I Was Intimidated by Planning My First Chilly-weather Trip — however This Montana Lodge Exceeded All My Expectations

Whenever you consider Montana, it’s possible you’ll consider rustic ski lodges, not an intimate chalet of luxurious lodging with a employees that is aware of you and your loved ones by identify. Whereas I used to be at first intimidated by planning my first cold-weather vacation spot trip, waking as much as beautiful views and having our total journey itinerary deliberate from begin to end took away all reservations.

Our keep at Sage Lodge fully reworked our journey to the American West. It was an unforgettable and unparalleled expertise, together with plush lodging, the perfect meals we have ever had, and a luxurious chauffeured safari tour with black-car service all through Yellowstone Nationwide Park.

Sage Lodge opened simply earlier than the pandemic began in 2020,however has since turn out to be the last word Montana luxurious ranch resort, a one-stop vacation spot for vacationers who need the benefit of an all-inclusive journey within the American West and nothing missing in between.

Once we reached Paradise Valley, I instantly understood the identify. Whenever you arrive, you’ll be able to inform you’re about to expertise one thing particular as quickly as the enduring view of the Emigrant Mountains greets you from the lodge’s two-story atrium, the place you’ll be able to examine in, dine, or chill out.

This resort challenges you to discover and revel in. Encouragement is in all places, from the s’mores kits for the hearth pits to the lengthy checklist of included resort facilities and rental gear. We by no means felt like we needed to be backcountry specialists as a result of the employees was prepared to assist at each flip. With simply 50 visitor rooms, it was clear that our expertise could be completely different and extra intimate than another luxurious resort we have ever stayed in.

I’m satisfied that that is Montana’s best-kept secret. Right here is my full assessment of Sage Lodge.

The Rooms

Sage Lodge is a boutique lodge with 50 visitor rooms in the primary lodge, in addition to free-standing ranch homes supreme for bigger household gatherings and group journeys. The rooms are plush and comfy, which is precisely what one would anticipate from a Western lodge getaway.

Visitor rooms vary from 400 to just about 700 sq. ft, sleeping round 4 friends comfortably. Loos are spacious and spa-like, with walk-in showers and a soaking tub good for soaking or enjoyable after a day of journey. Every room gives a gasoline fire, supreme for conserving heat on chilly Montana nights, and walk-out patios or home windows with beautiful views of the encircling mountains. There’s no flawed reply, no matter which room fashion you select.

The free-standing ranch homes make this property the right multi-generational getaway or group journey paradise. They supply all of the comforts and luxuries of the primary lodge visitor rooms with more room and facilities, comparable to non-public rooms and bogs for as much as 16 friends. As well as, they’ve a completely outfitted kitchen and customary areas for household leisure.

Meals and Drink

Eating at Sage Lodge is a part of the expertise. Two on-site eating places provide rustic Montana fare, in addition to in-room and on-the-go eating companies.

Elements are sourced domestically the place attainable, and I had the perfect steak I’ve ever had at The Grill, an informal steakhouse. The meats are house-aged and arrive from native ranches, the veggies are grown within the backyard, and native beers are served on faucet.

The fireplace room is positioned proper in the primary lodge atrium. It’s open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, and the chef has designed a menu that provides consolation meals for any style bud or choice.

Actions and Experiences

Actions and experiences at Sage Lodge are the true promoting factors for first-time Montana vacationers. The resort has an unbelievable tour coordination staff that gives friends with a printed calendar of every day on-site actions.

On-site actions range based mostly on the season and vary from fly fishing lessons to wine tastings and on-site guided climbing trails to luxurious guided safari excursions of close by Yellowstone Nationwide Park in a personal SUV black automobile service with a private tour information. First-time guests to Montana might really feel overwhelmed by the expertise of visiting a chilly climate vacation spot for trip and need assistance deciding what actions are proper for them, particularly when touring with kids. Nonetheless, the Sage Lodge staff considers your pursuits when planning your journey itinerary. Many iconic Montana outside actions are provided proper on the property, which leaves friends feeling immersed within the mountain life-style with out leaving the consolation of their resort.

For a relaxed day on the property, there are numerous “at your leisure” actions, comparable to board video games, nighttime stargazing, crafts, and extra.

The Spa

Regardless of outside exercise being such a big a part of what makes the Montana expertise, rest and rejuvenation is among the high priorities at Sage Lodge. The spa at Sage Lodge is positioned on the primary ranch property, with trendy facilities and iconic mountain views. The pure setting invitations calm and peace, supplying you with a really transformational expertise no matter your spa bundle or service. The identical “native” mentality is carried all through the resort, with spa packages just like the Yellowstone River rock therapeutic massage remedy utilizing domestically sourced stones in the course of the remedy.

They provide distinctive spa packages you can not obtain anyplace else, together with wellness companies tailor-made to your particular wants, from whole-day experiences for thoughts, physique, and soul to power wellness packages. Property friends also can reap the benefits of the spa at a reduced fee by reserving a spa move to entry the lounge, saunas, and soaking areas.

Household-friendly Choices

Not solely are kids welcome at Sage Lodge, however they’re additionally celebrated with choices tailor-made to their pursuits.

Along with many of the 30-plus on-site expertise choices being appropriate for all ages, the Sage Lodge Junior Rangers program encourages kids to discover and check out new issues. Complimentary guidebooks and challenges permit kids to earn Junior Ranger badges for the actions they full. The journey calendar printed every day may have the dates and instances for scheduled actions, permitting you to plan your schedule to take part with your loved ones prematurely.

Top-of-the-line on-site actions that we took benefit of as a household was the portray class. For a further price, households can use the inspiration of the mountain views to be taught portray strategies from an area artist.

Household-friendly actions included in your resort price are: snowshoeing, mountain trivia, crafting, biking, and extra.

Accessibility and Sustainability

Sage Lodge gives a number of ADA-compliant rooms that adjust in measurement and configuration. All accessible rooms embody roll-in showers, accessible bathrooms, seize bars, sinks, and extra. All public areas and rooms provide braille and tactile signage, and customary areas accommodate wheelchair accessibility. The intimacy of this resort lends to the look after vacationers with accessibility wants. The employees could be very accommodating and comfortable to fulfill any wants or requests talked about when reserving or at check-in.

Location

The lodge is positioned in Paradise Valley, Montana, a rural location roughly an hour from Bozeman Worldwide Airport. Renting a automobile is important for the one-hour drive, however with scenic views of lovely Montana, this fast drive will make you immediately fall in love with the state. If driving within the snow makes you anxious, reserving a shuttle with one of many lodge’s most popular companions could also be a greater choice. Reserving this service prematurely is so simple as calling the concierge.

Whereas there aren’t any native actions inside strolling distance of the ranch except for the choices on the property, venturing to native Yellowstone Nationwide Park can also be straightforward. Reserving your non-public or group safari tour with the Sage Lodge staff or renting a automobile and paying for a Nationwide Park move are nice choices.

How one can Get the Most Worth Out of Your Keep

Provides and offers at this lodge are ever-changing, however bundle offers usually embody spa reductions or Champagne breakfasts. Additionally, in the event you’re a spontaneous traveler, your flexibility is rewarded with reductions of as much as 20 p.c off.

American Specific cardholders additionally get pleasure from unique charges and advantages. As members of the American Specific Wonderful Motels + Resorts assortment, the lodge gives Platinum cardholders a $100 on-site credit score for experiences, eating, or the spa, in addition to a free room improve upon arrival.

Lastly, make sure you seize the reminiscences. This lodge is iconic, and your keep deserves to be documented. For a price, on-site pictures is on the market to seize your expertise on the property. Make the most of this service as a souvenir to protect the reminiscence of your expertise for years to return.