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

Once 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 complete 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 very best 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 develop into the last word Montana luxurious ranch resort, a one-stop vacation spot for vacationers who need the convenience of an all-inclusive journey within the American West and nothing missing in between.

Once we reached Paradise Valley, I instantly understood the identify. Once you arrive, you’ll be able to inform you might be about to expertise one thing particular as quickly as the long-lasting view of the Emigrant Mountains greets you from the lodge’s two-story atrium, the place you’ll be able to verify in, dine, or calm down.

This resort challenges you to discover and revel in. Encouragement is in every single place, 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 every other 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 resort with 50 visitor rooms in the principle lodge, in addition to free-standing ranch homes superb for bigger household gatherings and group journeys. The rooms are plush and comfortable, which is precisely what one would anticipate from a Western lodge getaway.

Visitor rooms vary from 400 to almost 700 sq. toes, sleeping round 4 friends comfortably. Loos are spacious and spa-like, with walk-in showers and a soaking tub good for soaking or stress-free after a day of journey. Every room affords a gasoline hearth, superb for holding heat on chilly Montana nights, and walk-out patios or home windows with beautiful views of the encompassing mountains. There’s no mistaken reply, no matter which room model 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 principle lodge visitor rooms with more room and facilities, akin to non-public rooms and loos 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 supply rustic Montana fare, in addition to in-room and on-the-go eating companies.

Substances are sourced domestically the place attainable, and I had the very best steak I’ve ever had at The Grill, an off-the-cuff 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 hearth room is situated proper in the principle lodge atrium. It’s open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, and the chef has designed a menu that gives 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 group that gives friends with a printed calendar of day by day on-site actions.

On-site actions fluctuate based mostly on the season and vary from fly fishing courses to wine tastings and on-site guided mountain climbing trails to luxurious guided safari excursions of close by Yellowstone Nationwide Park in a personal SUV black automotive 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 group 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 way of life with out leaving the consolation of their resort.

For a relaxed day on the property, there are various “at your leisure” actions, akin 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 likely one of the high priorities at Sage Lodge. The spa at Sage Lodge is situated on the principle 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’t obtain wherever 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 may also make the most of the spa at a reduced charge by reserving a spa go 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 a lot 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 enable kids to earn Junior Ranger badges for the actions they full. The journey calendar printed day by day may have the dates and occasions for scheduled actions, permitting you to plan your schedule to take part with your loved ones upfront.

Among the finest 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 study portray methods from a neighborhood artist.

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

Accessibility and Sustainability

Sage Lodge affords a number of ADA-compliant rooms that change in dimension and configuration. All accessible rooms embody roll-in showers, accessible bathrooms, seize bars, sinks, and extra. All public areas and rooms supply braille and tactile signage, and customary areas accommodate wheelchair accessibility. The intimacy of this resort lends to the take care of vacationers with accessibility wants. The employees may be very accommodating and completely satisfied to satisfy any wants or requests talked about when reserving or at check-in.

Location

The lodge is situated 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 gorgeous 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 possibility. Reserving this service upfront is so simple as calling the concierge.

Whereas there are not any native actions inside strolling distance of the ranch other than the choices on the property, venturing to native Yellowstone Nationwide Park can be straightforward. Reserving your non-public or group safari tour with the Sage Lodge group or renting a automotive and paying for a Nationwide Park go are nice choices.

Get the Most Worth Out of Your Keep

Gives and offers at this resort are ever-changing, however bundle offers usually embody spa reductions or Champagne breakfasts. Additionally, when you’re a spontaneous traveler, your flexibility is rewarded with reductions of as much as 20 % off.

American Categorical cardholders additionally get pleasure from unique charges and advantages. As members of the American Categorical High-quality Lodges + Resorts assortment, the resort affords Platinum cardholders a $100 on-site credit score for experiences, eating, or the spa, in addition to a free room improve upon arrival.

Lastly, be sure you seize the reminiscences. This lodge is iconic, and your keep deserves to be documented. For a price, on-site pictures is accessible to seize your expertise on the property. Benefit from this service as a souvenir to protect the reminiscence of your expertise for years to come back.