Tanque Verde Guest Ranch

If you are an experienced rider, SAVE YOUR MONEY; you will be VERY disappointed with their parody of trail riding. First of all, TVGR misrepresented themselves in telling my husband and I that (as previous guests that were returning within a one-​year period) we would not be required to retake the lope test. The old bait & switch! It was not until we checked in that we were told «sorry, our policy has changed.» At first, this did not seem like too big a deal since both of us had passed on the first attempt in Feb. of 2105 and we reasonably expected the test to be just a minor inconvenience.
As background, I am an Arizona native that has been riding Western (in addition to English, Dressage and POLO!) alone in the desert (loping and-​gasp-​galloping) by myself since childhood (since I was 6 years old; for 44 years). My husband, (who ironically is English) on the other hand, has ridden all of ten times in his entire life and admits he has barely a clue what he’s doing. Well apparently, we all need to sign up for lessons from him because he passed on the first time and I failed twice. I refused to take the test a third time and give the twisted barn manager a chance to fail me again after it became quite clear that there was nothing I could do to pass.
TVGR says they are extra diligent because «safety, safety, safety, yahta, yahta, yahta,» but the ultimate irony in that statement is that guests are NOT required to wear helmets, which is undeniably the most surefire way to prevent injury or death when falling off a horse. (I know this because, yes, I have fallen off a horse and that’s what helmets are for…) Anyway, after doing a little online research, it is all over the internet that this Dee apparently has problems with «a certain kind of woman.» So be sure to kiss her ass and pretend you don’t know what your doing. If you go into the test with confidence and, GOD FORBID, are wearing English riding clothes, trust me: you are screwed!
In conclusion, TVGR is not a «dude ranch,» but a «dud ranch.» Be especially careful to hide it if you have ridden English or Dressage. Dee lives to try to take you down a notch or two. The guy wranglers (Jake, Travis, Chad) are all pretty cool but I think they are afraid of her and cowtow to her; they won’t dare oppose this power-​tripping chick to pass you so don’t thing just having guy wranglers for your test will help. In my case, she galloped out to personally fail me in my second test even though she had not seen ANY of it and I rode at least as well as the eight to ten other individual that passed. She gets a really weird satisfaction out of failing «a certain kind of woman,» which apparently, I am.
I talked to the Assistant General Manager Rich Lopez as well as the Head Wrangler JR and, while somewhat sympathetic, they really don’t care what you say; they ain’t gonna go mano a mano with this chick. But please don’t take my word for it. Do some research and google «Lope Test Tanque Verde» and see for yourself. Apparently, it’s a common thing for this little miscreant to split people up and ruin their vacations. Several guests that had been there previously told me stories about past times when she wouldn’t «give the nod» to experienced riders who were penalized for having riding experience in other disciplines. I could have taken the test bareback, at a full gallop, using my horse for breastworks while shooting arrows into a moving target and she would have failed me. «Sorry Geronimo, you suck, you need to ride a Shetland pony while your mama leads you around the arena.» Sitting Bull? «Let’s start you on a mini, and see if we can get you up to speed with one of our Intermediate Horsemanship Lessons.»
Did I mention that we spend nearly $ 1,000 on this vastly unpleasant trip (lured there under false pretenses by the one year guarantee), which was supposed to be a Birthday Celebration Trip as well as a Victory trip for my husband surviving metastatic ocular melanoma? Did I enjoy this money sucking disappointment of a vacation? Not even once did we get to ride together outside the arena, therefore spending almost NO time together on what was supposed to be a trip to relax, celebrate and make happy new memories. The only high points were «Peanut,» the Mountain Bike Guide, who is a little serious but very sweet and ultimately a good guy and a wonderful female wrangler, JW. JW was a breath of fresh air, sweet and sincere-​sans weird jealousy hang-​ups or funky power trips. She was pure light and positive energy. Probably won’t last long in that environment.
Remember, you have choices. I’d look into the White Stallion Guest Ranch, where the Unilocal Reviews are pretty stellar and there is probably a lack of ARBITRARY BS lope tests.
And TVGR, if you really care about your guests safety as you say, have them use helmets. Total no brainer!

My family and I went to the ranch and did one of the horseback riding tours. They were fully staffed and all the wranglers seemed very knowledgable. We hadn’t been horseback riding in years and the wranglers made sure to teach us how to guide the horse. They were all very nice as well. While on the ride we were able to see so much of the beautiful ranch. The views were breathtaking. Jean was our wrangler and she was great! You could tell she was experienced and also very personable. Would love to go back!

My husband and I just celebrated our 50^th Birthday at Tanque Verde Guest Ranch. Never having been to a Dude Ranch before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. After combing through internet pages of ranches, I narrowed it down to Arizona (because the weather was the best this time of year) and Tanque Verde Ranch. I am happy to report I made the right choice! We had a great time!
The ranch is more of a resort style ranch. I think we got a good deal for everything that was included. We stayed in a Casita King Room with a great view, very relaxing. No TV, but we didn’t even miss it. We were so tired at night, we went to bed early to get up for the morning rides. The pool was very nice and I really enjoyed the hot tub, especially after a day of riding! And we rode a lot! Everyone at the ranch was very friendly and the wranglers were wonderful. They paired us with horses that we could handle at our riding level and gave us guidance a long the way. What I really liked was that we could ride as much as we wanted to, it was all included. We especially enjoyed the Breakfast Ride and the Adventure Ride. I would have loved to do the Team Penning but it was cancelled because of the rain :(
The food was very good, but we especially enjoyed the lunch buffets. Everything was delicious! They had an evening BBQ down at their Cottonwood Grove and it was wonderful, the ambiance and food/entertainment…great night.
Can’t say enough, except we plan on returning!

Only reason for one star is food was pretty good. The room we got smelled like an old RV. Once in the room we had a bug and frog problem. Other family had issues with scorpions. The other thing I didn’t like was the liability waiver. I get it if you fall off a horse or something like that. But for the resort to say if anything happens on this poorly lit property it’s not their responsibility. For the nightly price of this place we were highly disappointed!

Had a great time at the TVR! Lots of choices of things to do, pools, a spa, horses, lessons, meeting rooms, etc. A great BBQ, good food in general, and really nice people. The rooms were also terrific.

We never tire of visiting TV Ranch for the sumptuous buffet. Been going here for approx. 30 yrs. now & the food is consistently great. The atmosphere is authentic old west ranch & dining is Tucson casual.

Way the heck out there … 12 miles plus from way out west Speedway … wow.
We were shocked it was not nicer — lodging and grounds.
We went for the lunch buffet. It was very low quality except for the desserts.
The desserts are exceptional.
Tons of children but they were all well behaved.
Good table service.
Most main food items on the buffet were just okay.
We would never go back to eat there.
Best part of the long trip out there was the cactus nursery on the way back.
Stay in Tucson, much better places to eat for the $$

This has been a dream come true holiday stay for a horse riding enthusiast or any outdoor enthusiast. Starting with the Staff — who are amazing, the care and genuine nature of the service they provide is heart warming, scenery — out of a fantasy, horses — who are a pleasure to ride, and the food… I cannot say enough! This may be my first stay, but just try and keep me away!!! There are activities for any age or activity level, and it is a wonderful setting for a solo trip, an intimate vacation for two or the whole family.
Regarding any negativity about the lope check/​riding — I have been working for about a year on loping in addition to my regular riding lessons to prepare for this trip, and passed it the first try. It is a high standard they expect from the rider and for very good reason. The terrain is wild, with unstable footing and loaded with cactus and rocks. You MUST have strong riding skills to be safe at a lope in this locale. Otherwise you are a danger to yourself, the other riders on the trail and the horse you are on. Please bear this in mind, and remember if you do not pass, it is nothing personal, it is simply your safety and that of others that is in mind.

We held our company holiday dinner there last night, and we all felt it was the best venue of all the holiday dinners we’ve had in the last decade. From the hostess, Jenny, to the waitress, Samantha, the service was superb. And, the meal was exceptional — from the appetizer (Kale Salad and Tri-​tip Chili) to the entre’ (Tri-​tip Beef) to the dessert (some kind of mousse-​filled chocolate «Bomb»). Even the bread with sunflower seeds was fabulous. Oh, and not to forget the crazy-​good Prickly Pear Margaritas! I cannot say enough about how attentive the staff was and how they made the evening so lovely (and, no — I’m not being paid to say this, although with all the gushing, one might think that!). The grounds were beautifully decorated for the holidays, and I vowed to return to experience it again soon. This place is not to be missed.

My husband and I stayed here for a wedding three weeks ago. It was perfect timing because they were running a special on Living Social. Our GPS had a difficult time finding the ranch, but if you get on their website and read the directions you won’t have any issues at all. I shouldn’t have trusted technology to get somewhere out of the city! :)
My husband called Tanque Verde about 5 weeks prior to our arrival to make our reservations. When he called, he was told that someone would have to call him back because they didn’t know if there were any rooms available for the weekend he wanted to book. 24 hours later he hadn’t received a call back, so he called again. The woman he talked to the second time took care of the booking for him. He got a confirmation email about three weeks later with our room info. The email showed a room with two beds. He replied to the email and asked for a room with 1 bed. He never received a response.
When we checked in, we presented our Living Social voucher. My husband mentioned that he replied to the booking confirmation email asking for a room with one bed instead of two. The woman checking us in took about 10 minutes to determine if there was another room we could have. She said that there wasn’t anything else available since our Living Social voucher was for a certain category of room. She said sorry and handed us our keys. That being said, my husband and I would have GLADLY paid more money for an upgraded room. We got a smoking deal already, so we were more than happy to pay more if it meant getting what we wanted. Unfortunately, the woman never asked us if we wanted to upgrade, and I’m one of those people who won’t just hand my money over to you if you don’t even bother to ask for it. They could have and would have made more revenue off of us if the woman would have simply said, «I can offer you an upgraded room at X amount of money».
Our room was probably what you would expect for a basic room at a ranch. The beds were very uncomfortable and the drinking glasses were all either dirty or broken. I expected there to be a lot of bugs in the room since it was October, but there weren’t any at all. I certainly appreciated that!
That first evening, we attended a cookout that was held for the guests. The food was BEYOND amazing. I’m talking spectacular. It was just regular cookout food obviously, but the cooks were on top of it! The macaroni and cheese was seriously one of the greatest things I’ve ever had. There was also a manager there who was checking guests in upon arrival. I wish I could remember his name. He was such a gentleman. He was very nice and genuinely interested in our lives and our stay. He made us feel welcomed, which I appreciated very much!
After the cookout, my husband and I went to the bar to watch a football game. It’s a cute quaint little area. There was a wedding going on but it wasn’t disruptive at all. The wedding staff must be really good at keeping things contained! The bartender was a nice guy but it was definitely a turn off listening to him talk to two guests about his love for marijuana.
The following evening was the wedding that we were there for. It was PERFECT. The food was awesome, the servers were awesome, the bar was awesome. And I must mention that everything was beautiful. I actually turned to my husband at one point and told him that I wished we would have gotten married at Tanque Verde!
Sure, things here weren’t perfect. But really, if you’re going to a ranch, you should expect things to be more casual, which I’m ok with. The only things I would change about my stay is the woman who checked us in, and the fact that there’s no bar available on Sunday mornings for mimosas and football!

We so enjoyed our annual family vacation at the TVR. The wrangles really make this place a must for people looking for a fun and safe place to ride. The horses are well trained and taken care of. The lessons are a great value. There are several rides per day. Marc, David, Cassie and Heather took us on wonderful lope rides. It was so great to see Joe, a long time wrangler from since my husband was a kid. Speaking of kids, my little ones had a wonderful time. They did not want to leave. Emily and the rest of the girls supervising the kids program had our kids so busy, riding, crafting, learning about nature and swimming. Our room was very comfortable. The views were amazing. The food was great. I found the vegetarian meals and salad bar to be tasty. Although I have to admit I went with the prime rib one night and it was worth the treat. The Dog House Saloon has some lovely new margaritas to choose from. I am looking forward to our next stay.

Its so goodnfornlunch buffet. A bit pricey but the food is of the best quality and the deserts are wonderful.

Having never stayed here but have dined on several occasions. Nothing beats the buffet which includes EVERYTHING and more than you can imagine — although dining under the stars with great entertainment is surely fun too!

I recently stayed at the Tanque Verde Guest Ranch and I absolutely enjoyed every minute of it. The staff are all genuinely friendly and helpful. One of the guys that was driving a van down the road saw us and offered us a ride to the other side where we needed to go. The place was beautiful! Very scenic; I really enjoyed my time there.
After leaving I realized that I had left my wallet in the room so I called the front desk. They quickly found it and sent it overnight to my house. I will definatly take the time to visit again some time!

I was invited to a complimentary lunch, so I can’t necessarily speak to the prices, but this is what we encountered. The drive is not that bad if you live on the east side of town — otherwise, grumble grumble. Yes — it is a ranch. So upon arrival, I hope you like the smell of fresh dung. Fresh. Dung. As soon as the car door opens, until you are past the host stand.
Gorgeous surroundings — serene and green. The dining room there is also high ceilings, nicely decorated with some hard wood chairs and tables, clean silver ware, and overall lovely. Depending on where you sit in the dining room, the temperature is just right or freezing (freezing located underneath any of the vents).
The service is polite but spotty — even for a buffet. Forgot the coffee, didn’t really clear our plates in a timely fashion, not overly polished, but polite.
The food was decent. The salad bar was very nice, with fresh lettuce /​tomato /​cucumber, or pre-​made Caesar salad which was actually quite good (a little spicy which I like). Pasta salad, carrot salad with raisins, marinated tomatoes and cheese, egg salad — all above par for a buffet and flavorful. The soup was tomato and rice, which again was above par for a buffet — nothing intricate but better than canned soup. The bread selections were very nice — cranberry, zucchini, poppy rolls, white rolls, Asiago French bread — all soft and moist. Main course were all palatable and hot, which included a moist tilapia with mandarin oranges that was surprisingly bland but cooked perfectly; chicken breast, which my wife had and said was average; a Portobello ravioli with red sauce, which was on par with Olive Garden (take that how you want); and finally, a cut of beef that I assume was a tri-​tip — this was tough and chewy but flavorful.
What was odd was the water tasted fine, but the iced tea and coffee all had a very weird, almost charcoal like flavor. Strange — I didn’t finish a half a cup of either beverage.
Wouldn’t necessarily recommend this place, nor would I dissuade anybody from going either. Had better, had worse — the main issue for me is, when I’ve had worse, at least I didn’t suffer the odor walking into the place like I did here.

We had our wedding at Tanque Verde, and early on in the planning process there were a few glitches – enough that I began to have doubts that they would do a good job pulling off the event. About four months before our wedding, a new wedding planner was brought in, and I was concerned that she wouldn’t be as reliable and thorough as the woman we had been working with. But I think Mary Ellen, as well as her assistant Stephanie, was every bit as good as we would have hoped for. The entire catering staff was excellent throughout the wedding night, anticipating our needs and making sure all the bases were covered. They were careful to apply my instructions for specific details – how to set up the seats for the ceremony, hanging the garlands at the reception, our crazy idea to use a typewrite as a guestbook, etc., and they were friendly and professional throughout the process.
The place itself is stunning. We had our ceremony on the big front lawn and our reception on the terrace, which overlooks Saguaro National Park. Our buffet dinner was delicious, and the margaritas they served (to my specifications) turned out just right. An overnight stay in the bridal suite and breakfast the next morning were included in the wedding fee, and the suite was not only big but when we got there, candles were lit and orchids were strewn from the doorway to the bed. In the bedroom, a bottle of champagne and a plate of chocolate-​covered strawberries awaited us.
There were a few glitches due to a management change that preceded the hiring of Mary Ellen, and I think the ranch should have been more communicative with us about what was going on. I also know that a few of my guests had problems making reservations for their rooms. But the wedding staff were impeccable and the event came off beautifully.

I just returned from a girls’ getaway to celebrate a birthday. WOW … I am someone that enjoys spa weekends, but this getaway was nothing short of awesome. We ladies shared two adjoining «casitas» that are spacious suites with queen beds, sitting area and large, walk-​in closets. We spent mornings hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking, and afternoons sitting around relaxing and chatting in our suites. There is also a spa — the 80 min. hot stone massage — first rate. After dinner, we would go hang out in the hot tub, or watch tv in the community room.
Being foodies from San Francisco and D.C., the food was SOLID. Breakfast and lunch buffets were varied and delicious — truly something good for everyone. Dinners were sit down with options that always included prime rib, seafood and/​or pasta. This is not to mention the morning breakfast ride (one hour horseback ride with a blueberry pancake breakfast at the end complete with eggs, bacon, sausage and biscuits) AND the cowboy cookout (steaks grilled on the spot, chicken, pulled pork, salad bar, baked beans, corn, mac and cheese, cobbler). Don’t get me wrong, this is not the Four Seasons, but for what it is, we were all more than satisfied.
Most important, the staff here is AMAZING. We have never experienced such consistent superior customer service such as the staff at Tanque Verde. They go out of their way to make you feel at home. Each of us are already planning a return trip.

My review is from the point of view based on a girl who thinks the Holiday Inn is camping.
This is truly a special place which is guaranteed to have you put down your Iphones, Ipads, Blackberries and blueberries and actually converse with people.
The food is top notch and the family open dining encourages life making memories.
The rooms are «rustic”-don’t expect a Four Seasons or a W-​this is a ranch.
The morning ride with pancake breakfast cooked outdoors is terrific! Dinner was not hot dogs and hamburgers-​but steak and chicken and homemade cobbler from a dutch oven.
My only «issue» of sorts is that the Saloon is not open in the morning or afternoon-​so after a ride there was no place to chill and being remote as the Ranch is-​it would require some driving off premises.
I highly recommend this place for families or a girlfriend getaway.

Highly overrated. Extremely difficult to find your room late at night.
Refrigerator in the room rumbled all night long.
Worst part was the housekeeping staff forgot to clean our room and when we found out, they had already left for the day. The front desk blamed it on new hires. All we managed to get was a couple of clean towels.
Sad thing is, we have been told for years by friends how great this place is. What a terrible disappointment. We will not be back.
In the hospitality industry, customer service is number one. TVR might want to revisit that lesson and apply it … otherwise we will not be the only ones who fail to come back.

I’ve eaten here several times over the years and always find it a great experience. Just visiting the ranch and seeing all the horses, strolling about on the beautiful grounds, and then enjoying their lunch buffet makes for a wonderful time. We try to bring out-​of-​town guests here for it’s so nice and so «old» Arizona. The buffet offers a great variety of meat and salads and breads and the desserts have their own table. All fabulous!
Do make reservations, especially around the holidays. And check out the other lunch offerings, like a horseback ride and cowboy dinner.
All in all, a wonderful Tucson treasure.