Sage Lodge

Prices high like the surrounding mountains--but value doesn't match up.

You'd think you're going to go to Paradise, but it ain't. The website makes you think you have 37 activities available--and what do you really get? A spa (in a converted room, the real one is being redone); a few dusty hiking/biking paths; a pond with 2 old paddleboards and with leeches in it. The guides are nice but the fishing and Yellowstone trips are EXTREMELY expensive. In theory you can horseback ride but it's actually too hot in the summer so they discourage it, and there's no availability anyhow. The location--quite remote, nearest towns are 30m in each direction. Rooms (we had a house) are the best feature and restaurants are fine but there could be more outdoor seating. Most of all, the place would desperately need a pool, not 2 little hot tubs for 3-4 people each.

Great end to a Yellowstone trip

We spent three nights at Sage Lodge at the end of a long Yellowstone trip and it was a really nice place to land. Our room was comfortable and opened right out toward the pond, which was perfect with a seven-year-old. Between the fly rods and nets available at the pond, paddleboards, lawn and other kids around, he could actually go outside and make his own fun instead of needing another scheduled activity. Both restaurants were good and particularly appreciated after a long stretch inside the parks. The activities were the highlight for us: the llama hike with Susi was wonderfully weird and fun, and our Yellowstone River float in the wooden boat with Anders was beautiful. My son and I also did a fly-fishing lesson with Anders, who was incredibly patient, engaging and just terrific with him. A special shoutout as well to Elizabeth at the front desk, who spent time talking with our seven year-old and got him set up with smores at the fire pit. Those personal touches made the stay. My one request would be that I wish they offered true suites or connecting rooms for families.

Very overpriced for what it is

We came away disappointed with Sage Lodge given the price — around $3,000 for two nights, plus fees. The setting is beautiful, the main lodge is stunning, and the restaurant staff and food were excellent. Unfortunately, the accommodation and overall experience didn’t feel consistent with the price point. During our stay, the gym and spa were unavailable, our rafting trip was cancelled the night before due to insufficient demand, and the AC in our room was extremely loud and struggled to cool the room, disrupting our sleep. The room itself felt dated, and being in Room 1 meant other guests regularly cut across our porch, which significantly reduced privacy. Our tea and coffee also weren’t replenished, and information about included activities wasn’t readily available. We’ve stayed at considerably less expensive hotels in Wyoming and Montana with better rooms. There is a lot to like about Sage Lodge, particularly the location, grounds, restaurants and staff, but at this price we expected a much higher standard of accommodation and overall experience. I emailed them this feedback and they didn’t acknowledge it with a reply.

Our Favorite Luxury Vacation Spot

Our stay at Sage Lodge in Paradise Valley, Montana was absolutely incredible! The lodge itself is stunning—beautiful, comfortable, and surrounded by some of the most breathtaking views we’ve ever experienced. Our room was clean, comfortable, and had an amazing view that we never got tired of waking up to. We took part in several activities during our stay, including branding, fly fishing, and axe throwing, and each experience was so much fun and made our trip even more memorable. A very special thank you to Brad, who once again—this was our second time having him as our guide—made our private tour of Yellowstone absolutely amazing. Brad is knowledgeable, personable, and truly goes above and beyond to make the experience special. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide! Sage Lodge is truly a special place, and we always look forward to coming back. The combination of the beautiful property, incredible scenery, wonderful activities, and exceptional experiences makes it somewhere we will continue to return to. Five stars all the way!

Be aware of what you’re getting

We did not have a great experience at Sage Lodge, largely due to the rooms. First the positives, the staff is fantastic (special shout out to Terrence), super responsive (I asked for a yoga mat and it was in my room in two minutes) and really nice. The food is also excellent and comes out quickly, and the common area is beautiful with lots of games and things like that. They also had really nice Red Flower products in the rooms. It was quite smoky while we were there from the fires so we couldn’t really see the view, but I’m sure it’s gorgeous. The biggest problem for us was that there was a portable AC in our room, 21, that was loud (we didn’t sleep well at all) and took up real space. At first I was sympathetic, like this is a bummer but things happen. However, on the second day we realized the AC did not just break, it was clearly a permanent feature, and nobody said anything about it (like didn’t apologize when we checked in). They gave us a discount when we complained, but you don’t want to have to complain and feel like you’re negotiating with the hotel to see what they will give you, it feels crappy and White Lotus-y. The worst part was they clearly expected it, like were totally ready to give us a discount because they’re used to people complaining, but didn’t say or do anything upfront: We changed rooms on the third night (had booked a category with a bath that wasn’t available the first two). That one didn’t have a portable and was much nicer (for only $200 more), but there were still things I wouldn’t expect from a property charging $1,500+ a night. For example no Bluetooth to play music, only had DirecTV (no apps) and - in something I have literally never noticed at a hotel that costs more than $150 - had industrial type, cheap toilet paper. There was also no one to help you with your bags, like the check in girl said she could do it but at that point my husband had loaded things on the trolley (similarly, no one to park the car). The garbage cans out front were also overflowing when we came back from a trip to Yellowstone. Overall our rating is based on the price point, like if it was half or even two thirds of what we paid and we had the second room we would have rated it very good, still not great for the price. It is charging luxury hotel prices but isn’t a luxury hotel, and folks should just be aware of that going in.