Lake Tahoe has been one of my favorite vacation areas since I was little. Even nearby Donner Lake, I have a million memories being with my parents and meeting up with other vacationers that would be my pen-pals in the off season. The mountains, the trees, the blue lake. Now that I have a family of my own, I’m passing on annual memories taking trips back to the Tahoe area, most often South Shore.
Last weekend, we ventured to the north end of the lake near Truckee, CA and had the opportunity to stay at Northstar at Tahoe, a classy inclusive-resort set up against stunning mountains that boast fabulous winter skiing and summer mountain biking. Whether you’re in the area to bike, golf, fish, shop, play, or just relax there are fabulous accommodations near the main Village to come back to after a day out. (click on any of the photos to enlarge!)
Our family was treated to a 2 bedroom/2 bath Indian Hills Condominium (Big Springs area) for the weekend that was more than enough room for comfort! Just about a mile to the main Village, the condo was set amongst a neighborhood of wonderful mountain family-style homes. You see people out during the summer taking walks, out on the decks and it’s a comfortable feeling.
Walking into our home-away-from-home, you have two sets of stairs, one leading down to the bedrooms, full bath, and laundry room, and one leading up to the living/dining room, kitchen, bathroom and patio. We were pleased to see laundry access at our fingertips for any of those “just in case” scenarios, like the one where changes of undergarments were forgotten (I won’t mention any names ;)). The home was decorated like a mountain cabin should with greens and browns, adorable wood accents and pine tree decor. The kitchen was fully-equipped which is perfect to stock with your own food for the weekend to cut back on restaurant costs! Complimentary Starbucks coffee won us over as well.
The dining area has room for 6 as well as a bar with 3 stools for causal dining. Adjacent is a magnificent fireplace for cozy winter evenings, along with a cozy couch, chair and entertainment center with TV, VCR, and a CD/radio system. Each condo is individually owned and will be decorated differently depending on owner’s preferences. Though we didn’t have any VCR tapes with us, the condo provided a ton for our viewing pleasure. Our kids enjoyed watching Indiana Jones Saturday evening!
Downstairs you first reach the entrance landing which has a bench and plenty of hooks for coats, purses, equipment, etc. We stored our shoes there, though during winter, I’m sure snow boots, and ski gear has it’s place.
Heading into the bedrooms, you’ll find a master bedroom with queen bed, night stands on either side of the bed and a grand dresser with TV and DVD player. Mirrored closet doors give you an alternate place to dress, apply makeup/hair and inside the closet we found fold-out futon pads, extra blankets and pillows. My kids love the trunk in the master bedroom that contained games and cards so that we didn’t have to pack our whole household with us!
The second bedroom had two double beds, all with great sets of pillows and blankets, and both rooms had a gorgeous view of the surrounding woods.
The bedding was super comfortable and even with the rooms on the bottom floor, the temperature was perfect, no need for heat or cooling.
Back upstairs and out on the patio, you’ll find a table and chairs plus a electric bbq for outdoor summer dining.
While my friend and I dined out Saturday night, our husbands barbecued for the kids. You can watch the sunset on the patio and when everyone is asleep enjoy the utter SILENCE but a gentle breeze through the pines!
Lodging at Northstar at Tahoe varies and can be as low as $150/night depending on location and size of home/condo/room/season.
Included in your stay is 2 free roller skating passes and hiking passes at the Village and on the mountain, plus access to the recreation center (pools and spas) for a minimal fee. Check out more information here, http://www.northstarattahoe.com/info/ski/trip-planning/accommodations-overview.asp and find some great “stay 2 nights, get a 3rd free!”
Our stay was wonderful, if we ever want an all inclusive mountain trip, we’d be excited to stay at Northstar at Tahoe again!
Stay tuned for my next few reviews where I’ll talk about the activities and restaurants in the Village as well as my husband’s experience at the Terrain Park!
Thanks to Jessica for setting up our compensated stay for this honest review. The opinions are our tried-and-true experience and was not influenced by any source.
