Clair Tappaan Lodge

So overpriced! It was $ 150 a night to stay in a tiny, tiny room in this lodge when we could have had an airbnb house for close to $ 175. The food was awful and the staff unfriendly (I asked for hot coffee after a long day of skiing and was declined though unlimited coffee was included with the room). Also the beds were so uncomfortable. I was more sore from sleeping on them than from my day of skiing. Would never stay here again and will try to steer others away from it if I can.

We stayed here last weekend for two nights and had high hopes because of the many positive reviews.
Pros:
* A more cost-​effective option if you stay in one of the dorm rooms.
* Easy to get to Sugarbowl and Royal Gorge.
* A few strangers at the lodge were friendly and we had a good time.
Cons:
* Paper-​thin walls make it difficult to sleep.
* Not enough food provided at meal time.
* Extremely poor-​quality food. We tried to split a piece of corn bread and couldn’t cut it in half!
* Despite claims in the brochure, there is not actually free hot chocolate, coffee, and tea throughout the day. We asked the front desk and were told that they don’t have enough to serve everyone staying in the lodge because it was such a busy weekend and because there were so many children (and they drink too much of it). I understand this, but please do not advertise it if you aren’t going to deliver on it. That is Hospitality & Tourism 101! The poor woman at the front desk clearly wanted to help us, but she said she’d get in a lot of trouble if she obliged. I told her I understood it wasn’t her fault, but would appreciate her communicating our frustrations to management. I’m disappointed to see the management’s reply to this review claim that there is always complimentary hot chocolate. It’s a small thing but there’s no point in lying about it.
* To access the hostel you must hike uphill through snow and carry all your stuff. Not great if you have little ones or pack heavy.
* Rigid meal times mean you don’t eat breakfast or get to pack a lunch for the day if you oversleep.
* The two-​person bunks are as expensive as a room at nearby motels, which would provide bedding and more space.
Overall, this place does not really feel like a «lodge». The vibe was that of an inexpensive hostel (though it’s still not cheap). There is little understanding and flexibility from the operators, even when they don’t deliver on the experience as advertised.
We would not recommend Clair Tappan to friends and family and won’t be back. There are other options that are still inexpensive and much more comfortable.

This place is a real gem. Absolutely gorgeous scenery and an unbeatable price! It’s close to many outdoor activity spots and has great indoor options like ping pong, a hot tub, and a library. Having the kitchen there is super convenient, but they were short on food for dinner due to a bunch of people buying meals last minute. You’d think they’d tell the late people too bad so sad? It’d also be nice to be able to get coffee before breakfast is served. I had a great weekend here and can definitely see myself staying here again.

The lodge is fantastic, great location, staff and food. We’ll be taking our daughters back soon for another family vacation, thank you!

Cannot say enough great things about our trip to Clair Tappaan Lodge over Memorial Day Weekend. Took 14 boisterous 7^th grade Girl Scouts and it was PERFECT. Great food, great accommodations, lots to do inside and out, we even got to make campfire peach cobbler in the campfire ring. Thanks Kevin W. for making us feel welcome and taking such great care of our group. Highly, highly recommend!!!

The Clair Tappaan Lodge opened in the 1930s and still serves all variety of mountain enthusiasts and nature lovers to this day. The vibe is rustic and communal, and is unique to the hotel industry today. When you arrive, you sign up for a daily chore in the evening and the morning. Then you choose to sleep in a dorm (male, or female), or a cubicle, or small room. All beds are bunks at CTL with a mattress and a pillow — you’ll need to bring your own linens/​sleeping bag. Breakfast and dinner are included and are served family style — you will not starve at CTL. Ensure that you do a complete tour of this historical place, it’s worth it! There is a game room, library, and hot tub porch. There are cross country skis and snow shoes available at the lodge. And for lounging, there is the large Louis and Clark Room. Much of the lodge is paneled in wood and braced with hand hewn logs. In addition, the CTL manages 4 local ski huts — learn more at their website. I recommend visiting the CTL at least once in your life if you’re in the Sierra Nevada’s — leave the modern hotels for a later visit and experience the CTL!

I stayed at Clair Tappan Lodge in August 2014 as a part of my school’s annual backpacking/​outdoors trip. I also just got back from tagging along with my school’s biology class for the annual biology trip. The guides here are awesome! They are very passionate and knowledgable about the outdoors and appear to love their jobs. I loved spending time with one of our guides named Alexis.
The lodge is both beautiful and rustic, with great outdoor space for exploring and a lounge area inside for hanging out. The lodge also has a library and a fuse ball table.
Most rooms/​dorms have a door that leads to an outdoor patio/​walkway. There is soap in the showers in case you forget to pack it! (Someone almost always does…) The food is also «on point.» All the kids at my school loved having access to the hot chocolate in the dining hall nearly ²⁴⁄₇! I preferred the tea, personally, which is also almost always available in the dining hall.
The area is beautiful and it’s great to be able to actually see the stars, unlike in the city/​suburbs. There are plenty of hiking trails conveniently located for outdoor lovers like me :)
To wrap it up, Clair Tappan Lodge is a beautiful building, located in a beautiful area, staffed with beautiful people. Highly recommended! :)

Friedly staff, great atmosphere and the location couldn’t be better for the avid hiker, skiier/​snowboarder or outdoorsy person.
Being in the heart of the Sierras is just breathtaking and with Sugar Bowl across the street it is a fantastic spot during the winter or any time of year!
Every stay includes food and not just a snack… I mean a feast! Made by a great and talented chef and you even have to go lunches so you don’t have to spend $ 20 bucks for a sandwich on the slopes or resorts!
It is the best deal in Tahoe!
P. S. Hot tub!

Staying at Clair Tappaan is like traveling back in time to a golden (possibly imaginary) era when people talked to each other over dinner, talked to each other while they did communal chores, and talked to each other around a roaring fire after dinner. The accommodations are simple, adequate, and beautiful, with lots of huge old wood beams and porches with views of the Sierra Crest. You can ski out the back door of the lodge to the Pacific Crest Trail or the Donner Ski Ranch downhill lifts. And if you want to make new friends or start a new romance, Clair Tappaan is definitely the place to do it.

This place is fabulous. It’s in a beautiful location. It has rooms or dorms, and it provides sheets, towels and blankets if you don’t have a sleeping bag. There’s a gorgeous library and massive sitting/​game room, both with huge, roaring fires in the winter. The food is like what we’d eat at home and they provide 3 meals a day! In winter there’s a constant supply of delicious hot chocolate in the dining room. The place is always filled with interesting people from all over and there are always kids around. There are magical walks from the doorstep and they rent snow shoes in the winter. We just love this place.