Reviews & Testimonials

Google Reviews:

Kevin Post

November 7, 2020.

Buffalo Ridge has great service and is always very accommodating for our Avera company retreats. It is a great setting for people to escape and get away, with very convenient facilities to host company events. I highly recommend their friendly and dedicated staff. Avera has been fortunate to spend time at Buffalo Ridge for many years, and plan to continue to do so in the future.

Wynne Nafus Sayer

November 2, 2020.

Beautiful resort, excellent wifi throughout. Attended wedding. Seemed accommodations for wedding was amazing. Bride and groom hosted a Halloween even complete with haunted room etc. Food at dinner was served by staff- tasted excellent and service was great.

Lindsay Wipf

October 15, 2020.

We had our wedding here and it was completely perfect. They went above and beyond in every way including so many wonderful amenities for the weekend and day of. My husband and I were worried with getting married during covid but they accommodated us and the precautions so well. It was such a beautiful day and we would not have wanted to be anywhere else!!

Kelly Johnson

October 13, 2020.

Excellent facility and atmosphere!

Roger Durity

October 10, 2020.

The stay was nice and comfortable the rooms were nice and clean had a good time. BUT had to leave cause of new owners was not pet friendly, and I was lied to and told me I had to get out ASAP due to no longer being pet friendly.Come to find out I was the only one getting kick out ..And there is still currently dogs going in and out of the place.. The new owners was rude and disrespectful to me when he took over..

Amy Smith

September 14, 2020.

Very nice staff, wonderful camping great rates!

TripAdvisor Reviews:

Julie N

2018-10-13

Unique Resort We loved this place, will stay here again when we're in Minnesota visiting family! Clean, quite rooms. Very nice staff. Had a fun time at the bar. This would be a great place for a wedding, family reunion or a group get together.

Clark

2018-09-12

Middle of nowhere Staff is friendly and accommodating. If you enjoy being in the middle of nowhere (and driving to get there), you’ll love this place. If you’re not from the Dakotas and are more prone to actual resorts - maybe in cities - probably don’t go here.

Terry W

2018-08-05

Nice quiet place to unwind in the middle of smalltown America. This facility was originally the South Dakota School for the Blind, built in the early 1900's. At one point the site was totally abandoned and in extreme disrepair, but it has been beautifully restored into a pleasant and quiet hotel, business center, bar and grille and campground. We were in town for a family reunion and made our reservations late, so there were no regular rooms available, but we were able to get a 'sleeping room' in the Family Suite. This area had several sleeping rooms that shared a bathroom, kitchen, living area and private patio. Despite sharing it with people we did not know, it worked out very well, and we never had any issues with bathroom usage or anything else. I travel quite a bit for my work, and I've stayed in many hotels, but this was hands down the most quiet room I've ever stayed in. We enjoyed the use of the east facing patio in the evening, and especially the following morning, taking our coffee there in the morning sun. I would think that a stay here in the fall, enjoying a crisp morning on the patio would be excellent! The Rock Room bar and grille is open and we enjoyed dinner there one evening, with pleasant results. Camping here would be wonderful as well, nice and quiet. There is also a creek and pond on the property. All in all, I believe that staying here for a weekend would be great if you have other things to do in the area or if you are just looking for some serenity and relaxation during your stay. If you like scenic drives, ask for directions to the county road that goes NORTH out of town along the Buffalo Ridge. It is a short scenic drive, but some of the views are wonderful.

Dick J

2018-06-04

A fun place that is newly redone and lots of options If you want to camp, need a place for a family to reunion, or just a hotel room. they have it all. the rooms in the hotel are large and big bathrooms. We had a king and our freinds a double queen and lots of room and comfortabe chairs as well. They need a little help on the service side. They do not have someone at the desk and if you have an issue it is hard to find someone. The Guests for a wedding were roudy untill after 3 A.M. and no way to contact management to quiet them down. No one at the desk to check out in the morning. Parking is ample and outdoor space for other activities. We were told it is haunted but we did not see any ghosts.

Steve J

2016-10-17

Family gathering for Pheasant opener! We had our entire family in the Bunkhouse. A unique, second floor mini apartment. We slept 6 comfortably, only one bathroom, kitchen with all necessities. All in a very scenic setting. The restaurant is soon to reopen. Other choices nearby in Canby or Clear Lake. We have stayed in the hotel before and it is very nice also. Greta reuse of this historic property. Affordable as well. Has a small stream and pond on the grounds. Semi- waterfront!

ClaudiaP107

2016-09-11

Beautiful, Quiet spot . . . rooms not resort-like, though This property is on a beautiful property. Arriving in early September, it was very quiet - including the on-site personnel; there was no-one at the desk during the daytime. That said, they were very responsive to requests and needs. The room was clean and appointed with most basics, though there was no closet or drawers, which would have been nice to know ahead of time. Continental breakfast was very basic. I loved the historical aspect to the site and enjoyed walking the underground tunnels with pictures and stories on the walls. Would I stay here again? Yes.

Duane T

2016-06-18

Visiting little known places in rural South Dakota This is the former South Dakota School for the Blind facility. It has been carefully restored to a very good condition. We experienced the walk ways, the bridges, the lake, the camp ground and then stayed in the hotel for night. The receptionist even gave us a walking tour of the main buildings. Very unique and comfortable. Would definitely stay here again.

Michael S

2016-02-23

Great place for a quiet get-away We wanted a quiet place to go and get-away from hectic busyness. You have to be able to make your own entertainment, but if a quiet place to hike or read is what you are looking for, you will love this historic building/resort. The Rock Room is closed, so if eating locally is part of the plan, expect to drive 15 miles. The little small-town cafe (Alibi) in Gary is a typical farm town place. Farmers are there to drink coffee between chores. You can get a hamburger or fried eggs. It is OK but nothing to write about. If you want anything else, you have to drive to Clear Lake or Canby, both about 15 miles away. The Buffalo Ridge Resort is really nice. In winter there is no one around. Quiet. Continental Breakfast is sparse.

Glenn F

2015-12-04

Top-notch hotel experience with bonus: historical site. The resort is an old school for the blind, with beautiful historical buildings on manicured grounds with nice brick paths to walk around on. They're also connect via underground tunnels for inclement weather, or just for fun. It's evident that the place has been remodeled with high end materials and quality workmanship. The rooms are beautiful, clean, and cozy, and the staff is helpful and friendly. I stayed two nights and got great sleep both nights (got there after dark the first night) to prep me for the nice view of the grounds in the morning. If you need more convincing to stay here, I met the owner, Joe, and he is a solid individual. Your patronage would be serving a business that is deserving.

dkefaia

2015-06-04

Very Accommodating Rural South Dakota Experience We thoroughly enjoyed our two night stay at Buffalo Ridge. The staff were very accommodating for my elderly father with recliners in each room which was important for his sleeping comfort. The rooms were comfortable with refrigerator and microwave as well as desk and internet connection. The imaginative re-purposing of a former school for the deaf and blind is an excellent example of thoughtful reuse of a significant building complex for ongoing use. We especially appreciated the availability of dining room service on a day they were normally closed. We look forward to returning on our next visit to the area.

“Snuck to Gary, SD for a couple’s weekend and couldn’t have been more pleased with the ease of making a reservation, the front-desk greeting, the room and the grounds.”– TripAdvisor Review
TripAdvisor Review

“I found this place on the web. What a wonderful surprise! A beautiful restoration of an old school for the blind, Buffalo Ridge has more of a campus feel than that of a hotel. The place is restored with a nice mix of modern touches while preserving some of the history of the campus.”
TripAdvisor Review

“We stayed four nights at the hotel and were quite pleased—it offers all the modern conveniences like high speed connections and an art gallery, yet still retains its historic charm.”
TripAdvisor Review

“It is rare to find a property that mixes history, elegance and great service. Buffalo Ridge does it with ease. I found the service to be genuine. The food in the grill was great—try the buffalo burger! I took a tour of the facility and found the historical preservation to be top notch. Makes it an even more special place to dine and stay. Put Buffalo Ridge on your bucket list.”
TripAdvisor Review

“Charming, beautiful, and rich in history, Buffalo Ridge, formerly the School for the Blind, is perfect for business and leisure.”
SDGlacialLakes.com

“The perfect combination of luxury, contemporary comfort, and artistic talent.”
ExperienceGarySD.com

“Gary’s School for the Blind is now a Top-Notch Resort”
South Dakota Magazine

“Perched on the eastern edge of South Dakota, overlooking the land of 10,000 lakes, you’ll find the village of Gary, SD. Home to a couple hundred hearty souls and the Rock Room Bar and Grill, part of the Buffalo Ridge Resort. This hotel and resturant are located in a building built in 1899 and was formally used for the School of the Blind. They have done wonders restoring this grouping of buildings and have installed Chef Lance and a team of professionals who have produced a gem of a resturant in a great setting. If this is not your destination, your lost but no matter you’ll have a wonderful place to eat.”
Craig M. TripAdvisor