I was the videographer May 18, 2019 for a wedding. Pinecrest Chalet is a beautiful, outdoor location with many opportunities. I love the amphitheater with the creek running by as a backdrop for pictures. My only concern was that I could only find one bathroom except for the ones in the cabins, to which I did not have access. I recommend this venue if you want a higher Sierra location. read more

The Pinecrest Chalet will always be a special place! My wife and I hosted our wedding reception there in July of 2021. Over the course of our wedding planning (and the pandemic), the Chalet ownership changed. We worked well with the new owners and the event was a success. Keep in mind that the Chalet is a resort but not a hotel, and they have a much more hands-off approach than some visitors might be used to. That said, they accommodated all of our requests and were friendly, and have clearly continued to invest in the Chalet and the grounds. The area is rustic, quiet, and away from the crowds you'll find in Tahoe and Yosemite. It is also incredibly beautiful both in summer and winter. Thanks to the Chalet and their staff! read more

We stayed in Cabin #3. Cabin was clean. Nice clean towels. Extremely uncomfortable and older mattresses. We put 3 sleeping bags on it the second night for padding to get some sleep. They could use replacing. Bed was squeaky also, might need to be tightened. Covers were cozy though. The dining table chairs could use a steam clean also, some old liquid stains on one of them. Corner chewed on another one. Smallest shower ever, similar to what a coffin must be like. lol. Do not plan on moving around much in there. Decent water pressure though, does the job. BBQ grill is lop-sided and loose, spin it to level it out or else it's wonky. We brought our own Keurig coffee maker although there was a French press available. The little fridge was kind of too loud for a light sleeper, we unplugged it the second night. Pool was available, grandsons had a great time playing in it. Might consider building some kind of noise barrier around the Generac Generator to help with the humming noise it creates when it kicks on. read more

Amanda is great she was super helpful when I booked it and she was super helpful when I had to cancel it. Fast turn around time and wonderful customer service. I'm looking forward to saying their next year but will give it 5 stars just based on Amanda's great customer service. read more

We have been fortunate to stay at Pinecrest Chalet in the snow and have never been disappointed. It's a bit outdated, but we love the charm of this rustic getaway from the craziness of the Bay area. Kids love being free-range, building forts, sledding and snowball fights in the greatest backyard of all time. The folks who run Pinecrest Chalet are super friendly, responsive and obviously love hosting guests on the property. Some tips: -Make sure you bring ample food, snacks, beverages as there's not much in the area. (Mia's is great for pizza and a 10-min drive away.) We usually book a chalet with stove top and oven so we can cook warm meals after a long day in the snow. -Dodge Ridge is a quick drive and family-friendly for skiing. Book lessons in advance. -Bring your own hairdryer. :) read more

Stayed here for a wedding. Nice place, easy to access and they were pretty chill with the wedding basically going all night. Not super rustic or anything either, though the wifi was a little spotty. Beautiful venue for a wedding and they seemed to be really good with the coordinators and other vendors! Seems like a cool place to stay in the winter, too. read more

I can't believe the cabin we rented at the pinecrest chalet. It was called the evergreen and let me tell you if you go, don't rent the evergreen. I don't know where to start with this specific cabin. Can't believe the price of around 300 a night. The bathrooms were not clean kitchen stove not clean carpets not vacuumed. The cabinets are old looking no coffee maker no blender. Not enough toilet paper for 8 people to stay 4 days and 3 nights. No garbage bags for the trash no extra paper towels no dish soap for 4 days. Thank god we took everything we needed that wasn't there. Will never stay here again and actually we are making plans for Fort Bragg for our annual trip. Can't believe Cal Alumni has anything to do with these. read more

Stayed in Chalet M. Room was very clean and cozy. The staff were professional & check-in process was easy. The location was just perfect! Highly recommend this place and looking forward to returning with family again in the near future. read more

Quiet little cabins, well-built, and friendly competent people running the place. Great escape from Silicon Valley and a great kick off spot for Sierra vacation. read more

Why would you ask me to contact you? We already spoke . You told me you would not refund me $60 that your office said they would for firewood that I had to buy because your generator broke and we were cold. I'm just saying, knock it off . read more

I always enjoy staying here for a holiday from home. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. The cottages/cabins are cleaned well and the setting is very tranquil. read more

We came here again for our annual family "camping" trip only this time we had a larger cabin. The first floor held 3 bedrooms and 1 1/2 baths. One bedroom had a bunk bed & full bed, another had a full bed and 1/2 bath and my room held just one bunk bed. For 5 adults and 1 miniature pinscher, this fit us comfortably. Upstairs held a full kitchen with fridge, stove, oven and microwave, a dining room that sat 6 and living room with 2 sofas, TV/DVD combo and a standing wood stove. Off the 2nd floor is a nice patio, with a picnic table and chairs and BBQ. Pinecrest Chalet supplies sheet, blankets and towels. They also have kitchenware and pots & pans. (though my mom brings her own stuff) Being off Dodge Ridge Road, they are just a short drive away from Pinecrest Lake and just up the hill is Dodge Ridge (which is a great place to star gaze at night) I believe Pinecrest Chalet was bought by Cal Alumni Association/UC Berkeley as they were taking tours when we were there at the end of August 2009. The cabins and site are very clean and well taken care of and we've already made reservations for this year. read more

What a great week long getaway my wife and I had in Chalet #7. Check-in and check-out was easy. All facilities were in good working order and when we needed to change out linens and towels, we simply went to the lobby and staff was more than happy to get us fresh ones. Staff were friendly and helpful, they even let us check out other larger cabins when they were cleaning them as we plan on getting a large group to stay there in the future with us. With a short mile or so drive to Pinecrest lake it was very conveniently located. The lobby offered many DVDs and books to check out (no cost). What a great setting overall. We will be staying there again. read more

Very clean and just the right size for us! There is a little creak right next to us and is about a 15 minute walk to the lake! We are having a blast read more

Pinecrest Chalet - Hotels Near Me - Pinecrest, California

The best things about Pinecrest are the price and close proximity to Dodge Ridge Ski Resort, a great place for children to learn to ski while parents have their own ski day. It is family friendly and really allows you to be a regular at the ski slopes with children able to go along. Earlier this year, I had a concern with my reservation and the Pinecrest Chalet director was very responsive and helped me with it. I plan on returning to Pinecrest and our family have been regulars for a number of seasons. I've stayed in many of the cabins; for our family of 4, the cottages didn't suit us. However, Unit "N" is the best, most updated unit that can be shared with another family comfortably. Unit "L" was also nicely kept with the right space for young children, a kitchen for easy breakfast prior to heading our for the day, and the place is quiet and peaceful. read more

We stayed in the RV area with electric only hookups. They do have a few full hookups, but those fill up fast. The Pinecrest RV dump site is only a mile or two down the road if you need it ($6). There is one public bathroom/shower on site that is for one person at a time. The RV sites have a concrete pad to park, table and fire pit at each site. Large trees provide plenty of shade and the sites are a good size. If you have a large RV 30 ft or more, make sure you pick your site wisely. Some sites are tricky to back in. There are water spigots here and there on the property, near the chalets and full hookup sites. We had to connect 3 hoses together to fill our tank because we forgot to fill before we got there. I would suggest bringing a generator for backup. If we used our air conditioner it would pop the circuit. They are working on the electric problem with PG&E and hope to have it fixed by next year. The only negative on the trip was the pool was closed 3 days while they tried to fix a problem with the pump. The management is very friendly and helpful. We would definitely stay here again. read more

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I love Pinecrest stayed at a very nice lil cabin had everything inside room dishes microwave fridge/freezer. I stayed one night got the other night free. read more

Pinecrest Chalet - Hotels Near Me - Pinecrest, California

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This place is BEAUTIFUL! My family and I stayed at Pinecrest Chalet during Christmas. We stayed in cabin A and had the most glorious view of the snow covered forest. It was really magical! We were only a couple of miles from Dodge Ridge; which made it easy for us to go back & forth. This review is not only for the cabin & location, but also for Ashley & Mark who manage the chalet. My son is disabled and needs constant care. They really went above & beyond to make sure we had everything we needed & had a great time. Mark & Ashley watched our son for a few hours so my husband, daughter and I could go snowboarding at Dodge Ridge! My son was happy and well cared for; they even cleaned up the cabin while we were gone! Thank you Ashley & Mark for helping make our stay so amazing!!! We will be back! :) read more

We stayed here two nights and loved it! Great place to stay for dodge ridge (if it ever snows) or for going to the lake! It was a beautiful 15 minute walk to the lake The staff are extremely accommodating and friendly! Can't wait till next time! Thanks guys :D read more

Love Pinecrest Chalet! The new ownership is doing a great job at keeping the property well maintained! It's been a tradition of ours to visit the chalet once a year and this past January we had our best experience yet! Our Cabin was kept extremely clean. Amanda the office staff was so sweet and accommodating as well! Whoever is managing the social media is also doing an excellent job at keeping guests/fans up to date! Very professional! We look forward to next years trip with all the new renovations! Thank you, Pinecrest Chalet! read more

Stayed in Muir cabin last weekend. Such a sweet cabin and wonderful view. Nothing beats Pinecrest in early summer and this was a stellar stay. Quinn, Sara, Christine, Roxie and Cody made our stay feel welcoming and easy. Will defintely be back! read more

This review is strictly for RV camping in the sites that do NOT have full hookups. Our group camped up here in RV sites A and B over Memorial Day weekend. We have tent trailers. The sites are spacious and have a table, grill and fire pit. There was plenty of room for the kids to run around. The sites have plenty of beautiful trees and have a good amount of shade. Checking in was a breeze and the staff could not have been more friendly and helpful. We never interacted with or really saw any staff after check in, which was fine by us because we don't like to be hovered over. Other campers and cabin stayers were all quiet and respectful as well. This place had no issues with rowdy crowds, even though it was a busy Memorial Day weekend. It was great! This place is not far at all from the main beach area and amphitheater. I'd say it was about a 3-5 minute drive. Even for a holiday weekend, I feel it was reasonably priced at $50 a night. Our site was one of the electric only sites. We were prepared for that since they said there was a restroom and shower. Now, the thing I did not realize.... is that they literally mean this place has ONE restroom with ONE toilet.... and ONE shower... I had mistakingly assumed it would be a restroom with stalls for showers and toilets... So.... please keep in mind... if you have a trailer which does not contain a shower or toilet, you must prepare to wait in line every time you need to use the facilities.. LUCKILY, we only ever saw people from our own group ever going in and out of the restroom. Most people I think had RV's that had shower/ toilets. The restroom gets dirty QUICK too. There is no type of rug or anything outside the shower (which is in the restroom with the toilet), so water and dirty feet and shoes creates quite a mess on the bathroom floor. But on the bright side, at least the shower was free. So, you get what you pay for. This minor setback wouldn't stop us from returning. We had a great stay! read more

This is our "ski" home. We have made at least 3-4 trips up to the Chalet every year now for almost 10 years. It is so much better now that the UC Berkeley Alumni Association has taken it over. We always stay in one of the townhouse and bring our own meals though we have done the Winter Lair which was great....a real vacation...no cooking plus they made lunches for us so we wouldn't have to purchase them at Dodge Ridge. The staff is friendly, courteous and always willing to please. They have gone out of their way to provide us with what we needed, including drying our boys ski clothes because the dryers were broke and the clothes were wet, bring down firewood to the cabin when there wasn't any, getting extra blankets and pillows and of course warming us up with hot chocolate or hot cider when we came down from the slopes on cold, snowy afternoons. We have not stayed at the Chalet since we are Lair campers and make our summer journey up there yearly but have walked over there for some of the Adventure activities that they have. We highly recommend the Chalet and it's friendly, cozy environment. read more

Wonderful Wedding Weekend - 5/29-5/31/15 My husband and I met at Camp Jack Hazard in the Sierra Nevada so we wanted a venue that reflected where we fell in love. The Chalet was the perfect venue to combine the stunning outdoors with accommodations that made everyone from children to grandparents comfortable. We worked with the Chalet staff starting in November and even though we live in SoCal, we were able to communicate via email and telephone with two visits in-between. Every time we spoke with the staff, any concerns were put to rest and plans were put into motion. I will say, sometimes it was frustrating dealing with "mountain time", meaning the delay in response, but part of my frustration came from worrying over a detail and once I had contact, every concern was resolved. I could not be happier with my experience getting married at the Chalet. While we were there, we had access to the entire facility and any need we had, the staff worked as a team to fulfill it. We used a 40'x70' tent on the volleyball/basketball court, which had never been done, and the staff was ready and willing to try it there. I would recommend the Chalet to any and everyone! Even our guests that made the 7+ hour drive up there raved about their time there and how they would like to bring their family back there again. If you have any questions or comments, I would be happy to respond to messages. read more

Pinecrest Chalet - 5/30/15 Wedding - Hotels Near Me - Pinecrest, California

We spent 3 wonderful days at the Pinecrest Chalet in mid-October. We have been staying there every fall for the last decade. We have loved the area since we had a family cabin there years ago. Accommodations were great for us. They are very dog friendly by the way. The staff was professional and courteous. If you are married to your cell phone be advised that unless you have Verizon reception (AT&T) is virtually zero. I understand AT&T is working on more cell towers in the area. The area around the Chalet is great for beautiful and quiet walks in the forest. Our dog loves it. Services are a bit sparce but good if you know where to look. For us, this is the perfect place for quiet mid week get-a-way from the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley. I highly reccommend it. read more

There truly aren't enough words to describe just how wonderful and amazing the Pinecrest Chalet and its staff are, but I will try my best to encapsulate just how grateful my husband and I are to have gotten married there. We were recently married at the Chalet on the weekend of 10/15/16, and I have to say, we could not have picked a more perfect place to not only have our wedding, but also to host our nearest and dearest, who all traveled a great distance to celebrate with us. My husband and I had always wanted to get married in Pinecrest (for sentimental reasons), so once we got engaged we immediately put together a list of potential venues in the area, and included the Chalet, on behest of a UC Berkeley alum who thought it would be perfect for our needs. She was SO right... we looked at numerous venues and weighed the pros and cons of each, but the second we stepped onto the Chalet's property, we knew it was the one. The Chalet's cabins are large, clean, and have everything one could need when in the wilderness, as well as being heated with fireplaces, and are essentially set up like hotel suites- very comfortable and luxurious. Our guests were all very impressed with the quality of the cabins! There is a large outdoor amphitheater area and space nearby for tables and chairs and a dance floor. It is extremely customizable, you have to outsource all your wedding needs (rentals, vendors, coordinators, food, etc.), which was perfect for us, as we were self-catering our wedding and needed a space that would allow us to do that. They also let us do whatever we wanted with decorations and lighting, and even have some items donated from previous weddings that they let us use for no additional charge. There were no hidden costs or fees, just a small fee for use of the venue which was perfect for us, as we are a young couple on a very tight budget. As breathtaking as the Chalet's property is, and was as the backdrop of our wedding events, this 5-star review pertains mainly to the quality and helpfulness of the staff there, specifically Quinn and Tess. From the beginning of the year when we first started corresponding with the Chalet, they were very informative, patient and helpful, as well as providing many different resources and guides for vendors in the area, and a handy wedding planner. They were quick to respond to any question we had, and even though we had to communicate mostly via e-mail or phone, due to us living three hours away, the staff never made us feel unimportant, not a priority, or a hindrance in any way. In fact, when we brought our parents up for a second viewing after we booked, they let us stay at the Chalet for an entire weekend without being charged. Although we put a lot of effort into planning, and thought we had covered all of our bases, we did not foresee rainstorms that weekend and didn't arrange for a back-up plan. Well... lucky us, it didn't just rain, it POURED 7 inches of rain the ENTIRE weekend from Friday afternoon till the time we left on Sunday morning. Not only was it raining, there were freezing temperatures, which would have made our guests extremely uncomfortable. Quinn quickly came up with a Plan B for our reception: a lodge in Camp Gold which was a mile up the road, and there was not a tent rental to be found in all of CA, so we decided that we would take it. Well, we didn't account for rain during the ceremony time (3 p.m.) either, so we assumed we could still have it outdoors, up until Friday night when we realized it would definitely be raining heavily during that time. So we had less than 15 hours to transform the Lodge from a camp dining hall to a beautiful wedding venue. Most venue staff and wedding parties would balk at that notion and I wouldn't blame them, but not Quinn. He tirelessly worked on transporting chairs and tables, moving furniture out of the lodge, assisting guests with various issues they had, arranging for parking and signs, working closely with my wedding party and parents to transform the lodge. It was truly miraculous how much different it looked on the wedding day, it was PERFECT: breathtakingly gorgeous and intimate, with a large roaring fireplace, string lights, greenery brought in from the woods, warm and safe from the storms outside. It wasn't our plan A, but it ended up being better, and that's thanks in large part to Quinn and Tess. Our guests are still raving about the venue, and the quality of service they received there. I could never repay these amazing people for all that they did for us that weekend, so I will leave it at this: the Chalet is a wonderful place to get married, and thanks so much to Quinn and all of the staff there for all of your support and for making our dreams come true! Thank you for providing us with the most magical setting for our wedding; please know that we noticed and appreciated all of your hard work down to the most small details and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. read more

Amanda and Woody were incredibly helpful during my stay. Even left me a message during my stay alerting me of pending maintenance work...

Stayed in the chalet type housing. Kitchen helped tremendously. Surprisingly well equipped and warm. Excellent areas to play and explore. They say internet is "functional" however it really isn't. Might be better to not offer it to match expectations. read more

We've been going here for ten years and have loved it, especially being able to bring our dog. The cabins are cozy and the proximity to Dodge Ridge is great. The problem is that ever since UC Berkeley bought the place, the customer service has gone from a 10 to a 2. They never return phone calls or answer emails, even when I contacted them to ask about group rates. Before UCB the service was great. I am afraid this is what happens when bureaucracy takes over. read more

We had such a nice stay at the Pinecrest Chalet. We had our daughters 5th birthday snow party there. Everyone had a blast! The accommodations are perfect. Just enough "roughing it" yet the resort still had all the amenities of home. We will come back for years to come. Whether it's a romantic get away for two or a family of ten Pinecrest Chalet has accomidations for both. Talk about affordable fun, we went during the week and received 2 free lift tickets to Dodge Ridge a couple miles up the road. Pinecrest is a hidden jewel of California and the Pinecrest Chalet is the place to stay when you go. read more

We had a nice time here last year, but they butchered the reservation this year. I called a few months back to reserve our cabin - their website wasn't letting folks reserve for February, and we were trying to get a popular weekend. I spoke to someone there who took all of my information and reserved the room for us, but when I called recently to confirm they had no record of our reservation and had given the cabin to someone else! An awful way to treat your customers. read more

We have stayed at Pinecrest for the last 4 years during the summer, and recently stayed for the weekend to go skiing and sledding with our two kids, 9 and 10. Firstly, I love the location near Pinecrest Lake and Dodge Ridge, super easy to get to where you want to be for the day without having to drive/walk very far. The accomodations are clean and the staff friendly. Lastly, the Winter Lair program is really cool. Really nice to hang out in the lodge for meals. We love this place! read more

Expensive. Old school tv that didn't work. Wifi that didn't work. Make sure to ask for a newer room. As L was not worth the 250 a night. Bummer as the area is really nice. read more

I love the Chalet. It is the perfect place to stay when visiting the Lair of the Bear. It is clean, affordable and has a very friendly staff. The cabins are rustic and located a few minutes from the lake. There is so much to do in Pinecrest in the summer that we were hardly in the room. I am already looked for next year read more

We have been going here for the last couple of years. We love this place in the winter or summer. The kids always look forward to it.so many hiking trails and close to pinecrest. We will be coming back read more

We stayed here on an uncrowded weekend and loved our stay. There was not much snow, but we went on a beautiful hike around a nearby lake. We stayed in the N cabin, which was updated and very comfortable and cozy. The staff was wonderful - very helpful, friendly, and playful with our 3 year old son and his friends. We are looking forward to coming back again soon! read more

We just returned from a Winter Lair weekend at Pinecrest Chalet. Fresh air, clean and quiet accommodations, good food cooked by someone else... As long-time Lair campers we felt like we were in the lap of luxury in our cozy little cabin with gas fireplace and full bathroom (!) plus fridge, microwave and TV we didn't use but could have. We did make use of wi-fi, and appreciated the lack of ATT cell service... The Staff was great, friendly and interested, with activities for those who wished, and the traditional Lair knack for child charming. Several cabin groups included dogs, and the Camp Dog is a beautiful giant of a Bernese Mountain Dog named Sura. As for factors beyond their control -- there was zero snow, but it was beautiful anyway. Beautiful dark, starry skies each night, and a campfire Friday night. They had vacancies this weekend. I don't know if they take last minute reservations, but it's worth giving them a call if you need a get away that seems farther away from the hustle bustle than it actually is. You can plan ahead using the Winter Lair page of the CAA website. We will return, and were delighted to find a taste of Lair halfway through the year between our Summer Lair camping trips. read more

Great place to stay. Very comfortable and clean. Had a nice cottage with 2 queen beds, kitchen and bath. Gas fireplace and deck. Can't wait to go back. read more

My husband and I stayed at the Pinecrest Chalet last weekend. It was a wonderful romantic get away. From the minute we pulled into the parking lot we felt "at home." The staff who checked us in were friendly and welcoming. Our cabin was neat and tidy and so cozy! We took a walk through the resort and down to the river. The whole area was clean, well kept and it smelled so good and piney. We took our canoe and spent a few hours on the lake. It was beautiful. The lake and the lake campgrounds were very busy. It was nice that we only had a few minute drive back to our peaceful resort and quiet cabin. The time away with my husband was awesome, but I can not wait to take our family and friends back! read more

This place was great. The pool, the creek, the trails, the trees, everything about this place was pretty great. The cabin was very nice, they provided everything but the food and toothbrush. It was quiet, the grills and campfires were awesome, and they provide all the wood for the campfire rings. I'd definitely stay here again, and it's a quick drive away from the lake. No cell service, which was fine with me, but they did have wifi for guests. read more