Mount Shasta as a destination is close to the idea of paradise, & Mount Shasta Ranch is an unforgettable experience that makes you smile in that warm nostalgic afterglow, akin to having experienced something magical, something that goes missing in our sterile, clinical, busy lives.
The stars of the show are Kris and David, who are some of the warmest hosts you will have the privilege of meeting. David welcomes & shows you around the property, like a proud father who delves into the rich 100 year history of this beautiful carriage house. While Kris truly completes the magical experience, with her masterful cooking, elegance and attention to detail.
We have stayed in many B&B's around the world, however Mount Shasta Ranch has exceeded our expectation. It didn't feel like staying in a commercial establishment, but the care, attention and love felt more like staying with family (without the drama :-) ).
Stay: You have the option of staying in the main house (highly recommended, if available), or the back house (which is a great experience in itself). However, waking up in the main house to the magnificence of Mount Shasta's gleaming peaks reminds you how nature has chiseled beauty to perfection. It's a deeply spiritual experience, feeling the energy of the mountains. The rooms are well appointed, clean, beds are comfortable, WiFi is solid, bathroom is clean and the water is as fresh as it gets.
Breakfast: Simply calling it a breakfast is to do Kris and the culinary experience, injustice. It's a 3-course gourmet affair that blends fine dining & comfort food. What makes it special is that Kris and David cater the breakfast to your dietary preference, whether you are keto, vegan, gluten-free, allergic to everything, or all that and more. We experienced the 3-course breakfast across the 3 days of the labor day weekend, and I am happy to recall, fondly, that the breakfast was dangerously delicious, every single time. I do not know how Kris managed to cater to so many discerning guests and their preferences, but somehow she managed to create culinary magic for each one of us (we spoke to other guests who were in awe of the experience). Sitting outside, in near perfect weather, watching the magnificent mountains, sipping some hot coffee and orange juice, and eating such delicacies as poached pear, chia pudding, handpicked blackberries from the garden, potato wedges baked to perfection that dance with caramelized garlic and mushrooms to create that crisp umami texture and flavor, decadent pastries that feel closer to Paris than America, chickpea potato and kale bowls with toasted sour dough bread, You can tell that Kris does not compromise, and uses simple but fresh ingredients, in inventive ways, to transform the ordinary into something extraordinary.
There's decent coffee and tea with a variety of dairy and non dairy creamers. There's always sangria, white & red wine in the refrigerator, that go well with the delectable cookies that Kris bakes every day.
Location: Ideal. You are 2 minutes from downtown & being on the other side of the highway, you get the peace and quiet that lets you enjoy nature at its purest. There's ample parking, we even saw someone park their boat.
Entertainment: TV in your room, WiFi to power your streaming desires, while the main house has a games room, with ping pong and pool tables, and over 25 board games.
While Kris feeds your soul, David helps you get the best of the destination. He helps you plan your day to cater to your needs. We wanted to experience the outdoors, and he made us an itinerary that saved us many hours of planning. Ask him for recommendations.
If you are craving a magical experience a couple hours drive outside of the bay area, Mount Shasta Ranch is the place to feed your soul. We can't wait to plan our next trip in winter.
Tip: Instead of booking the wrong room on a travel site (Ex. no view), consider calling Kris and David directly, or book directly on...
Read moreAbsolutely, dreadfully dissatisfied. Please do not spend your money here. I urge you to find another place to stay. I am normally not one for posting negative reviews but here it goes…||I was the bride of a recent wedding at The Ranch. My mom and I met with Chris and David many times before the big day to nail down details with them. They were decently pleasant to deal with. However, Chris was very judgmental when I stated, multiple times, that my fiancé and I were staying at another location the night before our wedding and the night of. She asked me about 5 times and each time I felt extremely judged, it was our choice we made together.||It just got worse and worse from there. Chris, the wife and owner, the very first conversation we had was her bellowing at me because I was using the main bathroom in the lodge. That bathroom was for “guests only and I was not to use them”. I informed her that I was the bride and she acted incredibly fake after that. I was the bride, my family paid to use the venue and I felt extremely disrespected. From there, I was afraid of how she was going to treat my guests.||Her husband, David, put his hands on my dad when they were trying to discuss an issue with the parking. There is not enough parking for a wedding so I tried to make arrangements to have guests park next door, as instructed by Chris, but the property switched ownership in the middle of it. To say they were less than helpful during an already stressful time is an understatement.||My mother in law let me know that when she called to book the rooms and to check in, Chris, had a terrible attitude and she had a bad taste in her mouth from the whole interaction.||They let us in early so we could set up, but once they started picking at us. They wouldn’t stop. They refused to turn off the sprinklers for their precious lawn stating that “it would turn brown overnight”. False. They just wanted to put a wrench in our plan. David, was less than understanding and an absolute hindrance the whole way. Once the wedding was over, they again turned the sprinklers on and everything was wet when we were trying to get out.||I am not even mentioning the endless attitude they gave my wedding coordinator and catering staff. I am actually an event coordinator, my mother is a well known caterer and we both have never interacted with venue owners quite like this before.||I strongly believe they called for a DUI checkpoint to sit right out front of our wedding, however I cannot confirm.||I could go on and on and on. I have many more examples of bad interactions that I heard from my guests. It felt truly embarrassing that we chose this place.||I truly have not interacted with quite such wicked and truly evil spirited individuals before. They were actually the only stressful part on my wedding day. I truly wanted it to go so differently, however, they were absolutely unreasonable and I would hate to see anyone spend their money to stay here or have their special day here.||The venue is absolutely stunning and it breaks my heart that these disgusting individuals own such a beautiful place. With joy, I say that our wedding was absolutely gorgeous and everything we dreamed of despite these awful people doing their best to ruin it.||Again, absolutely evil and malicious. Do not give these people a penny or an ounce...
Read moreAbsolutely, dreadfully dissatisfied. Please do not spend your money here. I urge you to find another place to stay. I am normally not one for posting negative reviews but here it goes…||I was the bride of a recent wedding at The Ranch. My mom and I met with Chris and David many times before the big day to nail down details with them. They were decently pleasant to deal with. However, Chris was very judgmental when I stated, multiple times, that my fiancé and I were staying at another location the night before our wedding and the night of. She asked me about 5 times and each time I felt extremely judged, it was our choice we made together.||It just got worse and worse from there. Chris, the wife and owner, the very first conversation we had was her bellowing at me because I was using the main bathroom in the lodge. That bathroom was for “guests only and I was not to use them”. I informed her that I was the bride and she acted incredibly fake after that. I was the bride, my family paid to use the venue and I felt extremely disrespected. From there, I was afraid of how she was going to treat my guests.||Her husband, David, put his hands on my dad when they were trying to discuss an issue with the parking. There is not enough parking for a wedding so I tried to make arrangements to have guests park next door, as instructed by Chris, but the property switched ownership in the middle of it. To say they were less than helpful during an already stressful time is an understatement.||My mother in law let me know that when she called to book the rooms and to check in, Chris, had a terrible attitude and she had a bad taste in her mouth from the whole interaction.||They let us in early so we could set up, but once they started picking at us. They wouldn’t stop. They refused to turn off the sprinklers for their precious lawn stating that “it would turn brown overnight”. False. They just wanted to put a wrench in our plan. David, was less than understanding and an absolute hindrance the whole way. Once the wedding was over, they again turned the sprinklers on and everything was wet when we were trying to get out.||I am not even mentioning the endless attitude they gave my wedding coordinator and catering staff. I am actually an event coordinator, my mother is a well known caterer and we both have never interacted with venue owners quite like this before.||I strongly believe they called for a DUI checkpoint to sit right out front of our wedding, however I cannot confirm.||I could go on and on and on. I have many more examples of bad interactions that I heard from my guests. It felt truly embarrassing that we chose this place.||I truly have not interacted with quite such wicked and truly evil spirited individuals before. They were actually the only stressful part on my wedding day. I truly wanted it to go so differently, however, they were absolutely unreasonable and I would hate to see anyone spend their money to stay here or have their special day here.||The venue is absolutely stunning and it breaks my heart that these disgusting individuals own such a beautiful place. With joy, I say that our wedding was absolutely gorgeous and everything we dreamed of despite these awful people doing their best to ruin it.||Again, absolutely evil and malicious. Do not give these people a penny or an ounce...
Read more