We attended a wedding here and were so impressed with the venue! The wedding took place outside the lodge by the river. There was a specific spot set up for weddings with the backdrop of the river and the beautiful aspen trees that were changing colors. It was obvious that this wedding venue knows what they are doing. Every detail was covered and the bride and groom's family could relax. The decorations were lovely and you can tell they were well thought out. The dinner was magnificent and beautifully presented. The cake was exquisite and reflected the personality of the bride. All preparations were in tiptop shape at the reception. It was well organized and went smoothly. read more

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This venue is stunning and was the perfect mountain wedding spot. It's near Estes so it's easy to book a place nearby to stay and not too far from Denver for those who are confident in driving in the mountains. My husband and I joked that even if our wedding was a dud, the venue alone would wow people. The walk through video on their website is just a glimpse into the magic and joy that this spot holds!!! From the ceremony site options, to the bridal suite, to the dining area and the dance floor, we enjoyed all of the spaces this place has to offer. Our 108 guests loved the food, the drinks, and the views so much, they couldn't stop commenting all night on how beautiful and awesome this venue was. And our photos turned out incredible with the mountains, the river, the trees, and the outdoor lights. Dawn is responsive and helpful and she knows what she's doing! My one area of constructive criticism would be recommending that the venue provide a clearer timeline to the couples getting married. I typed my own up based on our meetings but the venue stated they'd send it a few times and never got around to it. Otherwise, I can't say enough WONDERFUL things about this spot. Hospitality is their jam. The rentable items like the arch and photo booth, the in-house decorations, and the food options are positively stunning. The staff is phenomenal, the on-site honeymoon suite was so clean and comfortable, and there was lots of space for kids to run around. An amazing AMAZING spot to make memories and start your married life with your partner off right! read more

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Attended a wedding at the lodge last week. The setting was perfection! The lodge is well designed to handle the crowd, without feeling cramped. The bartenders were quick, friendly, and very talented. I enjoyed sampling some of their "specialty" creations. Literally experienced sunshine, wind, rain, and hail during the party - the staff seemed to shift gears accordingly at every turn! Lovely venue. read more

Yesterday my sister got married to her husband there it was beautiful and Bobbi was a big help to all of us. read more

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Wild Basin Lodge is really the best place to get married. We just moved to Loveland from California. We planned and booked the venue without even seeing it. Makenna made the whole process fun and easy! She was very accommodating since we had to plan everything virtually. As a destination wedding, all 100+ guests made the trip from all over and had an amazing weekend exploring the area. From the llamas to the beautiful scenery to the wonderful lodge. I really couldn't complain about a single thing. The boys were able to fish before the ceremony. The guests were in awe of the beauty of the location. It has been a couple months since our wedding and our family and friends still can't stop talking about how perfect it was. I highly recommend this venue for any event you are planning. read more

You would be hard pressed to find a more beautiful location, with a more well-oiled machine of a team, then you will find at Wild Basin. Wedding planning can be stressful, but for everything we could even think to worry about, Christina and Denice were already five steps ahead of us with a solution. They are on point with the contingency planning. Also, kindness goes a long way. And these two are gems. Highly recommend doing the family style food they make in-house. It's SO good - way better than many catered weddings we've attended. Our guests loved the food and many remarked to us how good it tasted! After months of wedding diet, those mashed potatoes were happiness in my mouth. I also really liked that family-style serving prompted everyone at a table to interact and talk even if they didn't really know each other. The chef also checked in with us the next day to make sure we were satisfied. The venue is not easy to reach (which you know when you choose the venue) - most lodging is in Estes Park. We used the Estes Park Trolley company to transport everyone. It worked perfectly! They were timely and efficient, and it gave the guests time to chat on a beautiful ride up the mountain. It was a perfect wedding. And if you are LGBT and nervous about picking a venue - there is no question you will be welcomed here. So much love to the Wild Basin staff. read more

The scenery was beautiful, the hummingbirds were fascinating, the bar staff was great, but the food was really disappointing. They had to bring butter over from another table, they only had one out for the three tables. When I got the main dish, there was no meat left. Not that I missed much since my husband graciously gave me some of his. Very weird dish. I would not recommend this venue. read more

My son and his now-wife had their wedding at the Lodge.. the venue is just perfect!!! All the details are handled with precision and were very professional!!! We stayed at the lodge the night of the wedding and the rooms were just right... the food was exceptionally good for the reception. All in all everybody loved the venue, the location and the service by the staff!!! read more

My fiance and I have been in the process of planning our wedding for almost a year now and other than our first month of no wedding planning (not worrying about wedding planning and just soaking in the engagement bliss), the Wild Basin Lodge has been in every step of our planning! We booked the WBL to have our ideal, as stress-free as possible, epic mountain wedding. I say stress-free because from the moment we arrived at the venue in August 2020, they have made everything so easy! We didn't actually have an appointment, but called ahead as we were shopping for other venues in the area that we had appointments for and they pretty much said "yeah come on by!" We parked, entered, and were immediately offered drinks from the bar and a personal tour. As we walked around the entire venue, beer and wine in hand, we fell in love. The process began very smoothly and to point out a few things that we loved the most: 1. The fact that they have a coordinator that helps all couples throughout the entire process. This was important to us especially because we didn't have a wedding planner and this person would be our liaison to the venue. 2. The food and beverage comes with the venue and that's been really easy for us to not have to outsource all of that and add even more vendors to our list. 3. Lastly (just to keep this someone short) we really loved the meadow site and the amazing view! Really everything was just perfect and everyone was so kind. For context, we visited four other venues before we found the Wild Basin Lodge and we never looked back! Fast-forward to March when the coronavirus pandemic began, we really believed that our stress-free wedding was not going to happen. This is when we realized just how amazing the WBL team truly is. With all of the regulations and restrictions mandated by the state, the WBL team kept us informed on everything as it would apply to our wedding. We were truly blessed to have Olivia as our coordinator because her communication is outstanding! We never felt as if we were in the dark or out of the know. Olivia and the rest of the team made sure that we were as comfortable as possible whether we decided to move forward or reschedule for a future date. This meant a lot to us especially after hearing some heart wrenching stories from our friends that were also getting married this year and their negative experiences with their selected wedding venues. Originally, we were required to have a 100 person minimum, but with the COVID situation preventing a lot of family and friends from out of state and out of the country to come, they lifted the 100 min. Requirement which is the biggest reason we decided to move forward with our original date. The WBL team has been there every step of the way and was more than willing to accommodate any changes or updates for us while maintaining compliant with CDC standards. Our wedding is in one week and if the actual wedding day goes anything like the year leading up to it, we will be ecstatic. Not saying we would recommend getting married during a pandemic, but if you choose to like we did, the Wild Basin Lodge is the place to do it! We can't wait to get married at the Wild Basin Lodge and look forward to experiencing the most memorable day of our lives at this extraordinary venue with this amazing team. read more

Absolutely spectacular! From the moment we first set foot at this gorgeous venue we knew we had found somewhere special. Your wedding could be set in front of breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountain National park (and not just because Allenspark is located at 8,300 ft above sea level). Denice and Christina will be there for you every step of the way. We were planning our wedding from all the way in New York and were terrified of the logistics of planning a wedding in Estes Park. But these two took all of the headaches out of the process. Any question, thought, or change that came up they handled it thoroughly and gracefully. They even processed our wedding license for us. Denice and Christina are two of the nicest people you will ever meet, yet somehow they are also strict enough that you will follow your wedding day schedule like clockwork. These ladies are PROFESSIONALS! They definitely aren't the least expensive venue, but they are definitely an example of "You get what you pay for, and then some". Everything is packaged in one easy to understand bill: the ceremony site, the reception venue, great food, the alcohol, and they even have left over decorations for you to incorporate into your big day (although the lodge itself is quite beautiful and doesn't need much to look AMAZING). With incomparable scenery and incredible service, if you are planning a wedding in the Estes Park area you shouldn't make any final decisions until you have at least seen this place. Truly one of a kind. Thanks again for everything. You guys made our special day that much more special! read more

Where to even begin? I have worked with the staff at Wild Basin for a year and a half in preparation of my wedding. They always answered the phone with a warm and welcoming tone, emailed me back promptly and changed anything I asked for and had amazing suggestions! Without their guidance I would not have had such an absolutely magical wedding day! On the day of the wedding they made me feel like a princess! And the venue isn't too shabby either! This quiet, tucked away cabin in the mountains is a dream! It is comfortable, beautiful and was so perfect for our wedding! I will never be able to thank the staff at Wild Basin enough for the work they put into making my day go off without a hitch! We love you guys! read more

I would NOT recommend this venue at all!! The ONLY thing this place has going for it is the beauty of the landscape and thats IT!! From my personal experience, they nickel and dime you, the owners are manipulative and a total pain to deal with and they lack in accommodations. Save yourself the time and the headache and go elsewhere unless you want a legal battle. read more

PLEASE BEWARE. My husband and I were married at Wild Basin June 1st, 2018. The planning process with Wild Basin was TERRIBLE due to Denice and Christina. There are so many reasons I could NEVER recommend Wild Basin. Denice & Christina will be sweet as honey to you in the beginning, however once you sign the contract everything changes. See below: 1. Denice recommended we have Jubilations Catering (who did a fantastic job by the way) cater our wedding. I scheduled a food tasting and booked with Jubilations. 3 months before our wedding, I asked for an updated invoice. Without any kind of explanation there was a charge of $2000 more than what we had agreed on prior. Denice told us because we decided to go with Jubilations, who had recently become a "non preferred" caterer, we needed to pay a $2000 kitchen fee. I was never told Jubilations was now a non preferred caterer, in fact, Jubilations catering had no idea they became a "non preferred" caterer- despite what Denice and Christina told me. When it comes down to it there was a problem between the caterer and the venue and we were the ones who were paying for it. Christina told me "all of the other brides are paying it", however I refused to pay the additional money. After countless emails and phone calls, we came to an agreement that I would get a $2000 "discount", however we were still being charged 22% tax on the $2000 because is was taken as a "discount" AFTER the tax was applied. After much back and forth Denice called me and said they would give us a $440 CREDIT (credit here is the key word) to our bar tab to make up for the money- which I agreed to. 2. After our wedding, and receiving the bar tab they would not give me a detailed receipt of all of the drinks ordered throughout the night. I also asked about the $440 refund and Denice told me that I would not receive that refund unless we WENT OVER our bar tab (which we did not). Lesson for anyone going with Wild Basin is to get EVERYTHING in writing. Do not rely simply on conversations over the phone because they will go back on their word. 3. The day before our wedding, I scheduled a time to come in with my family to decorate for the reception. When we came in, Christina was sitting with another bride for a details meeting. Christina turns to me, very sweetly, and asks how I am doing and I respond saying "great!". As I walk to turn away, Christina turns to the bride and says "this one has been a very difficult one", rolling her eyes. It is truly unbelievable to me the amount of nerve it takes to #1. Talk like that about someone behind their back. #2. Talk negatively about me TO ANOTHER CUSTOMER and #3. Do it while 15 of my family members are in the room and can hear and see what you are saying. After being approached by my sister, Christina completely denied saying it, however soon owned up to it and apologized saying it was just a "stressful one". Despite all of this, the lies, the lack of responsibility, the unprofessionalism. I would still never choose Wild Basin. The outside is beautiful, however the inside is very outdated and there is no AC. The reception was extremely hot and they would not let us open the doors because it was chipmunk season. There is also no affordable way to provide transportation to your guests. There is no cell service which makes it difficult to communicate with people. Please, feel free to contact me if you have any questions, my name is Alyson Sliman. read more

General comments: We paid ballpark of $15k for 80 guests. We got married in late August and were very lucky that we had incredible weather. Several days before and after our wedding day were quite stormy. The pros: beautiful deck, beautiful scenery, nice facilities, "all inclusive" cost (sort of, but definitely easier than most venues). Planners were accommodating to special requests like us bringing in special snacks for the bar and treats for the guests. It's cool that they offer yard games (for $80)! The cons: There's no cell service and while wifi is available, it's essentially nonfunctional. Despite being very responsive to e-mails, communication with the staff was at times difficult and often involved guessing what they are asking for. The upper management and planning staff were generally not attentive (no reminder e-mails about upcoming deadlines, no requests for details regarding things they supposedly need to know about, no checking in with you on the day of) and pretty rude (numerous examples leading up to and on the day of the wedding). This left a very negative impression on me and my husband as well as our families which was distracting the day of the wedding. General cleanliness of the hotel rooms and bridal prep room was questionable. For a hotel that does not offer onsite food, fridges in the rooms seems essential (which they do not have). Conclusion: Many aspects of working with them were not easy or pleasant. I didn't feel valued and I certainly didn't feel like they wanted to make me happy (particularly on the day of). If this were a product, I might buy it again only because it's high quality, but the customer service was horrendous. read more

Our wedding at wild basin was absolutely stunning. We felt like it captured the elegant mountain wedding my husband and I imagined without paying resort prices. We took pics at lake Copeland, and the weather somehow cooperated- we had the perfect day in early July when the forecast said rain all week. Todd the bar manager was a delight to work with, as was the service staff, but I'm afraid our wedding coordinator was not. She missed several details we explicitly discussed, and was generally unpleasant to be around both before the wedding and the day of. Several of my bridesmaids and family agreed, and my maid of honor basically did dawns's job both at the rehearsal since dawn was more than an hour late and arrived with Starbucks, and the day of. I highly recommend staying the night in the honeymoon suite, the best is so comfortable and it was nice to be able to store some stuff up there after the wedding! I wish Hawley had been our day of coordinator, it's the only thing that I would have changed. Lovely location and venue overall! read more

I was extremely excited about getting married here. The venue is beautiful and is set in the Rocky Mountains on the St. Vrain River. Christina was easy to work with. So let me just break it down for you and tell you where things went wrong. There was a lot of miscommunications between Christina and Denice that could have landed up costing me several thousand dollars. These miscommunications made them seem very unorganized and made me feel pretty unimportant. It was hard to get return calls back. I felt like Denice the lodge owner was pretty short with me whenever I corrected her about details on my wedding when she had them completely wrong. When I turned in my timelines, they were rarely updated. When we received the final bill, we were charged for items that we were told were part of our package and we were charged higher rates than originally quoted. At the rehearsal we were met by a girl who I was told was my wedding ambassador. She then proceeded to run the rehearsal and didn't let my planner do her job. She ran us through the ceremony one time and sent us on our way. The Morning of the wedding we were given 2 staff members, one was rude and the other couldn't hear so I was having to shout answers at her. They were constantly confused about what they were and weren't providing, which I didn't understand because I sent detailed diagrams showing what I was bringing in. After 2:00pm, besides the servers and bartender, I saw no other workers from the venue including management. Part of our package included private appetizers while my dress was being bustled which finally came out as the dj announced us so we never got to eat them. My brother has a severe gluten allergy so the venue promised to mark any foods that were gluten free which didn't happen. We never received the bread service (part of the package). Another part of our package was a late night snack in our room after the wedding was over and we never received that either. The next morning we got up at 5 and were leaving the lodge at 6am. My bag was super heavy and I was carrying other things so I just let me bag drag down the stairs. The bag started smacking the stairs on the way down so Denice ran out of her office and started screaming at me to stop what I was doing, that I was damaging the stairs and that they were $1,000 a stair to fix. I was a little taken aback. I just thought there was a better way to handle this then to scream at me. When my husband showed up to help with the bag she quickly changed her demeanor and tried to be pleasant to us. The last issue was the week of the wedding we had 9 guests cancel. The venue didn't make those 9 meals and pocketed all of that money. $1,500 is a lot to keep for doing absolutely nothing. I understand if they had to buy the food but I felt like they should have provided some credit especially since they didn't bother making it. We were treated poorly by everyone but Christina. I loved everything about my wedding but if I had to do it again, we would have chosen a different venue. It's a beautiful place but honestly dealing with the staff (everyone but Christina) was frustrating. A lot of things that they did caused a damper on things and created unnecessary stress. read more

We had a beautiful winter wedding at Wild Basin Lodge! We knew we wanted snow in our ceremony backdrop, but we didn't want to get married at a big resort or busy hotel. We spent several weekends searching for the right venue for an intimate, celebratory New Year's Eve ceremony and reception that would reflect our personalities. Once we found the Wild Basin Lodge our search was over! The Lodge offers a warm oasis in the middle of a scenic, snowy, mountain setting. Even better, the staff here went out of their way to make sure we had exactly what we wanted - from fire pits at our outdoor ceremony to amazing food and excellent vendor recommendation, we were able to create our perfect wedding! Our guests still talk to me about how amazing their meal was and even say they talk about it when we're not around. We continue to be thanked for taking such good care of our guests! There are other small details that made our experience special too. The bridal prep room allowed all of the ladies to get ready together before the ceremony and reception made it difficult for us to visit. Our dedicated wedding coordinator, Chelsea, made sure we had the right expectations during our rehearsal dinner and went out of her way to make sure all of the details were just the right. The Lodge rooms were spacious and cozy for us and our guests, and Denise and team made everyone feel comfortable, at home, and like family. Overall, the Wild Basin Lodge gave us the white, winter wedding we wanted in a warm, friendly environment with amazing food and excellent service! read more

This venue is absolutely beautiful, all the guests at my sisters wedding were totally wowed by the location. However, the process of planning the wedding with their site manager/coordinator, Christina, was a total nightmare. She promised my sister that she would be the one running point on the big day, and then 1 month before the wedding she bailed. She told my sister that she had a "once in a lifetime vacation opportunity" over my sisters wedding day. That's fine and all, but when my sister asked to meet with the person who would be taking her place on the wedding day, Christina made my sister feel guilty for even asking and that she was "compromising the integrity of the venue" for asking... really weird. She also enjoys talking smack about the owners to their clients. The venue also uses their military discount as leverage to guilt their brides, and leave a lot of empty promises unfulfilled. Also, if you're going to book here, be prepared to pay for many hidden fees that aren't discussed up front. read more

Wonderful staff and beautiful wedding setting! Everything was perfect and we had a wonderful time! Can not thank Denise and staff enough- exceptional service, organized, professional, friendly, and so easy to work with! Thank you!!! read more

Our wedding was held there just a few days ago and everything superseded our expectations. So many people told me it was the most beautiful wedding they've ever been to. They are so accommodating and willing to help with any questions or concerns!!!! The FOOD was outstanding. So amazing. They were even able to add a veg meal last minute. My family and friends even raved about the service and personalities. Also, We didn't even need to buy or worry about decor because they had everything for us...vases, wood slabs, candy bowls, candles...you name it! It was beautiful! I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend this venue. The price is reasonable, the food is delicious and the scenery is outstanding!!!!! Thank you so much Wild Basin for being the greatest! read more

We were married during peak fall colors and the venue and property was beautiful. We'll keep the rest of our comments to ourselves.

Beautiful setting and great staff!!! My fiancé, myself and our guest enjoyed everything that day! They bridal coordinators were great and very friendly! Very good communication and easy to get a hold of. The only thing I would recommend is clarify what exactly is included with their packages and how that all works ahead of everything. That being said we loved our wedding there and would recommend it to anyone wanting the mountain wedding experience !!! read more

Wild Basin Lodge - Wedding ceremony sight! - Hotels Near Me - Allenspark, Colorado

Of all the vendors that I worked with in planning my August 2012 wedding in the Estes Park area, the Wild Basin Lodge was- hands down- the best. The staff was extremely responsive to emails and phone calls; they were helpful, detail oriented and down to Earth. They really thought of everything and acted as the day-of coordinators, and the entire day went off without a hitch. Our guests raved about the food (the in-house chef is a culinary mastermind) and the venue. It is elegant, cozy and intimate and highlights the natural beauty of Colorado with mountains, rivers, and aspen trees in its backdrop/on site. I can't say enough positive things about my experience with the Wild Basin Lodge- from the first time we saw it, to the tasting day (come hungry and bring friends...it is SOO fun!) to the wedding weekend itself, we were in safe hands at the Wild Basin Lodge. They are top notch. Our only challenge in having our wedding there was securing ample accommodations for our ample out-of-town friends and family throughout the area during high season. The Wild Basin Lodge has only 6 rooms, and we had a lot of out-of-town guests in for the event. We ended up renting an entire Bed & Breakfast and 5 cabins in Allenspark (all very close to the Wild Basin Lodge), putting friends and family in two other hotels in Estes Park, and coordinating transportation between them all. In the end it paid off because everyone stayed in venues which suited their budgets and needs, then felt at-home at the Wild Basin during our wedding day and again at morning-after breakfast. I loved my experience with them and would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a classic yet one of a kind Colorado wedding. read more

Attended a wedding over the weekend and had a great time. The location for the ceremony so beautiful the meadow, the mountains, the stream wonderful. The room, food and entertainment was great read more

My fiancé and I fell in love with the Wild Basin facility and were very excited to hold our wedding and reception their. The owner was extremely hospitable PRIOR to contract signing and portrayed herself and her facility as warmly accommodating, promising us an extended Classic menu options list. This extended menu list was a deal breaker for us as the representative menu in their brochure was very limited and we specifically asked the owner if there were additional options to choose from at the Classic rate for which we would be booking. She stated that she did indeed have an extended menu at the Classic rate available to us. Based on this promise, we were ready to sign the contract. When we called Wild Basin in order to contract with them, we reiterated that the contract was contingent upon this extended menu being provided with our contract. We were assured that the extended menu would accompany our "event plan" via email immediately AFTER we signed the contract and gave her the deposit. We signed the contract in good faith and gave Wild Basin our deposit. We were then emailed back the signed contract to us WITHOUT the extended menu after our payment/deposit was processed. We emailed Wild Basin to let them know that the extended menu was not included with the email response and "event plan" as promised. After multiple email exchanges they admitted that they had not been "clear". My fiancé and I discussed our dismay with the botched communication but decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. We contacted the owner and again requested the extended Classic menu options. She informed us that she would have to go through years of menus to provide us this extended menu and that it could take weeks for her to come up with one. She also suggested that we think about what we order when we go out to eat and present it to her. The owner's response indicated that this extended Classic Menu which had been promised to us appeared to be nonexistent. It also illustrates that she may be very resistant in accommodating clients, preferring to put the burden on the client. We were surprised by an email from her the next day in which she made sure to tell us that she had to come in hours early in order to provide us with a menu and attached it in the email. The tone of her email, which one might infer as passive-aggressive, left us very discouraged. The attached menu contained items that we recalled seeing on the ENHANCED menu/contract rate and which would cost us additional money. I emailed her and asked her if the items on the menu were ALL Classic menu options as agreed, to which she replied no. At that point, and within 48 hours of contract signing, we decided enough was enough, and cancelled the invalid contract with her as it was not a contract under state law due to the above (and below) mistakes and misunderstandings. Additionally, the brochure she handed us prior to contract signing included a photo of the upstairs "Copeland Room" with round wood tables, and a descriptive statement above the photo which read, "Upstairs in the Copeland Room, elegant wooden tables and magnificent views highlight another reception area at the lodge." The Copeland Room was the room we were booking for our reception. When we spoke with the owner about how excited we were about these beautiful round tables, she informed us that it would be $500 extra for the use of these tables. This despite the round tables being clearly depicted both in photo and description as native to the Copeland Room. After cancelling the contract with her, the next step was to file a dispute with the credit card company, but before doing so we called her in an attempt to amicably resolve this matter. Our first call/voicemail was not returned. So we tried again the next day, were able to get her on the phone, made certain that we calmly and cordially explained our situation, why we expected our deposit back, and how we must protect our interests and would like to give her the opportunity to make things right. She laughed at my fiancé and told him that we would never win a dispute. This woman, the owner of Wild Basin, who had been so warm and gracious before contract signing, was no longer so once the contract was signed. We did everything we could to make it work, but we recognized that if there was this much confusion and miscommunication within MINUTES of contract signing, that things were not likely to improve. The owner's follow up communication justified our impression of her, which propelled us to cancel our date with Wild Basin. Wedding planning is already a stressful time for any couple, and we were very disheartened by the behavior of this establishment. We are now forced to pursue every available option in order to recoup our significant losses from Wild Basin. fyi: READ THE FILTERED REVIEWS at the bottom of the Yelp page. Unfortunately, there are additional reviews which will confirm this behavior. read more

We got married there last weekend and everything was PERFECT! It was a totally stress free day for me. They had everything so under control that there wasn't anything for me to worry about. They were so helpful and responsive to anything we needed. My grandfather (who is in a wheelchair) was very thankful to their staff. They made sure that everything was easy for him and my grandmother. In the months leading up to the wedding they were wonderful too. They always responded to my e-mails within 24 hours, usually by the end of the day. They were so flexible and helpful. I could not imagine a more beautiful or professionally run facility. read more

I would agree with previous review. We were booked during Sept flooding and after 3 days of no communication dues to phones - internet down they tried to say they were open for business for an event the next day. The National Guard and police even had check points going up to Estes Park. You tell me how you can claim to schedule a wedding in that situation. All paperwork and terms very legalistic with initials and signatures on every detail. Book at your own risk and read reviews on all sites. read more

My husband Chris and I looked at a number of venues when we were engaged, and Denice at Wild Basin immediately stole our hearts with their extreme organization, personal devotion, and VERY full glasses of wine. Denice and her husband run this venue in exactly the way you'd expect two engineers with multiple advanced degrees to run any organization: the whole outfit is efficient, orderly, dependable, and precise while retaining the invaluable personal touch and loving attitude that we wanted when planning and experiencing one of the most important days of our lives. Our wedding was essentially picture-perfect from beginning to end, with mother nature providing us a beautiful two hour window of dry weather and misty clouds (made for lovely photos) during our ceremony on a rainy day (but not to worry; Olivia, our cool-headed and thoughtful coordinator, and Denice had about a dozen contingency plans for foul weather and were fully prepared to change one, some, or all aspects of the plan at a moment's notice as the situation demanded). After hearing stories about our friends' weddings with small things being overlooked, time tables falling apart, flowers getting ruined or guests not getting to eat, we were doubly grateful for the graceful and (though I'm sure appearances are deceptive, seemingly effortless) practiced art of time management, guest-herding, food service, vendor coordination, and staff communication. We were able to eat, drink, enjoy ourselves, dance, visit our guests, AND be fully present on the wonderful day we worked so hard to make possible. As I (the bride) was in charge of much of the planning, I particularly appreciated the instantaneous communication and responses from the lodge on any day of the week. The only time there was a lull was when they had another wedding and they were--as they were for us on our own wedding day!--fully devoted to that task. We truly felt like our wedding was their priority at all times, though they do more than 300 a year and ours was probably smaller than the average. We also stayed the night in the honeymoon suite at the Lodge, and while I'm certain having the full wedding party or family there in the available rooms would be great fun, we enjoyed the solitary splendor and mountain quiet after a wonderful but exhausting day--highly recommended. Though there were many individual efforts and personal choices that went into our wedding, we feel certain that WBL contributed substantially to the exclamation we received from just about every guest: "This is the BEST wedding we have EVER attended!" read more

I can understand why some might feel this place is a touch expensive but when you consider all that you get you might think it is totally worth it. Wild Basin is there for you from start to finish. They will make your event run smoothly and wonderfully. They have a staff that is very knowledgeable in weddings and offer great direction. Their food is delicious and crowd pleasing, their location is out of this world and the service they provide is awesome. Please consider this place if you are looking for a mountain wedding. I got married on 9/16/11 and I don't have a single complaint from that day. They let us have a DONKEY at our wedding (always outside of course) and allowed us to do a uniquely "us" wedding. If you want to have a worry-free, gorgeous wedding this is the place for you. :) read more

We had an amazing experience at Wild Basin Lodge. I was not a bride that was super excited about planning all the details of our wedding, however that wasn't a problem. They helped with almost all the details and for the ones they didn't cover they had vendors that they recommended. Which were very pleased with except for a situation with our photographer - but that is a different yelp. I know that their budget numbers were outlined to the specifics and the only thing that was up in the air was the total for the alcohol but that was an understanding from the beginning. The atmosphere, staff, food, decor, and the amazing venue were worth every penny. I would highly recommend them to any person looking for a mountain wedding. Not only were my husband and I overjoyed with the experience, but we have had many compliments from our family and friends at what an amazing wedding and time was had by all. read more

best food at the Wild Basin Lodge & Restaurant

My family, husband, and I cannot stop talking about Wild Basin Lodge and how PERFECT it was throughout our entire wedding experience. First, the venue is beautiful, inside and out. They give you full use of their property for photos the day of the wedding, without restriction. We chose to have our ceremony at the river amphitheater, but were still able to wander out to the meadow to take photos. We have countless emails to and from the WBL staff - they are always prompt and professional, and oh-so flexible! Denice, Dana, and Tiffnie were always over-the-top helpful and caring about our needs, especially on our wedding day! I did not stress about anything (even when we found out we didn't bring our sand ceremony supplies - they had one at the lodge, in our wedding colors!). The pricing was comparable to other similar venues, and the big bonus is that they provide the food. So there is no separate venue/catering costs, it's just a straight per-person fee for reception/food. And their food is phenomenal. We had chicken and steak served family-style (best idea ever!), and we had guests asking for seconds (especially on the mashed potatoes). Anyway - BEST. WEDDING. VENUE. EVER. My family will not stop talking about it, and I can't stop thinking about it. HIGHLY recommended!! read more

I got married there and all of my friends and family refer to our wedding as a fairly tale wedding!! The scenery, the staff, the FOOD were unbelievably AMAZING!! I couldn't have asked for a more spectacular and no stress wedding! They took care of everything! This place is the BEST!!!!!! read more

The Wild Basin Lodge is an absolute slice of heaven! There is so much I can say about it: --The mountain location is spectacular and we knew immediately it was where we wanted to get married. At the river ceremony site, the sound of the water replaced the music for our ceremony and it made for a perfect setting. --The lodge's staff is incredibly attentive, friendly, and very prepared. Their attention to detail, timeliness, and experience made the day worry-free. --The food was absolutely wonderful, and the chef received a standing ovation from my guests! --We used one of their package deals, and we didn't have to worry about hiring any vendors. The vendors they provided (flowers, cake, photographer) were amazing to work with and everything was perfect. Wild Basin is the all-around perfect place to have a wedding! read more

Wild Basin is beyond amazing, from the gorgeous venue to the helpful staff. We were literally greeted with open arms and their dedication, warmth and graciousness continued. We live out of state and the WB team helped make the entire process seamless. The food was delicious (we chose brisket and fried chicken from the bbq meal selection) and all of our guests raved about the food and how kind all of the staff were, many said it was the best meal at a wedding they've ever had. Our wedding was perfect and it was all due to the Wild Basin, their team and recommended vendors. The Wild Basin team have become an extension of our family and we are truly lucky to have found them as it is a rarity to find a place so genuinely caring and supportive in helping to make your dream day come true. Thank you Denice and team!! read more

Wild Basin Lodge and Event Center is absolutely phenomenal! From start to finish, my husband and I were impressed with every single aspect of the the venue, staff, food, views, and accommodations. Not only are the views and venue exactly what we were looking for, but the staff is so incredible we don't have words to explain what they did for us and mean to us. Denise and her wonderful staff are so willing to accommodate every wish to the best of their ability. They made sure our wedding was everything we wanted and much, much more! We have nothing but amazing memories and gratitude for Wild Basin and the awesome staff. Denise even saved us from stress and averted a cake catastrophe from another vendor. We cannot thank her enough! My husband and I cannot express how amazing this venue is for a stress-free, beautiful, memorable wedding. We got nothing but compliments from all our guests about the atmosphere, food, and Wild Basin staff (from the owner, to the bartender, and our amazing waiter). They made our day truly special with memories to last a lifetime! read more

Overall the venue itself was amazing. I had 2 friends who had there weddings here. When I got engaged in January, I didn't hesitate to pick Wild Basin for the wedding reception. I was so excited and my fiancé at the time was as well. The tour was great and the people helping us seemed friendly and willing to work with us on some details. A month before our event, my fiancé and I broke up. I called Wild Basin to cancel the wedding. The lady(the wedding planner) was EXTREMELY rude and asked bluntly WHY we wanted to cancel. I told her that my fiancé and I were parting ways and needed to cancel the event. The lady then said "Well, you owe the balance of the bill". I was shocked. No "I'm sorry". no "what can we do to help?".. How could a person be so insensitive to a vulnerable time like this? I wanted to cry. She stated that in the contract that we sign that we were to pay the remainder if we were to cancel within a month of the event. I will say that we planned this wedding extremely fast but it did not call for all this rudeness and insensitivity. I told the lady we would call her later. I called the next day and spoke to a very understanding male worker. I told him that there were things on the bill that were just estimates and were just to give us an idea of pricing. I didn't feel that we should pay for things like the DJ meal and food that wasn't even going to be prepared. He was super sweet and said he would give the bill to his supervisor and would work some thing out. I mentioned how rude the planner lady was and how horrible she made me feel for cancelling. He apologized multiple times but I wish the lady apologized. They cut my bill by a couple hundred dollars but I shouldn't have paid at all. The wedding planner lady was super insensitive and had no empathy towards me, my ex fiancé, or our matter. I love the place, but the staff could be worked on. I am very disappointed in the service and my next event will be taken some where else. I will definitely be recommending friends else where as well. read more

My husband and I got married at The Wild Basin Lodge 6 years ago. The staff was so accommodating and helped in our preparation to make our day beautiful. Their suggestions on who to use for flowers and cake were spot on and the meal the Lodge prepared was outstanding. Last weekend, my husband and I decided at the last minute to venture to Estes to see the beautiful fall colors and wanted to stop by to see how Wild Basin looked. We were greeted right away and, to my surprise, were remembered! In spite of there being a wedding event taking place that day, we were allowed to take our walk (as long as we stayed incognito) and enjoy the beautiful river and solitude. Wild Basin - thank you so much for maintaining the hospitality and warmth we remembered from day one! We look forward to coming back! read more

A beautiful setting but best for small weddings, maybe less than 60 people. The food was great, but severely understaffed-- the staff worked to a frazzle and all the accommodating promises disappear for any detail outside their routine. Use only their suggested vendors and do not plan to stay there. The rooms are not for relaxing and you are asked to leave by 9 am even if you have the bridal suit. What could have /should have been wonderful, deteriorated over a few days as the staff struggle to stay afloat with too many events too close together. read more

My daughter's wedding was at Wild Basin Lodge a few weeks ago and I can't imagine that it could have gone more smoothly. The location is incredible, set in the forest right next to Rocky Mountain National Park with beautiful a backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. It's obvious that the lodge is a labor of love for the owners. The staff was incredible! Every detail planned and executed. The food was delicious. Highly, highly recommend Wild Basin Lodge. read more