After an exhilrating day of activities, slip into the luxurious spa to detoxify in the dry-heat-lodge, or the mentally uplifting pinyon pine steam room to revitalize your body.
On the California side of Lake Tahoe, The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe is the type of place Paul Bunyan might stay if he decided to swap in his ox for an SUV. Spread out over 170 rooms, the hotel's design is characterized by stone, rough wood, and the crackle of fireplaces.
Rooms are fresh and woodsy, featuring large baths, old and new photography of the area, and plush furnishings - perfect spots to cozy up after a day out in the wild.
Meals occur at one of three spots: Manzanita, The Living Room, or Mountain Blue. At Manzanita, California cuisine gets a French dress-up sure to fuel guests for the coming day's adventures.
As noted, the spa is cavernous; guests could easily get lost here for an extended period of time. When they emerge renewed, it'll be just in time to get out and get active.
When the green trees thrive in spring, summer, and fall, guests can hike, bike, golf or boat from sunrise to sunset. In winter, it's time to wax up and get vertical. This hotel isn't at Northstar Resort's mid-station by chance.