After staying in the serene environment of North Tahoe (read about our stay and experience here), we were ready for some fun in South Tahoe. We were expecting the same quiet and relaxing environment, boy were we in for a fun filled, bunch of surprises.
We wanted to stay within the Bonvoy family and again we did not have many options in South Tahoe. There is the Grand Residences (where we ended up staying) as well as its’ neighboring Marriott’s Timber Lodge. We decided on the Grand Residences Marriott South Tahoe. It falls under the premium category in the Bonvoy Group and is a category 6 hotel. This was definitely a pricier option compared to our North Tahoe hotel but after looking at the photos of the property we were excited and more than willing to pay to enjoy our stay here. This property also operates as a time share location.
Covid Precautions
This was at the forefront of all of our bookings and planning. We wanted to do the most due diligence possible on our end so that we were comfortable staying in a hotel. That required us to look into what their current protocols were for the hotel and its’ guest. The Marriott Group has implemented a global company wide procedure that all properties use as a guideline for their specific locations. Some of the protocols vary based on the location of the property as well as the current Covid status in their respective area. For more information check out their official link here.
The Grand Residences South Tahoe had the following protocols in place:
- Physical distance between the reception desk and guest
- Social Distancing signs throughout property
- Limit of one family per elevator
- Mask requirement for guest and employees while on property
- Gym access closed
- Pool access on first come first serve basis with limited pool chairs and social distancing
- Common areas closed for sitting
- Limited Housekeeping
With these measures put in place, we can confidently say that there was never a moment during our stay that we felt like our health might be compromised. It was great to see other guest also heeding the rules and generally speaking people were aware of social distancing even when passing by in the common areas.
Parking
The parking on site is Valet only. It was $29.00 USD per day with in an out privilege. The property as an amazing and extremely efficient way to ensure guest are not waiting for their car. Upon arrival, the valet attendants take your preferred cell number and from then on you communicate by text. When you want your car you simply click on the link, they send you via text and that tells the valet you would like your car. Even with the hotel being at almost FULL capacity, we never had to wait for our car and this service was impeccable. The parking attendant also knew it was Aamir’s birthday and wished him happy birthday upon taking our car keys. It’s service like this that makes spending money on premium hotels WORTH IT 😊.
Our Welcome
Prior to our stay, we had reached out to the location to get more information for the blog (the things we do for y’all) and their overall protocols. We were in constant communication with Nate Spain, the Front Office Manager. He was amazing. We exchanged at least 5 emails prior to our trip and we really appreciated his quick replies and his willingness to get us the information we needed. Upon arrival, we set our bags down and, lo and behold, Nate was at the front desk waiting to greet us. It was a super thoughtful gesture and we enjoyed our chat with Nate. The fact that the hotel was busy but none of the front desk staff looked rushed and were taking their time with each guest was noted and much appreciated.
When we reached our room there was also a gorgeous gift basket to celebrate Aamir’s birthday with lots of delicious goodies. Again, something we were not expecting at all but was much appreciated.
What was Included in Our Room Rate
Our room had the following:
- King Bed
- Full Kitchen
- Dining Area
- Full Sized Fridge, Oven, and Electric Appliances
- Microwave
- Flat screen TV with cable
- Full size bathroom with tub
- Full size Coffee Maker
The rate also included
- Basic Internet (Because we are Marriott Bonvoy Gold Members we were upgraded to high speed at no extra cost)
- Use of Hotel Amenities (that were open)
The Room
You know how sometimes you see pictures and you get super excited about something and then in real like you’re like… nope. Well, I am happy to say this room LIVED up to the expectations we had. It was bright and there was plenty of room for us to move around and not get in each-others way. The bed was nice as soft and the linens were very comfortable.
While this property does not offer breakfast with the rate, the room we were in had a fully functional kitchen, before our stay, I didn’t really know what that included. When they say fully functional, they MEAN fully functional.
Imagine having
- A toaster
- A crock pot
- A blender
- Oven safe baking dishes
- Chefs knives
- Plates
- Silverware
All in your room!
I really enjoyed having a proper table and kitchen set up within the room. Due to Covid and over preparing on our end, we had a TON of food from leftover meals from the day before and it was nice to have a full-size fridge, cutlery, and a stove. We were able to re-heat our food and enjoy it at the nice table and not have the usual mess of food around the room. This is a GREAT option for people who are traveling with small children, or those with specific dietary restrictions. You can easily prepare and enjoy your food in the room.
The Bathroom
Since this property also acts as a time share, many of these amenities are expected by the longer staying guests. We enjoyed the full-size bathroom as well. I was thrilled that there was a Tub!!! There was ample hot water, which sounds super basic, but when you are looking at a property that is in the mountains, it’s important during ski season. No one wants to take a cold shower after a day in the snow. The mirrors were well lit and there was a magnifying mirror as well (yay). The bathroom also came with basic prepackaged hair toiletries and a hair dryer. Nothing fancy but if you forget your own and are in a pinch, you are covered. A dental kit however, was NOT included so make sure you pack your toothbrush.
The Property
We were pleasantly surprised that there was no resort fee. The property is located smack dab in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of South Tahoe. There are shops and restaurants all around and you are literally in the middle of Heavenly Village. It was fun to just walk around and people watch and enjoy the lively vibe of the area.
There are many restaurants right outside and a lot of fun activities including the famous Gondola Rides right at your door step. This is a huge change to what we experienced in North Tahoe. This part of the lake is definitely livelier and way more crowded. There were also a lot of artisanal shops that we enjoyed walking around and yes, shopping from. We always try to support small, local businesses and, lets be real, Sophie is a shopaholic.
For a complete guide to Heavenly Village and all the dining and entertainment options, check out their page.
The Pool/Spa and Gym
We were super excited prior to our trip about the pool. Los Angeles was boasting HOT temperatures and we were READY for some cooling down in the pool. Since the pool was not by reservation and was first come first serve, unfortunately it was always crowded. We personally did not feel safe in the pandemic environment with soo many people so we ended up not going to the pool. ☹
To add insult to injury, we could see the pool from our room, so we would both be wistfully staring at the other people frolicking. Oh well. Next time.
Currently the spa was closed off due to Covid.
The Gym was closed at this property due to Covid. How much we were going to use it? Umm… We were more focused on getting our steps in outdoors and enjoying walks along the lake shore.
Final Thoughts
If you want to enjoy the beautiful lakes and stunning mountain views, Tahoe is for you. With this hotel being at the center of all the fun and action, we really enjoyed the energy of the area. Would we go back? Absolutely. We are already day dreaming about how beautiful the lake and the surrounding mountains looks during the winters when there is snow! We want to thank all the wonderful employees of the Grand Residences South Tahoe for your wonderful service.
If you want to know more about this property and check for availability be sure to check out their official website.
We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy!
-xoxo Sophie and Aamir
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Planning a trip to Lake Tahoe? Check out our review of this brand new property by the Marriott group.
Planning a Trip to Lake Tahoe? Use this guide to plan your activities!
64 Comments
Loved this post
Thank you, we really enjoyed South Tahoe
What a beautiful hotel. It’s so nice that they left you a welcome birthday treat in the room. I like how spacious everything is.
It was a beautiful property, you really do have to see it in person. The room size was GREAT, especially if you are planning on spending some time in the town. I think you would need the space when you have ski equipment and other winter gear 🙂
Looks lovely as is Tahoe. It’s great that you included the Covid precautions. Nice welcome basket too.
It was great! The welcome backet was a really nice surprise 🙂
I’ve always wanted to visit Lake Tahoe, and now I know just where to stay! Thanks for this, I love good hotel reviews. Always so helpful.
You MUST make a trip up to the Lake. We didnt know what to expect before going and now, we can say it was wonderful! We are glad you enjoyed the review and found it helpful 🙂
It sounds like you had a great stay at this hotel, and that’s so important that they had lots of things in place for the safety of their guests. It’s a shame about the pool, but there’s always next time!
We felt super safe while still having a great time. We missed the pool but, if anything, now we have a reason to go back 🙂
looks like seriously good fun!
It was a great getaway 🙂
This looks like a lovely place to stay in nature!
It was the PERFECT mix of city and nature. The best kind property is one that gives variety and this was great!
Marriott is one of our favorite brands and we love Lake Tahoe! Definitely pinning for later! Looks like the perfect place to stay.
oh yay! We have become Marriott fans as well, and Tahoe was stunning!!! We cant wait to go back agai 🙂
What wonderful accommodation! I love it when hotel staff go that extra mile to add a real personal touch to your stay such as taking the time to chat or the gift hamper. While they’re absolutely not necessary, it’s these little things that make a stay really special. It’s great to see the covid precautions that are in place too. So far we’ve avoided hotels and opted for alternative accommodation on our travels that reduced our contact with others, but it looks like the hotel is really well equipped. Thanks for the great guide!
It was really a great getaway. We were very skeptical as well with COVID and all but so far, the two Marriott properties have done an outstanding job keeping the health and safety of guest first. We are glad you enjoyed the guide 🙂
Wow looks like such a beautiful and relaxing place to stay!
It really was a very relaxing property. We went out early morning to grab some coffee and the shops and town center were soo peaceful. The vibe was great!
Lake Tahoe looks absolutely stunning and this is the kind of resort/hotel we would love to stay. I appreciate cleanliness, space, a nice pool and good food!
It was a beautiful location. Although we didnt use the pool we always appreciate a nice sized pool as well 🙂
I love staying in places with a kitchen so you can cook for yourself, but also have the hotel experience. This seems like a great hotel!
It was a great hotel, and even though we did not plan to cook, the full kitchen really was a blessing. We didnt feel comfortable eating at the restaurants since they were busy, so being able to bring our food back and eat in was great!
I love everything about this hotel – the location, the health and safety precautions to provide peace of mind and that fully functional kitchen is a huge plus!
The full kitchen was a GREAT amenity to have, we loved being able to properly heat our food and eat at a proper table. Especially during Covid when dining options are limited.
Lake Tahoe is a wonderful place to go on vacation and the accommodation seems great! Thanks for sharing!
We fell in love with Tahoe as well. We are glad you enjoyed the post 🙂
What a fun trip and great accommodation! I’ll definitely keep it in mind when I finally make it out to Lake Tahoe!
Oh yay! you should for sure plan a trip out, even if it is for a weekend like us. We hope you have a chance to safely enjoy Tahoe.
Beautiful suite and hotel! Love all the little details in this hotel. Lovely post!
Thank you for enjoying the post, the hotel really does have a lot of character.
Too bad about the pool, but otherwise looks like you had a great time. And what a welcome. The room looks so big and spacious, and it’s so reassuring when they have so many protocols in place for our current times. That makes me feel better when choosing a place and staying somewhere new
Yeah the pool was a little bit of bummer but there was soo much for us to do in the town that we didnt really have timet to be sad. The room size was a great size for sure. The protocols were at the top of our mind when we were entering the hotel and we were soo relieved to see the care they were taking 🙂
This looks like a great place to stay, I have only ever camped at Tahoe before but if I am looking for something a bit more luxurious next time I will keep this in mind
Camping! Wowww, there are soo many beautiful camp sites around the lake we are sure you had a great time! And yes, store this property in your rolodex for when you want a more city experience. Not gonna lie we are a little jealous of your camping 🙂
The hotel looks gorgeous and the views are incredible! I would love to visit Lake Tahoe one day and will keep this spot in mind 🙂
The views really have to be seen in real life, they are beautiful. We are glad you found this post useful and fingers crossed you get to experience the Lake and see the views first hand soon 🙂
We were just talking about wanting a Lake Tahoe trip! I think the next few years we’ll have a lot more in country trips planned so I’m glad to see a resort review!!
Nice! What good timing 🙂 Yeah, with international travel kind of on hold the local trips are far more appealing
Awesome stay! I love it when hotels or other accommodation think of those tiny details like a gift basket or a little note to welcome you. This is what makes the difference.
1000% we agree! Even if its just a handwritten note saying welcome, in this day and age it matters.
This is great! I was thinking of visiting Tahoe later this year. Thanks for recommending this place.
We hope you have an AMAZING time!!! Hopefully you will get a chance to see some stunning snow capped mountains!!!
I loved your amazing stay at Grand Residences. Good they are taking all precautions. I loved your welcome kit too.
It was a beautiful location and they really gave great service. 🙂
What a lovely place to stay at Lake Tahoe. They seem to have thought of everything and good to have a kitchen that is complete. I have not been to Lake Tahoe yet, but will save this for when I do.
You should absolutely make the visit up to Tahoe, it was WORTH the time and expense. Having the full kitchen seemed like such a great amenitiy especially if you are planning on traveling with family and dont want to eat out everyday 🙂
I love that you got a welcome package in your room! Grand Residences looks like the perfect place to stay, and I’m glad to see that there are some covid precautions put in place. Fantastic idea to use the stove to roast some marshmallows – something I would do!
lol I packed the marshmallows for that EXACT reason! There were disbelivers (Aamir) but I perservered and managed to get a pretty decent s’mores in the process 🙂
One of the first hotels I ever fell in love with was owned by Marriott. It’s in Orlando. This hotel looks great! I especially love that they went out of their way to add the special touch of the birthday basket!
It is nice to hear that others have had good experiences with the Marriott group. They have added to their portfolio so we have plenty of options 🙂 They really did a great job making us feel special
This looks like such a gorgeous hotel. I really need to take a Tahoe trip! I like that there isn’t a resort fee and it seems like you have plenty of space!
You should visit Tahoe for sure! We were really happy with the no resort fee, it gets pricey especially if you are planning a longer stay 🙂
I love the location of this hotel! Nice to see they’re taking care of the health issues. I’d love to travel here in the future.
The South Tahoe area was poppin thats for sure. We were really happy to see how seriously they were taking all the health precautions.
I stayed at two hotels since the pandemic so I know what it takes to make guests feel safe and comfortable during these times. This place looks really nice and it’s a lovely gesture that you got the birthday basket. That you cannot use the SPA at this time is a bummer. I had the same experience at my hotel in Prague; and I absolutely love going to the SPA. Anyway, things will change to normal some day, so….
We are always happy to hear of other travelers that are having good hotel stay experiences globally.The location was great and they really did a GREAT job with their hospitality. Most of the hotels in the US have closed the SPA so we were kinda of prepared. Fingers crossed we can get back out soon 🙂
I love the Marriott brand. They never disappoint, and this one seems like it was no exception. I love how they gave a little gift basket for Aamir’s birthday. It’s the little gestures like this that makes a hotel so special.
We agree, So far all of our Marriott experiences have been great. They have always gone above and beyond and especially during Covid it has been really reassuring that they are taking the well being of their guests seriously
I’ve been nervous about travelling far from home at the moment so it’s good to know not only about the hotel’s facilities but about how they are handling covid too. The rooms look really spacious and bright and I do love the mini kitchen!
Being nervous is totally understandable and also to be honest, we would wrather have people be more cautious so everyone is being safe. We recommend that if you do plan to travel even locally just make sure to check with the hotel before hand and make sure they have some protocols in place.
Getting surprise gifts on a vacation makes it even more memorable. Glad to know that the hotel was so considerate to arrange a gift basket to celebrate Aamir’s birthday with lots of delicious goodies. Marriott group knows how to pamper their guests.
We agree! It’s the small gestures that really make an impact. We have become spoiled by Marriott’s pampering