Holiday Inn Club Vacations Tahoe Ridge Resort

Holiday Inn Club Vacations Tahoe Ridge Resort. I am ready to return to Tahoe. It has been a few months and this time even though I am not a skier, I am going during ski season to check out the amazing area in winter.

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Day One Travel & Arrival at Holiday Inn Club Vacations Tahoe Ridge Resort

My trip, like many to the west coast, begins with a flight from my home in Virginia to Tahoe, and then my rental car. The resort itself is technically in Nevada. Tahoe is on the border of Nevada and California. So, when you stay in the area you can technically stay in either state depending on the side of Tahoe you are on. The borderline splits Lake Tahoe itself. That kind of informs you of how special the area is if two states actually fought over ownership of a single lake. Even a lake as large as Tahoe.

Recent Reviews

Excellent Wedding Venue!

Our daughter’s wedding was held at Tahoe Ridge on 4/22/22. We booked a block of rooms for us and several wedding guests. Everyone was impressed with how large and nice the rooms were.

Excellent services

We had a door lock issue, but Nick helped us professionally. I would give him 5 supper starts for his services. Recommend this hotel to my friends, will come back.

Great local getaway

I look up at the resort from my front window. Decided let’s get a room and enjoy a weekend. The room was very large and clean.

The only place I’ll stay in Tahoe

Was recommended to stay here by a friend who comes often for work… I am so thankful he did because we had an amazing stay. We had a beautiful view from our room. The room itself was loaded with a full kitchen and everything to cook. Also close to town and restaurants.

Great experience and Great service

I stayed at the ridge at Tahoe for one night and was blown away by how they treat their customers. So much wow.

Comfortable and quiet environment

My first time staying (solo) at this location for 2 nights at The Terrace in a 1 bedroom villa was a good experience. Friendly staff. Very spacious room. The location kind of gives you the “log cabin” getaway feel. A place I would definitely take my family for a vacation in the future.

Smooth and Clean

Very smooth check-in, friendly staff, and clean accommodations. I would recommend this property to anyone seeking a smooth stay.

Very Relaxing, Just What We Needed

First-time visit to Tahoe. Booked a 2 bedroom Villa and stayed for a week. We read some negative reviews about how hot the rooms were as there was no ac which made us nervous because we already booked and we were already committed to this trip. Have to say, it was not that bad. Each room had a ceiling, so it kept cool and we were able to open the windows to help circulate the air. A lot of activities are on the property. If you have kids, they have a rec room with air hockey, a pool table, and games. We took advantage of the racquetball courts, gym, and swimming pool. My husband and I got up every morning to take a walk. Ran into a deer, blue jay, and woodpeckers of your nature. Just a very relaxing place. The room came with a full kitchen and the fridge has an automatic ice machine. The room had an awesome view, which made it nice to look at the whole while drinking coffee in the mornings. We will definitely visit again. Just a very peaceful and relaxing resort which was much needed.

My Villa

The accommodations here start at studios and go up to 2 bedroom lockouts that are beasts in size over 2,000 sq ft. I had booked a ridge Tahoe 1 bedroom, which was over 800 sq ft in size and very well laid out.

The view from the windows of the room was jaw-dropping. I think living my entire life on the East Coast, I am more than impressed with the mountains and how beautiful they are. I love the ocean, but the mountains are a close second since they too provide relaxation and comfort for me. Here at Lake Tahoe, the views are incredible of both the mountains and the nearby lake.

Some villas here offer a private balcony. My room did not, but since it was cold outside, that was not my concern on this trip. In summer, I would make sure to get a villa with a balcony when possible.

Villa Amenities

Then the resort itself offers all of these options.

Resort Amenities

Day Two Heavenly Ski Resort

My niece has been a ski instructor at the Heavenly Ski Resort for several years. She loves the people, location, and friends there. Today I am going to visit and let her try to teach her old uncle to ski some. I have gone down tubing before, and even used a snowmobile, but the idea of skiing never really was appealing to me.

Very recently, I also started to play golf for the first time in my life. Until then, it was mini-golf for me. So maybe I am just a very late bloomer. What is strange is that while I was awkward in my youth, later in my late teens and 20s, I became athletic. Still, I just did not get out and try certain things. My niece thinks she may be getting to an age now where she will stop instructing soon, and she has become a scuba instructor as well so I thought I would visit her during the season and learn from her if only to make her laugh and share the experience with her. She is a very special young lady who always has a smile for the world.

If we all smiled as much as she does and shared our inner heart in her way the world would be a much better place.

I had managed before the trip to find a manufacturer that makes a ski suit to fit me, which was a task. I am 6 foot 4 inches and way too many pounds these days. For a minute there, I thought I would have to find an experienced tent maker to hook me up. With my rented skis and boots (Size 12) I headed towards Heavenly resort and joined my niece for some 1 on 1 personal instruction. I would have just joined her class, but she often teaches kids and I did not want to be the 51-year-old kid doing the worst of all the kids.

She was great at spending part of her day off at her work with me and showing me the basics. A few minor falls later and tons of laughs. I was ready for a run down the mountain down a very easy path.

The gondola ride-up is an experience in itself. Going from roughly 6,000 ft to over 10,000 feet impacts your entire body. Do not drink anything carbonated for several hours before you do this. Certainly not right before you head up. Get your caffeine another way. How people of any age drink beer and ski at these altitudes I do not understand. Bubbles in your stomach at altitude are borderline dangerous. I am certain if there was a way to harness the methane expelled by even the most careful riders, you could power a small city during the snow season here.

Hey, biology is what it is. We all have likely drank something like a sprite too fast. This was that but just impacted your entire body at a later stage. That is the nicest way I can explain it, folks.

Often when traveling, that change in altitude can get to you. It is harder to breathe as well on the top of these mountains that are amplified. For some folks it is a challenge, for others, it impacts them after their first day of skiing. They feel tired faster, and it can kick your butt from an energy perspective.

If you are coming to ski, I would plan on an extra day in town at 6,000 feet first letting your body get used to that altitude before going up to 10K plus to ski. I did OK as big and out of shape as I am, but I fear most would not. For me, at the end of the day, I could not even drive right back down. I stayed at my nieces’ and took a nap first. I even supplemented my CPAP machine with another machine that has an oxygen concentrator function. I do not use oxygen. The machine I have is more of a health supplementation tool. I brought it along on the trip for just this reason. In case the altitude got to me. This helped me with 15-minute sessions of more oxygen as I used my CPAP to rest. There are companies that will even rent machines out in the area if you want to try that approach.

After about a 2 hour nap with both machines rolling, I was able to pack up my machines and head down to my villa for some real sleep. Before doing that, however, I had kind of hit a wall. It happened fast two really after only about 3 hours of activity. So, I had fun but the high altitude took a toll for sure.

The longer you stay in the area, the better your body will adjust. That is why I say if you are coming to ski plan an extra day at lake level near 6,000 ft to let your body adjust its ability to carry more oxygen in your blood.

Day Three Seeing Lake Tahoe

Seeing the lake in winter is more limited than in summer. But after sleeping in again with both of my machines, helping me recover. I knew I was not ready to ski again today, but I did want to enjoy more of the area itself.

Lake Tahoe is impressive, not only for its size but the beauty of this amazing location. Some of the views from trails and lake beaches here will stop your heart. There are many local photographers that move here for a love of the area and spend much of their life than taking photos of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding area. Sunrises, sunsets, and views throughout the day will all take your breath away here.

In summer, there is also amazing scuba diving here. But even in the summer, you need a wet suit since it only gets so warm at this altitude and with the depth of parts of the lake.

Nature lovers will find it hard to leave the area. Myself even today not feeling a hundred percent after overdoing it at altitude yesterday, it is hard to pull me away from the views.

I would recommend that even people who are in good shape come a day before and hike a little at lower altitude to the lake, or around it before taking to the slopes. You do not have to exert yourself to allow your body to adapt, but for active people, it will help you get used to the lower amount of oxygen in your blood and it may speed up your body’s adaptation a tad.

For the visual and actual vacation of a lifetime, consider this resort and amazing location and book through Tzort.