If you want to get away from it all, I mean really get away, there can't be too many places better to go than Echo Valley Ranch & Spa - "a spectacular western adventure, a superb sanctuary of first class accommodations, healthy gourmet food, complete spa services, and an enriching diversity of outdoor recreational activities." Owners Norm and Nan Dove bought this secluded ranch as a second home ten years ago and never left. They originally envisioned just friends and family visiting but it has evolved into a high-end dude ranch complete with a well-equipped spa. I got there by means of owner Norm Dove's private plane. I left by car because of bad flying weather. The plane is much quicker, but there is a lot to be said for the scenic drive.

East-Meets-West 

The ranch is a true East-meets-West experience. 

The Eastern influence is strong. Nan Dove is Thai. Many of her staff are also Thai. Many design elements in the spa are Thai including the treatment room for Thai Massage. The highlight of the Thai influence is the new building, Baan Thai, which was designed by Dr. Pinyo Suwankiri, architect to the Thai royal family. When complete, Baan Thai offers a complex of two Thai houses - one a luxury suite and the other a spa treatment room, a pavilion and an entrance gate, all surrounding a tiled courtyard on the upper level. On the lower level, there is be a fitness center and high-tech corporate meeting room with a capacity for 40. At the time of my visit, Baan Thai was not open yet. It was close to completion - the furniture was there, but the floor tiles were not completely down and the staircase was not in. 

The Western influence is obvious. This is a working cattle ranch. There are real cowboys (and girls...Is there a pc term for this?). On the day I arrived, they had found a horse mired in a bog. All hands helped to get it out. The horse was tired but ok and the guests got a kick out of helping. The lodge is a classic "old west" log structure. Many of the buildings have been decorated by local aboriginal artists with wall murals and wood sculptures. 

As in many places in Thailand, the custom at Echo Valley Ranch is to remove your shoes before entering a building. I recommend bringing along clogs for walking around the ranch. Putting on and taking off my sneakers was a pain in the neck.

The Spa

The spa is housed in a separate three-level building. It has a lovely relaxation area with a mural of stampeding horses above a large picture window providing stunning views.

There are a number of treatment rooms including couples, Thai, and a hydrotherapy suite. There is an 36'x16' heated indoor pool, outdoor Jacuzzi, steam showers, and fitness area. The sauna is located in the main lodge.

There are currently five Thai estheticians working at the spa and living on the ranch. The spa offers a variety of treatments including Thai and Western massage, facials, hydrotherapy, pedicure, manicure, and more.

I had a Thai massage (my favorite). Neta, my therapist, had been trained at Wat Po in Bangkok and had worked in Le Meriedian in Bangkok and Chiva Som in Hua Hin, Thailand before Nan invited her to work at Echo Valley. It was a great massage - just like being back in Thailand! 

The fitness area with its exercise equipment will be moving from current location in the lower level of the spa building to the lower level of Baan Thai when the building is completed. The new area offers a bamboo floor, exercise area where there will be yoga classes, and wonderful panoramic views.

Accommodations

There are a number of accommodation choices at the ranch. I stayed at the "Dove Lodge" in one of the six bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and spectacular views. The lodge is constructed of large logs that are over 100 years old. Four of the bedrooms have outside balconies. Dove Lodge has an informal dining and sitting area, games room, sauna and outdoor hot tub.

Ranch cabin has two bedrooms (one with four poster bed), large loft, two separate bathrooms (one with large Jacuzzi tub), large sitting area and private deck

There is a charming romantic cabin with a four poster bed, fireplace, sitting area, private deck with its own outdoor Jacuzzi hot tub.

Two cabins have a private bedroom, four piece ensuite bathroom with Jacuzzi tub, sitting area with loft and private deck.

The "Lookout Lodge" has nine large bedrooms all with four piece ensuite bathrooms, including bathtubs and spectacular views. Four bedrooms have lofts. Most bedrooms have king-size beds that can separate into two double beds. The lodge has two common sitting areas and outdoor decks that surround the building. Four of the bedrooms haveoutside balconies, two have outside patios.

The "Baan Thai" complex is of traditional Thai architecture and symbolic of the "West meets East" spa theme at Echo Valley. The penthouse Baan Thai suite is appointed with teak furniture from Thailand including a four poster king size bed. The four piece bathroom features a Jacuzzi bath tub and steam/ jet shower. There is a private pavilion and across the courtyard from the suite is the exclusive "Baan Thai spa"

Dining

All guest dine in the Dove Lodge. Chef Kim Madsen offers a wide variety of delicious food at each meal. The ranch offers the Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type diet option which subscribes to the belief that different foods are beneficial or harmful depending on the person's blood type. This means that Chef Madsen addresses the needs of all blood types - potentially four completely different meals at one sitting. Following the diet is not mandatory. However, if you are interested in trying the diet and don't know your blood type, the ranch can test it for you. The meals are served buffet style on a bar that separates the kitchen from the dining area. Meals are eaten at a large communal table.

 

 

 

Activities

Spa Director Mehraneh Mehr is also the activities director at Echo Valley. There are a wide selection of activities to choose from: horseback riding and lessons, work on the ranch as a cowboy, hiking, white water rafting, gold panning, bird watching, falconing, fly fishing, spa-ing, and winter sports like cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, sleigh riding, and ice fishing. The activities at the ranch are loosely organized. You decide what you want to do and see when they will be offering it during your stay. 

I signed up for a morning horse-back ride. My previous experience horse back riding was on nose-to-tail trail rides. It was what I thought I had signed up for. I didn't realize we would be rounding up cattle. Echo Valley groups everyone by riding ability (1 beginner - 3 very experienced). I was asked how experienced a rider I was (not very), and they thought I would be fine for the ride. Surprise! This was a real cattle round up with horses that have a mind of their own. The horse I was assigned to, Gem, knew I didn't have much experience riding and was determined to let me know he was the boss. We walked. We trotted. We galloped (a first for me). I didn't have control over any of it. Frankly, I was out of my comfort zone. The others in the group were all experienced riders. One of them offered to switch horses with me. Once I got on Shadow, the ride improved immensely. However, I had had enough. When they brought one group of cattle in, I stayed. The others took off looking for more. This was the real thing. This is what cowboys do. Yeehaw!

While I was in the saddle, one group had gone off on a jeep tour and another group headed for a long hike to a mountain top. It will be the jeep for me next time!