Twinkling lights guided us on our way up the mountain to the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, nestled mid-mountain and surrounded by forest. The sprawling property features a heated pool along with 2 hot tubs right at the base of the ski runs, a world class spa, and Manzanita, an amazing restaurant. With a variety of rooms ranging from single king rooms to multi-room residential suites, it’s the ideal place to stay for any family planning a special trip to North Lake Tahoe.
The property felt magical to me as an adult but it truly was magical for my 3.5 year old daughter, Penny. After a long travel day, when we arrived we were given perfectly chilled glasses of Prosecco while Penny sipped sparking cider and played with a stuffed animal given to her at check-in. In our room, the Ritz kids team had set up tent for her to sleep in, with a plush mattress, a stuffed teddy bear named Toby to snuggle, a flashlight and a s’mores kit. It was apparent a lot of thought went into the set up and she was absolutely delighted. She continued to be showered with gifts like crayons and coloring books and rubber duckies for bath time over the course of our stay and those little touches had a big effect on her.
The rain woke us up the first morning of our visit and what a wake up it was! Once the run rose, the skies cleared and we were greeted with the most beautiful rainbow sprawling across the Ritz-Carlton property. It was as if the hotel itself was giving us a stunning wake up and Penny was delighted to see her first real-life rainbow.
After spending the morning and early afternoon hiking and exploring, we arrived back at the hotel a tired and weary bunch. A perfect mix of jet lag and being soaked from a rainy hike, we craved little down time. The hot tub was calling our name. We ventured down in our robes, with Penny’s s’mores kit in hand, and spent over an hour warming up and relaxing.
The hot tub was right next to the fire pit which made a pool-side s’mores snack an easy endeavor. It was so nice to be able to relax in the warm water while Penny, ever the independent 3.5 year old, roasted her marshmallow all by herself. You can tell that this property was created with families in mind. The pool also has a BBQ restaurant called The Backyard, and yard games like corn hole and ladder golf are available on the lawn as well.
Another reason we know this property is perfect for families? There’s an arcade. Talk about making a kid happy! Penny had never been to one before so this was an epic experience for her. After a long day of skiing, you can see how kids – and parents- would delight in finding a full scale arcade downstairs. Kids can enjoy throwing tokens into games while parents sit just upstairs with a drink in hand in ‘The Living Room’.
A true gem in this already stunning resort is Manzanita. Open all day, you can go any time to enjoy fresh and creative California cuisine using local ingredients and incorporating an artistic twist. For breakfast, we ordered huevos rancheros, eggs and sausage and then indulged in their insanely delicious French toast for ‘breakfast dessert’, a new term I’ve coined and am very much a fan of.
Manzanita really shined at dinner time. We started with the fluffy, buttery rolls and celery root soup. With super thinly sliced apples and toasted pistachios, it was filled with incredible flavor and texture. The short rib pappardelle was just what we needed after a full day spent outside. The broccolini hiding beneath the thick, beautiful noodles convinced us it was healthy and the mound of shaved Parmesan on top was indulgent in the best way.
The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe is the best of both worlds. It’s incredible luxurious, every detail thought of and taken care of for you. But the hotel is also humble and accessible. Even with a little one tagging along, we never felt like we were being shushed or pushed to the side. The staff were so accommodating, helping us with anything we needed and offering hot coffee for chilly morning car rides. The Ritz kids program made Penny feel so special and as a parent, that is a priceless thing to witness. The Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe is the perfect family retreat, no matter the time of year, and we cannot wait to be back.
Compass + Twine was a welcomed guest of the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe and thanks them for an incredible experience. As always, all opinions are our own.
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