Aspen Lodge at Estes Park Ranch Resort, Estes Park

My husband and I were married at Aspen Lodge Ranch Resort in May and we were very pleased with all aspects of the wedding. Amber, the Wedding Coordinator is outstanding and does a terrific job. The food was delicious. The staff was very friendly (except for Paula, the Manager who I found to be rude via phone and e-mail although she was fine once we arrived). Aspen Lodge is a rustic ranch experience and a quiet, relaxing getaway. The lodge itself is very beautiful and the cabins are quaint. The beds are comfy. The wildlife is abundant. The horseback riding was awesome. My entire family had a fantastic time and we hope to return again.

We took advantage of the lodge's Christmas package and had a wonderful time. The staff were friendly and helpful. We stayed in the lodge and the bed was the most comfortable I've ever slept in in all my hotel stays. This is not a 5-star hotel. There are horses and hay and ice skating but it was great and very conducive to families spending the holiday together. There was always hot coffee, hot chocolate, fires in the fireplaces and beautiful Christmas trees and the food was absolutely outstanding. The staff took time to talk with us at meals and in the lodge's lobby. Our room was cleaned well everyday. There are no TVs so I recommend folks bring games to play. There was a huge room behind the lobby with a fireplace, a fabulous view of the mountains, and lots of tables and chairs to play games or work jigsaw puzzles. The sleigh ride with the Belgian Draft horses was lots of fun. We definitely hope to return again.

We paid a wedding rate of $139.00/night for 4 nights for a room in the lodge. Though the staff were generally polite, they were either too few of them or they were not sufficiently trained. Housekeeping, for instance, routinely forgot to replace bath mats, toilet paper, or cups, and items on the complimentary breakfast buffets were not replenished quickly enough. Further, a wake-up call was an hour late (though the others were on time). One of the casement windows did not open, and the ceiling fan worked only on the "high" speed. Friends stayed in a cabin (built in early 50s), which, as one reviewer pointed out, was filthy and outdated. Our lodge room (lodge remodeled in 80s), though, was pretty clean. Phone service our room was poor, but we were permitted to make free calls from the front desk. My wife enjoyed the horseback-riding tour, and the bride/groom (and we) were happy with the staff's work at their on-site reception. The pool was nice (8 feet deep), though the hot tub was a bit dated and dingy looking. (Both were open 24 hours). As one reviewer noted, the rec room was dated and cluttered. Though we felt we should have gotten more for our money (shame on us for falling for the wedding rate w/o first checking Yahoo! Travel), we found the experience acceptable, esp. given Aspen Lodge's very close proximity to Estes Park and RMNP.

The view and the staff are amazing. They do have some construction going on the property. THe main lobby is beautiful and our lodge room was wonderful with no TV's it was a perfect place to get reaquainted with nature and those that you love. The General Manager down to the sports center attendatnts were just awesome we were at the resort in June and you can tell things are changing for the better there. Had a great time. Horseback riding into the National Park was amazing. The activities and Views make this place the one you want to visit in Estes Park if you want something off the beaten path and with what you came to the rocky mountains to see and do.

Was on this property July 2007 -- looks like managment has decided to let "things go". Broken/worn tractors, cars and bus on the property. Room smelled musty - a/c didn't work. Shower looked either filthy or stained. Maintenance man was pumping sewage on the grass when we walked by the pool. Recreation room left LOTS to be desired. Game room was not available for kids - games were piled up in corner and someone was sleeping on the couch. Workers "dorm room" was open -- empty beer bottles everywhere along with pieces of clothing. Manager understood when we told he we were not staying. Did not have any meals so we cannot speak to the food but for the money --- definetly not worth it.

Well, the a/c is out in my room, it's July. Thankfully, the windows open-even though that increases noise. There is no tv, the phone barely works, the bathrooms are shabby and need updating badly, I'm a bit afraid to take a shower in there...I had to move a side table and unplug the alarm clock to make an outlet available as there are no others in the room. The location is good there is a lake nearby, a trail, just 10-15 minutes from the Rockies, very near downtown and a fun drive to get to.

I thought that the staff was very pleasant, the facilities were very clean, and the amenities were both convenient and great fun. Compared to other ranches in the area, this one is very affordable. It is also nestled quietly above Estes Park and away from the crowds. You can stay at the resort and enjoy yourself, or travel a few miles down the mountain and mix with the crowds. The dining was very convenient, but could have used some improvement. The only other thing that would have made the scenery better is a location beside a river.