Hotel Spotlight: The Resort at Paws Up
“On the Big Blackfoot River above the mouth of Belmont Creek the banks are fringed by large Ponderosa pines. In the slanting sun of late afternoon the shadows of great branches reached from across the river, and the trees took the river in their arms. The shadows continued up the bank, until they included us.”
The three hours I spent
horseback on sage covered pastures are what I came for. My studded cowboy boots coated in a light layer of dust, frayed horse reins sliding through my hands as I tried to steer my new friend J.D. towards the 800-pound Corriente cows I was learning to push to the next pasture. A true cattle drive. The sensation of the experience and smoke laden mountain views competing for my attention. This is what I came for. To experience my home state of Montana in a new way, an authentic way, and in return, share the details with those of you searching for your own ways to experience Big Sky Country.
During our annual July trip to Montana, my husband and I snuck away for a few days to check off a bucket-list item: a stay at a luxury guest ranch in my home state. As with locals anywhere, some of the touristy experiences (like roughing it at a ranch) aren't the things I did growing up. Unless you grew up on a ranch, you weren't spending time roping cattle or saddling up for a morning ride. But this experience has been calling my name as it blends two of my favorite things (Montana and fine hotels), and The Resort at Paws Up is the property I've had my eyes on for some time.
A paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and seekers of the untamed West, The Resort at Paws Up is a luxury ranch retreat set in the heart of The Last Best Place. From trail rides and chuckwagon dinners to fly fishing and rappelling, the activities offered across the property's 37,000 acres hold the keys to an authentic ranch adventure, while luxury accommodations and world-class dining welcome you with open arms at the end of the day. It's the perfect marriage of "incomparable luxury and unspoiled wilderness" (as Paws Up likes to say).
If you listen closely,
the land longs to whisper it's fabled past to you. Winding along the property is the Blackfoot River, whose wild beauty is outshone only by its legendary history as a transportation corridor to Nez Perce, Flathead and Blackfeet Indians, as well as Captain Meriwether Lewis who followed the river on his return trip from the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Its waters are revered as some of the best for fly-fishing in the West, and played the starring role in A River Runs Through It. And as my home, this land feels like it is a part of me, and my goal for our stay was to soak up as much of it as possible, so we booked a tent in River Camp, which sits on the banks of the Blackfoot.
Our two-bedroom safari-style tent was not your average "glamping tent" thanks to the fact that it was true luxury camping (that term is liberally used and not all glamping tents are created equally). As the original resort to coin the term "glamping", Paws Up's tents are outfitted with king size beds, artwork, electricity, and hot running water and heated floors in the ensuite bathroom. A rustic-chic retreat that allows you to connect with nature without sacrificing comfort. A stone's throw from our tent was the camp dining pavilion, where we found ourselves starting and ending each day, enjoying meals prepared around seasonal, local ingredients. Each campsite had its own pavilion, kitchen and chef, serving up made-to-order breakfasts and camp-wide dinner selections like elk kabobs, smoked salmon crostinis and huckleberry mules. Shared only by guests in the camp's six tents, our meals were quiet and peaceful, allowing us to be swept up by our surroundings. Glamping isn't for everyone though, so the resort also offers beautiful log homes perfect for large groups and families (complete with fireplaces, hot tubs and use of a Lexus personal vehicle), and has a traditional restaurant that is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner if that sounds more enticing. Or, a popular option with guests is to split the week between tent and home.
Without question the highlight of our stay was our time spent on various excursions through the Wilderness Outpost, and I have come to believe this is the ultimate reason to choose Paws Up for a dude ranch vacation. As a working cattle ranch, the resort offers hands-on experiences not found at your typical ranch, including wrangling the horses as day breaks to driving cattle (as we did) from pasture to pasture. With authenticity at the core, the daydream of being a ranch hand feels tangible. There’s also a go-kart track, aerial adventure park, hot air balloon rides, paintball course, rifle range… Let's just say countless adventures for every member of the family in all seasons (yes, even winter). On top of the extensive activities offered, the resort fills its seasonal calendar with workshops, an abundance of culinary experiences and evenings spent around the campfire with musical guests and chefs flown in from around the country. These standout amenities have garnered the resort highly-acclaimed press and awards, and are what made Paws Up the must-visit ranch resort for this Montana girl.
Which brings me to my next point…
Is Paws Up Worth It?
To be honest, it’s complicated
Read through reviews I've written of hotels and resorts around the globe and you'll be hard pressed to find negative or nitpicky comments, as I prefer to highlight a properties strengths, and to be completely honest, there's usually very little bad to say! In fact, many of the properties I spotlight have exceeded my expectations! That doesn't mean they aren't honest reviews. But as a reader, I want you to know you can trust me. Vacations are costly, both from a financial and time standpoint. If I'm highlighting a high-end property I feel confident that it's worth the money and you'll have an amazing time there too!
With that said, I’ve sat on publishing my review of Paws Up for a few weeks now, writing and rewriting numerous times, as honestly, it’s not the review I had anticipated writing prior to our stay. The truth of the matter is that while our stay at the property was amazing on some levels, it also had its fair share of disappointments. I have written drafts that clearly spell out each shortcoming in an attempt to be entirely forthcoming with you as a potential guest, but have decided to simply say this: my disappointments with Paws Up are directly tied to the level of quality and service provided relative to the nightly rate.
I never discuss in my reviews how much we spend on hotel rooms. I figure if you as a reader are curious enough about a property, you can easily find out for yourself how much a stay will cost. Paws Up has positioned itself at a price range that creates an expectation of near perfection (or even magic). The service and the small details that set truly great properties apart were not evident during our stay, which I’m confident saying as we have stayed at properties around the globe that Paws Up would be grouped in the same category with in terms of accolades, amenities offered and price point. Unfortunately, Paws Up fell far behind these comparable properties.
Some of the issues we encountered
- from discovering a very unclean toilet (to put it politely) when we checked in to our room, to numerous issues with scheduling and communication for activities and transportation - were so out of nature for a resort of this caliber that I found myself constantly giving them the benefit of the doubt simply because I couldn’t grasp how overlooked some aspects felt. I kept saying to Greg, "Maybe we're just unlucky and every other guest is having a much different experience". I’d also like to say I'm very aware that many businesses are facing staffing challenges in the current environment, and have grace and understanding if some of these shortcomings were tied to a situation that is beyond the resort’s control.
So, why do I say it's complicated? It's complicated because the bones are there. Unbelievable location and scenery? Check. Delicious food? Check. Authentic and unique activities? Check. It is all right there. Everything you need for a once-in-a-lifetime, high-end, dude ranch experience. But (for us at least) it was missing that je ne sais quoi that takes a bunch of great individual elements and turns them into something truly special. But it just kinda fell flat. If you've already booked a stay, you're going to have a great time! And if you have been considering Paws Up, please don't rule it out based solely on this! I believe it's a great property and think it's likely you may have a nothing but positive experience. Given the price, I simply can’t say (even though I so badly wish I could!) that this is the once-in-a-lifetime vacation that you must take, and want to be forthcoming about our stay. If you have questions about the property or would like to know more about our experience, I’d be happy to share.
