Tamarack Lodge & Resort

I don’t know if I ever felt better than when I stay at Tamarack Lodge. In the woods with spectacular views. Really wonderful cabins. I don’t want a condo or hotel room in Mammoth but I want all the comforts. It’s June 12^th and it snowed. Huge picture windows to take it all in. Great staff. And a wonderful Continental Breakfast. And they will build you a fire in their fire pit. Just for you. On Twin Lakes, you can’t ask for more. Here for my wife’s 60^th and a nice note to help celebrate (don’t want to mention the bottle of wine or everyone will come here for their birthday) Very nice touch. You want a pool and Jacuzzi, They are part of Mammoth Mountain Resorts (The MM Inn) so it’s there if you need it. We were here 37 years ago when we couldn’t afford it and we’ll be back every year now.

Setting is very nice but the service was very bad. We waited over an hour for our meal and it came out lukewarm. Not the service or experience one would expect for the price.

Clean and cozy lodge.
They offer AVEDA amenities, that was a big bonus for me.
Breakfast was simple but enough for starting morning at lake side.
We brought our dog and the pet fee was $ 30.
Location was beautiful.
You can see twin lakes from the terrace and also from inside of the lodge through window.

My husband introduced me to Tamarack almost 3 years ago, when he brought our soon-​to-​be combined families together for Christmas. We came back alone together with our dog for a week this past April. We had a charming Studio cabin with a gas fireplace in the bedroom and loved every minute of our stay. The staff were amazingly helpful, friendly and responsive to all our needs, without being invasive. The bed was comfy, the kitchen was perfect with everything we needed. We didn’t want to leave! In fact, we extended our stay to a full week from our original 5 booked days. We can’t say enough of what a wonderful place this is — we really believe it’s THE BEST place to stay in Mammoth — privacy, beauty and a staff that not only cares about their business, but really cares about their guests. Thank you, Matt Matulevicius (Lodge Manager) and everyone at Tamarack for taking such great care of us!

The Tamarack Lodge is a quaint combinations of rooms and bungalows on Twin Lakes in Mammoth. We stayed in a small studio cabin with a kitchenette. The resort fee includes decent in room wifi, parking and a continental breakfast in the lodge great room. The grounds are rustic but beautiful as they are surrounded by high peaks on all sides. The cabin itself was spartan but comfortable. The lodge has an excellent restaurant as well and I will review that in another post. We will definitely be back in the summer to take advantage of the great hiking and fishing in the area.

This review is for the room in the main lodge, with a private bathroom. I stayed three nights.
The room I stayed in, located right over their restaurant, was just fine. A great view of the snowy, frozen lake and the parking lot. Actually, the parking lot didn’t look so bad because everything was coated in white. Pleasant. At night, the noise from the restaurant was pretty irritating. Laughing, talking, the clatter of dishes, all floated up into my room. Fortunately, the restaurant doesn’t stay open that late. After 9:30 or 10:00, the place was quiet and peaceful. That is, until the last night when a running toilet (or something!) kept me up nearly all night. And yet… that is to be expected in a place so old. What you’re signing up for is the charm, not the amenities. The room was large enough for two — although I was on my own — but the bathroom is tiny (although the shower was a good size). Just be aware. An awkward layout, to say the least. The carpet made me nervous. I did not go barefoot. The heater worked like a champ. The windows were actually openable. I love that.
The lodge main room is smaller than it appears in the company photographs. It’s comfortable though, with little tables and chairs, couches by the fire. The continental breakfast served in the morning was nice to have, and included hardboiled eggs, bagels, pastries, and cereal. The coffee was sub-​par. It was coffee though.
I did not eat in the restaurant. Apparently, reservations are required.
No lunches are available for the hungry skier unless you want chili or soup. I had the potato soup for 8 bucks (a small bowl) and it was a gelatinous liquid of something or other. I saw nary a potato. The rather sullen bartender served it to me. In the three days I stayed, I never saw him smile.
The front desk people were very friendly.
I would go back IF I stayed in a cabin. The lodge was cute but not ideal. Here’s the thing though: the Cross Country Ski Center is right there. Steps away. Awesome!

We stayed in the 3 bedroom deluxe cabin in March. Absolutely beautiful grounds and the cabin was very clean. Wonderful time was had by all. We will be back sooner than later. Close to town and all the lodges. The staff was super nice and very accommodating.

First, I will admit the two front desk staff aside the manager were pleasant and helpful. Our «problem» started when we checked in with our service dog and were told they would require us to upgrade our room for an additional $ 200 to accommodate our dog. The manager made snide remarks from his office behind the front desk, about how they don’t have to accept dogs because of their fine dining restaurant in the lodge and proceeded to be flippant about whether we would stay or leave. I wont tolerate being treated this way by anyone, let alone pay hundreds for it. I didn’t have time to drop the Americans with Disabilities Act on the manager which would entitle me to have my service animal eat at the table of the aforementioned restaurant if I so required… Hell, I’ve been bothered worse by ill-​behaved children, which mind you, pose just as severe a «health-​risk» as a service animal. We quickly found another place that had a vacancy for less and no hassle. I’d strongly recommend staying away from this place. They treat their customers poorly and have a sad grasp on their obligation to provide adequate lodging without discrimination. No thanks, there are plenty of other places to stay and I’d gladly pay twice as much to avoid such poor service experience in the future. All said and done, they wouldn’t give us a full refund for cancelling given the «misunderstanding» and instead pulled out their fine-​print policies on the matter to justify charging us even a portion of our reservation.

If I could, I would give this place 0 stars. This resort was a sorry and stressful experience from the moment we arrived. Upon arrival, a customer was at the front desk trying to resolve a string of complaints, including a room with no heat and blistering wind making it miserable at night — Putting us ill at ease immediately.
After signing in, we were asked if we had any pets. We have a registered service dog and were quickly told no pets are allowed, service or otherwise, in the main lodge where our room was. Frankly, THIS IS ILLEGAL. The Americans with Disabilities Act clearly states that people with service animals cannot be discriminated against and must be allowed in all normally permitted areas. «No pet» policies DO NOT apply to service animals, despite the manager’s unprofessional and ignorant insistence otherwise.
When we booked another hotel, Tamarack refused to fully refund us. I will certainly never return here and would suggest you STAY FAR AWAY.

Great experience! Staffs are super kind and friendly, the environment is clean and cozy! Highly recommended!!!

This is our first time here and it certainly is an excellent resort. Cross country skiing and hiking right outside your door, as are the beautiful Twin Lakes, now beautifully frozen over for the winter. Cabins or lodge rooms (we’re in a cabin) are perfectly comfy and at the temperature you desire. An abundance of towels, Aveda products, and a cozy bed with a living room and kitchen (cabins). FYI, no TV’s anywhere on the property) The orange bus takes you every 15 minutes into the Village and to the free gondola that takes you up to the juncture of other lifts.

We are staying here with our dog for 3 nights and just love it! We are staying in a studio cabin which is small but very comfortable. It has a full kitchen including stove, oven with broiler, small refrigerator, small coffee maker, small microwave, sink and plenty of pots, pans, dishes and silverware. The cabins are spaced out and very quiet. The only source of heat in this cabin is a gas burning fireplace hooked up to a thermostat but it works great. We left it on the whole time. The bathroom is very small with a stall shower, tiny sink and toilet but the shower is nice and hot! Each room also has it’s own wifi hot spot. The view is beautiful! The lodge has a free small continental breakfast each morning including coffee, tea, bagels, toast, fruit, a couple cereal choices and yogurt. The staff is extremely nice and helpful. Only downside for us is you cannot drive to your cabin but have to park at the bottom of the hill and walk your bags up. They have staff with a snowmobile to help with your bags if you need it too. Also, the parking around the hotel can get crowded because the mammoth cross country skiing center is here. Yesterday they had a competition and the place was PACKED! Overall it has been a wonderful trip! We will surely come back here again!

My first time to Mammoth, booked this lodge through
. Ended up upgrading to a cabin with King bed and kitchenette. Pet friendly, ADA dogs stay free. Continental breakfast was substantial.

I went on a dinner date to this lodge. The staff was friendly. The service was slow. The food wasn’t good. But very expensive. I wouldn’t eat there again. The lake across the street is beautiful. The lake view from this lodge is very nice.

Beautiful and luxurious spot to stay during summer and winter season! It was our first time staying at the lodge w/​group of friends. We stayed for 3 days and 2 nights. The staff were friendly and helpful. The lodge we stayed had everything (besides food and drinks). The lodge was right in front of the lake, which was beautiful from front porch. The Village was about 5 mins away. The main lodge was like about 10 mins. I really had a great time and it was worth of a drive. Hope we will plan a trip next year too!

This review is for the lodging, not the restaurant. We stayed in a studio cabin, which was fine, but fell just short of expectations for the price. On the plus side, the bed was very comfortable, and in general the cabin was more or less what we expected. On the negative side, the kitchen and bathroom are both extremely tiny with no counter space, and the kitchen could have been better stocked (example: how about a lighter for the stove, instead of short matches?). The cabins have reasonable views of Twin Lakes, but are not right on the lake, and there are no amenities (like lounge chairs) to hang out on the lake. The breakfast served in the main lodge is pretty unexciting considering this is supposed to be one of the better restaurants in town. But overall, this place is «A-​OK» per the 3-​star rating.
Certainly, the Lakes Basin is where you want to be in Mammoth. While we were there, we drove by the other lodges in the area. If we go back, I would probably try Woods Lodge or Wildyrie Lodge. Here’s the rundown:
Crystal Crag Lodge: on the «wrong» side of Lake Mary, so you don’t have a great view. But the facilities look well maintained.
Woods Lodge: at the north end of Lake George, with a great view (best view of the four) of Crystal Crag. This seems like the best location of the four lodges in the area. Web site is weak, so hard to tell what the facilities are like.
Wildyrie Lodge: on Lake Mamie with a good view of Crystal Crag. Seems like another good choice.

Beautiful scenery! Lakes, mountainsides, crystal crag, waterfall… what else can u ask for? Great place for a hike, bike ride or afternoon on a rowboat. Absolutely beautiful.
Boyfriend and I stayed in cozy historical cabin #18. Great for couples. Small yet practical.
Had a great time having a drink at the Lodge while listening to Joe Gray Jr. On the piano. So relaxing. Great place to unwind and enjoy nature’s beauty.

Quaint but full servicing to guests, Tamarack Lodge is a perfect getaway. Wake up to the sound of birds. Sleep in the silence of the mountains. Cabins for families and one room accomodations for those on a budget make Tamarack a perfect vacation spot.
Eat complimentary continental breakfast outside on the patio to the sound of the wind whispering in the trees. We Have been camping at twin lakes for 30 years now the hubby and I enjoy a cozy room and warm shower thus the tamarack.
Tamarack really has thought of everything to make guest comfortable. We needed nothing. Available: Fire pit with wood. Hair dryer. Wifi. Horseshoes. Gameboards. We Really enjoyed our stay. Matt is a great Lodge manager he is Personable and helped us with tricky reservations made by online booking company.

Stayed here for one night while up at Mammoth for race training. This place was awesome. Situated in a remote are only 5 minutes from the village and 15 minutes from the ski area main base lodge, it’s an ideal location for getting away from it all while still being close to everything. We stayed in cabin 20-​beautiful rustic cabin, with a wonderful wood stove, functional kitchenette with all the amenities, and a big comfy king bed with wool blankets. Porch was a little saggy on one end, and some rust came out of the pipes when the shower was first turned on… But I’ve lived in the mountains a lot, and these things happen. Neither effected my impression of the place. The staff was incredibly nice and welcoming, and allowed my wife a late check out when asked. They were very accommodating of our 120 lb Great Dane mix too. Very dog friendly with lots of trails and open space.
Now, to address the hater reviews, since they need some clarification. First off, this is not a luxury park city resort. This is classic California Sierra lodging. If that’s not for you, then don’t stay here! The pathway are *gasp* snow, because it is a lodge in the mountains at 8000ft elevation– there are no heated pathways. Yes, It is dark at night, because that’s what happens at night… The trade off for no annoying street and path lights are amazing views of starry skies stretched over alpine lakes. The continental breakfast is not some luxury omelet bar mimosa affair– fine by me! I had a filling breakfast and was ready to hit the slope without any hang up or hassle. Oh, and yes it’s true, they don’t have TVs… Again, it’s a historic lodge. If you came to watch TV, you’re staying at the wrong place.
Bottom line, this place is a rustic, historic, and classic California Sierra lodge with wonderful staff, dog-​friendly facilities, and comfortable amenities ideally located away from the hustle and bustle, yet convenient to everything the Mammoth area has to offer. Will definitely be staying here again.

The short & sweet: cozy little cabins w/​lots of privacy, ample parking, a simple breakfast, AMAZING FIREPLACE in room, clean, ok wi-​fi, fast hot water, no tvs, great location & friendly staff!
LOBBY:
DVDs are available for rent & they can also lend you some «monitors» to view them on since none of the cabins have tvs. The DVDs kind of reminded me of a Redbox or Netflix selection. Nothing very new or awesome in their collection. This lodge seems kinda «behind in the times» but I like to think of this aspect as «traditional» and makes for an even better experience. TVs & tech can be distractions sometimes. It felt more like a getaway in my opinion without it in the room. The lodge also sells some little snacks too. Open until 11pm.
BREAKFAST:
They serve bagels, cereals, milk, hard boiled eggs, coffee, and tea. Very simple. It would have been nice to have some hot cocoa/​cider, waffles/​pancakes, and scrambled eggs/​sausage. Although we did get some hot cider when we checked in! Score! Soooo goood.
ROOM:
Stayed in a private cabin with our own bath. It was pretty awesome! Fireplace worked really well & there was an extra portable, stand up heater in case you wanted to have that in the bathroom/​kitchen (those two rooms get pretty chilly).
Kitchen had dishes/​utensils/​cleaning supplies/​mini fridge & freezer, microwave, toaster, coffee maker, etc. Pretty well stocked. Restroom was oddly shaped. It was rectangular so I kept finding myself up against the wall but it was ok. There was a hairdryer which was nice. Wish there was more storage space in there to put toiletries though. However– we were stocked with a TON of towels. It was wonderful. Hot water was great. Never ran out & it wouldn’t take long to warm up in sink/​shower, which was something I was afraid of.
There was also an ADORABLE towel animal too! And 2 chocolate coins! So cute.
Bed was clean, comfortable, and the blankets kept me warm.
Loved the literature and materials in the room. Lots of info on dining options & things to do in the area. Very helpful for me since I’d never been to Mammoth.
SURROUNDINGS/​LOCATION:
Beautiful! Like something you imagine out of a book or movie. Very scenic. Surrounded by mountains and there seems to be a lake just steps away as well. It’s esp gorgeous when there’s lots of fresh snow atop the roofs of the cabins. The view outside the windows of the cabin is wonderful! Lots of snow everywhere & definitely made me feel like I was on vacay! Loved it.
Minutes away from Minaret (the Village) and the Premium Outlets are just down the street! Umm… and gas stations and food too, but most importantly, outlets. Am I right, ladies?!
Plus, you can take the (free) Orange Line shuttle over to the Village to begin your day skiing/​boarding. It takes maybe 10 minutes tops. Free shuttle runs daily but when I was there last weekend, the first shuttle of the day was at 9:15 am, which might not be ideal for serious vacationers who want to be on the slopes right at opening. The shuttle is literally right outside the main lobby area. Super convenient. But they leave right on the dot, so be on time! Especially coming back!
CONS: The knob on the shower kinda fell apart on me right when I turned it & also a screw fell out of the long metal part that helps the door close, so that was a little problematic. I also saw 3 spiders!
Overall, loved it & would come back again with a larger group and maybe stay in one of the 2 story cabins!