Dawn Ranch

Foliage around the property is beautiful; meals, although very very expensive, are good and high quality

The room was clean and quiet, the bed comfortable. The little cabins are super cute, the one we stayed in was very small. Location was easy to walk to the main street, even in the rain. They had nice umbrellas to borrow. Only removed one star for the rude and unclear spa receptionist. She made us feel uncomfortable and like we were inconveniencing her. Overall the rest of the stay was good.

Beautiful location, rooms are nice. Restaurant food is absolutely amazing

TLDR: This isn't great getaway place to just chill, get a spa treatment, and hike.

Went here for a surprise getaway with my girlfriend, and I have to say the property is designed to allow you to relax.

Each room is separate and is cabin-style, and I couldn't hear another person on the property.

The room was incredibly clean, the staff was super friendly, and in the spa area, they have this amazing relaxation room that I'd highly recommend. I stayed there for a while just reading my Kindle and enjoying the complimentary tea.

One thing I'd like to see changed is the sauna. It's a red light sauna, which is trendy, but it doesn't get that hot, so it wasn't my cup of tea. That did not detract from my experience, though; I really liked this place.

The overall experience was fine. Location is one of the most gorgeous places in norcal. The cleanliness is 5 out of 10 but the cabin was comfy and cosy.
The only issue we had was an extremely impolite spa receptionist. It was shocking and disappointing.

nice property but cabins have very thin walls and are designed to be aesthetically pleasing but not terribly comfortable - chair was not comfortable at all so there was no where to sit other than the bed, bright light from the AC/heater unit kept 2 heavy sleepers awake, and walls were so thin we were able to hear our neighbors talk the entire time. pool and hot tub area were small but nice. enjoyed the free bikes for check out. enjoyed the free games but they were definitely run down, missing pieces, and stained. staff at front desk were friendly and helpful, lots of communication via text which we liked but may not be for everyone. variable hours on the fire pits. wifi did not work in our room and service was not good in the area either - understand they are trying to offer a less technology tied experience but was frustrating to have no wifi despite it being "available" on the property.

had breakfast on property one day - order at the counter, self seat, and they bring food to your table. really enjoyed the almond croissant. did not particularly enjoy the salmon toast unfortunately - large thick piece of chewy rye bread (I am a big fan of bread but it was an overwhelming amount) and overall not much flavor, was $18 for one piece of toast, I understand smoked salmon and other local/organic ingredients are expensive but the flavor did not live up to the price. again was very aesthetic though.

The Cabin and spa

Absolutely incredible! We held our staff Christmas Party there and had the best time. Food was incredibly delicious and the property and feel of Dawn Ranch felt like a retreat. I would highly recommend

We used to love visiting Dawn Ranch—so much so that we celebrated my husband’s birthday here when it first opened. Unfortunately, the experience has gone downhill. Prices have increased while the quality of service has noticeably declined.

Cabins:
The cabins are small and very close together. In ours, the wood near the shower was visibly rotting. While the design is charming, it’s clear the structures aren’t holding up well over time, especially with issues like mold and rot becoming apparent.

Service:
We visited in November, when there’s naturally less to do onsite due to the weather, which we expected. However, the entire yard area was taken over by a large wedding tent. If you’re staying in the Sycamore or Redwood cabins, your view is essentially a plastic event tent.

Coffee in the morning was $4 a cup plus a 20% service charge—something they ask you to approve while ringing it up to your room, which felt awkward. At least have complimentary hot coffee in lobby for your guests given the steep resort fee charges.

On our last day, I went to get two coffees and pastries because the in-room coffee bags were terrible, and it took 40 minutes due to a line out the door. They’ve switched to a café-style service with numbers, but the staff seemed undertrained and the system clearly isn’t working.

Food & Drinks:
The food itself is excellent, but the service doesn’t match. Cocktails were also inconsistent—some were great, while others tasted unbalanced or poorly made. It feels like the property is putting all its energy into chasing Michelin-level dining while the rest of the guest experience suffers as a result.

We also booked “bar seating” through OpenTable because we wanted access to the à la carte menu, but the listing is misleading. “Bar seating” meant being seated outside, not at the bar. It was 40 degrees out, and we never would have booked that option had it been clear.

Sadly, we won’t be returning.

I wish I could say something positive about our stay, but it was truly awful. For $544 a night, I expected comfort, cleanliness, and professionalism. Instead, we were met with a series of disappointments from start to finish.

After booking, we were told the restaurant would be closed, and on the day of check-in, we were informed the hot tub was also closed. When we arrived, we found the restaurant taken over by a wedding, complete with a DJ blasting music until 10 p.m. The cabins are packed tightly together and sit right next to the main road, so between the DJ and the sound of road noise, it was impossible to relax.

The worst part was the condition of our cabin. It was tiny, dark, and smelled strongly of mildew. The mini split on the wall was full of black mold inside the vents, and the bathroom had mold on the ceiling panels, between the shower tiles, and along the floor. This is absolutely unsafe for guests, especially children or anyone with respiratory sensitivities. It’s also completely unacceptable given the rates they charge.

There are plenty of far better options in the area, including The Stavrand and the Farmhouse Inn, both of which are immaculate, comfortable, and well-run. I would never recommend Dawn Ranch to anyone. It was one of the worst hospitality experiences I’ve had in years.

I dont have enough words to describe how perfect our stay at Dawn Ranch was. Everyone was extremely friendly, accommodating, and attentive. We had the best time exploring the grounds and taking a yoga class. If you are a foody THIS IS THE PLACE TO GO. We talked about how good the food was for days after. The location is dog friendly and there was plenty of space for our furry friend to run around and enjoy herself.
Do yourself a favor and go to Dawn Ranch, you wont regret it!

What an exceptional property. It’s an experience unlike others as you can really connect with nature. From the Russian river to the redwood trees, it’s a healing experience. I just hope this doesn’t get so popular that we can’t get a room.

Dawn Ranch is a gorgeous property — beautifully designed, relaxed, and quintessentially Northern California. It’s a wonderful place for families (we had a 3 yo and 5 mo baby) who want to enjoy a peaceful, nature-filled getaway together. The river access is easy and safe for kids, and the wide open lawn is perfect running, playing, or simply soaking in the beautiful setting. The cabins are stylish yet comfortable, and the whole atmosphere feels serene and restorative.

That said, while it’s great for families, it’s not particularly family-centered. There are no kids’ menus, no special children’s programming, and few amenities specifically geared toward little ones. It’s more of a “bring the kids along” destination than a resort that makes them a top priority.

By contrast, if you want a place where kids are truly front and center, Carmel Valley Ranch is hard to beat. It offers a similar NorCal casual-chic luxury vibe, but with a much stronger family focus — from the welcome packets for kids to the Nuna strollers, cribs, and high chairs, plus kids’ menus and a full lineup of family activities.

In short, Dawn Ranch is perfect if you’re after a tranquil, design-forward retreat that still works beautifully for families. But if you want a stay where kids are the top priority, I think Carmel Valley Ranch delivers that experience with ease.

We were really looking forward to our stay at Dawn Ranch, but unfortunately it was a very disappointing experience.

When we arrived, our room was not clean — there were visible dirt spots and surfaces that hadn’t been wiped down. Overnight, we woke up to bugs all over the couch, pillows, and walls, which made it impossible to relax or sleep comfortably.

The air conditioning didn’t work, and with how warm it was, that made things even worse. To top it off, there was a dog barking all night from a nearby neighbor’s property, and we could also hear the freeway traffic constantly, so it was never quiet.

We also tried to enjoy some of the property amenities, but even that was stressful — my mom’s bike brakes completely stopped working during the ride, which was both dangerous and unacceptable for a resort at this price point.

We wanted to love this place because the location is beautiful, but between the bugs, noise, poor maintenance, and lack of cleanliness, this was not a relaxing or comfortable stay at all. I hope management takes these issues seriously because the property has potential, but right now, it’s far from the peaceful getaway it claims to be.

Overall, our stay at Dawn Ranch was enjoyable. However, there were a couple of disappointments that took away from the experience.

At check-in, the staff mentioned there were 2 pools on the property but didn’t mention that the main pool was closed. It wasn’t until the next day, when we asked where it was, that we were told it was “closed for maintenance.” When we walked by, there was no sign of any maintenance work happening. It felt misleading, and our impression was that the pool was actually closed to provide privacy for a nearby wedding, which was frustrating as paying guests.

On top of that, the bartender was very rude — abrupt and dismissive in a way that stood out compared to the otherwise friendly staff.

It’s a beautiful property and we still enjoyed our time, but the lack of transparency and poor hospitality in a few moments left a sour note on an otherwise lovely stay.

Great service, fantastic facilities

Everything