PRICE:
Frommer's Very Highly Recommended

The River Ranch Lodge has long been one of my favorite places to stay in Lake Tahoe. Alongside the Truckee River, the lodge is minutes away from Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley ski resorts, and a short drive (or ride along the bike path) into Tahoe City. The best rooms have balconies overlooking the river. All have a handsome mountain-home decor, lodgepole pine furniture, and down comforters. Room nos. 9 and 10, the farthest from the road, are my top choices. In summer, guests relax under umbrellas on the huge patio overlooking the river, working down burgers and beer while watching the rafters float by. During ski season, the River Ranch's spectacular circular cocktail lounge and dining area, which cantilevers over the river, is a popular après-ski hangout. Another big hit is the handsome River Ranch Lodge Restaurant, which serves creations by its new Executive Chef, Julia Walter. Dishes range from fresh seafood -- think seared sesame-coated ahi tuna or the diver-scallop pasta -- to such thick meats as a ranch rib-eye with a wild mushroom demiglacé, or the filet mignon in a California cabernet and roasted garlic sauce.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's USA, 11th Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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