Most of your options in Big Sky are big resorts or vacation home rentals. This is a small resort with all the special touches. The resort is right on the river. Each room has a fireplace, and huge chocolate chip cookies. They also include a nice breakfast in the main lodge. It is also a great venue for weddings. My daughter got married here in the winter and it was a magical, snowy wedding. We have visited in the summer, the fall and the winter. Each season is special and Rainbow Ranch adds to beauty. my favorite rooms are acutally the river front rooms over the more expensive suites. The suites are undeniably nicer, but the location of the river rooms is better. I like hearing the river from my room.

We booked this place expecting to have a great base during our trip to Big Sky. Whereas the location from Big Sky was pretty good (10min. drive), the lack of hospitality we experienced, made the overall experience at Rainbow Ranch Lodge bitter sweet. To me, seems like this hotel tries to charge a premium by branding itself as 'upscale', but unable to provide service that is better than the average road side motel. The room we originally checked into (facing the road) didn't look like anything we'd seen in the pictures. The door wouldn't lock, the bed sheets were ripped and the bath tub was so gross (with parts of the jet stream missing) we felt it would have been unsafe to bath our kids in there. The front desk ultimately OK'd a change of rooms, after which we checked into a much nicer room downstairs facing the pond. Still, housekeeping throughout our 3-day stay was limited to a change of towels (which we had to ask for). Breakfast was a disgrace (cliff bars and fruit cups), so we didn't even bother checking that after the first morning. This place has a lot of potential, so it was a shame to see the hospitality basics go so wrong. Management seems to be inexistent, both maintenance and housekeeping had obvious (longer term) snags and even basic greetings to make guests feel welcome like 'good morning' or 'have a great day' were left behind. Would not recommend.

We spent our 30th anniversary here 15 years ago and had a horrible experience. Before the days of internet reviews. Thought we would give them another shot. So we decided to spend a couple of days at Valentines. When you pay a premium price you expect a better than average experience. Our room was very outdated. Especially the bathroom. I can't remember the last time I had to use a rubber stopper in a bath tub. The jetted tub was old, dirty, stained, and the bottom felt like it was going to crack at anytime. We didn't dare use the jets as they were dirty and stained. There was a used wash cloth between the tub and vanity from the last occupants. There were urine stains on the toilet rim from the last occupants. Housekeeping was terrible. No bathroom floor mat on the second day. The closets were full of old electric heaters, and some other hardware. The pictures on the website are not what we experienced. The fireplace hearth was no more than 18" from the end of our bed. You had to walk sideways to pass through. The continental breakfast was worse than the chain motels we stay in. I could go on. Needless to say we won't be back, or recommend.

We stayed in a Pondside Luxury Room. Great room with very large bathroom and king size bed. Nice fireplace with plenty of wood. Only negative is our room had a door which connected to the room next door. We were able to hear conversations of the folks next door. Fortunately they were not late nighters and it did not interrupt our sleep. We were in the Osprey room, the room to our left, to the left if you are facing the the building, was the last room on the 1st level and it did not have a connecting room door. I would ask for that room next time. Outdoor hot tub was great. We always enjoy the bar here with its great fireplace. The dining room was excellent. Nice breakfast comes with the room.

This hotel was everything we were looking for. It had a cabin like feel with wood burning fireplace and view of a river, walking distance from the rooms patio. The only downside was the firewood they use smells funny. I would stay here again for sure.