family stay or a quick weekend away from the busyness of Denver.

We had the best stay at Devil's thumb and I can't recommend more. The lodges have a rustic vibe that is perfect for the ranch and the rooms are beyond generous in size and comfortable. We rode horses, played in the pool, hiked, and just relaxed while our kids could run free. It's the best! We will def go back. T

An outstanding location. You can just drive here and do everything on the ranch. The staff is helpful all the time. The activities are perfect and can keep you busy for a week. The spa there is the best I've ever experienced. This is a definite must visit....it is a little pricey but we'll worth...you are paying for experiences that won't fade with time.

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Beautiful setting, excellent amenities, clean and spacious room. Food at the restaurants was excellent. Will definitely be going back. The only bummer was no live music until the weekend.

Attended a truly magical wedding at Devil’s Thumb Ranch, and would love to go back for many future vacations! There are many ways to spend your time here, and it was an excellent combination of adventure and relaxation. The scenery can’t be beat even if it is a hike to get there - well worth it!

The ranch is set in a beautiful valley with clean streams and green meadows and snow covered mountain tops in the background. The lodge is very large with a real ranch decor, inviting outdoor seating and a pool. The rooms are excellent with large modern bathrooms. |We hiked and bike over 2 days and searched for those elusive Elks! The lady at the bike rental was very friendly as was reception. ||I did find it slightly overpriced only because at these prices everything should be perfect. I could complain a bit about the service at times, especially having to call late in the afternoon to have our room done. We would also have preferred a buffet breakfast. The real gripe I had was the very noisy chimney in front of our room in the uppermost level which made sitting quietly on the balcony impossible and disturbed our sleep. ||Overall I would come back for the pure peaceful beauty of the place.

What a gem! Two perfect days that exceeded all expectations. Super friendly staff, laid back vibe - all in amazing venues - gorgeous woodwork - even the room hallways were beautiful. We stayed in king suite in main lodge with meadow view - beautiful sleigh bed and more fine woodwork and leather sofas, fireplace and balcony with amazing views of meadow/mountains and stream. Every meal was delicious- ate at all restaurants- the Ranch House and saloon is a must try. We shared the wagyu steak sampler - best steak we’ve had. We hiked both days on ranch trails and did 1.5 horse ride - just awesome! Great for couples, girl/guy get aways. The ranch is so big with so many amenities that we often felt we had the place to ourselves. Yes, it is not inexpensive, but it is a boutique destination and consistent with similar type properties.

We went on for a long weekend to DTR and had a lovely time. As it had just recently re-opened for the summer season, a lot of the staff were new, but they all had smiles and positive attitudes as they got familiar with everything. We did family archery with Chase which was so fun and my daughter had a horseback riding experience that she couldn't stop talking about! Our room had a breathtaking view and housekeeping made our beds each day. The robes were luxurious to wear down to the pool/hot tub - where Ty, the bartender, was also awesome at getting us drinks and food. There were fun activities like lawn games, geocaching and a scavenger hunt. I loved that the game room had NO electronic video games, just interactive ones like shuffle board, air hockey and bowling. Oh, and the deluxe s'mores were delicious! We are already planning our return for next Memorial Day weekend.

My family and I stayed at Devil's Thumb Ranch recently and had an amazing trip. The front desk staff were incredibly friendly, and provided excellent recommendations for activities. We felt welcomed and well cared for. My children arrived to the facility late one evening and Hank checked them in and ensured that they were taken to their rooms. Amy, Director of Lodging, made certain all of our needs were met! Our rooms were cozy and luxurious and featured stunning views of the mountains. The sunrise each morning was spectacular! One of the things we loved most was visiting the horseback riding facilities. The staff was wonderful -- especially Jeanette the manager . We so enjoyed meeting all of the horses and the goats! We even met the famous Doc and Gucci from Married at First. Our only disappointment was that the donkeys were in the pasture in the field and we didn't get to see them! I'd also like to give a shoutout to the staff at Zacks. Paige and Ryleigh were great! I don't normally remember names like this, however, the hospitality was so outstanding that I wanted to make certain that I didn't miss anyone! This isn't our first trip to the ranch and it won't be our last. Last time we took advantage of the zip line (a must). We look forward to visiting again and spending even more time hiking and fishing.

Horrible experience, beautiful facilities. Had reserved rooms in the main lodge and they called to let us know as we were driving up we had to stay in one of the outer buildings...no big deal. We check in put our stuff in the room and then immediately went out for 2-3 hours. We come back to the room and a bunch of small things were stolen worth $300, but most importantly my kids's MEDICATION. We reported it to the manager who barely spoke english and then we reported to someone hire up and they came back blaming my kids. The place has gone down hill since we stayed there years ago. They reviewed video tape and admit that the only one in the room during that time was their employee. We had to cut our trip short and drive back to Denver the next day get medication for our son. The "management" team are all unprofessional and full of s&^t. I even reached out to someone at their corporate office who was insulting as hell accusing me and my family of trying to rip them off! We checked out early and there was NO attempt to make things right. Now whenever I hear someone thinking about going to DTR I strongly discourage them. They want to be a high end resort but their management is utterly dishonest, incompetent and insulting.

Once Magical, Now Merely Marketable -- A Disappointing Decline at the Ranch. After many years of visiting Devil's Thumb Ranch--over ten stays in recent years alone--I write this review with more disappointment than disdain. This property once held an irresistible charm: the views are breathtaking, the ambiance warm and grounding, and there was a time when service and care matched the magic of the surroundings. Unfortunately, that time has clearly passed. Post-COVID, it's as though the soul of the Ranch has evaporated. What used to feel like a sanctuary now feels like a business clumsily leaning on its postcard views and wedding bookings to survive--while service, training, and staff morale circle the drain. Let's talk basics. Heck's restaurant? Overpriced and consistently underdelivers. On our most recent trip, they forgot my main course--twice. Not once. Twice. On two separate days. It finally arrived after the rest of our party was finished. At breakfast, charges mysteriously appeared for items we didn't order or receive. When we asked for corrections, the staff seemed annoyed, as though our request to pay for what we actually consumed was somehow unreasonable. Housekeeping? Also unreliable. Our room wasn't serviced one of the days during our latest stay, and by the time we returned in the afternoon, we were told it was "too late." This would be easier to chalk up as a one-off, but it's part of a trend. During a previous summer stay, we arrived at our cabin to find underwear in the bed and a bathroom that clearly hadn't been cleaned. It was a level of "ick" that no comped nights can truly make right. The Ranch House Restaurant remains a lone bright spot. Jeff and his team deliver consistent, thoughtful service in an otherwise unpredictable environment. We've come to expect excellence from that team--and they've rarely disappointed. But even there, the food--while good--is not quite at the caliber or value the price point implies. What's most troubling is not the occasional misstep (which any property is entitled to) but the pattern. The staff we used to see season after season? Gone. Turnover appears rampant, and with that comes a distinct sense that no one is empowered to solve problems. Responses to issues range from passive "I'm sorry"s to promises that "management will hear about it." The problem is, management is a revolving door. Every "new commitment to improve" we've been pitched is gone by the time we return. So, sadly, we won't be returning. We'll be canceling our remaining bookings for the year. It's hard to let go of a place that used to feel like a treasured retreat, but when the experience begins to feel more like a gamble than a getaway, it's time to move on. Here's hoping Devil's Thumb finds its footing again--because the land and experience deserve better than what's being delivered.

Despite the beautiful landscape and scenery, this was not an ideal visit. If service is important to you, I'd skip it here. My mom had bought a gift card for my dad for his birthday, which he kindly decided to use to take his family to lunch. The website was incredibly misleading, stating you can dine at the restaurants without being a guest, so long as you have a reservation, which we did. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were initially told we couldn't eat there since we weren't guests, and that only one restaurant was available to non-guests. It also did not open until 5. There was no one in heck's tavern, where we wanted to dine, but they still said no. We drove two hours for this lunch. After talking to multiple workers, we were finally given the okay that we could eat in this empty restaurant with the gift card my mom already paid for. Overall, the food was sub par, expensive, and outside of the manager, the staff was rude and unprofessional. This was disappointing to say the least.

Great cross country ski track and surrounding views on beautiful sunny day! Well groomed snow.

We had a magical time here for a birthday getaway. All the STAFF went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we could dream of. HECK'S and the RANCH HOUSE restaurants are fantastic! The food was delicious and top shelf quality, across the board. Our ROOM and views were incredible. The STABLES are staffed with seriously skilled female wranglers. Their HORSES are some of the best kept and trained we've seen! The SPA is an absolute oasis for relaxation with beautiful views. The other ACTIVITIES are so fun, archery, fly fishing, biking and more. We had a blast and lots of laughs. Great for couples of all ages, families and reunions. Tons of space all around the gorgeous grounds. Lots of places to explore. Totally worth it! I'm so glad we found this gem of a resort. Its been a wonderful week!

What an absolutely wonderful place and stay. Happy, welcoming, smiling team from servers to front desk. It was so beautiful and the spa was amazing. We loved the activities they offered from ft tire bicycling to nordic skiing; especially loved the horseback riding and sleigh ride! The rooms were very comfortable and next level with heated floors. Definitely recommend staying here! What a fantastic place! Thank you DTR!

It's our 3rd time staying and I'm happy to report the Devil's Thumb never disappoints! We have enjoyed a lot of the winter activities. We've ridden their gorgeous horses in the snow, cross country skied, ridden the fat tire bikes, hung out in the hot tub, played in the game room, eaten at the restaurants and more. It's all great! I think what really makes the resort special is the staff. They are all so helpful and friendly. Also, it's pretty cool how so many of the staff are from different countries. A few of them were even kind enough to speak to my son in Mandarin! My son is a 17, but I did notice how great this place is for little kids too! I'm sure we will be back in a year or two. Thanks Devil's Thumb!

The food quality, has gone way down since our first visit 10 years ago. What hasn't gone down is the price! 5 of us went back to reminisce our son's wedding, and we won't return, EVER! I almost had to mortgage property to pay the check. I wouldn't feel this way if the food or service was up to our expectations.

Great resort in an amazing setting. Ski patrol attentive and friendly. Quiet rooms with NO dogsallowed in main lodge.

Honestly this place was severely underwhelming. I can't give it a zero in good conscience because wow what a beautiful property. I was beyond disappointed and will never return. You have this gigantic beautiful property and everything we tried to do was either booked or full. Oh wow look at this beautiful spa.... Booked. Oh let's do yoga... full. Ok well we scheduled a horse ride that will be fun... cancelled for a "resident moose." Ok is there a back up plan? Nope. Essentially we paid over 1000 dollars to sit in a room, beautiful albeit, and drink and eat at their overpriced restaurant. The staff do this weird thing when stuff is full or booked where they just walk away and don't acknowledge the problem so they know it's a common thing. Beautiful property, will not be returning.

Wonderful view to go along with wonderful food! The basil infused panna cotta dessert was delicious!

Beautiful location. I want to start out by saying we really did enjoy Heck's Tavern. The restaurant manager, John, is super friendly and keenly conscientious about guests' experiences in his establishment. We had an awesome server/bartender, "Swap", serve us food and drinks several times. He remembered our names each time we visited and was all-in-all is the epitome of the perfect bartender and server. Thank you. All the food we ate was served quickly, warm, and tasted wonderful. I especially liked the chili. And the tacos were also awesome. We were with a group. The consensus was that the rooms were noisy, and needed maintenance. We stayed in a cabin that allowed pets as we had our dogs with us. Our duvet smelled like urine. The duvet cover consisted of two flat sheets - on one top and on on the bottom. By the second night the duvet and the sheets on it were all over the place and the smell of the urine on the duvet was gross. The sheets ON the bed were not fitted sheets - they were also flat sheets - which came off the bed so we were sleeping on the actual mattress itself. Not a big deal if this weren't a resort. I don't know how many stars they have. The room itself was cute. The stinky duvet and wacky sheet situation were not cute. If I had to describe Devil's Thumb Resort with one word it would be "meh". If I had to describe Heck's Tavern it would be "excellent". We voted to not come back next year. If our group does go back - I will not attend.

Couldn't have been a worse experience for my pops birthday. Everything started fine up until we ordered. It took an hour to get our appetizers. The least of what could have made it better but didn't is our wine glasses sat empty the whole time. Then I had to request the complimentary bread that was never brought. Then after 3 mentions to 2 different servers it was never remembered to get GF bread for my dad which they said they'd get. The same thing happened with our appetizer which our brain dead server had to ask us twice if we had already had our appetizers. Then after requesting the manager, he could only claim their internet being down for their horrible service LOL! Complete immaturity and unable to take responsibility from this manager. The joke on it all was once we got our appetizers I got my soup without a spoon for 10 min and my dad's salad came out without dressing! What a joke. Food is not worth it and service for what you pay is definitely not worth it. Take your money SOMEWHERE ELSE. If you want to spend 150 on a small mediocre steak for some potheads and an unqualified manger to take your money feel free.

This review is based on our visit in early March before the pandemic shut everything down. We were here for spring skiing and had a great time. The room was spacious (on the second floor; high ceiling). The tub was amazing: deep soaking tub that was clean. Shower was big. The bathroom floor was heated, which was well appreciated. Love the rustic, country inn vibe throughout (warm lighting). We were fortunate to have nice view over the cross-country skiing field. Pristine snow. Love the valley. They offer lot of activities including private cross-country skiing lessons, huge ground for endless cross-country skiing, fat tire snow biking, and more. The heated outdoor pool and jacuzzi tub were very nice. Towels were provided on a cute rack. Love soaking in the hot tub after skiing, surrounded by snow! The only draw backs were -- (1) they tried to charge us resort fee for the day we were actually leaving (there's a fee for each day/night you say). We had to point this out to them and they did remove it, but this kind of error at a resort of this caliber does taint their image. (2) breakfast and lunch options were too limited. They have a little cafe that opens late with very limited options and only until lunch. They are quite some distance from Winter's Park, so it's not like you can just go to down to grab something to eat.

Our stay: 8/31/2024-9/3/2024 Devil's Thumb Ranch may have once been a great place to stay, but that is no longer the case. To summarize our stay: disappointing and not worth the price. The service and upkeep of the facilities was lacking, you are paying for five stars and receiving three stars. The indications this stay was going to be a letdown started immediately after booking. We called to get additional information from the hotel about events occurring over the Labor Day weekend, we were not able to get any information beyond the limited information posted on their website. The cabin we stayed in was worn and in disrepair, the furnishings seemed cheap and the layout was not very functional, it hadn't been cleaned properly, and occasionally we would run out hot water during our showers. The grounds had overgrown and muddy paths, and there was no good way to travel between the cabins and lodge except to drive - seems like a missed opportunity to really highlight the property. Dinner at the Ranch House had inexperienced staff that resulted in poor, slow service, and average food. Breakfast at Heck's was terrible service and average food. We didn't eat any more meals onsite. The concierge was not helpful, which should not have been surprising given our inquiry just after booking. The firepit for making s'mores was always crowded, and one evening they ran out of s'mores kits and didn't seem very motivated to resupply. The lawn games were scattered, worn, broken and in general disrepair. The game room was worn, broken and in general disrepair. The pool water was cold and full of bugs floating on the surface. In general, there is no attention to detail and a general lack of care for the guest experience. There were good things, of course, but that was not the memorable thing about our overall experience. The beds were comfortable, the bedding was decent, good views from the Ranch House, and great views from Heck's patio and the pool. Our recommendation, find a different place to stay. If you ignore this and stay anyway, request a cabin along the ridge, you'll have better views there than from the ones on the other side of the street.

Do not waste your money! Beautiful place but they are severely understaffed and under resourced. Broken elevators requiring you to carry your luggage up flights of stairs yourself because they don't have help. Broken steam room in the men's locker room at the spa, long waits to be served meals and then food comes out cold! Kids running amuck with no regard by staff or parents. They were throwing toilet paper all over the bathrooms, licking windows at the restaurant, coming up to your table and disrupting your meal. This happened 2 separate nights by different families. When we spoke to a staff member about some of our issues we were told they are burnt out, all ready to return to their home countries, worn down by management overlooking the problems. They don't have towels for guests, bath mats, robes, etc... They said it is the end of the season and are told they will be closing for a couple of weeks in April for a deep clean, replace and repair things. Until then it's mayhem! New employees are expected to run the front desk, do housekeeping and the job they were actually hired to do. Even they are being told to hold out until they can get things taken care of. I do not recommend this place based on the lack of customer service, treatment of staff, inoperable amenities and poor management.

5 stars for cross country skiing with beautiful 360 views and well maintained trails.

Beautiful ranch and wonderful facilities. However, we were never told about the amenities when we checked in. We didn't even know there was a bowling alley there. We saw it later on the website. We signed our son up for a cowboy camp to learn to lasso etc. he enjoyed his camp but it was more of a babysitting service. The wranglers were wonderful but when I went back to the website to recheck the description, it had been taken down. We were not warned or informed. The staff is not aware of any of the amenities either. We called and asked questions but the staff all said they were new. I don't blame them, I blame management. It was clear that the stables are run separately. they do a beautiful job with the horses and guests.

Do not stay here. Horrible service in a beautiful setting. Staff inept. They do not have any hospitality training. Sucks majorly and expensive. No thank you

We just arrived at our two bedroom cabin, which is called Ranch Creek. Needless to say, I am very, disappointed. The cabin is terribly worn, unclean, and looks like the furniture was picked out the sale section of a thrift store. This was our first family trip in over a year, and I was so excited to finally try out Devil's Thumb. I'll update this to include our all of experiences once we leave, but wanted to get a review up ASAP to help anyone who is considering booking. The good: picturesque scenery, adorable cabin (good bones), nice person at front desk, helpful concierge. The bad: cabin needs a deep cleaning and refresh. See pictures and descriptions please. I am not sure if this cabin is representative of what one might find in any of the two bedroom cabins. If so, I am unlikely to return. The cabins run about $800+/night. For that I would expect for them to be better appointed. Things are very bare bones. We are staying for the week and they told us that housekeeping is not coming unless requested, which I totally understand because of Covid. What I don't get is how we have only been given 4 towels for 3 people staying 5 days if there is no regular housekeeping. I'm sure they would deliver us some, but I don't understand why they wouldn't have equipped the cabin with them to begin with. The towels themselves are cheap and do not absorb moisture. I tried to dry my hands after washing them and they wouldn't dry. Again, not expected at this price point. There is a lack of thoughtful furnishings in the bedroom. There is one very small rickety armoire where all of our clothing is supposed to fit. There are no sets of drawers at all. Anywhere. Not even in the nightstands. The bed has just the sheets, and the box spring is sitting uncovered, which begs the question of how they keep it clean. A box spring cover or bed skirt is so simple. Or a bed that doesn't require a box spring? So many options, yet none of them were chosen. The "dining" table is water stained and also cheap. Not in keeping with the decor of the cabin, and the 4 chairs are squished into it, though it's evident there is no way all chairs could be used unless you were to move the couch and pull the table away from the wall. The bathrooms need to completely be gutted. See pictures for pubic hair found on the toilet and in the shower upon our arrival. All of the bathroom fixtures are stained. The lids on the toilets are round, but the toilets themselves are oval. Why??!! There is probably only a few dollars difference to purchase an oval one that matches the shape of the toilet. Because of this the seat slides around when you sit on it. Again, not what I expect at this price point. I think this is a place that has potential, but is badly in need of an update/revamp. The staff I have encountered have been wonderful, but unless something changes with the appointments we are one and done.

Updated review which hurts my heart. I thought the sun set out of this place. Recently I had a terrible experience. I had people in town and I wanted to show off my favorite place. My friends would have spent $$$$$$$$ like I have done for the past 12 years here. I walked in, per usual, saying hello to all the staff, walked into Heck's and was told "no stay, no eat, no bar." WTF???? My friends were immediately put off. Why turn away paying people when the restaurant was completely empty?!? This "policy" or whatever is insanely financially stupid. When typically the beautiful eatery would be full there was NO ONE eating drinking sitting. What a damn shame. I won't recommend Devils Thumb again to my multiple monied visitors who want to host weddings/ parties/ conferences/ retreats/ fun again. It is a sad and terrible policy that has taken over this once magnificent and special place.

The food was great. And we enjoyed the activities. But paying $500/night and not having air conditioning is a crime. Avoid this place in the summer. Don't let them tell you they have a "cooling system" because it's bunk.

I would have loved to give this resort 5 stars, but much needs to be improved. I give 1 star to the hotel room & banquet food. I give 5 stars to the summer view! My room was in main building. Not kept up well. Shower door looks as if never cleaned. Dark dingy entry to room. 2 tiny windows & view of parking lot, with a broken AC for 3 nights. Not enough air getting through open windows. Later learned AC was broken in that entire building but instead of admitting it, they lied. It was very hard to sleep so hot. Said no rooms to move us to. They did bring me a desk fan for the floor, which helped. The banquet food left me with indigestion the entire week. Heck's was mediocre. The Ranch House was good & much appreciated. Both require reservations due to staffing issues. We were a large group, there for business, AV went down & they were not able to fix it. We had to find a plan B for presenting. Way too overpriced for what you get. All the hassle of getting there to have just a cutely decorated motel room experience & limited food options. Loved getting to see the beauty. The employees leading our team activities were great! Service at the Ranch House great. Photos online far better than actual experience.

Gorgeous location and stunning scenery. Poorly managed resort with mediocre customer service. Staff not well trained. Cabins are not well maintained with creaking beds, sinking mattresses and cobwebs dangling from walls. Bathrooms are outdated and not clean. This resort charges exorbitant five star luxury prices but gives three star offering. Disappointing.

Devil's Thumb Ranch was nothing short of amazing. The main lobby is rustic, clean and decorated well. The front desk gave my two young girls a stuffed moose and that just made their day! Our room was decorated with wonderful western/ranch details and immaculately clean. We had a patio with views of the mountains and meadows and the horses at the stables off in a distance. The patio had gorgeous wooden rocking chairs and was a favorite spot to chill and enjoy the scenery. We ate dinner at the Ranch House Restaurant later that evening. The food was good and the restaurant has a nice quiet atmosphere. Afterwards we enjoyed the outdoor fire pit and roasted marshmallows for our s'mores while the snowy mountains in the background glowed blue. Very magical. The next day I visited the stables. The ladies that work there are all so sweet and knowledgeable about the horses. They have goats, chickens, 1 very fluffy bunny, a friendly dog and a bunch of horses. I went on a guided horseback ride with my family and it was so nice to get a different perspective of the ranch. I also visited the spa for a 50 minute massage. Again, the staff were very sweet and kind. The womens locker room was clean and decorated tastefully. There is a steam room, an aroma therapy room and two very large showers. There is also an outdoor hot tub but I didn't have time to try that out. My massage was great and relaxing. They have the typical communal luxury massage/spa amenities for ladies to get ready after-hair dryers, brushes, hairspray, deodorant, qtips, makeup remover, etc. This resort has a large game room equipped w a bowling alley, pool table, air hockey, chess and more. Some of the games were out of order so I hope that they can service them soon so that other guests can enjoy that amenity! There is also a theater, my kids loved both of these extras which are nice touches for families that are on vacation. Lastly, I want to note that all of the public restrooms provided organic feminine products. It's a nice touch for a guest in need!

We first came to DTR in 2004 or so. We come back, several times, every year. This Ranch is special - in that has preserved and protected a beautiful valley while achieving a lodge and improvements that your grandparents would identify with and appropriate. The Ranch is private yet it feels like a National Park - with the grandeur of lodges at Yellowstone. Our last trip we took our granddaughter. She loved it - especially the pools, sledding, ice skating and some mores by the fire. You look high and low to find anything like this property. Save time and check out DTR. You'll be glad you did!

Would've given 5 stars if the food was better! Food at heck's was hit or miss - mushroom pot pie was great, and we had a catered Mexican taco bar meal that was pretty good, but the rest of the food we had was mediocre at best. Extremely over cooked shrimp for another catered meal, and food at the coffee shop could have been better for the price

Devil's Thumb Ranch is wonderful! Four of us had a girls trip to the ranch and loved every minute of it! Upon arrival we were greeted by very friendly staff at the front desk and offered a tour of the property while we waited for our room to be ready. Jimmy walked us around to provide an overview of the amenities and then also drove us to the stables to see the full property. If you arrive early, I would strongly suggest getting this tour as we likely wouldn't have found all that the ranch had to offer during our stay without the walk through. Amenities: - Complimentary yoga sessions are available in the morning and afternoon. - The spa is beautiful! With a hot tub, sauna, steam room, and aromatherapy room the massage / facial is just part of the experience! - The pool, hot tub, steam room, and gym are large. It didn't seem that the ranch was crowded during our stay, so it was very nice to have space when using the options. - Biking and horse riding are options - the two that rode horses loved their experience and their instructor. The two that rode bikes weren't totally ready for the mountain biking experience - so plan to bring your biking shorts (extra padding needed!) I am more used to paved paths so it was a harder ride for me - but the views were beautiful and I'm glad we tried it! Room: - The High Lonesome loft was perfect for our group. Plenty of space, beautiful views, gas fireplace, and large bathtub. The beds were incredibly comfortable and the room is equipped with robes for all guests, binoculars, a humidifier, a minifridge, and a coffee pot. - For tea drinkers, there is no option to make tea (although they do provide tea bags in the room). If you don't mind the coffee taste of making the water hot with the coffee pot it could work - but if you are like me, you may want to consider bringing your own coffee mug to stop in at Hecks or Hallowed Grounds to get hot water for your tea drinking! The wine dinner held at the restaurant was truly amazing! We had a great time, the food was delicious, and the wine was plentiful! It is worth the money to have a wonderful night... we highly suggest it!

We have a 2nd home nearby and have taken out of town guests there many times for lunch/dinner/drinks. This time we take someone from out of town, walk into Hecks, pass the valet who watchs drive and and park, pass the front desk person who does not even look up to greet us, and walk up to the hostess. There are literally 2 dining tables sat and some folks around bar... First off the hostess seems like we are an inconveniance for her, and says it will be about 20 minutes for a table, even though the place is empty. So we try to go to the bar, and wait.... finally order some wine/beer and wait and wait... The hostess comes over about 20 minutes later and asks for our room number, which we do not have because we are not staying there. They only lets guests dine there now. Ok fine if that is their policy, no signage, no asking for our room number before asking us to sit and wait, passed several staff members... I guess the only good thing is we were waing for our drinks for 25 minutes, so we got up and left. Did not pay for my beer, but I left it full for them on our table. I guess we are not good enough for them, so god riddance. Super aloof staff, they are trying to be a 5 star resort with 1 start service. BYE BYE! There are many other places in the area that appreciate customers.

I love the location, the x-country ski and bike trails are top-notch, and everyone who works there is super nice. But this was our third or fourth time staying at DTR and I am continually appalled at the quality of food on site (One night, my "medium" hamburger was practically raw, as were the burgers of several of our dining companions--when we asked for them to be cooked longer, we were told it would be at least another 15 minutes, possibly longer. Another night, the fish tasted so fishy that it wasn't even edible). In addition, the pool was shut while we were there (over a holiday weekend), the lockers in the women's changing room were all broken, the fixtures in our bathroom were leaky and loose, the thermostat had a mind of its own (I just wanted the room to stay at 68 and it kept jacking it up to 75). In short, given the 5-star status, the amount of money we spent and the cost of everything in general, I expected much higher quality. I'd like to recommend this place to friends but I won't unless I feel like they're actually getting their money's worth (although I will tell them to get a day-pass for the ski trails--just bring your own lunch...).

Easily the most pretentious restaurant I've ever eaten in. The waiter tried to seriously upsell the beef. The steak was very good, but we've had much better. None of us have ever seen a menu that charges by the ounce. The charcuterie board had 4 small bites of cheese and a few slices of meat. The best thing we ordered was the Waygu beef stew, but it was more sauce than meat. Extremely disappointing and certainly was not worth $100 per person without alcohol.

For the money, not what you'd expect. Beautiful resort. The buildings and setting are stunning. But everything else about it couldn't be more average. The staff, not rude, but not going out of their way to make their resort a five star experience. The food, meh . We liked the little coffee shop but they relied on the main restaurant which I rated separately as 2 stars. Example, the coffee shop opens at 7 am. And yet the restaurant didn't deliver breakfast sandwiches to them until almost 10 am. They were selling yesterday's lunch sandwiches and unsold pastries. The baristas are nice. The ski shop employees are friendly. Everything in the shop is marked up above what you'd expect of resort pricing by probably 20%. Maybe they are trying to make up for Covid slump. The cross country ski trails though are AMAZING. My suggestion, save yourself a ton of money and frustration, stay nearby at an Airbnb or VRBO. Drive over to day use the cross country skiing. Eat in Fraser, WP, Granby, or Tabernash at one of the many local restaurants that really appreciate you.

I had a great time at Devil's Thumb Ranch this week for my company's Managers' Retreat. You can pick up complimentary "S'mores Packs" at Heck's restaurant and cook s'mores at numerous large fire pits with provided skewers. The staff was great, and our rooms were perfect! My only negative comments would have been the lack of personnel for our check-in (one guy checking in 40 people...when they had promised us there would be a lot more employees to help speed the process along). I also had to go to the front desk four times before I got a key that would open my room. However,  this resort is still top-notch with breathtaking views at ever corner.

My visit to Devil's Thumb Ranch was abbreviated due to my boyfriend becoming severely ill and requiring hospitalization. Although we did not get to experience the spa or the activities, we did get to experience a little of the resort. Here are the pros and cons: Pros: Mark, who works at the front desk, was absolutely wonderful. He is a former paramedic and was able to give us sound advice regarding my boyfriend's illness. He recommended getting him to a hospital, and drew me a map of how to get to the nearest one (GPS tends to lose its signal up there). He also offered to have our car warmed up and waiting for us as we prepared to take him to the hospital. As we left, he asked that we call him and let him know how he (my boyfriend) was doing, both after he was discharged and after we returned home. His kindness and consideration made a stressful situation that much easier to bear. Thank you Mark. The rooms have a rustic theme: it was a little different than this city girl was used to, but they put a chic spin on it. The gas fireplace was perfect for taking the chill off because it gets chilly in those mountains at night. The TV was hidden in the armoire (because you didn't pay all of this money to sit in bed and watch a movie, did you? Of course not!) The cowboy soaking tub was a welcome surprise. My boyfriend is 6'2 and this may have been the first time in his adult life that he found a tub large enough for him and those long legs to soak in. The stone shower was huge and inviting... I could have easily spent half the morning there (but I chose to soak in the tub instead). I also enjoyed the spicy, earthy hand soaps and lotions provided in the room. When we arrived, a welcome note and two lemon coconut cookies were waiting for us on the nightstand (I love sweets!). What a great personal touch! And they were delicious too. The rooms seem to be pretty dark, but most of the light switches also have tiny dimmers beside them, so you can brighten or darken the room as you need to (As we found out later). The front desk staff was helpful in checking me out quickly, as well as processing my refund (with no penalty) for the remaining days on our reservation. We were visiting Devil's Thumb for a wedding and I did not want the bride to know about what happened until the day after the ceremony. They arranged for a card I wrote to be sent to the newlyweds the following morning, at a specified time, sending our regrets and explaining the situation. The restaurant, Hecks, is pretty good. We did not need a reservation, although one is often recommended. The food was hearty, filling and delicious, with generous portion sizes. The restaurant offers a tantalizing variety of options, as well. My recommendation: order several appetizers, instead of one main entrée, so that you can sample the variety of offerings here. You cannot go wrong with the Wagyu beef meatballs. The floors and walls seem to be well insulated (plus the floors are heated!), which eliminated my concern about noise from neighboring rooms... (especially because wood floors reverberate and echo horribly). Cons: Calling the front desk is an exercise in futility because most of the time they will not answer. I needed assistance bringing all of my bags down from my room in order to check out. I called several times and no one answered. As I'm stumbling through the halls and struggling with these bags, I passed 2 or 3 different Devil's Thumb employees and NOT ONE offered me assistance of any kind. They looked at me and walked right by. Unfortunately, it was not uncommon to her noisy people laughing and carrying on outside of our room late at night. If you are light sleeper like I am, bring earplugs. Our room was next to the ice machine/custodian closet and I'm not sure what was going on in there at 1:00 in the morning, but there was a loud bang that startled me out of my sleep. I heard the same sound again later that same morning. Not an ideal way to wake up... especially when people come here to relax and refresh.

Attended a weekend wedding event at the property. The property is beautiful and the hotel rooms and cabins were all tastefully decorated and very clean. The food at the restaurants and wedding events were excellent and staff was very accommodating.

The ranch is an authentic, rustic, and luxurious resort. It was the perfect place to celebrate our 20 year anniversary. We spent 3 nights in a 2 bedroom log cabin. Its a bit more secluded than staying at the lodge. It's a 10-15 minute scenic walk (or super quick drive) to the main resort area. The cabin is incredibly well built with a working stone wood burning fireplace. The weather was between 10-30 degrees, so the fireplace was used a lot! Combined with radiant heating in the floor in the rest of the house, the cabin was always comfy. We went on a 1 1/2 hour horseback ride through a trail that highlighted the beautiful views. Sarah lead our group and did a great job making the whole experience feel very personal. The horses were wonderful. The spa and food are top notch as well. We were lucky enough to have booked our vacation during a special "Taste of the Ranch" event which featured a night of elegant cuisine with a special wine pairing for each course. The other nights, we ate at Heck's Tavern, which is an amazing open two story room with a grand stone fireplace at its core. If you pair their tomato soup with a Waygu burger, I promise you a great meal. The service was excellent from beginning to end. The staff at Heck's was very friendly and personable. This was our first time staying at Devils Thumb Ranch. We will be back.

Restaurant is fantastic. They raise American Wagyu cattle. The steaks and preparation of them are fantastic. The views are beautiful

After calling multiple Hotels in the Front Range to reserve a hotel room for a family member evacuating due to a fire, Holly at Devil's Thumb Ranch was so kind and helped me reserve a room as I scrambled to find a safe place for them to go while walking my dog 15 hours away. When I called back to pay for the room minutes later, Holly told me that her Manager had informed her any evacuees' rooms would be comped "to make sure everyone was safe". I was truly taken aback by this kind and generous gesture and was speechless for a moment. Thank you Holly, her Manager, and the staff at Devil's Thumb Ranch for being such a wonderful part of the Grand County community!

Beautiful ... but GROSSLY overpriced for the COVID season. We are paying a LOT to be here for a special occasion. It would have been nice if they had told us (when making a reservation or even on their website) that everything is HIGHLY limited due to COVID. Spa? "We can do a facial, but you have to wear a mask the whole time. It will be great for your forehead and neck." (wtf?) Dinner? "We have one restaurant open and reservations are full. We can give you styrofoam takeout and you can eat upstairs, if you want." (Um, is the menu discounted or do I just not tip you?) We are on night 1 of a 3 night stay. If anything improves, I'll update my post. And while it is beautiful, stay away until after the 2020 election when COVID is magically cured.

Beautiful location...horrible service. Were there on vacation and hurt myself-hotel was completely unable to help or offer any support. Sent us to wrong urgent care. We honestly expected more. Called manager to let him know and he never called us. Too bad. Amazing wait staff at the restaurant though but did not have the overall best experience.

Came here for cross country skiing and rentals. The rentals and access pass were reasonably priced. The trails were well maintained and groomed. Beautiful surroundings and kind staff, really had a great experience.

Buyer Beware. The worst meal the 4 of us ever had! I got food posioning, and the others couldn't eat their food. I was hosting our friends from Tabernash, Co. The 1 star refers to the service which was fine. The Ranch Steak House must be relying on their past reputation. I have been waiting 10 days for Lisa one of the managers to get back to me regarding my complaint. No response. This place needs new management, and instructions on how to treat their patrons. Find anyother place, don't take a chance!

Beautiful location and facilities. The food was very good and the staff was friendly but the waiter rushed us through the dinner. She was taking plates away while we were still eating the food.

These people are absolutely terrible. I recommend reading some of their 1 star reviews. Having been to this ranch multiple times (we've gotten our hopes up each time because we really wanted to have a great experience), I can attest to their customer service being absolutely awful. They could not care less if you have a poor experience. It's a lot of money and it's your vacation. You want to know they will take care of you and ensure you have a great trip. These are not those people. Crystal (reservations manager) is terribly unwelcoming, passive aggressive and rude.

We have made a family trip here for 4 years, the last was in 2/2023 and it still holds a special place in our hearts. It's definitely not a full service hotel, you unload your own bags and bring everything to your room. The staff at the front desk is hit or miss, sometimes they are super attentive and friendly and sometimes the desk is unmanned for long periods of time. Other than a small gift shop with some fancy popcorn and candy bars there isn't anything to eat after the restaurants close. And this year there was still significant lack of housekeeping due to Covid, though I think the truth is that labor shortages have hit the area hard. This was also felt in the restaurants with some really slow service and long waits. There is no laundry service, we drive into town to use the laundromat since we don't pack 5 or 6 sets of skiing under layers and no one wants to ski in sweaty ones. When we first arrived late at night 7 years ago we dragged all of our luggage and ski equipment from our car in, waited a solid hour to be checked in and then learned there was no food options for our then 4 and 6 year olds. So why have we continued to come back? The views surrounding the ranch in the winter are magical. My kids love the horses and the activities offered at the barn and the proximity to Winter Park is great. Eating s'mores around the outdoor fire pit under the stars is a memory we will have forever and despite all of the issues noted above, for us the pros continue to outweigh the cons.

This is a spectacular resort nestled into the Rockies at nearly 9000 feet. The views are breathtaking and the facilities are as good as you will find almost anywhere. We took our family there for three days just before Christmas and rented a large cabin on the property. We arrived with a one year old, four millennials, two 60 something parent(s), and two dogs. We all had a blast! The front desk and bell service was the best - friendly, funny, and helpful. From cross country skiing to snowshoeing to just kicking back and relaxing, all was good. The outdoor facilities are top rated and the staff is so friendly. I went cross country skiing for the first time and my instructor, Bill, was wonderful. I learned so much from him in just a one hour lesson. So let's look at the one negative in my opinion at Devil's Thumb, dining. There are three places for food on the ranch, a coffee shop which was great but small with limited offerings, a tavern and a fancy dining room. The ranch raises its own Wagyu beef so be prepared for a meat coma if you order it. It's delicious and well prepared. They also offer elk and some seafood. Vegans and vegetarians can be accommodated as well with limited offerings. The fancy restaurant was fine with delicious preparation but very pricey and heavy meals. (At 9000 feet a heavy meal goes down like eating a gold brick so beware if you aren't acclimated.). The tavern is more informal but the food prep was unacceptable in my opinion. Orders were incorrectly prepared, took too long, and were badly prepared in the kitchen. This happened during two of our three visits. Not acceptable, full stop. They need some training and work on the dining end. A lighter fare in the main dining room should also be considered. Sloppy kitchen prep is the culprit. Get it together if you want 5 stars which you deserve!

My wife and I walked into the ranch house and the person at the front desk didn't even great us . We went to Heck's and they have stopped serving non-quests? I've been there to ski and for the spa and noticed that the staff was always aloof but I never really noticed how bad it is until yesterday. If you go to the spa you can't have lunch on site. Made to feel less than welcome by the staff. Rude. Overpriced. Sad because my wife and I liked to ski there and eat lunch. I went there as a kid prior to the current ownership. Beautiful place. Too bad the current owner doesn't care about the level of hospitality. I get the feeling the owner just wants a trophy and not willing and doesn't need to work it.

I have been using this resort for lodging and food ever since it opened in 2008, after decades of skiing here and using lodging in Winter Park. It is wonderful to stay onsite and the accommodations are luxurious. We have stayed here mostly in the winter but we did come for a summer getaway one August. The resort has become a wedding destination and in the summer it appears that most of the rooms are booked for these events. But in the winter, they still book quite a few skiers, from all over the country/world as well as Colorado. The staff is very helpful, the rooms elegant/rustic if there is such a style. Our only complaint is that no matter what room we stay in, there is never enough light. Whether it is in the room for reading or in the bathroom for "styling" they are just too "ecological" which I have mentioned to staff repeatedly. In the past is was often on the cool side too, especially the common areas, but the heat seems to be turned up this winter and it was appreciated. Beautiful stone showers and huge soaking tubs in the rooms. Very nice bedding. No TV, which adds ambiance, but they do have free wifi. Some of the rooms/suites have fireplaces. Even though it is pricey, there are often deals during the winter for non-holiday periods, for instance, book 2 nights, get the third free, if you have a flexible schedule. There is a restaurant/bar, a coffee shop/cafe, a spa, a movie theater room, and a small gift shop in addition to the Nordic/XC Center (separate review.) They seem to be recruiting Happy Hour patrons this year from the greater Winter Park area which livened up the bar/restaurant (Heck's) over previous seasons laid back approach (see my separate review.) This is a real asset to the WInter Park area, though it is a few miles north of town, on the way to Granby.