triple creek ranch

The Luxist Awards for the Best in Summer Travel

The Yachts of Seabourn's Fabled Far East Cruise

Now that summer is coming to a close, it is not too early to think about making travel plans for summer 2011.

Luxist readers nominated and voted for the destinations that they believe are the best-of-breed around the world. Below, are their favorite destinations within such categories as Best Adventure Getaway, Best Beach Hotel, Best International Summer Destination, Best Luxury Family Vacation and Best Summer Cruise.

Best Adventure Getaway
The first nominee offers an unforgettable trekking experience in Bhutan while the second offers an unparalleled safari in East Africa. The third nominee is located in one of the world's finest unspoiled havens, while the fourth features elephants in their natural habitat. The final nominee, located in the Montana Rockies, is known for its outdoor sports, from fishing to horseback riding.

Amankora Resort: Trekking in Bhutan
East African Safari with Abercrombie & Kent
Phinda Private Game Reserve
Savute Elephant Camp by Orient-Express
Montana's Triple Creek Ranch (Winner)

Best Beachside Hotel
The first nominee is where to go when in search of a peaceful sanctuary while the second nominee is a tropical haven with a relaxed pace. The third nominee is located in a secluded natural sanctuary while the fourth offers an award-winning beach. The last nominee offers a beachside location that is idyllic and unspoiled.

Amanpuri Resort, Phuket, Thailand
Four Seasons Resort, Bali at Jimbaran Bay
Four Seasons Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo
Grace Bay Club, Turks & Caicos (Winner)
The Oberoi, Mauritius

Best International Summer Destination
The first nominee is one of the world's most glamorous destinations while the second one was once the home of the Ottoman Sultans. The third nominee is the premier hot spot on the Amalfi Coast while the fourth offers chauffeured-driven tours of the Tuscan wine country. The final nominee offers a once-in-a-lifetime trip from Venice to Istanbul aboard one of the world's most luxurious trains.

Hotel Santa Caterina, Amalfi Coast
Kempinski's Ciragan Palace, Istanbul
San Pietro di Positano, Amalfi Coast (Winner)
Tuscany Wine Tours
Venice Simplon Orient-Express Train

Best Luxury Family Vacation
The first nominee offers a luxurious barge cruise through Burgandy while the second offers an armchair safari suitable for the whole family. The third nominee is where families go for Scottish outdoor pursuits from falconry to golf. The fourth nominee is considered to be the jewel of Maui while the final nominee is unplugged and unpretentious.

Abercrombie & Kent's River Barge Cruise in Burgundy
Ebony Lodge, Singita Game Reserves
Gleneagles, Scotland
Grand Wailea Resort Hotel, Maui
Kona Village Resort, Hawaii (Winner)

Best Summer Cruise
The first nominee offers an unforgettable cruise through the fabled Far East while the second nominee is the way to experience the Greek Isles and Turkey in complete luxury. The third nominee is an expedition to see the ice bears upclose while the fourth nominee takes its passengers down the Nile in style.

Fabled Far East Cruise by The Yachts of Seabourn
Greek Isles and Turkey Cruise by Sea Cloud Cruises (Winner)
Land of the Ice Bear Cruise by Lindblad Expeditions & National Geographic
Oberoi Zahra Luxury Nile Cruiser: Down the Nile in Style
Mediterreanean Luxury Cruise on Cunard's Queen Mary 2

Tags: Abercrombie Kent, Aman Resorts, awards-main, Cunard, four seasons hotel, Grace Bay Club, Grace Bay Resorts, Kona Village Resort, Lindblad Expeditions, luxist-awards, Oberoi, Orient-Express, Orient-expressHotels, San Pietro di Positano, Sea Cloud, summer travel, triple creek ranch

Triple Creek Ranch Wins The Luxist Award for Best Adventure Getaway

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Triple Creek Ranch is nominated for a Luxist Award for Best Adventure Getaway

Nestled high in the spectacular Montana Rockies, Triple Creek Ranch is the winner of the Luxist Awards Readers Choice Award in the Best Adventure Getaway category.

Located in Darby on the pine forested slope of Western Montana's highest mountain known as "Bitterroot", Triple Creek Ranch boasts all of the finest amenities one would expect from a luxury resort. The 600-acre property offers a world-class restaurant featuring international cuisine and an extensive wine cellar. Facilities include a fitness center, heated outdoor swimming pool, tennis, putting green, horsehoe pits, private or nearby hot tubs and rooms equipped with wood-burning fireplaces and wet bars fully stocked with complimentary soft drinks and spirits. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, house wines and house cocktails are included in the nightly rate. They'll even pack you a complimentary picnic lunch, should you request one.

Gallery: Triple Creek Ranch, Montana

Triple Creek Ranch in the Montana Rockies

But what sets this resort apart from so many others are the countless outdoor activities from which to choose. Love to horseback? Fly fish? Hike? Mountain bike? At Triple Creek Ranch, you can ride and fish to your heart's content, as these activities are among many that are included in the nightly rate. Fly-casting clinics, nature and birding tours, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing and snowshoeing are also offered as part of the nightly rate.

Nearby activities that may involve an additional fee, but can be arranged by the hotel, include cattle drives, Lewis & Clark Trail Rides, scenic float trips, steelhead fishing, summer trout fly fishing and spin casting on the Salmon River, ATV rides, helicopter tours of nearby Glacier Park and Yellowstone Park, mountain biking, golf and whitewater rafting.

In 2011 Cabin rates will range from $750 per night (double occupancy) for an open floor plan cabin to $2,495 per night (double occupancy) for a spectacular 3,600 square foot three-bedroom, three-bath cabin. There's an additional charge of $350 per person for more than two people in the two and three bedroom cabins. Triple Creek Ranch is designed for adults, but does allow children ages 16 and older.

For more information or to make a reservation, contact Triple Creek Ranch at (406) 821-4600 or email at info@triplecreekranch.com.

Tags: adventure activities, adventure travel, adventure-outdoors, adventure-travel, awards-main, luxist-awards, Montana, Montana Rockies, Triple Creek Ranch, winners-summer-travel

A Montana Hideaway: Triple Creek Ranch

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Though the current incarnation of Triple Creek Ranch has been around for fewer than 30 years, its rugged elegance has quickly earned it a reputation on par with any fine resort---and gained the ranch a Luxist Awards' nomination in the Best Adventure Getaway category.

A Michigan industrialist bought the property's first 50 acres in 1982, using the area as his personal retreat for four years before christening it "Triple Creek Ranch, a Montana Hideaway." He sold the ranch in 1993 to a couple who'd fallen in love with the property as guests; they operate Triple Creek to this day and have expanded it to add new cabins, a tennis court, a fitness center and more.

Gallery: Triple Creek Ranch, Montana

Located on the pine forested slope of Western Montana's highest mountain, Triple Creek Ranch today boasts a world-class restaurant and wine cellar, offering all the amenities of the modern world (wireless internet access, telephone and fax service) in addition to rustic attractions-ATV rentals, fly fishing, hiking and horseback riding are all available on-site. Nearby activities include cattle drives, cross-country and downhill skiing, golf, and whitewater rafting.

Cabin rates start at $650 per couple, per night, and climb all the way to $2,500 for the sumptuous three-bedroom Ponderosa lodge with a two-story rock fireplace and sweeping mountain views. All guests can elect to pay an additional $700 per person for a helicopter ride (called a "heli-hike") through the heights of nearby Trapper Peak to see waterfalls, alpine lakes, elk, bears, eagles and mountain lions.

Vote for the Adventure Getaway destination that you think is the best of breed. The winner will be announced on September 1st.

Tags: Awards-main, Best Adventure Getaway, Luxist-Awards, Montana, Montana Rockies, Triple Creek Ranch

Vinters Weekends at Triple Creek Ranch

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wine

Triple Creek Ranch in Darby, Montana provides the chance to be both gourmet and rustic at the same time with their Vintners Weekend packages (think of it as "Brokeback Mountain" meets "Sideways."). They have just announced five new vinters which will be visiting the ranch during May and June. Each four-day/three-night package includes wine tastings with visiting vintners, fine cuisine, outdoors and indoors activities. The accommodations are in a cabin with a wood-burning fireplace, fully stocked bar and private outdoor hot tub. The upcoming vinters are: Robert Keenan Winery, St. Supéry Vineyards & Winery, Joseph Phelps Winery, Pepper Bridge Winery and Chappellet Winery and David Arthur Vineyards.