Ranchers Wrangle Luxury Travelers to Wide-Open Spaces
Skift Take
As we frequently report in Skift New Luxury, five-star accommodation is no longer confined to the hotel sector. Shipping containers, tiny homes, and tents are all being tricked out to satisfy the high-end traveler's need for novelty. And now, cowboy wannabes can even go posh by renting out a ranch.
As luxury travelers quest to find the next new thing, companies are developing different types of products to meet the demand for novelty.
One that capitalizes on the desire for big, open spaces is Explore Ranches. The Austin, Texas-based company specializes in offering exclusive stays at private ranches, giving travelers access to pristine swaths of nature that have, until now, been inaccessible to the public.
The company started up at the end of 2018 and currently works with ranches in Texas, Colorado, and California. By the end of the summer, the collection will expand to about 15, including the addition of Ted Turner’s Ladder Ranch in New Mexico.
Most of the ranches can accommodate eight to 12 people, although one outlier has room for 68. Prices range, but most charge between $2,000 and $3,000 per night, with a two-day minimum. Ranchers must agree to make their properties available for a minimum of 18 nights per year.
In terms of the financial structure, Explore Ranches charges members an an
