Nestled on a spectacular Sierra Nevada Ridge above Lake Tahoe, and overlooking the breathtaking and beautiful Carson Valley, The Tahoe Ridge is a 11 acre hotel resort which offers year-round vacation rentals with panoramic views. They have a complimentary health club and an indoor sports complex which has a massive gym by hotel standards with plenty of free weights and machines.
It’s a little overwhelming (in a good way) as you make your way up to the property since the climb is steep and winds around for a few miles before you finally reach the entrance. You suddenly realize once you reach the top that you’re going to get the best views of any property in the vicinity.
We were there in the spring for a bout of spring skiing in South Lake Tahoe. What’s nice about the Tahoe Ridge is that its in Nevada, but on the border, so you can take in the best of the casinos in the area, with the convenience of zipping over to the California side within minutes.
Summer is as great as winter I was told, particularly since they offer a pool, spa, tennis courts, rock climbing wall and hiking trails all of which are a few minutes from the front door. They also have jacuzzis, a restaurant, a market and a full service spa. Just down the hill are Lake Tahoe’s beaches, boating, paddleboarding and kayaking. In the winter, they offer a Skier Express service which provides ski in / ski out access to Heavenly Ski Resort’s Stagecoach Chairlift. Since we were doing some skiing ourselves, the location was perfect and we had easy access to the ski resort.
Apparently the property is also popular for business meetings, conventions, reunions and weddings. Later, I learned from the chef and a smattering of others that The Ridge is a popular destination for “gal getaways.” It makes sense — the property has shuttle service, is enclosed so is secure and there are an extensive number of services on site, including the spa and gym.
They have around 302 units and they range from basic sized suites to Deluxe Hotel Rooms, and One and Two Bedroom Condominium Suites. Below is a sample of the kind of condo we had for a couple of days — both the bedroom and the living room had fireplaces and there were views on all sides.
The one-bedroom suites range from 750 square feet to 950 square feet, the one bedroom condominium suite can sleep 1-4 people while the two bedroom suites range from 1,000 square feet to 1450 square feet and the two bedroom condo suites sleep 2-6 people. They have fully equipped kitchens with microwave oven, dishwasher, full-sized refrigerator, full-sized oven, small appliances, dishes and utensils and cooking necessities. There’s also a spacious living room area with a queen size sofa sleeper, making it ideal for families.
Two great things about the property, okay three.
1. It’s a fabulous resort for families given the size of the suites and condos and given how much there is to do on-site, this adds to the bonus of being ideal for family stays. One of the things I loved most about waking up in the morning was seeing the view from both my bedroom window and the living room area. Once I walked out to the kitchen to turn on the tea pot, the view was even more expansive. We took the cooking class the night before with the local chef Stephen Moise, whose passion is unparalleled. See our separate write-up on the fabulous Tuesday night class, an experience not to be missed.
2. Waking up in the morning to the views – we had a little terrace and ate our homemade banana bread (thanks to Stephen) with our tea and coffee. Does it get much better than that? Also, the fact that there is such an extensive gym and spa on the property was a surprise. We worked out, took in the hot tub and I had a spa treatment.
3. Did I mention the views?
The Elevation Spa at the Ridge Tahoe offers standard massage treatments and a host of choices for facials.
They offer the traditional European facial which is perfect for all skin types, the Stress Reduction Facial (gotta love the name), which starts with a 15 minute back and neck treatment (sweet) and the age smart treatment facial (gotta love the name even more). What’s nice is that you can take in the pool and hot tub before your treatment if you wish and there’s also a steam room in the women’s locker’s rooms.
They have many massages to choose from and also offer two body treatments: the exfoliating body scrub and the ridge body wrap, which starts with a body brushing and a body masque and finishes with a rich hydrating cream.
While the spa facility is small, the services are still top notch and the practitioners know their stuff – I left feeling rejuvenating and refreshed. We give it a royal two thumbs up!
While spa and luxury is definitely part of this resort, we think it’s an ideal landing spot for families. Here’s why: it’s safe, secure and the rooms are massive, all with full kitchens, views, fireplaces and lounge areas. Also, they have a boat load of adult and teen activities including morning stretch classes, pilates, body conditioning, craft classes, glassware painting (13 years and up only), Bingo, Wallyball, snowshoeing, tennis kid’s clinic, a scavenger hunt, basketball hoops, and hiking trails nearby. They also have a family game room which includes Wii and Xbox systems for kids.
Details:
Ridge Tahoe | 400 Ridge Club Drive, Stateline, Nevada 89449 | (775) 588-3553
Note: I was hosted by the resort but all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
