Clair Tappaan Lodge was an incredible experience, especially during a major storm week. The atmosphere is what makes this place special. You're surrounded by a great, down-to-earth crowd, and it feels like a true mountain community rather than a typical hotel. The staff were outstanding across the board. Everyone was helpful and welcoming, even with the challenges of the storm. The biggest highlight for our family was the food team. Our son has a dairy allergy, and they went above and beyond to accommodate him. They clearly communicated which foods were safe, and on multiple occasions prepared separate options just for him. That level of care made a huge difference for us and gave us real peace of mind. A special thank you to Juan, who was incredibly helpful throughout our stay. From assisting with the reservation, to coordinating with the kitchen, to being a consistent and reliable point of contact, he made everything smooth and easy. If you're looking for a unique, authentic Sierra lodge experience with great people and genuinely caring staff, this is a special place. We would absolutely come back. read more

Truly wonderful staff and delicious home-cooked meals. The lodge is very welcoming and offers everything you need for a comfortable stay in this historic setting. I highly recommend it for short stays while skiing near Sugar Bowl. Myra, Andrew, and the cook, Sue, make you feel like part of the family. Very rustic and absolutely fabulous. read more

You can't get a better location for an overnight stay than this rustic, hidden gem. Located close to downhill and cross-country skiing spots, you can indulge in winter activities with ease. This is a hostel, so it's not for everyone. There are bunk style beds in dorms and shared bathrooms. This is owned by the Sierra Club, so it's not a fancy motel. It's designed for travelers who are used to Euro-style hostel stays. There's minimal staff, so they appreciate a cooperative attitude. There's a sign up sheet for helping with a simple chore list at mealtimes. They aren't hard tasks and consist of helping to set tables for meals or helping to do dishes or sweeping the floor after meals. Kind of like when you're at summer camp. If you get huffy at the mere suggestion of helping, then you'll probably not want to stay here. (Chances are, if you're a laid-back person used to informal settings such as Backcountry huts for snowshoe hikers and cross-country skiers, you'll love it here!) read more

See all

This place was literally the worst place I have ever been. Not only was all the staff extremely creepy, but they were super unhelpful. When me and my friend arrived to our so called "Private Room" we found a Harry Potter cupboard no bigger than a king size bed, with not a single outlet, blanket or pillow. There was also no running water! These were absolute deal breakers for me and never before have I done this, but I chose to leave after paying a ridiculous 350$ for 2 nights. If they had advertised it as camping and I had been prepared I would probably have stayed. But honestly, it's a huge was of money and you don't feel too safe there especially if you have kids. I would recommend going to the Hampton Inn that's where it's at in this area read more

This is a super cute, charming full of rustic goodness and warm feels kinda lodge. My cars navigation system took me further down the road than the actual location (when you see the Clair tappan sign, you have arrived). Parking is a dirt lot on the side of the road. You have to cross the street and walk up a paved road that turns to dirt; approximately less than a quarter mile to arrive at the lodge. I arrived promptly at 3pm to check in and to my surprise there was not many guests there, I practically had the place to myself (an introverts dream!). I stayed in the ladies dorm. Out front is a fire pit with oversized chairs. I spent a couple hours outside reading a book in one of the chairs, enjoying the sounds of nature and beautiful sunshine. This is the kinda place you go to unwind and connect with others. I look forward to coming back again. read more

See all

Booked a 5 bed room, called many times to confirm it was a 5 bed room, arrive to a 12 bed room with many other people. Would not recommend.

Definitely a unique way to take a trip to Tahoe. It's not for everyone, and there are lots of pros and cons, but if your expectations are set, you can definitely enjoy your time here. We went in January 2020. The staff is very chill and friendly, and it's a great place for communal meals and to get to know people. A lot of large groups tend to come together (mine was 30-40 people and there were a couple other groups our size), so if you come as your own as a smaller group, it may feel a little loud/chaotic with all the other groups around you. COST Between $240 and $270 if I recall correctly; 2 adults + 1 baby for 2 nights (a Friday and Saturday). -- LOCATION/OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES PROS: - Amazing location, just off 80 so it's more direct than going to other parts of Tahoe. - Sledding just outside the entrance, as well as hiking/snowshoeing/cross-country skiing trails. - All the equipment available for rent. - So so so many ski resorts within a 5-10 minute drive. CONS: - While we hiked and sledded right outside the lodge, we were beginning cross-country skiiers and they didn't have lessons, so couldn't take advantage of skiing there and went to Royal Gorge (5 min drive away) to get lessons. - The parking lot for the lodge is a short hike away + across a busy street. - There is a very small loading area slightly closer. You do need to make a few trips to get all your gear to the lodge - they have these giant sleds you can load up with your bags, but if you're arriving/leaving on Fri evening/Sun afternoon, it may not be likely you'll get those sleds. -- MEALS PROS: - All meals are provided (cooked breakfast, sandwich materials for you to pack your own lunch, and cooked dinner) from dinner on the night of your arrival through lunch on the day you check out. - There is a constant supply of hot water, tea bags, coffee, instant oatmeal, etc. CONS: - Consistency of meal quality is mixed, sometimes they seem understaffed and the meals are running late, sometimes there is an extreme excess of food. - You do sign up for set-up/clean-up shifts (which in itself isn't a con, just something to know and expect), and for the first couple meals there is an incessant amount of guilt-tripping about this. I didn't know about the chore sign-up and wasn't told about it when we checked in, so during those meals when the staff asked "everyone who's signed up to help please raise your hand," I felt extremely guilty not to have my hand raised. Of course, when I did get to sign up during the latter half of the weekend, the guilt-tripping had stopped. -- THE ROOMS/LODGE AMENITIES PROS: - Tons of common space: - Activity room with board games, fireplace, piano. - Laundry room. - Library/quiet room. - Game room. - Hot tub. With a lot of guests (and often large groups) we never used the hot tub, there were always kids there in the evenings. CONS: - The private rooms are tiny. Definitely live-able, larger than a tent, but just have your expectations set that it's really not a place for chilling/relaxing on your own. There ends up being very little space to even move around with all your bags/gear. - Most private rooms have bunked beds, but we got one of the few with side-by-side beds so our baby could sleep between us. The larger bed was nice, though the 2 mattresses slid around a lot, but it made for even less floor space, even with most of our bags slid under our bed. - The beds aren't the most comfortable - I was fine, but my partner's hips were sore from lack of a good mattress. For this reason alone (a good night's sleep is important to him!) we are likely not to come back. - There are private rooms as well as dorm rooms, but even the private rooms aren't very sound proof. - The windows are not too weather-proof. There's heating but it still gets cold, so we used our coldest-rated sleeping bags and thermals when sleeping. PRO-TIP: - Bring lots of hangers! They have a lot of hooks, and a lot of big nails sticking out along the walls (I imagine from people being frustrated with lack of storage space) - see my photo. This is useful to let your snow gear dry, and just general storage. Otherwise there is only a single shelf. - Also bring adapters and long cords - there is only ONE outlet per room and it is on the light bulb near the top of the door - see my photo. We had to finagle a bit to get everything to be able to charge at night. -- BABY-FRIENDLINESS PROS: - This is definitely a place a lot of kids go to, very family-friendly. CONS: - Our 18-month-old was by far the youngest, and while there were no high chairs, I was SO glad I brought my clip-on high chair. It was perfect to keep her in place at dinner without getting in the way of other people and the food carts that go through the narrow aisles. - No cribs, but we were prepared for that, and just had our baby sleep in our bed with us. We let her fall asleep there and then hung out in the activity room in evenings (with a baby monitor in hand). read more

Clair Tappaan Lodge - Bring lots of hangers! It's the only method of storage. Jan 2020 - Ski Resorts Near Me - Norden, California

See all

Not to be cliche, but if I could give 0 stars, I would. I specifically booked 4 beds in a 5 bed room so my group of 4 would only have to POSSIBLY share with 1 other person. In between my booking and our arrival over a MONTH later, I called on 3 separate occasions to confirm the booking, confirm number of beds, and if someone else would be sharing. At no point was I informed that they overbooked the 5 bed rooms and would be placing us in a 12 bed room, where we would be sharing with 8 other guests. When trying to have it resolved at first, I had to ask for the person to get someone that might know how to resolve it as they seemed uninformed and uninterested. The first interaction, I was told that they actually didn't even have those rooms at ALL and Expedia listed incorrectly. So, lying. We then called to have it sorted out as this was a non refundable accommodation. We were then told that they DID have these rooms, but they had all been booked up and if I wanted the 5 bed bunk room I had to book all 5 beds, despite this lodge being hostel-style. By that logic, why didn't I have to book all 12 beds in the 12 bed room? Their excuse at the end of the day was that it was all Expedia's fault and nothing they could do. No communication that Expedia had booked incorrectly, that we'd be placed in a different room with 8 other people, etc. We ended up leaving and staying elsewhere. I wish I could give advice and say that double, triple check your booking beforehand but I did that and even it wasn't enough. read more

I hosted my 30th birthday party at the lodge with 20 friends over New Year's weekend, and it was the perfect place to celebrate together. The staff was incredibly accommodating, and went above and beyond to make it a special weekend. Everyone loved having immediate access to beautiful trails and outdoor activities. We got over 2 feet of snow on our second day, and Mark and JR were out in the parking lot with us helping dig out our cars. It was such a relief not needing to think about cooking for everyone, and we loved the family-style meals shared with all the lodge guests. I would book another trip in a heartbeat. One of the best weekends ever! read more

This was our second trip to Clair Taappan. I don't give out many 1-star reviews, but feel this is justified because they simply didn't provide enough food for all the guests. There was a family of four that didn't get anything to eat, which just seems totally unacceptable to me. It's not like it's easy to pop over to a restaurant when the roads are slush. Otherwise, the best I can say is that it was an interesting experience. The management is doing it's best, but they seemed overwhelmed and a bit frenetic. As someone who frequents Tahoe/Truckee, I believe there are better options for the price so would only recommend CT as a last resort OR if you exclusively care about being close to Sugar Bowl. Here's to hoping for more snow! read more

I was skiing at Sugar Bowl on the first and biggest day of the season's first 3-day major winter storm. The skiing was fantastic but the conditions turned to major wind and whiteout conditions in the afternoon, and Highway 80 had been closed for 4 hours. I was staying in Truckee and I didn't think I could make it and didn't want to sleep in my SUV. Sugar Bowl Lodge was fully booked. Came up with the Clair Tappaan Lodge, which is located about 1000 feet away from Sugar Bowl! I've driven past the place hundreds of times and never knew it existed. Turns out they basically had closed up and sent some workers home, but said I was welcome to stay! I really enjoyed hanging out with the crew, super friendly, fun loving, 20-30 something's that were doing a great job and really having fun, so refreshing this day with all the snarkiness and attitude out there. read more

See all

My wife and I had a fantastic stay at the Lodge the last three days. Of course it helped that we were the only ones there and therefore had a large room to ourselves. But nevertheless, I've been staying here for many years, almost always in the winter when you can x-country out the door, but in the gorgeous fall weather it was a great place to be for hiking around and above Donner Summit. I would add that the food was excellent! A cut above what I was used to in previous stays--plenty of it but a bit utilitarian. This time we had a tasty pulled pork sandwich with mild peppers on it in a Brioche bun, with veggie sides, for one dinner and beautifully prepared white fish for next night with cucumber salad, rice, another veggie I forgot, and hand-made tartar sauce when I requested it. Desserts were exceptional and sandwiches for lunches made to order. Oh, and not to forget the bacon, sausage, eggs and hash browns for one breakfast and Shaksuka the next. I didn't even know what it was and then the recipe was in the Times the next morning! Great place to stay, but bring your own sleeping bag and towel! read more

Clair Tappaan Lodge - Hiking out the front door of the lodge, 2 miles through pine forest to Lyton Lake. - Ski Resorts Near Me - Norden, California

Yeah - as good as it gets. This is a warm, feel-right-at-home lodge, with plenty of great smiles by all the staff and a wonderful place to meet some interesting people of all walks from all over. A very special thanks to the very gracious manager Peter, and wonderfully service-with-(genuine)smile Kassandra. But that makes no less of the other staff: John, David, Clair, and Art. Clean is the middle name of Clair Tappaan Lodge. Food was really outstanding, from special lasagna to eggs the way you want 'em. I went home genuinely missing the relaxing environment, many great and interesting people -- new blood every day, and the Uno and Dominos every night. What a way to vacation...thanks folks!! read more

See all

Been here many times over many years. Convenient. Basic lodging. I wish the reservation process is a bit more efficient. Phone and online reservations took many days to get a reply. read more

I am a middle school teacher and we took our group of 45 students up with chaperones. We had a wonderful time in the snow and we were able to use their dining hall and conference room (Lewis Clark Room) for class times that we had organized about local history and nature/science learning for students. We also had game time, showed a movie in the dining hall (THANK YOU TIA FOR YOUR TECH SKILLS) and had a group fire in the Lewis Clark room. There is laundry - free! So if students needed something cleaned or dried, they could use it. There is a game room with ping pong or foosball. The cabins for students are located on two floors, so you can easily isolate (boys one floor, girls another floor) and there are bathrooms for boys on first floor, girls on second floor. The food was amazing! Food was abundant and tasted homemade. The thing that truly impressed us was this is the first place we have ever stayed where food for gluten-free students was cooked/ baked from scratch. We provided an allergy/dietary needs list a couple weeks prior and it was followed to a "T." Thank you chefs! We will be back, it was truly a wonderful time for everyone. Be prepared for a walk in from the road/parking area. It is about 150 yards... read more

Stayed at their "Hutchinson Lodge" , it was magical, even having to pull all our food & bags uphill in sleds-lots to laugh about. Braved the snow and spent 4 night & days at Hutchinson. The staff at Clair Tappaan was so friendly and helpful, especially Peter who delivered snowshoes, poles and a sled to us. We only ate once at Clair Tappaan, the food was good, and enjoyed the fact that everyone pitches in to help. Hutchinson is not for the faint of heart. Rustic and charming in it's own way, plenty of firewood for the two wood burning stoves which kept us warm in the cold weather. Nine crazy and brave women, we enjoyed forging our own trails in the forest, having to shovel steps to get in and out of our lodge...windows were completely covered with snow that almost went to the top. The 8 person sauna was a fun extra, and the two bathrooms worked out fine for us. Would do stay again, perhaps for some summer or fall hiking. Don't go if you want someone to do it all for you, it's not that kind of place. read more

See all

I stayed in the lodge this last weekend with a few friends. This was my second time staying at Clair Tappaan. I love the experience of staying here. Here are a few specific points. * The staff is very friendly. They are happy to answer questions and make our stay pleasant. * The rental shop is very convenient. I rented snowshoes for both the days. The person renting them (I forget his name) seemed very knowledgeable about the equipment and also about where I can go snowshoeing around there (walking as well by driving a little further away). I was not sure if I needed the equipment for both days, so I rented twice, each day for $20. At checkout, the staff (Cassandra) gave me a discount of $5 as the second day would have been $15 if I had rented for 2 days. I appreciate such understanding from them! * The food is wholesome and delicious. I eat vegetarian and they had enough choices. * I like the community and volunteer feel of the place, and don't mind doing the chores (1 chore a day) while I am staying there. It is a great way to meet and talk with other guests. It also make the price very affordable, which I like about this lodge. * There are many trails around the lodge and many snow sports to do. Thanks for a great experience. read more

We just for home from an Outdoor Ed with my middle schoolers. The Lodge was great and the staff was amazing. Cassandra in the kitchen did a great job of including my learners in helping out and contributing in a very positive way! read more

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! read more

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. read more

Clair Tappaan Lodge - Picture perfect - Ski Resorts Near Me - Norden, California

See all

Great creaking old wooden Sierra Lodge in a lovely mountain setting, ideal for families or casual travelers. (If you like pampered resort living, this isn't for you.) The friendliness, history, space (lots of shared common rooms), and sense of community can hit the spot. Options for sleeping from M/F dorms to family rooms with bunks, to closet-sized "private" rooms with bunks or single beds pushed next to each other. Shared (single gender) bathrooms. Pitching in to do chores is a huge plus, in my opinion. Brings people together, and well, makes you feel good! We slept cozy, though for light sleepers ear plugs might help. Various night noises that you would expect in a mountain lodge, especially in the dorms. (Management tells us they're working on some nighttime heater noises, with changes soon.) I have one suggestion, and that's about food. It was a mixed bag. Some meals tasty, others distinctly lacking flavor. Some ample with lots of left-overs, others (one dinner in particular), not enough to satisfy hungry patrons. I know it's hard to hit the right spot with family style meals, and it's probably best to be conservative/bland with spices, so people can pour on the tabasco or salt and pepper if they want. But I thought there was still lots of room for ramping up the food quality, using more vegetables and spices for flavor, making things, well, not fancy, but more interesting. Even in keeping with relatively straight-forward family style meals. (Maybe a training for those friendly, hardworking and helpful kitchen staff?) Highlight for me: Hot oatmeal in the mornings with all the trimmings, raisins, dried cranberries, brown sugar..... and fresh melon slices on the table. In general, Clare Tappaan is a Sierra treasure! A true Sierra experience, versus one of those cabins, hotels or fancy lodges that could be an "any mountain community" USA. read more

I recently spent a week here working remotely and getting long lunch turns in at Sugar Bowl -- there was a huge storm that closed the highway a bunch so being a half mile from the resort made for pratically empty lift lines on the weekend and a foot of powder each day to ride! I was one of the only people staying at the lodge and felt like an absolute princess. I had read reviews about rooms being cold, so I was proactive and talked to the staff about my concerns being a cold sleeper and I forgot my sleeping bag- they brought me five extra blankets, a sleeping bag, and put me in a warmed bunk room that I had to myself! 10/10 can't wait to go back -- every single staff member was so kind and went out of their way for me (making sure the parking lot was plowed, lighting fires in the great room, etc.) DO NOT MISS DINNER! Because the dinner food was so amazing. My recommendation for others is to be communicative w/ the staff because it is a hostel situation so unless they're aware of something that's bothering you they can't really resolve it -- like how I approached my cold sleeping concerns. I was SO WARM each night as a result! read more

This was a treat- we live in Reno and were looking to get away for the weekend. Very affordable and great hospitality. We were met at the front off by Cassandra who helped us get settled. Please remember that the lodge was build in the 1930's - which in my opinion adds to the charm- we stayed in a private double room , which was admittedly tiny. The great room is amazing and is perfect for resting after a long hike. The hot tub was not working on our visit and hopefully it will be up and running next time. Meals were delicious and prepared by the new chef Dave- who came out and chatted for a bit after dinner- we were especially grateful for the bag lunch to take along for our day hike. read more

Never been so disappointed in an overnight in 40 years of traveling! Am loath to criticize the fine Sierra Club, but. Very small private rooms. Claustrophobic. No place for belongings. Heating and plumbing systems are LOUD. Lost sleep. Overpriced, for what you get, even with (very basic) meals. Ok for kids? My son slept through the night noise. read more

We just walked into Clair Tappaan after getting snowed on on the PCT. Kassandra took the most amazing care of us! Shortly after checking in there was coffee and cookies out in the dining room. The hot tub was nice and hot for our after dinner soak and after that we had a fire in the library. Could not have thought of a better way to spend a night off the trail. Overall fantastic experience and we would definitely return. Thanks Kassandra! read more

Had lunch and dinner here on a day long program. No overnight stay. Lunch included pulled pork, Cole slaw, with veggie burgers for the weed eaters. Pulled pork had no seasoning nor vinegar. Had to hunt up some hot sauce. Slaw was good. Dinner had a chopped salad, cold steamed broccoli with no salt or butter, and some dried out chicken breasts. No water pitchers, ice tea, or coffee. Pretty basic and bland food. If I return, I'll ask that my hostel "chore" include working as a cook/chef. I can bring my kitchen's collection of spices, herbs, and vinegars. Maybe some boxed wine at each table might help. read more

This place is absolutely awesome fun. 4 stars until the get the new mattresses in the bunk rooms. Once those are in, I'll update to a hearty five stars. The dorm room mattresses are great. The staff is friendly, outgoing, and knowledgeable. Denny is a fantastic chef, and I highly recommend the meal option. Tasty vegetarian options available too with advanced notice. Highlights include the aforementioned meals, hot tub, large living room, game room, and general good cheer. Join in the communal nature of the place or find private space in the lounge or library. There's a general store in case you forget basics. Laundry is on site too. Fair Warning: This place comes as advertised. It's a well maintained but rustic lodge. You'll be asked to chip in about 5-10 minutes on one chore a day of your choice (set or clear tables, rinse dishes... pretty harmless stuff). Parking is across the street so you have to walk up a hill to get to the lodge. They have sleds to help tow your luggage if needed. A bottom sheet and pillowcase are provided, but bring your own comforter or sleeping bag. The showers are a little tight for a big guy like me, but the water is plenty hot. Overall a great experience. I'll be back! read more

My family came here for a day of sledding. The day use fee is only $15 and $5 more to rent a sled. They have a huge groomed hill that is better than anywhere else. The lodge has all kinds of amenities, including coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. This is our new place to come play in the snow! read more

We spent the weekend snowshoeing with the Boy Scouts, Troop 216 Alamo, at Hutchinson Lodge, near Norden, CA; part of the Sierra Club lodges managed out of Claire Tappan. The Lodge was the perfect mix of remote/sparseness for our Scouts. Hutchinson Lodge: The lodge's services were sufficiently appointed to include a furnished kitchen, wash and restroom facilities, and enough wood to keep the two wood burning stoves stoked for months on end. Access to hiking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing was - quite literally - out of the front door. Sleeps 30 with $300/night min. There's a ~50 yard hike up from the parking lot, but its well worth it. Of note: If you stay here, take the time to read the historical writings/papers/communiques in the binder on the piano. It's great to think that either of the Hutchinson brothers and their ilk could've sat right were we sat, ate where we ate, and snowshoed to the very summit we did as far back as the 1920s. Wrt Claire Tappan Lodge and Management: Brian, "Caretaker of gear and all things importante", was exceptional; truly exceptional. (I would give him 6 stars if it were possible to do so, but alas its not...) Brian went so far as to climbed the mountain to check-in on us, blaze a new trail down for us, and even gave up his snowshoes to a Scout who'd broken his. Subsequently Brian descended most of the mountain sans shoes. (A real trooper!) Here's the link to Hutchinson if you're interested: http://vault.sierraclub.org/outings/lodges/hutchinson.aspx read more

Saturdays storm (February 9, 2019) was quite a big one and my son and I expected to ski Sugar Bowl for the day and head back to Sacramento afterwards. It didn't work out that way. They closed the gondola so we booted to the Judah lodge. We then had to wait for a shuttle (SUV sized) back to the parking lot. There were white-out conditions on Soda Springs road and now it was 6 pm. 80 was closed and the cold storm was whipping! We could sleep in the car and risk frostbite, not a good option. Kassandra at C. Tappin Lodge saved us! Literally! She had a room available fortunately, and we parked across and down the street and booted up the path in the storm. At that point I realized how people die of exposure in the Sierras. So happy to have a dry room, free dryer I used liberally, and hot tub! They even served us dinner when we weren't promised any! I didn't care that the room was small and the heater and pipes made noise! Yes its a funky place, but with good heart and welcoming attitude in a dicey situation. Kassandra worked late helping folks Saturday night and we owe her a great THANK YOU! You saved our bacon! Had breakfast and sunny the next am like nothing had happened, except 39 inches of new snow. 80 was closed but we still got down the hill. read more

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! :) read more

Loved our stay at Clair Tappaan Lodge! The staff are so friendly, helpful, and welcoming, the food is homey and amazing (thanks Denny and Peter!), the setting is stunning, and the grand, historic lodge is rustic and comfortable. The lodge is full of cozy nooks for curling up and reading, lots of balconies and porches for taking in the scenery, and lots of great places for doing activities with others, be it drinking coffee and talking, painting, or looking up and discussing plants and plant taxonomy together (thanks Ben!) We really enjoyed the sense of community CTL consciously fosters--doing chores with other guests as well as kitchen staff--setting out tablewares for the next meal, washing up and cleaning afterward. Also, though CTL is rustic, it is also spotless--kudos to the staff who manage to keep this grand old lodge so comfortable and clean! We felt like we'd lived there always, and would like to continue to do so. Everything was wonderful, and the people there (both staff and guests) were the highlight of our great experience. Other great points--free socks (my new favorites!) from Feet to Farm, getting to test drive boots from Lowa and hiking poles from Leki (really helpful!), relaxing in the hot tub after a hike, with the windows wide open to the surrounding mountains--pure magic! And, lest I forget--Chef Denny's hummus on our lunch sandwiches (best hummus EVER!), and his unforgettable Alfredo/clam sauce, which will flavor my food dreams for some time. Also, Chef Peter's hearty, tasty chili, Cassandra's infectious enthusiasm, Claire's calm warmth and competence, Art's meticulous cleaning (Downton Abbey would welcome him!), and John's skill at painting, mending, sealing, and doing other repairs necessary at an historic lodge. What an unforgettable, wonderful experience... will be back!!! PS--the beds are bunks, and the rooms are small. It's like a hostel. I LOVED it, but it won't be to everyone's taste. read more

I stayed here with a few friends over MLK weekend and had a great time! The staff was extremely friendly! Casandra helped me get my caffeine fix in the morning and was very helpful! Would def go again! read more

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

So today my family and I came to Tahoe for a huge family event, we went and enjoyed the snow for a few hours and came back exhausted! We went to check into our hotel and we accidentally called and made a reservation at the wrong hotel! We called the Clare Tappaan to cancel our reservation so we can stay with our family at the originally planned hotel and the front desk manager was absolutely amazing and accommodating to our situation. She only charged us partial of our same day room charge and we couldn't be happier to be able to stay with our family! Even tho we didn't stay there we looked it up and we couldn't believe how beautiful it was and agreed the next trip we WILL be staying at the Clare Tappaan! Thanks again for your amazing customer service! read more

No, this is not your typical hotel experience, so if you are looking for that you should shift your expectations or look elsewhere as you'll be a sour face to sit with a dinner. This is a historic reality you aren't going to find anywhere else in the Tahoe area. It's a classic Sierra Club communal setting that is perfect for the solo traveler, young people or folks who love that communal spirit. It is a beautiful funky old building with tiny rooms, but a big communal living room with a roaring fire (a dwindling reality in California) a cozy library and has the classic fusbal table in the game area. It feels similar to the hostels in Europe for anyone who has experienced those. The fact that you can typically drop in last minute on any given Saturday night (even holiday weekends) and find a bed walking distance (about a half mile) from skiing for $75 including 3 meals is exceptional. Being a per person rate the price adds up for our family of 4 ($300 a night for a hostel type bunk bed) but I LOVE to support the place and the per person pricing makes sense. I think exposing my older teen to it so he might soon get up here on his own and stay safely with friends in such a warm and supportive place is awesome. Bring instruments for the evening fireside, or book for the cozy library and don't forget your swim suit for the cave like historic hot tub. This is 1950s communal ski lodge at its best. Support Clair Tappaan so it's here for generations to come. read more

Well, this is going back a while, but I stayed at both Tappaan and Hutchinson the week of March 4-11, 2017. I was there for a Sierra hut-to-hut XC snowshoe that would have ended at Squaw Valley. There were 10-12' of snow at the front door of Tappaan and massive snowfall had buried the huts and made them inaccessible. Our plans had to be changed to daily outings to Peter Grubbe, Boreal Ridge, Donner, Judah, and other surrounding areas. So, it meant a few nights at Tappaan, both before and after, 13 of us moved to Hutchinson for the bulk of the week. Our Sierra guide had prepared for hut-to-hut overnights and came well-stocked with supplies. We had fantastic outings and a memorable stay. Peter and the staff responsible for Tappaan and Hutchinson were friendly, helpful, and highly accommodating. I love the communal atmosphere. Despite the snowfall that winter, the dining hall at Tappaan had a full house for breakfast and dinner and all were well fed. This is not an AirB&B stay, and certainly not the lodge experience some of the naysayers may have been seeking. Bring your best volunteer habits - table setting, sweeping up, washing dishes. The lodge is reminiscent of a time when my father and his family traveled west by train in the 1930s from Pennsylvania. I rode the Zephyr home that March and hope to return to Tappaan for a Sierra service project in late September this year. The lodge can provide an experience you will never forget. read more

My teenage sons and I had time for a quick 2-day, 1 night trip to Tahoe from the Bay Area Christmas Eve and Day. I wanted someplace comfortable, convenient and relatively affordable that would allow us maximum ski time. A friend told me about Clair Tappaan and I am so grateful! What a special place. The 5 bed family room sounded ideal but as they charge for empty beds, it was just not practical for 3 of us. Instead, I booked a 2 bed cubicle for the boys and a bed in the women's dorm for me. It was such a quiet night that there were just three of us in the dorm so I had a comfy spacious and quiet corner. The boys' room was quite snug but they appreciated the privacy. The place is spotless, the showers were great. The common room is lovely, the food was good, and the company was a big plus! Only negative really was the noise - in the hallway with the cubicles the heat went on and off a lot during the night and kept the boys up while in the dorm you can hear anybody talking in the bathroom. We really enjoyed our apres ski playing a board game in the Lewis and Clark room among readers, wine drinkers, a few little kids, and a guy strumming Leonard Cohen on his guitar. We got a pretty good crowd going for a few competitive rounds of Boggle. Nice conversation with our table buddies at dinner and breakfast. We were some of the few first-timers there and it was great to hear the affection for this place expressed by so many of the regular guests. I appreciated the (free!) clothes dryer as our stuff was soaked after a wet and fantastic day at Sugar Bowl. The staff was friendly and capable and the guy in the shop was helpful in creating a rope belt for my son's way too big ski pants. The boys also got some time in on the sled hill before we headed out skiing on day two. I could go on, it's hard to believe we were there for just one night! read more

Claire Tappaan Lodge is AMAZING! On a recent family getaway, we decided to spend two nights at Claire Tappan Lodge, located on historic Donner Summit. We were greeted by a friendly front office staff member. Meals were delicious and always enough to eat, although the "family style" wasn't our cup of tea. One staff member, Brian, is a rockstar. He took the time to speak to my husband and I and provided great information of the surrounding areas to go hiking and fishing. We chose Lake Azalea and weren't dissapointed. Our two sons both caught numerous fish and had the time of thier lives. Thanks again to the Lodge staff, you guys rock. Can't wait to make another trip. -Diane read more

NEVER Book from them!!! I bought a night for my wife and I for Christmas to snowshoe in and stay at the Peter grub hut. The night that we were scheduled to go was one of the worst storms of the year. We live in Grass Valley and there was thunder and lightning going on all day and night and on top of Castlepeak the winds were reported to be gusting up to hundred miles an hour. I called the day before and told them that I didn't think it was a safe night to be snowshoeing into the lodge (it's about a 2 mile hike in the back country to get there) because of the extreme avalanche risks, gusting winds, white outs, and because of driving in horrible stormy conditions. I didn't ask for a refund I simply asked if we could rebook the trip for another night that was available. They told me that they would not refund me or even give me a credit for a rebooking. Even though the woman on the phone admitted to me that she would not want anybody to be out in the current conditions. Basically if you book a trip with them your banking on the weather being good enough for you to do the trip. Otherwise you're losing out on all your money. read more