My husband and I did a Naramata wine tour with Top Cat Tours, and booked them through a package…read morewith our resort in Summerland. The tour bus picked us up at the hotel lobby, and dropped us off at the end of our tour. The only other wine tour I have done was in Napa Valley, so my comparison options are limited, as the geographic area and how the wine tours are done in the two locations are vastly different. I enjoyed our tour, as well as our tour guide, M.J. M.J. was open to feedback and took the wine we were buying at each winery and stored it in the back of the bus, making it easy to purchase as we went. Our tour was supposed to be five stops, but we were able to squeeze in six wineries, plus a stop at Poplar Grove/The Vanilla Pod for lunch. Lunch was included in the tour, as were all our tasting fees, and we visited a great variety of small boutique wineries to introduce us to the Naramata area. We returned on our own to a couple of the stops the next day to purchase more wine and enjoy the views. There were a few things I would have liked on the tour that were absent. On the website it does not specify which wineries will be visited, so I wasn't able to do any research about them prior to our tour. It also meant we didn't want to do any tasting on our own prior to the tour, because we didn't want to repeat any stops. When we got our little confirmation card from the hotel for our tour at check-in, it listed the wineries we could choose from for a visit, as well as our options for lunch. I spent time the night before looking at the wineries on the list and was a little disappointed that our actual tour only stopped at one of the wineries, and that our lunch was at a third option not listed. I don't know if this is the hotel's problem (outdated info?) or how the company operates, but I would have appreciated knowing a little bit more about our tour before just showing up at each winery and looking around to see where we were. Overall I had a lot of fun and tasted a lot of great wine. I would have liked more structure to the day, but this wouldn't stop me from booking Top Cat again or recommending them if you are in the area.

We found the company very accommodating as we had to change our reservations last minute. We had a…read morevery enjoyable 2 days of wine, beer and spirits tours in the Penticton area. Our Guide was very knowledge on wine and the area and had lots of jokes.

I really enjoyed my experience on the Kettle Valley Railway. I was on an open car and had great…read moreviews of the valley and areas of Summerland that I would not normally be able to see. There were lots of opportunities for photos and videos and they even stopped for photo opps with the train. There is a nice gift shop inside the station along with information on the history of the route and area. This is well-worth the admission fee to ride the train. I took the 90-minute scenic train.

We travelled from Winnipeg to Kelowna and had this experience recommended to us…read more On Saturday morning, after checking Google Maps and seeing what we believed was a 40-minute drive to Summerland, we booked tickets at 10:00 a.m. for the noon train ride. Unfortunately, once we were on the road, we realized we had made an honest mistake when entering our starting location into Google Maps. About 30 minutes into the drive, it became clear that we would not make the required 11:30 a.m. check-in. We immediately pulled over and called to see if we could either reschedule for the following day or receive a refund. We explained that we were visiting from out of province and that our travel time had been miscalculated due to an honest error. Unfortunately, both requests were declined. We fully understand that there is a 24-hour cancellation policy. However, we had booked the tickets only two hours before departure because we genuinely believed we had enough time to get there. Given the circumstances, and the fact that there were seats available on the following day's train, we had hoped some flexibility or goodwill could have been extended. As first-time visitors to British Columbia, it was incredibly disappointing not only to miss out on an experience that was highly recommended, but also to lose the full cost of our tickets without any goodwill or accommodation. Customer service leaves a lasting impression, especially in the tourism industry where word of mouth is so important. While we understand businesses need policies, how those policies are applied can make all the difference. Unfortunately, our experience left us frustrated and disappointed. As a result, we would be hesitant to book this experience again if we return to British Columbia and spend our money elsewhere. Sincerely, A Disappointed Out-of-Province Visitor

Neither my fiance nor myself knew anything about wine, the only things we did know were the few…read morefacts from watching crash course videos on Youtube a couple days before our mini honeymoon trip so we didn't really know what to expect, but even with the immense lack of information on what we might like, Grape Friends gave us the best wine tour we could've asked for. We got driven around four different wineries in the Naramata region because a coworker had suggested we try chef Bongo's cooking (chef Bongo was a partner at the Naramata Heritage Inn, but started his own restaurant just down the road: Village Grounds - Cafe & Bistro). Karen started us with Lang Vineyards, got us to try wines from the most established vines in the region, the experience was delicious, the view was amazing, and the service was awesome. We got the maple dessert wine but truly regretted later for not getting the sparkling rose. Next was Mocojo Wines, again, amazing view and great wines, but what stuck out was the story about this winery, the design of their label and the name, definitely a must go winery! Throughout the tour, Karen made sure to check up on us, give us some tips on how we can enjoy the tastings and find out what we like, without the pressure of "you must buy something". In the end, I went from knowing nothing about wine to discovering that I'm a Riesling person and just because I think I'll like the fruit wines, doesn't mean I'll be able to find that perfect wine at an orchard winery. We'll definitely be back for more Grape Friends tours and you won't regret joining them!

My husband and I had a great day with Karen on our wine tour in Naramata this spring…read more I'm been on a few wine tours in several regions/countries and Grape Friends was probably the most informative and fun tour thus far. I've only ever learned more from a sommelier lead tasting class focused more on pairings and the idea behind those are very different anyway. Karen's primary rule is to have fun and that's what she does so it would appeal to all experiences and interest levels. She wants to keep wine accessible and snobby free but still had me learning new things even though I've been around the snobbery and don't mind that either. We had a picnic lunch which was well worth it and highly recommended. Lots of fresh food, cheeses, meats, veggies and fruit and we were told to play with flavors and combinations. I would choose this over a winery lunch and do a winery lunch on my own a different day when I have some time to spend hanging out as the wineries don't seem to be in a hurry in this region at all. We ended up liking the wine a lot more than planned and bought a lot more than we ever expected to which is probably good and bad. Ha. We did the dinner drop off and pickup after which was also great. Karen handled the reservation for us and everything and we just called when we were done. It was nice to not have to worry about getting dinner after being out drinking and then getting home after. Also, we didn't have to get dropped off at our room with our haul of wine and then do a cab both ways either. We learned that summerland and naramata have different soil and it would be interesting to contrast the two areas in two separate days one after another (like a couple ladies on our tour were doing). Karen also says she can arrange behind the scenes tours which I did in Italy and really enjoyed and would love to do again at some point. So, basically we have a lot of wine to drink but when that goes away we'll have to visit again. Over all highly recommended and worth the price as it's more than just a driving service.

How freaking cute! Spanish style rooms with private hot tubs and spacious amenities. Perfect for a…read moreromantic get away! Your view is clear pictures of the lake. The people are super friendly and prices are reasonable! I attended a wedding there recently and it was perfect setting! I thoroughly enjoyed this place and can't wait to come back!

This place is amazing. The view is spectacular and the couple that run it are just as amazing…read more Recently went to a wedding here and they were more than accommodating. Every room has its own private hot tub and they serve a delicious breakfast that will not disappoint. I would highly recommend this place. I would definitely come back.

Great location, beautiful surrounding atmosphere, great staff. Most friendly and helpful…read morereceptionist and staff ever, lovely and great first impression of hotel. Everything about the hotel was exceptional. It was clean, stylish, roomy with excellent service.

We will most definitely be back! I love the staff...the…read morejoint is tidy and it is close to the strip. Great place for families because the courtyard has slides and adventure park is across the road.

I won't try to outdo the other reviews, other than to say we absolutely loved this place, and the…read moreAlfresco dinner by Joy Road Catering on the Sunday evening we were there was fantastic. We also stayed in the roofless room. Sounds odd ... But it added to the experience. And to mimic another reviewer ... The best breakfasts ever. We most definitely plan to go there again.

Wow. Was here for a…read morewedding and did not want to leave. We took over the entire place which made it that much more fun but regardless, this place is one of a kind. I had actually been here before about 10 years ago with my parents and also loved it then. But with a huge group of amazing friends and family it was over the top awesome. Overlooking Skaha lake and only 10 min to Penticton this place cannot be beat. It is a throwback to a simpler time. White-washed Greek villa style home with eclectic, randomly designed rooms. If you like consistency, wifi and satellite TV...please move on. This place is not for you. But, if you like to explore finding new things around every corner, enjoying the simple things in life like amazing food (the breakfasts are insanely good - i will venture to say the best breakfast buffet I have ever had!), strolls in the hills, wine and cheese in your own little corner with view, picking fresh fruit from trees (the most amazing yellow plums, apricots, pears etc), star gazing, late night hot tub and lounging by the pool... then please do not miss this place. I cannot wait to get back!!!

Great family campground. Very clean and well maintained. Lots of grounds keeping staff keep this…read moreplace in tip top shape. Only real negative is the lack of waste dump areas for trailers. They do offer a truck that drives around on Wednesdays but he's $25.00 and can really ruin a delicious breakfast if your neighbour decides he needs a dump. Lots for kids to do and a five minutiae walk from the beach and a great spray park. We will be back.

I stayed here over the weekend in the Red Barn Ranch. It was a nice relaxed place to spend a…read moreweekend here. There are horse riding services and Gwen, the inn keeper took us out for a nice trail ride with horses. It definitely was a nice bed and breakfast place to stay at. I would definitely come back here next time I visit summerland again!! :)

Enjoyed a trail ride with Gwen and my 2 grand daughters in August. A beautiful Ranch with access…read moreto a trail ride that leads up a mountain with excellent views of the country side. Gwen was excellent with my grand daughters and offered a lesson and safety tips before heading out. The horses were well disciplined and well taken care of. I would highly recommend Red Barn Ranch for a great riding experience whether you are a novice or experienced rider. Colleen Kerr, Victoria, B.C.