I might as well admit it: I’m a North Lake Tahoe girl. I grew up near North Tahoe, and because of this, I simply know the area better. While I do love skiing at Sierra-at-Tahoe and Kirkwood on the South side, my heart–usually–belongs to the North. Why ‘usually’? Because until a spring skiing visit last year, I didn’t know Aston Lakeland Village existed.
Aston Lakeland Village is exactly what you want in winter ski or summer lake fun accommodations with the family: its townhouse give you room to spread out, you can cook in, you have pools and hot tubs at your disposal, and it’s affordable. Plus, in winter, you get a complimentary breakfast daily. Comped breakfast…in a townhouse? What?!
My beef with South Tahoe is the constant energy of the downtown ‘strip’. Because of its location in Nevada, South Tahoe has gambling, and a lot of it. Now, I know some people enjoy this energetic ambiance, but when I’m on a mountain getaway, I want tranquility. Even though Lakeland Village is only about half a mile from the casinos, it’s completely quiet, in a wooded setting right on the lake shore.
Did I forget to say Lakeland Village is, indeed, lakeside? This was the view from our room.
I get excited when I talk about family ski lodging with true value, because it’s hard to come by. Enjoying a ski vacation, or a summer lakeside vacation in Tahoe, is an expensive endeavor. That fact is not lost on me, trust me. At Lakeland Village, you get a swimming beach right on the lake, big townhouses with full kitchens, free breakfast (in winter), two pool complexes, free parking and wifi, and…wait for it…comped ski lift tickets with certain packages.
We tried this out at the end of March 2016, receiving lift tickets to Sierra-at-Tahoe (Lakeland Village also offers tickets to Heavenly). It was so convenient to get our tickets at check-in, put them on our jackets, and go straight to the lifts upon arrival at Sierra. Check Lakeland’s package deals before you book; it may be well worth it to opt for a lift ticket package. Discounted lift tickets are also available.
Our townhouse at Lakeland Village had a living space with TV and fireplace, a large outdoor deck overlooking the lake (with table and chairs), two full bathrooms, and three bedrooms (plus an additional bedroom considered a ‘sleeping loft’). Um, we had more room than we knew what to do with. You could easily sleep 10 in this type of townhouse, which means Lakeland Village qualifies in my favorite type of ski lodging category: perfect for multigenerational groups.
We literally stepped off our deck to reach the beachside swimming complex, where we could dip into the hot tub. (Pools are closed in winter, but an additional pool and hot tub, both open year-round, are located near the reception area and lodge.) In summer, I can imagine BBQing from the deck while the kids swim in the lake (there’s a roped-off swimming area).
Townhouse pricing:
Lakeland Village offers standard lodge rooms all the way up to five-bedroom lakeside townhouses. We had a ‘lake view’ townhouse (which meant it was 50 steps from the beach instead of 30), and during the spring season, it was listed at $359/night. Split between a couple families, that’s downright budget-friendly, right on the water in South Tahoe. Prices will vary by season, of course, but with multiple deals offered every day, this is an option families should look into when searching for South Lake Tahoe lodging.
Included in the price was the free breakfast and full maid service daily (rare in town homes). The lift ticket deal is a separate package; just call when booking if you don’t see the option online. The only thing missing was a washer and dryer, which is so helpful for skiing families. There are coin-operated laundry facilities in the main lodge, but boy did I wish we had them in the townhouse.
When we go to South Tahoe, we ski at Sierra-at-Tahoe, because of its low-key vibe, great ski school, and expert terrain. Read our full review of Sierra-at-Tahoe here.
Disclosure: We stayed at Lakeland Village as guests of the resort, for the purpose of review. Without these stays, we would be unable to provide our readers with honest reviews.
