Around the winter holidays, you expect to hear about celebrities and VIPs flocking to tropical destinations like St. Barts. While some did make it to the beach, a lot of folks opted for something a little more unexpected: dude ranches.
For example, supermodels Lily Aldridge and Martha Hunt (who also happen to be Taylor Swift’s besties), chose to ring in 2017 at the
The Ranch at Rock Creek
in Philipsburg, Montana, Two Broke Girls actress Beth Behrs spends a lot of her free time out on the range, and Gwyneth Paltrow took a mini road trip recently to some fancy homesteads like
Triple Creek Ranch
in Darby, Montana for some Goop recon. So, why the sudden cowboy chic boom?
“An extraordinary natural setting right here in the western United States, a wealth of activities, and pretension-free service are why guest ranches are the next luxury getaway,” Brooks Bradbury, general manager for the Home Ranch in Clark, Colorado, told Condé Nast Traveler. Larry Lipson, owner of
The Resort at Paws Up
in Greenough, Montana agreed saying, “The demand for this type of luxury experience evolved from the fast growing interest in experiential travel. When you stay on a ranch, you get closer to the land, animals and mother nature. You get to experience first-hand a business and a way of life that’s over a century old and a cornerstone to America’s culture and history.”
Greater interest in domestic and multi-generational family travel has also contributed to the growth of luxury ranches. Plus, many of the ranches function on an all-inclusive structure serving up exquisite meals and offering a plethora of activities, which means all guests have to do is show up and enjoy.
Spots like the Ranch at Rock Creek feature all the makings of an authentic Western getaway, with 6,600 acres of rugged Montana wilderness, horseback riding, fly fishing, archery, and even an authentic rodeo, while also providing rooms with top-of-the-line linens and stone fireplaces, chef-created meals, and spa treatments like the ‘Saddle Sore Soak’. Similarly, the Home Ranch is situated on 4,000 acres of private land, boasts log cabins with views of the Rocky Mountains, offers activities like mountain biking and dog sledding, and is the only Relais & Châteaux-designated ranch in Colorado.
At the Resort at Paws Up, instead of providing guests with a room in a rustic lodge, they offer 28 private homes and 30 palatial safari-style tents complete with personal butler and chef. After a day out on the range, guests return to gourmet cuisine, decadent spa treatments, hand-carved furnishings, and amenities such as flat-screen TVs, in-home laundry, heated bathroom floors, organic spa products, and hot tubs. Oh, and did we mention this is all situated on the very grounds where Lewis and Clark once walked?
Western-inspired comforts, world-class cuisine, and secluded accommodations normally akin to five-star resorts? No wonder this type of vacation is Gwyneth-approved.
Originally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler
Credit: Source link
