Reviews

Joel Giffin

I stayed one night at Saddle Mountain for business. I could not have been more pleased with the charm of the campground and the hospitality of the staff. I’ve read some reviews about prices being high. Yes, the prices are higher than your typical roadside campground, but the location is elite. I would have paid double at a basic hotel nearby, and quadruple(or more)at one of the Carmel Resort hotels. It’s a one of a kind experience in a prime location. If you get the chance, take a short hike through the forest at the top of the property and you’ll get a spectacular view of the Valley and the Pacific Ocean. WiFi worked fine for me and the cabin was suitable. I wish I would have had more time to sit near one of the fire pits and enjoy the beauty of the property. I did have a short lunch meeting under the gazebo, but I could have spent days there relaxing. I got to talk to Julie in the office and a couple of others. I got the sense that they truly care about providing exceptional guest service. I didn’t encounter any issues, but if I did, I truly believe they would have gone out of their way to make it right.

Michiel Teunissen

The price is setting certain expectations which were not met. What we did not expect for 150USD per night. - a cold swimming pool. - very small spots with views to parked cars. - old showers/toilets. - gravel spots. If it would have been 50USD-70USD it would have had 5 stars review.

catherine C

I have been camping for many decades all over, this is the worst campsite I’ve ever been to. It seems like someone took what was a lovely neighborhood location and tried to eek every inch out for a profit. All the sites are on top of each other, the tent sites are just driveways that make you put your tent on one side so cars and people can go through your tent site at any time. They do not enforce their dog off leash or noise rules, and the showers and bathrooms are not separated by gender, so as I had my child washing his hands at the sink we could hear a couple in the shower together on the other side of the wall. Do not go here for peace and quiet or a nature experience, it’s in a neighborhood, so leaf blowers, emergency vehicles, and motorcycles can be heard through the day and night. The worst part is they don’t let you choose what site you’re reserving, so we arrived and they gave us the size we reserved away, then said they had no sites left, so they over booked sites and didn’t follow through on what you reserve. We had to put our 2 car and 10 person reservation into a 2 person no car spot, then gave us no option to cancel and no option for a refund when we didn’t fit, then tried to upsell us $300 more for a site that wasn’t any bigger. Half of us drove from San Diego and the other half from Oregon, so we couldn’t just go home, and they did not give us any other accommodations. Terrible experience. You also cannot buy from the office store, you have to put the charge on the card of the person who booked it. They seem to have slapped a fresh coat of paint on and put some decor up to lull you into thinking it’s a nice place, it’s a hustle with poor management trying to make a buck. In addition, your response to my review is a bald-faced lie and lousy attempt at redeeming your poor response to your failure to secure our reservation. Instead of trying to protect your image with words, just do a better job taking care of your patrons. Still waiting for that refund you supposedly offered, nice try!

Michelle Runge

This is the best of all camping worlds. You can bring an RV (small) or tent camp OR if you don’t own a lot of equipment you can glamp in a huge beautiful tent with beds or in a little cabin. Very large, clean pool, lots of hiking trails and close to Carmel Valley sights as well as Carmel by the Sea and Monterey. The valley is typically sunny and warm. This is a very well run and clean park. Lots of amenities including gorgeous gas fire pits to share in addition to grill, fire pit and picnic table on each site No wood burning, only wax logs like duraflame but those are very easy to find and they sell them onsite too. It feels a bit safer with those because you are surrounded by trees so it’s a tiny nod to safety. We appreciate that.

Stephanie Booth

We recently visited for a few nights with our young child and two dogs. We had such a blast! Love the amenities like the playground and pool, the tents are amazing, views incredible, and the fenced in yard was so handy for our pups. Everyone was very helpful and welcoming as well. Will be back again soon!

chuck burch

Went To Join A Family Member In Celebration Of Their 50 Birthday Party 🥳! Me And My Wife Decided To Take Advantage Of The Available Spot To Camp, For The First Time In Years! Enjoyed Every Amenity, Available! Including The Available Showers, And Trails. I Even Checked Out My Family Member's Cabin! Extremely, Impressive! Perfect For A Traveling Family! Though, the Kitchen Is Pretty Small! It's Doable! The Facility Even Had A Well Equipped Playground, Which My Nephews And Nieces Took Advantage Of. For Those Bringing Their Pet, They Do Have A Nice Grass Area For Your Dog Or Puppy To Relieve Themselves! Speaking Of, Did Get In A Bit Of Trouble For Bringing Our Pet Puppy To The Swimming Pool Area! Informed By The Office That No Pets Are Aloud In That Area. Didn't Notice Any Signs, Indicating This Policy! Just Be Aware, If One Is Being A Puppy Or Dog 🐕! Nice Hidden Treasure, In The Carmel Valley Hills!!

Kevin McGarry

Hello, I am saddened to hear the response my wife got regarding our stay this past weekend. I have been camping in many more rural areas than Saddle mountain for 30+ years & have never experienced rats climbing on my tent before. Squirrels are not nocturnal animals like rats are. There were also rodent traps in our site and I’d doubt anyone would put those out for squirrels. This is unacceptable and this situation combined with the propane fire pit not working is a failure on saddle mountains part. I understand that we stayed Friday but I would like a refund for Saturday night.

Chana Schames

My husband and I stayed at Saddle Mountain RV Park last week and had such a peaceful and relaxing experience. Our trailer is about 29 ft, and there were several spacious spots available that could easily accommodate it. The directions and instructions for getting there were clear, and the ease of booking online made the whole planning process seamless. Julie at the front desk was incredibly helpful when we checked in and even helped me grab a lounge chair from the pool area (which was unfortunately closed for the season while they prep for summer--but still looked lovely!). The setting itself is absolutely beautiful--tucked into the trees with great views and a quiet, laid-back vibe. It felt like a hidden gem, yet it's just a short drive from Carmel-by-the-Sea and other stunning coastal spots. There are grocery stores and restaurants within walking distance (we did the roundtrip walk twice--about 4 miles total), but they're also easy to reach by car. One of the highlights was the ~4.5 mile hike on the property. It has a good set of switchbacks and climbs about 800 ft in elevation, leading to stunning views of the ocean and Carmel Valley. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Our RV site was clean and surrounded by nature, with just enough privacy and space to feel comfortable. The hookups worked great, and the campground overall was very well maintained. We also appreciated the communal bathrooms and showers--they were clean and well-kept. Both my husband and I used the men's and women's facilities one evening and had a great experience. The staff were friendly, helpful, and incredibly accommodating. Drew, the property manager during the day, was warm, easygoing, and super helpful. The camp host, Gage, was also great--chill, easy to talk to, and just an overall lovely presence around the campground. Just a heads-up for future guests: the road into the campground is a bit narrow and steep in spots, so take it slow if you have a larger rig. That said, it's totally manageable and 100% worth it once you're settled in. All in all, we really enjoyed our stay and would absolutely come back again. It's the perfect blend of rustic charm and convenience!

Beth Madison

Staying at campsites rather than boondocking is my new hobby and I have never paid so much to stay in one. I have to say it was worth every cent. In fact, I returned an extra day I was so enchanted. The layout is clever, carving campsites into the side of the mountain, many of which have beautiful views. The private hiking trail is delightful. The facility is adorable. They created all kinds of lovely hangout spaces. The desk staff were super friendly and helpful. I can't say enough good things about this lovely and charming campground.

Adrianna Spangler

We stayed here at Saddle Mountain in our camper for quite a while and absolutely loved it! Beautiful grounds, wonderful office staff, camp hosts and maintenance crew, very accommodating people and just a great place to park for a bit. Recent upgrades to the exit making it less scary for bigger rigs as well. Would highly recommend!! Loved our time here!!!

Sarah Provence

I recently stayed at Saddle Mountain Ranch with my husband and 3 children, and unfortunately, it was a disappointing experience. We rented cabin 8 for two night and our cousins rented cabin 9. Overall, the property is very small and hard to navigate or park especially with a larger vehicle. The hills there are pretty steep, and we just so happened to be there in the rain, so they were incredibly slippery. Check in was pretty smooth, but beware you have to arrive before 8 or no one can help you. On our second night, we arrived late at night (9:30pm) and no one was in the office at that time. All the parking was taken. It really felt like a safety hazard, especially for families or anyone with mobility issues. I found the cost of renting a cabin to be extremely exorbitant. Additionally, the cancellation policy is pretty inflexible. If you need to cancel your trip, you will be charged a steep fee. The hosts were another letdown. They were far from welcoming, which created an uninviting atmosphere. They seemed more focused on enforcing their strict rules than offering any help or hospitality. Every little thing felt like it was under scrutiny. From how we parked our car to how our children were playing, we were made to feel like we were breaking some unwritten code if we weren't following their exact instructions. It quickly became clear that relaxation was the last thing on their minds. Lastly, the policies at this campground are overly strict, making it feel less like a vacation. It was difficult to truly unwind and enjoy the outdoors when it felt like we were constantly being monitored. We even checked out early due to the strict policies. Overall, this campground has the potential to be a nice place if it weren't for the dangerous terrain, unwelcoming hosts, and stifling rules. Unfortunately, it didn't allow us to relax or enjoy our time in nature. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone looking for a laid-back camping experience. Thankfully, our experience at the Carmel River RV resort down the hill was the complete opposite. My in-laws rented an RV space there, and thankfully we were able to go enjoy that property for the weekend. The camp hosts were more than hospitable and welcoming. Based on the other negative reviews of this place I’m expecting some sort of snarky reply to my review, blaming me and my family for any issues we experienced.

Patty Hoyt

Very serene and the air of seclusion, being apart from others, is perfect. Definitely well kept. Everything is in perfect order. Staff is very helpful. We stayed in our trailer but the cabins and tents for rent are luxurious. Would definitely stay again. Access to an amazing hiking trail with superb views is such a huge bonus.

Jared Stansfield

Good rv park. Difficult to drive up to it. Restroom and showers are open to the elements, except a couple by the pool.

Alexander Batishchev

Are Pets Allowed? Yes. We are a pet-friendly. Pets are allowed in camping area and in your RV. No pets allowed in cabins, gazebos or luxury tents. What means pets are not allowed actually. Disappointing.

Vera Alexander

Picked this place to tent camp but was disappointed as pictures make it look much better than it is. And for tent camping it’s expensive! Camp spots on top of one another and hard dusty spots with small parking areas that are hard to get in and out of. The closest facility was a decent walk down long step hills - not fun in the dark so driving down advised. Bathroom areas outside, so it’s cold to wash up and no hot water. Went to use bathrooms near office but power wasn’t working down there and no one seemed to know how to fix it. The cleaning staff always seemed to be in the way too. Busy standing and talking in the bathrooms so we couldn’t use them half the time. Overall experience was ok but wouldn’t come back.