Happy Valley Conference Center

While the location is beautiful, the stinginess of the hosts made this a less than stellar retreat center. They didn’t make enough food and doled out small portions; there weren’t soap dispensers in the showers; and they insisted we be packed and out of our rooms at 11am despite our renting the space through Sunday evening.

So I have been coming to this place for over a decade and now I can write a review.
Come here and experience this place, its beautiful and secluded enough that you can relax and have a fun time. Let me be honest I am biased towards this place and thats fine, this is my review. The great thing about this place is that its close enough to the beach and santa cruz yet far enough to feel as if you got away for the weekend.
Now let me talk to you about the food… HARRY MAKES THE MOST DELICIOUS RASPBERRY OATMEAL BARS I HAVE EVER HAD. These bars are heaven for your tastebuds, if you have them right out of the oven they will melt in your mouth. They are that good and he is a fantastic cook. Please come here for him and the other staff members here, they work really hard and it shows… trust me.
Harry, if you read this… sir you are a talented man with food.

This place is truly a sanctuary! I run 6 craft retreats a year here, and my women and I always feel very spoiled! (I even moved to WA two years ago, but continue to come here because of how much I love running retreats at this place!) The staff is incredibly attentive and kind; the food is delicious; the setting is ideal! Just 3 miles from downtown Santa Cruz, yet nestled in beautiful Redwood Groves, you feel like you are enjoying a true escape! (But if you want to take a walk on the beach, it is just a short drive away!) You should not hesitate to look into Happy Valley for your next conference, retreat or reunion. You will not be disappointed!
Jen

I was happy to attend a conference at the Center. The location is beautiful, the accommodations are clean and attractive, and the staff were extremely helpful, even to the point of sending a lost item to me after the conference was over. I appreciate their vision and mission and look forward to patronizing them in the future.

The good:
The staff is friendly. The grounds are very nice and well kept. Hiking is fun and they have plenty of things to do like basketball, ping pong, volleyball, soccer, etc. The food was good when I could eat it.
The bad:
My dietary restrictions weren’t taken into account well, even after I explained to them in person, and after filling out a questionnaire beforehand. Dietary restrictions like allergens were not accounted for others in my party. I requested no carb meals because of my diabetes. However I was given just small portions of protein and had to omit carbs myself. At first I couldn’t get bigger portions without waiting in line again and then being told I had to wait for everyone to come through. This would make sense if during a 1 hour meal period people all came on the hour. I waited 10 minutes for an extra portion of protein. The final meal of my trip had 0 main course options for me. They were nice enough to throw something together on the fly, but the whole time it seemed like a chore just to get what I needed. I don’t need specially prepared food, just different portion sizes. The floors of my cabin were filthy. The drain to the shower was clogged. The facilities are dated. The beds are uncomfortable. The toilet seat was in bad repair. The faucet leaked.
Bottom Line:
I would not spend my own money here. I was there for a conference so I had no choice. It wasn’t terrible, but an obvious lack of attention to details was present.

Me thinks not…
On a college retreat the facilities were good, less a broken bathroom/​shower, but nothing major. However the manager/​owner that was on duty during our stay was exceptionally rude. I don’t eat bread, so on hamburger night I figured, «hey, I’ll just have some extra bacon, good deal.» Apparently, my bacon portion was too much for him. I felt it reasonable, but after being publicly lectured by this man of how I had to learn how to share I was mortified. When I sheepishly asked if he wanted it back he replied, «actually, I do» and took the bacon off my plate with his BARE hands and put it back into the «community» food. I could not believe it.
I’m sorry to say I had this experience as the other reviews look seemingly positive, nonetheless, I have never felt more embarrassed. Will never go back after that experience.

Not the best retreat center I’ve been to but it’s just alright. The rooms are pretty nice but the facility is a bit small.
The staff is really nice there and the food is decent!

Sunset Ministry has held their annual all-​church retreat at Happy Valley for quite awhile. this was only my second (straight) year staying for the entire length on the retreat, so i can’t really compare it to years upon years of visits there. the staff is incredibly nice and friendly and are really approachable. their food has improved over last year (except for the sticky buns, which could have used a lot more syrup) and drinks are always available as long as the main assembly hall is open. free WiFi and spotty cell phone coverage, which is actually better than other heavily isolated grounds (ex. Redwood Glen). the grounds itself at Happy Valley is kept up well and clean. they offer good recreation activities; pool, volleyball, lengthy outdoor grass field as well as ping pong inside. even though i stayed in the cabin, a few people like to camp out in the tented area, so it’s a plus they offer that option. however, i don’t care for the gravel parking lot (which is a very minor complaint), no towels or bed linens, the heating system which really did a number on my allergies, and the extra tight space that is the shower (i kept banging my arms against the wall). another year, another retreat, another enjoyable stay at Happy Valley.

A fantastic place for a retreat, conference, or camp. The cabins have everything you need (namely a bathroom so you don’t have to hike across the woods) and the grounds have swimming, volleyball, and a campfire pit. There’s hiking and a ropes course too (although I haven’t done that).
S’mores seem to taste better here than any place else! =)
Food is great and so is the staff! I love coming back here every year!