This was, hands down, the most amazing trip. It was active but restorative, which is my favorite combination these days. There was a plan every day, and the plan had downtime built in on purpose, so we came home recharged, not drained.
Riverview Ranch is a Small Luxury Hotels of the World property that you book through Hilton, and it's all-inclusive: food, alcohol and activities are included. That's what makes it such a good points trip. Once you're there, you're mostly not reaching for your wallet.
The math
What we actually paid
Cash price = the room at about $5,600/night ($4,700/night in season + a 20% resort fee) × 4 nights, about $22,400, plus $1,222 in real cash airfare: $458 for the outbound (2 × $229) and $763.78 for the return without the companion fare (2 × $381.89). A cash tip for the staff isn't included above (more on tipping below).
Not free. Just better math.
Step 1
How I got the points
If you're new to points, here's the whole thing in plain English. The room was 4 nights, and I paid for it two different ways.
2 nights: free night certificates
I had two Hilton free night certificates. One came from the welcome offer on the Hilton Honors American Express Business card, and the other came from the welcome offer on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass card. A free night certificate covers one night at (almost) any Hilton, and a $5,600-a-night ranch is about as good as it gets.
2 nights: Hilton points
The other two nights were 220,000 Hilton points each, so 440,000 points total. Here's where those came from:
- The Hilton points from those same two card welcome offers.
- 482,400 Hilton points that I transferred over from my Amex Membership Rewards points during a transfer bonus on May 1, 2026. A transfer bonus means Amex gives you extra Hilton points for every point you move, so timing it right stretches your points further.
- Most of those Amex points came from the welcome offer on my Amex Business Gold card.
The flights
We flew out on Alaska for 7,500 points each. I screenshotted the cash price when I booked: our flight from Sacramento to Missoula (through Portland) was $229 per person one-way. So for the two of us, that was $458 just to get there, and we paid in points instead. Coming home, we paid cash and used an Alaska companion fare. My ticket was $381.89, and my husband's companion ticket was $131.63, so $513.52 total for both of us. Without the companion fare, the return would have been $763.78 (2 × $381.89).
I got mine from the Atmos Rewards Visa Business card (formerly the Alaska Airlines business card), as part of its welcome offer. The card also offers a companion fare benefit, so check current terms if you're thinking about it. I actually have another companion fare sitting in my account right now from a card I opened in April, and it expires in July.
Some links are referral or affiliate links, I may earn a commission or credit. Offers change, check current terms.
Step 2
How I actually booked it
This is the part nobody tells you. The points were the easy part. Finding the nights was the hunt.
- I hunted the Hilton calendar. I clicked around Hilton's award calendar looking for any random 3 or 4 night opening. Not a specific week, just anything that worked.
- I didn't trust the tools alone. MaxMyPoints showed no inventory at all. Hilton's own site had a couple of 4-night combos open. If a tool says no, check the hotel's site before you give up.
- I called Hilton to use the certificates. Because I was using two free night certificates, I had to call Hilton to redeem them. I booked the other two nights on points in the same call, so the whole stay was one reservation.
- Then I figured out flights. Hotel availability was the scarce part here, not flights. So I locked the hotel first and built the flights around it.
Step 3
3 nights vs 4 (and the companion fare math)
We could have done 3 nights and flown home on Saturday for a lot less on points. But I wanted the extra day of activities, so we stayed 4 nights and took the pricier Sunday flight.
Option A: 3 nights
Fly home Saturday. Much cheaper on points (around 10k per person, I think). One less day at the ranch.
What we did: 4 nights
Fly home Sunday. Pricier flight, so I used the Alaska companion fare on it. One more full day of activities.
From memory, I think the Saturday flight home was around 10k Alaska points per person, and the Sunday flight was something like 25k per person, or something unreasonable like that. That's why I used the companion fare for the Sunday flight instead of points.
I did the math, and the companion fare was a good use on that Sunday flight. It saved us $250 ($763.78 for two regular tickets vs. the $513.52 we paid). And I got my extra day.
Logistics
Getting there and getting around
This part could not be easier. We flew into Missoula (MSO), and the ranch picks you up at the airport in an Expedition and takes you back at the end of your stay.
It's about a 30-minute drive from the airport to the property. You go up and around a river to get there, so it's pretty, and it's easy to and from.
The Missoula airport is small, with some good shopping. On our way out we found a good little spot in the airport and had delicious fried pickles and a beer before our flight.
They also coordinate all the transfers to and from your excursions. Most activities are right on the property, and there are off-property options like rafting and fly fishing. We didn't leave the property at all.
Before you go
How it works
A few weeks before our trip, Kayla, the general manager, reached out to ask about dietary preferences and allergies, and which activities we were interested in. That email is basically your trip planning, so here's how the activities work.
1. On-site, do-anytime activities
These are there whenever you want them, no booking needed: the gym, fishing in the lake, the sauna, the hot tub, mountain bikes and more. One day we took the mountain bikes out for about a 3-mile loop.
2. Scheduled activities
The ranch books these for you based on what you tell them you want. We did archery, a Polaris tour, horseback riding (I went twice!) and rifles.
We didn't do the fishing, the gym or the sauna, but they all looked really nice.
What we did
The activities, one by one
Horseback riding
You fill out your riding experience ahead of time. Neither my husband nor I is super experienced, so we trained in the arena first and then went out on a trail ride.
I loved it so much I went on a second ride solo (my husband was not interested in round two). I got the same horse from a couple of days before and went out with a guide for two full hours, all over the property. Absolutely beautiful.
Polaris tour
Absolutely incredible. Wear something you can get dirty. I came home needing to wash my hair, my face was filthy and my clothes were dirty.
At the end there's an optional part where you drive super fast through part of the lake and get wet. The repeat guests knew and came dressed for it, raincoats and all. We weren't dressed for it, so we skipped the wet part.
Archery
The staff told us a lot of people don't sign up for archery but end up having a ton of fun, and that was us. We really enjoyed it.
The first 45 to 60 minutes are learning the bows and target practice. Then you head out on a hike-style course and shoot foam animal targets. Scoring: the kill-shot zone is 3 points and the body is 1 point, so it turns into a fun competition with your spouse or your group.
Rifles (and shotguns)
Really fun. We shot several different rifles, including an AR-15. The shooting guides were extremely knowledgeable (one did skeet in college). We also did shotguns with clay targets, which was fun and different from sitting still.
Remember: pistols are a separate activity. We didn't book them, and I wish we had.
Mountain bikes
These are on-site and do-anytime. We did about a 3-mile loop one day.
Highland cows
We didn't do this one, but a lot of the other guests there at the same time did, and they loved it. I'd consider it next time.
On the ranch
What a day looks like
Every day had the same easy rhythm. I loved that there was a plan, and I loved that the plan included real downtime.
- 8 to 10Breakfast
- 10 to 12Morning activity
- 12 to 2Lunch
- 2 to 4Afternoon activity
- 4 to 6:30Downtime. Hot tub, sauna, a drink by the lake, or nothing at all.
- 6:30Dinner (four courses)
How the days work
On arrival day, you don't get an activity. We got there around 2, sat on the deck, had some drinks and hung out until dinner.
On full days, you get two activities, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. On departure day, you leave after breakfast with no activities, but I went on a walk that morning.
The social side
After dinner and during downtime, you can sit at the fire pit by the lake or in the lodge and chit-chat with the other guests. They really encourage meeting people. Some of our excursions were with one or two other couples, so you get to know who's there, especially over multiple nights.
Food and drinks
Some of the best food I've ever had on a trip
I have extremely high standards for food, so I don't say this lightly.
Breakfast and lunch
There's a set menu every day for breakfast and lunch, and everything was wonderful. We rotated our orders so we could work our way through the menus.
Dinner
Dinners were four courses, and some of the most beautiful and delicious food I've ever had on a trip.
The kitchen
Everything is super local, and the chef and sous chefs are amazing. It's an open kitchen, so you can watch them cook and chit-chat with them while they work.
Everything is handmade and from scratch. A dessert chef comes in each morning and makes all the desserts and cookies. The chefs make the hummus, salsas and sauces from scratch, and every plate is like a work of art. The execution was absolutely perfect. You can tell it's a real craft and that they love what they do.
They talked about going to the farmers market every week to get local food, which I thought was so cool, and you could tell from how fresh and delicious everything was.
One of my favorite things: it was the end of peach season, and every dish with peaches was to die for.
Dairy-free (or any dietary need)
I avoid dairy, specifically cow milk and cheese. Any meal that had them, they made incredible swaps. It felt seamless, like I wasn't putting anyone out (even though I probably was).
Drinks
There's an included cocktail list plus a pretty good wine selection that paired well with dinner. We also bought a few of the non-included cocktails, and those were delicious too. Those (plus some merch) were our whole checkout bill.
Rooms and property
The rooms (and the cowboy boots)
Every room has a lake view, and the rooms are very well equipped. Every room also comes with two cowboy hats to use during your trip, and there's a rack of cowboy hats in the lobby and another in the horseback riding barn.
Then there are the boots. There's a huge selection of cowboy boots to borrow, so many cute ones, in every size for kids and adults. I brought my own boots, my husband borrowed theirs, and I borrowed a couple of hats just for fun.
What to wear
I expected it to be fancier. It was very casual. At breakfast, people were in sweats and Birkenstocks. I still wore nice clothes to dinner, but there's no need to pack heels. Pack comfy, bring something nice for dinner, and borrow your boots and hat there.
Room perks
The room perks were super nice. There were turndown gifts every day:
- Yetis with our names on them
- Bandanas to wear for the Polaris tour
- Riverview Ranch keychains shaped like a Highland cow
- A little jar of Montana huckleberry jam
The room also has a coffee and tea maker with fancy loose-leaf teas, Liquid Death still and sparkling waters, plus sodas. And an amazing snack assortment from Thrive Market. At check-in, the staffer joked that you can put the snacks in your suitcase every day and they'll refill them. I didn't, but on the day we flew home I definitely put some snacks in my purse for the plane.
Down in the lobby, there's a snack fridge that's always restocked: candy, trail mix, fresh-baked cookies every day, sodas, waters and bananas.
The gift shop
The merch is so cute. My husband got a Carhartt sweatshirt, I got a long-sleeve shirt, and we got a couple of T-shirts for the boys. They also sell extra Yetis, little Highland cow stuffed animals and other cute gifts. Between this and the premium cocktails, that's how we got to our $359 checkout bill ($309 after my $50 Hilton credit).
The people
The staff
They are so amazing, and they work together like an absolute team. There are only ever 8 to 10 guests total, and you typically interact with around 20 different staff members during your stay.
In the lodge, Tatum the bartender is fantastic, Dave the chef is incredible, and Kayla the general manager is also amazing. Then there are all the different people who took us out on activities and drove us to and from the airport.
I loved talking with them: how they got into this line of work, what they do for fun, and really cool stories about a life so different from ours in California. I really enjoyed that part of the trip.
Tipping
They never push or ask for tips. We left a cash tip at the end, and I feel like it's appreciated. I'd read mixed reviews beforehand: some points guests left nothing, and some left something.
Honest take
Should you bring kids?
My understanding is that you can bring kids. I personally absolutely would not bring mine, and here's why.
I'd feel like they were bothering other people. My boys don't love fine dining, and I'd hate to ask the chefs for butter pasta or chicken nuggets (the staff said that happens often when kids stay). With food this wonderful, it would feel like a waste to have the kids complaining or wanting something else.
The dining room is intimate, and you're right next to the other guests. I wouldn't want my kids running around and making someone else's adults-only stay less enjoyable. Honestly, if I were there with strangers trying to have a relaxing adult stay, I'd be really annoyed if kids were there.
Apparently some people rent out the entire property and bring their families and kids, and that's a different story. Otherwise, there are lots of other ranches in Montana that are better suited for kids. I'd call this more of an adults property.
The good stuff
What I wish I'd known
- Plan your activities before the GM's email. See above. It's the single most useful thing you can do before you go.
- Pistols and rifles are two separate activities. Book both. We only did rifles.
- Dress for the Polaris lake splash. Raincoat, clothes you don't care about. We skipped the wet part because we weren't ready for it.
- Share dietary needs up front. Put them in the pre-trip email and the kitchen takes care of the rest.
- Don't buy boots or a hat. They have loaners in every size, kids and adults.
- Bring cash if you plan to tip. There's no ATM anywhere nearby, and nobody will ask.
- It's casual. Sweats and Birkenstocks at breakfast. Nice clothes at dinner, no heels needed.
- You won't be the only ones on points. Most everyone there was.
- Hotel nights are the hard part. Find the hotel nights first, then book flights.
- Check Hilton's site, not just the tools. MaxMyPoints said no. Hilton said yes.
- Using free night certificates here means calling Hilton. Book the points nights in the same call.
- Premium cocktails and merch aren't included. That was our whole checkout bill (and the merch is cute, so budget for it). I put it on my Hilton credit card for 12x Hilton points, and my $50 quarterly Hilton credit brought it from $359 to $309 (more on that below).
In hindsight, I might have asked them to split the bill across my three Hilton cards to use all three quarterly credits ($50, $50 and $60). A little annoying, I know, but that's money I let go to waste last quarter because we didn't stay at another Hilton. If you hold more than one Hilton card, ask to split the checkout bill.
Bonus: whatever you do pay for at the ranch, put it on your Hilton card. I earned 12x Hilton points on everything we paid for at the hotel by using my Hilton credit card. Card benefits and earning rates change, so check current terms.
The verdict
Would I go back?
Absolutely. I would love to go back, even though we already did a lot of the activities. It was so much fun, and with everything we did, I kept thinking about how expensive it would have been to pay for all of it anywhere else.
Everything felt private and intimate. And here's the part that got me. As a mom, I'm usually the one scheduling every single minute of a trip. This time, someone scheduled everything for me. I just showed up and followed their itinerary, with downtime built in. I didn't realize how much I valued that until I was living it.
I didn't have to think about anything. No deciding where to eat or where to go. No coordinating an Uber to and from an activity. No booking the activity. No telling anyone what I wanted to eat. All of those little things add up, and not having to carry them is a big part of why this trip was so restorative. We came home recharged, not drained.
I'm clearly not the only one who feels this way. Many of the guests were repeat visitors, and one couple was there for something like the 4th time.
If I went back
- Book both pistols and rifles
- Dress for the Polaris lake splash
- Don't skip archery
- Consider the Highland cows
For us, this one is a couples trip. And it's the kind of trip we'd never book at full cash price.
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