We stayed here for 3 nights in early October for a mother/daughter getaway. It was a fantastic venue for our trip! We both needed some rest and relaxation and loved the tranquility of Echo Valley Ranch. I'm sure it's picturesque any time of year, but this fall was particularly stunning, what a colour display!
The drive from Clinton to the Ranch took approximately 55 minutes along a gravel road, it was bumpy in places and quite dusty - but if you had an SUV/truck you could probably make it there in 35-40 minutes. Alternately, Norm has a small runway so you can charter a plane or fly your own.
The staff at Echo Valley are lovely and an integral part of the experience. Norm and Nan have selected folks, most of whom have been there for years, who really care about Echo Valley and seem to be a tight knit group. They are friendly, professional, happy people. We felt genuinely welcomed by them and enjoyed experiencing their sense of pride in Echo Valley and the work that they do.
We chose a room in the Lookout Lodge with two twin beds, our room was on the second floor with nice views of the horse corral, main lodge and mountains. We really enjoyed watching the horses; come in from the pasture in the morning, go out again at night and interact with each other throughout the day - pretty funny to watch sometimes. The room was well equipped with lots of storage space to unpack and be comfortable, all of the furnishings were in good condition and the room seemed well thought out. My only minor complaint would be noise from other rooms; we could hear others walking around, blowing their noses, etc. throughout the night and in the morning - so if that bothers you at all I would recommend a cabin or more private suite.
The food was great! I planned our trip to arrive on Thursday (Thai night) and was not disappointed. The food was well flavoured, fresh and absolutely delicious! I highly recommend including Thursday in your stay if possible. Chef Jason was very accommodating to my dietary requests - and all of the food he prepared was delicious, with healthy choices and comforting. There is no lack of food here. The food is served buffet/family style so you can take as much/little as you'd prefer. 1 glass of wine is included with dinner, other glasses are provided at a minimal cost.
We took advantage of their amazing spa. The building, like the others, is wooden and comfortable and exudes relaxation. We were surprised at the amount of services offered and found them to be a reasonable price. We tried Thai Massage while there (first time) and thought it was great; very unique, authentic and so relaxing - our bodies felt great afterwards! I also enjoyed one of the best facials I've ever had, and also a scalp and neti massage - all highly recommended. My mom got a mani/pedi and was very pleased. The spa uses high end products like Eminence, which was a welcome surprise. The staff working in the spa are highly trained professionals with years of experience, you would be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't try it out while there.
We also tried Thai yoga/stretching each morning we were there and really enjoyed it, it was a gentle, relaxing start to our day that left us feeling refreshed and smiling. The Thai ladies that lead you (same staff as kitchen and spa) are absolutely lovely - we enjoyed their company and direction.
The animals at Echo Valley are well taken care of. The staff genuinely care about the well being of all the animals and it shows. We enjoyed two trail rides while there and would recommend it, the staff seem to pair the horses with riders very well. They also offer lessons in case you're not comfortable riding. They have boots, helmets, etc. for guest use.
The border collies are a lot of fun. They love to play fetch and go for walks and will do so with any and every one. We took a few hikes around the property with some of the border collies, it was nice to have their company while alone in the woods. Lovely creatures.
As you can tell, we enjoyed our time there. Folks come from around the world to experience this unique Canadian experience in our back yard. I don't know if we'll ever be back as there are a lot of places on our "to-go list" but it was well worth seeing, doing and enjoying and we highly recommend it. read more
