Janu-buried

photos by Jodi Demko, Director of Sales at RC Lake Tahoe

This has been a January to remember in California. The torrential rains that eased our 5-year drought also dropped many feet of fresh powder on the Sierra Mountains. Now's the time to hit the slopes, if you enjoy skiing!

Where to ski? My previous trips to Tahoe have taken me to Northstar, a family-friendly ski resort with a great ski school and trails to challenge everyone from novices to experts.

Where to stay? Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe, located mid-mountain at Northstar, is a true ski-in, ski-out resort. Leave your skis with the Ski Concierge, then phone in the morning when you're ready to hit the slopes. Your skis (and heated boots) will be ready and waiting for you when you head outside. Ski down to the gondolas, ride to the top of the slopes ... and enjoy the day.

And when you're done for the day, ski right to the back door of the resort, drop off your skis and boots, and enjoy a flute of Moet champagne on ice. Can you imagine a better day on the mountain?

Looking for a deal? Just book the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe through a STARS agent, and you'll receive a $50 breakfast credit every day at the same "regular" room-only rate you're seeing on the internet.

copyright (c) 2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Ritz Carlton Lake Tahoe | summer family vacation

When I woke up this morning and looked out the window (shortly after 6 a.m.), I could not believe the beautiful light of the mountain dawn. So I quickly dressed and went outside to capture what I could of the "golden hour." I was a bit late, but the light in this picture is just magical. Be sure to click the picture to see a full-size image.

Ritz Carlton Lake Tahoe is located mid-mountain at Northstar, a family-friendly ski resort just a bit more than three hours from the Bay Area (unless you wait until everyone else is driving up to Tahoe for the weekend, in which case three hours can easily turn into five ... so leave at 10 a.m., if you possibly can).

Great summer weather — sunny skies, clear blue skies, shirtsleeve temperatures (sounds strange to say, but San Francisco and East Bay residents will know what I'm talking about). Clean mountain air, great hiking, and mountain biking opportunities galore. Also great food! Last night I had the seared Hawaiian Sea Bass at the signature restaurant Manzanita, and it was phenomenal.

Consider Ritz Carlton for summer vacations with kids. There are lots of young families with kids playing in the heated pool, and this is a very kid friendly resort. One little girl was thrilled that the family's guest room had her personal "tent" set up for her arrival.

Your Ritz-Carlton STARS travel consultant can provide additional value for your stay — daily complimentary buffet breakfasts for two adults ... all for the same price you'd pay if you book it yourself on the web.

copyright  (c)  2015 by David Ourisman LLC.  All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

decisions, decisions

would you choose these?

or these?

One of my favorite things, when staying at any Ritz-Carlton, are the chocolate chip cookies in the Club Lounge. Exceptional cookies, they are the ultimate temptation for me. 

Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe is making my decision more difficult... as their Club provides not only regular chocolate chip cookies but also double chocolate chip cookies. (Not to mention some round chocolate confections called "Haystacks" that are absolutely irresistible). A delicious dilemma, being the chocoholic that I am.

And then there is the opportunity to make S'Mores outside in the evening by the firepit. Decisions, decisions. So much chocolate, so little time. Obviously enjoying my visit. More news to come! Stay tuned.

copyright  (c)  2015 by David Ourisman LLC.  All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

weekend trips in the Bay Area

view from One Bush Plaza, San Francisco

Looking for something to do over a weekend? Here are some thoughts if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Weekend in the City. Spend a couple of nights in the city. My favorite SF hotel is the Four Seasons San Francisco. I like its location right on Market Street. If you take BART into the City, you can get off at the Powell Street station and walk into the hotel without ever crossing the street. It's an easy walk from the Four Seasons to Union Square, Chinatown, and AT&T Park where you can see the world champion San Francisco Giants baseball team.

Wine Country — Napa County. Napa County, one of the best wine growing regions in the world,  has some fabulous resorts. Auberge du Soleil, Meadowood, Bardessono, and Calistoga Ranch are all wonderful, but each is so different. Give me a call to find the right resort for you.

Wine Country — Sonoma County. Less famous and less crowded, Sonoma County attracts Bay Area residents who want to avoid the Napa County crowds. The Farmhouse Inn is something quite special with a Michelin-starred restaurant,  and you can make complimentary S'Mores at night with gourmet Valrona chocolate. Prefer to stay in the town of Healdsburg? We were very impressed by Hotel Les Mars just a block off the square.

A room with a view of the Golden Gate. We're spending a couple of nights at Cavallo Point at the end of May. Located in Marin County, you'll enjoy views of San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge from this renovated historical resort.

A room with a view of the Pacific Ocean. So many great options for Bay Area residents. Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay has a great golf course, and Post Ranch Inn is a dream destination in Big Sur for a romantic weekend getaway.

Lake Tahoe. Just a three hour drive to the mountains for skiing (in the winter, if it bothers to snow) and mountain biking and outdoor adventure in the summer months. Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe is our favorite resort here, located mid-mountain at Northstar.

Email me for added-value amenities at each hotel or resort I've mentioned that you can't get when you book online.

copyright (c) 2015 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe | free lift tickets

Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe is a true ski-in, ski-out winter resort located mid-mountain at Northstar, and this January special must be booked by January 17 (next Tuesday) for reservations from January 16-30, 2012. This is an amazing value featuring two free lift tickets at Northstar!

With a nightly rate of just $399 per room, what's included?

• Deluxe Room
• Two (2) adult or child lift tickets valid at Northstar California (a $200 value) for one day

The photograph above shows the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe. Call down to the ski concierge to tell them you're coming, and they'll get your equipment ready. Just slip into your dry, heated boots and ski down to the base of the lifts a few hundred yards away. At the end of the day, you can ski up right up to the back of the resort, drop off your skis and boots, and enjoy cocktails or a spa treatment.

While the incredibly low pricing of this package does not include breakfast (you're getting free lift tickets instead), STARS guests will receive a personal welcome by management, priority early check-in, late 4 p.m. check-out, and a customized welcome amenity.


Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe (search here on Google)

Package must be booked by January 17, 2012 and is valid through January 30, 2012 based upon deluxe room availability. Full pre-payment is due at time of booking and is non-refundable. Rates exclude applicable taxes. Tickets cannot be used on the day of arrival and may be picked up at the Front Desk after 3:00pm day of arrival. Tickets must be used consecutively during the stay and are not valid after the check out date. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable and are only valid at Northstar California. Rate does not apply to groups and cannot be combined with any other offers. Unused tickets or portions thereof have no monetary value.

copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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5 reasons to stay at Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe

the fifth floor Club Lounge 

Just back from a three-night site inspection trip to the new Ritz Carlton Lake Tahoe, I was truly wowed by this two-year old resort. Upscale travelers wanting to experience a luxurious winter ski vacation (or active summer mountain vacation) should strongly consider staying at the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe. Here are five top reasons why:

1. Easy to reach. Lake Tahoe is just a three hour drive from the San Francisco Bay Area. Don't live in the Bay Area? Reno International Airport, a mere 45-minute drive away, is a non-stop flight away from 17 US cities including Chicago, Minneapolis, Dallas, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.

2. Northstar is a family-friendly ski destination. My own kids learned to ski and snowboard here. With 18 lifts and 89 ski trails, you will not encounter the long lines common to Vail and similar resorts. With its location in the Sierra Mountains of Northern California, you'll enjoy mild winters and shirt-sleeve spring skiing. Special bonus: from the top of the mountain, skiers enjoy stunning views of Lake Tahoe.

3. True ski-in, ski-out. As a guest at Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe, simply call down to the Ski Concierge, inform them what time you want to hit the slopes, and your boots will be waiting for you, warm and dry. Just step out the back door, put on your skis, and ski down to the mid-mountain lifts. Because the Ritz is located mid-mountain, you'll never queue up for lift tickets or gondola rides at the bottom of the mountain. And at the end of the day, ski right up to the Ritz's back door. While the Ski Concierge collects your skis, poles, and boots, you're free to head to the resort's heated pool, jacuzzi, or spa.

4. Active summer fun. Escape the intolerable summer heat and humidity and head into the mountains to enjoy active family fun — mountain biking, hiking, fishing, golf, or boating. Lake Tahoe is a wonderful summer destination with recreation, good food, and shopping.

5. Rustic yet polished elegance. The Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe achieves polished elegance while maintaining a sense of place. No rough-hewn wood paneling or dark ceramic tile bathrooms at this resort. The floor-to-ceiling windows of my spacious Corner Deluxe room let in full views of the mountains and ski runs. Rooms are decorated with very attractive original art (as is the entire hotel). My marble bathroom had dual vanities, a deep soaking tub, step-in shower, and separate WC; a three-inch wide strip of flagstone wainscoting provided a western mountain accent without sacrificing luxury. Every room has a gas fireplace set, a large flatscreen tv, and all King-bedded rooms have stand-out balconies.

Want even more space? We were shown a 1 BR Suite (which can connect to a Queen-Queen room to form a 2 BR Suite), again beautifully designed with 1 3/4 baths. The room layout provides visual separation between the master bedroom and the living area, and the living room's pull-out sofa can accommodate two (while a rollaway bed can sleep a third child).

And if you want even more, we were shown a stunning 3 BR Residence - a literal home-away-from-home with a full gourmet kitchen, three bedrooms and three full baths.

Intimate yet spacious, the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe has just 170 guest rooms and suites. The Club Lounge on the fifth floor (pictured above) looks out over the Sierras. The resort's signature restaurant Manzanita features the cuisine of Traci Des Jardins. The spa is large and beautiful with 16 treatment rooms, and fitness classes and free internet are included in the daily resort fee. As an added value-added bonus, STARS guests receive free daily breakfast for two.

Ritz Carlton Lake Tahoe (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2011 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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