Brett V.
Yelp
HIDEAWAY HEAVEN:
Let me start out by saying, this is my first Yelp post ever. I usually come on Yelp to gather information, but I have never posted my findings... This place made me change that.
This place was AMAZING! And I could not praise the proprietress enough.
My fiancé and I chose the hideaway for various reasons. More privacy, our own beach, and cheaper. My fiancé grew up in a family of Prevost owners, and I was worried she'd think the hide away was not up to her standards... I was completely wrong. She loved it!
We spent our days reading on the beach, we had dinners on the large rocks that jetted out into the river. Our evenings were spent by the bond fire, and our nights filled with star gazing and sleeping to the relaxing sounds of the river.
The very well maintained and manicured property set up the very definition of relaxation and perfection.
I have read a total of 2 bad reviews on this place, and countless positive ones. I guess it would be an injustice not to give my input on the negative ones.
Someone said "the sounds of the river were louder than the 405 during rush hour"... I don't even know where to start with it. It's a moving river which includes rapids... it makes noise. But to compare it to the chaos of the 405 is ridiculous. I would say it sounded like the beach and the waves. Except the sounds of the waves were constant not intermittent. We thought it was phenomenal.
Someone said that "Mars (the proprietress) was over baring and constantly present and they felt they had no privacy. That all they wanted was privacy and the room key, and it took a half hour just to get that." That is a complete exaggeration. When you check in, she does show you the grounds and does take some time and show you're the amenities of the room... it took a total of 10 minutes. She was present throughout the weekend. But not over baring, or even noticeable. You would see her walking the grounds here and there. And occasionally check in to see how you were doing if she noticed you outside. I sum up her presence as this, she was there here and there, she was never to far when you needed her, and the couple of times when she would check in with you, she was always a welcomed site.
Someone said "we were told we would get smores, but we didn't".... suck it up, spend $5 and go get them. I too read about the smores, but I decided to make the rather lavish expenditure of $5 and provide them myself. Yes, it was well worth the $5, so I recommend you bring them up too.
If there was any negative I could say, it would be that we were told the hideaway came with its own bbq. In fact the bbq was a grill grate for the bon fire pit. The grill grate didn't exactly fit and rested on the coals. We had to put in 4 rocks to prop the grate up. The main house does have a gas bbq you can use, but our converted grill grate would do the trick... and I've definitely cooked on worse... but it might not be a bad idea to bring your own portable charcoal grill.
In closing, this was definitely the best long weekend getaway we've ever had. We will definitely be back. Mars was an amazing endearing host and well welcomed. If you are looking for a 5 star hotel with all the bells and whistles, and massages and day spas, etc... Rio Sierra is not for you. If you are looking for the epitome of a getaway and relaxation... this place is for you. If you are looking for a camper experience with the most ideal camp spot you could find... the hideaway option is for you.
When we were leaving I was trying to figure out how to put to words our weekend. I think Mars summed it up best when we checked out. She said "she could tell we got swept up in the magic of the river." There is not a better way to describe it other than that.