South Lake Tahoe, Basecamp Hotel Review: Everybody Gets a Bed!

Often with a family of 5 you find that hotels want you to book two rooms to accommodate everyone, and often when you’re traveling, the added expense isn’t part of your budget.  Now that two of my 3 kids are older, it’s not as easy to pair them up to share a bed, so everyone is competing for their own space.  One of the best things I found in the Basecamp Hotel in South Lake Tahoe is that in our reasonably price room, everyone got their own bed, and without adding a crowding roll-away!

The way Basecamp Hotel came about is that it’s a renovated old Tahoe motor lodge.  Now, I’ve been coming to Tahoe with family my whole life, and I swear I was here before.  Completely renovated in 2012, the Hotel boasts 50 boutique-style rooms celebrating Tahoe’s great outdoors.  The rooms are the same size as they were originally, only they had the genius idea to make them family-friendly by adding bunks above the queen beds!

This meant, no complaining on my kids part, and plenty of comfort for everyone.  My 7 year old teased, “mom, you don’t get a bed to yourself!”  I laughed as I agreed to that in my vow exactly 17 years ago, but I’m glad she thought of me!Plus, unlike traditional bunks, there was space to sit on the bed (above and below) with plenty of head room and watch TV and not having to slouch over.  The room was wonderful, had a desk/chair, large television, spot with a full mirror for my girls to “get gussied up” in front of, bathroom with walk in shower, a nice closet for our suitcases, free wi-fi, an iPhone/iPod docking station/radio, and a spacious balcony with two chairs! The sliding glass door and fan make for great ventilation as well.

The lobby is great place to hang out, dine, mingle, and chat with the super helpful and knowledgeable concierge about all Tahoe has to offer. We found the over-sized couches to be a lovely place to relax and read. The cabinets in the lobby contain games for families, and on a cooler day, the sun shines bright into the room making it so cozy!  Communal dinners are offered at an additional cost 3 nights a week with indoor and outdoor patio seating if needed to break bread with other like-minded mountain explorers.The table is also used for morning breakfasts that are included with your stay and consist of fresh granola, oatmeal, delectable pastries and bagels from a local bakery, fruit, juice, and coffee.  Find yourself pulling up a stool at the bar for happy hour to sample local brews.  I love all the adventurous decor too (arrows)!  With casinos, shopping, beach, and nightlife all within a 5 minute walk, park your car and you’re good to go for the weekend!The patio outside the lobby is perfect for morning coffee or s’mores in the evening by the fire, it’s so pretty lit up!Our family loves the water, so the rooftop hot tub was a pleasant bonus.  Day or night you can relax and take in the beautiful view of Heavenly mountain!Whether you’re biking, skiing, snowboarding, or visiting with family, a group, or your pet, Basecamp Hotel can meet your needs.  With pet-friendly rooms, ski/board/bike storage, tools, and a waxing station, you’re set.

The awesome Explorers Club room sleeps 8 and includes a high definition projector with surround sound  and Xbox 360 Kinect, now how fun would that be for a guys getaway?!  I know for sure we’ll be back when we travel as a family, check out Basecamp Hotel for your next Tahoe adventure!
Our stay was hosted to facilitate this review, all opinions are 100% our own.