These are challenging times for all of us, and despite our idyllic and remote location, we are not immune to the changes.
We feel strongly that Vista Verde was not meant to be enjoyed by just a few folks. This place has a purpose, and it is to provide a sanctuary for people from near and far. A place to recharge, reconnect, and slow down. And our role at the ranch is not to enjoy the solitude for ourselves, but to serve others and help create the space for rest, growth, healing, relationship building, and adventure.
We have postponed our opening day to June 14, 2020. As of now, our county commissioners are supporting opening short-term lodging at the beginning of June.
In preparation to open for the summer, we have put into place extensive policies and procedures to provide a safe environment for our guests and staff. Based on the current recommendations, we now have the game plan for our VVR Wellness Efforts. Please review these guidelines so you understand what to expect during your ranch stay. Also, please recognize that we will hopefully be able to relax many of these throughout the summer based on current guidelines.
There is no doubt that this summer will look different than past years. We quickly let go of that disappointment as we embraced the reality that we still have an opportunity to provide you all with a slice of heaven here at the ranch. Change is happening all around us, but this valley, the animals, the people, and core of what makes VVR so special are all still here to provide much needed magic in all of your lives. With that we charge forward, confident that for those who want to be here there will still be magic.
The great news is that Zach has an amazing staff lined up for the summer. There are many of our favorite staff returning for the summer, and he is excited for us all to meet the fresh faces he picked from the cream of the crop. We are not cutting any staff, as some have speculated, but we will cap the max number of guests to allow us to provide more personalized service and allow for more social distancing in our facilities.
The reality is that no one is going to know how this will unfold in the coming months, so we have altered our cancellation policy for guests scheduled for the summer. Our cancellation window has been shortened from 90 to 30 days to allow us all more time to see how the situation unfolds. We have also added the option for you to roll your deposit to a stay in 2021 with no cancellation fee.
With so much changing from day to day and week to week, flexibility is the key right now. We are all navigating this together, and everyone is doing their best to do the right thing for humanity and each other.
Our biggest wish is for all of you in our ranch family to stay safe and healthy, and weather this storm, knowing sunnier days are ahead. The idea of providing a safe haven for our guests has never been more attractive than now, and we are inspired to do just that as soon as possible.
Please feel free to contact one of the three of us if you have concerns you would like to share with us. And we are excited to help you start planning a VVR getaway when you are ready! Fill out our reservation request form if you would like to take the next step.
Sincerely,
Ben Martin, Steph Wilson, or Charlie Cammer