Wanted to try a new spot for fishing. Husband and I came out the week after Memorial Day, and had a lot of fun. Rented a motor boat from the marina and spent 4 hours fishing at the river inlet. As soon as we dropped our lines, the bites never stopped! Came back with 5 keepers . (Free tip: the dam and the river inlet are the prime boat fishing spots) weather was manageable, light rain/sleet off and on over our 3 days there. The Marina staff, and the front office staff, and Serene Bean coffee stand were absolutely amazing! (Emphasis on all of the Marina Staff, Lori and team) We felt like we found a secret gem in the mountains. Everything is within walking distance of our on-site motel, and the lake was breathtaking. Since we went after Memorial Day it was very quiet and peaceful. Thank you all so much for hosting, we will be back again soon! read more

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The water was good even though it was super cold got used to it after a while. Feels good to disconnect from city life and be in nature.

We love this place and come every year it's our family tradition. The grounds are beautiful and the proximity to the lake and local store cannot be beat for the price. read more

We rented a cabin here and it was awesome! The cabin was clean and neat when we checked in. The staff Heidi and Laurie are very friendly helpful and professional. The grocery store is well stocked with everything you need. The sport shop also has everything you need for swimming and fishing. There is no better place to go to for vacation. Our entire family enjoyed the Lake swimming and fishing. Once you vacation here in Pinecrest you will come back every year. read more

A very nice setting as cabins are near Marina, restaurant and store. You can hear people at the restaurant area a bit if you are outside. The real challenge for me is inside the cabin. Old bed-we both woke up with sore backs. Couch and chairs all old and not comfortable. Kitchen pans pretty beat up. The linens were clean and nice people. Possibly would stay again but will look a little harder to get all options. read more

This place is awesome! 5 of us rented a three bedroom condo for two nights this week. What a great place to stay! The accommodations were wonderful! Comfortable beds in s very nice clean environment. The kitchen was well stock with pots and pans. The couch was nice and comfortable. The deck was great with a bbq out there to grill fresh meat. We are with in walking distance of the Marina and store. I would give this wonderful place 6 stars if I could! We will be back!!!! read more

Pinecrest Lake has been a summer destination for many people for decades. The resort is a wonderful place to go for a day or a weekend.

Its a great lake resort. The town home is nice and comfortable. The only downfall is no AC and no TVs in rooms. The beach is very nice but there's nobody enforcing social distancing and nobody is wearing masks. As long as we stay 6' from everyone we are fine. Internet and TV connection is not guaranteed both services were out almost 2 days since we been here. That was a big inconvenience because of work deadline couldn't be met. Today is day 4 of our stay. We leave our canopy and small tent out on the beach to reserve our spot because it really gets crowded, specially on the weekend. Rented a motor boat to go fishing, didn't catch nothing yet. But its beautiful out there. I would of gave it a 5 stars but they make you do your own housekeeping before you leave and wi fi was out for almost 3 days and mattresses are outdated. For 305 dollars a night I expected better. read more

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We had a great time here. We were in cabin number 22, it's a 3 bed 1 bath. It was pretty updated and fully stocked! I would recommend bringing a couple extra rolls of toilet paper. I was also able to get pics of cabin #21 next to us since we are coming back next year and reserving that one as well. It is a 2 bed 1 bath. We were right next to the tennis courts, general store, coffee shop and restaurant. It was the perfect location! The lake was great too! read more

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For father's day we decided to get away from the heat and celebrate our daddy by playing at the lake. We came early around 9 am which was a great idea because we still found some parking nearby. There were picknic areas nearby and restrooms. The restrooms were also kept clean which we appreciate. It's a perfect place for kids and those wanting to teach their children how to fish. Many fished nearby us and they were catching fish especially in the morning. There were bbq rear by. Not every park allows you to grill but here they did which is so great. One of the great things is that there are no parking fees for day use. If your planning to come here arrive early and bring all your fun water play with you. Many were wearing life jackets which is so important when playing in a lake. read more

Pinecrest Lake Resort - Hotels Near Me - Pinecrest, California

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I'd rate Pinecrest Lake third, after Yosemite and Lake Tahoe, in the list of greatest mountain destinations in Northern California. One thing this means is that Pinecrest is not readily quiet and peaceful. You can find that here, but only by planning ahead and pushing through the crowd. And it is a crowd, believe me. The monster-sized campground is one of the few in the area that takes reservations, and if you haven't reserved your spot by April, you're out of luck. Growing up, my family camped at Meadowview, and it's likely that it's also full by the time you get there on Friday afternoon in the summer. There are lots of parking places, and guess what: they're full too! (Minus one star.) I think you're starting to get the idea of how much people love Pinecrest. It's the sort of place where people came here with their kids, then their kids grew up and got married and started bringing their kids here, and now THOSE kids are married with children and coming up. Charismatic preachers would call that a "generational curse". But don't break the curse. There is plenty to love about Pinecrest. It's a medium-sized lake with plenty of room for everyone. You can rent motor boats, party boats, or kayaks, or bring your own. There's a safe beach to play at, and the rest of the shoreline is pine-shaded. The convenience store and Steam Donkey restaurant are close by. Lots of places to fish, whether on the shore or from a boat. Amphitheater for nature talks, movies, church gatherings, or as a central meet-up spot. What I recently did: put my inflatable boat into the water, rowed out a few hundred feet, stopped, and ate my dinner while enjoying the spectacular mountain scenery and the crowd enjoying themselves. Happy Wanderers will note the Pinecrest National Scenic Trail, a 4-mile loop encircling the lake. It is not an easy hike. There are several uphills that test your stamina, and a few places where you need to look for the trail markers to make sure you're not lost. Surprisingly, it also serves as the Main Street for the many large lakeside cabins on this lake, most which you cannot drive to. This trail is a good introduction to Pinecrest Lake, with 1/3 party central, 1/3 genteel cabin living, and 1/3 unspoiled mountain scenery, all while testing your hiking abilities. I mentioned the cabins. You go straight through a summer home community when you drive to Pinecrest Lake. They're all privately owned, and many owners rent them out to vacationers. If you can own a little piece of Pinecrest for yourself, then you don't need to worry about getting a spot at the campground, and you can walk to the lake. And preserve this for your family to come. Yes, a place like this does exist in the Land of Fruits and Nuts. Generations have loved it without loving it to death (think Tahoe). Pinecrest is worth the trouble. And plan ahead! read more

Pinecrest Lake Resort - Rent a boat here - Hotels Near Me - Pinecrest, California

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love it had fun but they. didnt have wifi everywhere. but the cabins who confitable for my family & I

Place is nice . Kitchen has everything you need to cook. It was a short walk to the lake and stores. Only 2 draw backs for my family. One was the beds were so hard it was difficult to sleep. But if a hard mattress is your thing that won't bother you. The other this was the temperature when we were there never hit over 81 and was fantastic, sadly even leaving all the windows open while at the lake still left it miserable when we came back. Upstairs was impossible to stay in the rooms as it was very hot. Only master room had a ceiling fan and it did little to help. If we do this again we will be ready and bring portable fans from home read more

This place is my awwwwe place to enjoy nature and fresh air! Great family fun for everyone. Been coming here for over 50 years and still enjoy the surroundings. Stayed in the Motel for my first time as we went for a one night stay. Clean rooms close to walking to the lake , general store and campgrounds. Ate at Steamed Donkey and enjoyed a great dinner outside on the back deck. I will be back!!!! read more

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My family has been coming here for years. Both camping and lodging at the resort. Now I bring my family. We just stayed at the Townhouses on the property- And we had an amazing time!! The reviews here are under rated. Do not expect this to be a 5 star resort. I can best define it as Glamping while staying at the reasort. Our 2 bedroom townhouse was fully equipped and cozy. Yes, it feels nostalgic- they havent changed much over the years. Thats what keeps the rustic feel. I do remember the townhouses had lofts, but they are covered with a wall now, probably for safety reasons. Im sure it was safe in the 70's when I was growing up, as we didn't need seat belts in our cars either. (Lol) We will definitely stay here again!! read more

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Even if booked well in advance and cancelled within guidelines (1 month+ before reservation date), this place will keep your deposit - $50 in my case. They say the deposit has now become a "cancellation fee". Understood they want to minimize churn, but this is greedy, to say the least. read more

Great place for all seasons, I camped so many places but Pinecrest is my favorite place.it has great view and great weather and you can do different thing like biking, boating, hiking,eating ice cream etc. read more

We stayed in a room with 2 queen beds. The room was spacious and each unit has its own parking spot, so we didn't have to worry about that during the crowded Memorial Day Weekend. The proximity to the lake and the general store is a huge plus. The two complaints I have are that the rooms do not have phones, and you have to pay for intermittent/unreliable wifi. The no phone in the room is an issue for us as we stayed there with our 4 month old. We have AT&T for our cell phone service and we get zero reception in Pinecrest. If there was an emergency, we would have to walk to the front office and use the pay phone outside to call 911. The other issue with the wifi is that for being paid, it is almost not worth it. Only one device can log in at a time, and it kept dropping out. We ended up paying for wifi so our friend watching our pets back home could contact us and we could contact them. I want to give this place 4 stars but the no phone in the room is a big negative for us. read more

Check out the website associated with this listing and you'll see that it encompasses: * lodging (townhouses and motel rooms); * a marina (with paddle boats,kayaks, party boats, motorboats, & sailboats for rent); and * a restaurant/bar (Steam Donkey) I recently stayed 3 mid-week nights ($165/night) in the motel. Here's what you need to know about that: * The hotel room ("A") featured 2 queen sized beds. It officially sleeps 4. It's clean and functional, not luxurious. Great water pressure and plenty of hot water for showers. * There's parking for 1 car per room, in a designated spot right out in front of your room. * A shared, wooden front porch is a nice place to sit and do nothing (or have a drink). There's plastic chairs on the porch but you might want to set up your beach chairs for greater comfort. * From your room, it takes about 30 seconds to walk to the lake, the store, the restaurant, the snack shack, the tennis courts, the bicycle rental place, or the Serene Bean (for morning coffee). * There's a coffee pot in the room but Serene Bean is better. * There's no view of the lake from the room. * The room smells smoky, like you do if you've been standing in from of a fire pit. I like this smell. It doesn't smell like cigarettes at all. I assume no smoking is allowed. * Outside the room are some wooden picnic tables and a grill. The room has no kitchen, no microwave, and no utensils, so grilling here as a guest of the motel probably wouldn't be happening a lot. * The room has cable tv which sort of does not work. I only turned it on once for a very brief while. It functioned oddly then switched off entirely. No great loss. * There was no wi-fi in my room but now I see that the web-site says we could have purchased it for $5/hr or $11/day. It's actually sort of nice to get off the grid for a few days. * No pets are allowed. * Mid-week was very quiet; I've heard that weekends might not be. If you want to spend a few days by the lake, this is a good option. Most cabin rentals (including the on-site townhouse rentals) require a week-long commitment. Short of 1 week or camping, this is as close to the lake as you can stay. read more

Went here for the first time last weekend and had a great time. What a great spot! This is closer to Glamping, with all the amenities that are so accessible. We were camping in tents but they have cabins and such available if that's not your thing. There are showers, bathrooms with flush-able toilets and sinks for washing dishes in. The campsites have fire pits, picnic tables and paved parking spaces. There is a nice restaurant, an outdoor movie theater playing first run movies Thurs-Sun for $6.50 The market has EVERYTHING.. seriously I was shocked by all the things they had on hand. And if they don't have something your looking for they say to let them know and they'll work on getting it in. There are plenty of restrooms around. A nice beach area with a place where they have burgers and ice cream and stuff to eat while your spending the day on the beach. There are water toys for rent - kayaks, paddle boats, sailboats, "party boats" all at really inexpensive prices. They stock the lake with fish and there were plenty of people fishing.. there was a little fishing store too with all the stuff for that. They even had an area to wash your fish and stuff. The lake is beautiful with a nice hike around it that brings you past a couple little waterfalls. The water was pretty cold but we all still enjoyed swimming in it. This place was really nice. It was nice to be in a tent but have all the amenities close at hand. And it was $21/night to camp.. super reasonable. NOTE: Bring Cash, while the grocery store will get you cash back, the coffee stand, movie theater & BBQ place are all CASH ONLY. Also, I have to agree with the other yelpers in saying this place is packed. You are pretty darn close to your neighbors. Which is cool, if they are, but even still you can basically hear each others conversations. It was the only real downside to the whole thing. Maybes it's just me but my idea of camping should include some quiet.. and we just didn't get much of that. Lots of families, kids and dogs. So if that's not your thing.. maybe this isn't your happy place. Otherwise beautiful spot, nice people and worth a visit. read more

We camped for 2 nights at pinecrest! You can pre-register/check in online! This is my favorite camping spot! Our campsite was close to everything. The campsite didn't have a food/storage locker so we kept most dry food in the car. We were in loop E, which was right next to the general store which stays open til 11:00 pm. They also had a post office, restaurant, and bar! We were able to zoom around the resort and campsites by bike. You can fill up your floating raft/inner tubes for change at the marina. Parking is tight at campsites, we barely squeezed in a second car, but they have overflow parking available so don't worry. Pinecrest has everything, from boat rentals, bike rentals, hiking trails, beach/swim/day use area, amphitheater (which plays new released movies), and dogs are allowed in designated areas. We chose the early morning fisherman special boat rental which was $50.00 for 4 hours! Its hot out there on the lake, make sure you bring an umbrella or a hat. If you are not too into camping, they have cabin and townhouse rentals with private boat docs, balconies, and lake access. My only complaint, if I can complain... would be the 12 minute shower for $5.00. I didn't need the entire 12 minutes; the shower wouldn't turn off even though I was done.The shower didn't affect my rating, I'm thankful they had showers! We will be going to pinecrest annually! read more

We paid a visit to Pinecrest during our stay at Lake Tulloch (about an hour drive), just to check it out. Granted this was during 4th of July weekend, it was ridiculously crowded. I had never been to this resort, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Well the first surprise was that they do not allow dogs on the beach or surrounding areas of the resort. The signs said May-Sept, but there are signs all over the ground stating no dogs allowed. You have to literally walk your dog outside the resort area, and the rangers will definitely stop you (they did to us when we were walking and simply forgot about the no walking zone). There are areas you an take your dog's to play in the water, but be prepared to walk......and walk. The prices of the boats were very affordable. $20 for two hours on a paddle boat, $40 for two hours on a motorboat (we did both), the staff was very friendly, I would rent from them again. I see a lot of positive reviews about the campgrounds, but from what I saw it was very crowded, not my idea of a fun camping trip. The bathrooms were kept very clean on the resort. I was very surprised considering it was so crowded. Props to the Pinecrest staff for keeping them clean. read more

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! Been going up to this lake since I was a kid. Love the smaller lake, not too big, just the right size! Stayed in the condo's for the first time and I have to say, it exceeded all my expectations. It was extremely neat and clean, totally updated - the kitchen was more than adequate (even stocked with dishwasher), the sofa is even comfy! All linens and towels were crisp and clean. Bathroom was spacious, updated and CLEAN! The staff is nice and helpful, the grounds are well manicured and watched over nicely. Most condos/cabins that are rented out in the mountains are dingy, old and sometimes scary so, it's such a delight to know how nice these condo's are. With such an easy drive up to this wonderful, relaxing, mountain get-a-way, we'll be coming back way more often! Renting boats is easy and relatively inexpensive. Spending time on this awesome lake is my idea of heaven! PS -btw - The reviewer - Rachel C. who listed the cons as no cell or wifi nor an extra bathroom in the condo's, just wanted to explain...I can understand, however, most people who come up here want to get a way from the cell's and laptops - you're here to relax, don't bring your gadgets!! Also, be thankful for the 1 nice bathroom, growing up camping here, we'd have to hike it to the public bathrooms or find a hidden place in the woods! What do you expect for a remote mountain resort? read more

I've came here multiple times with my cousins and uncles! It's always a success hanging out here. I love renting the boat and riding to the middle and jumping out to swim. Fun place but packed! read more

I've been staying in the cabins once a week for many years as I've grown up. This last year I was so excited for our trip, and upon arrival noticed we had one flat pillow per bed. I was also looking forward to getting some good nights sleep since we had family to help take care of the young kiddos too. I went into the office and asked for one pillow for each bed, and was given two. When I asked for two more I was berated by the front desk person-a woman who I've seen there for many years. I couldn't believe how she yelled at me for asking for some pillows. She actually yelled at me. She said I'd be taking from others and I responded by saying it made sense from my end that they should have more in stock. She did not like that and upped her anger toward me. She later revealed in one of her episodes that there was a pillow supply chain issue. I said, she could have very easily said that from the get go, in a kind way and I would have been less pushy about it. Either way, it was really a horrible experience, the last of which I expected for what seemed like a fairly simple and basic request while staying at a hotel (resort non-the-less). I figure a review here would do little to know good, but felt for myself I needed to share to have some accountability in the matter. read more

We camped here last summer and found the lake to be beautiful and the resort to consists of many great activities for young children. The great advantage of this place is that it is so easy to get to ... just a short 2-1/2 hour trip from the East Bay. However, I will say that it gets PACKED in the summer, and particularly on summer weekends. We stayed three nights in August and the first two nights had just too many people (including too many drunken cowboys living it up on cheap beer and cheap lodging). Amazingly, the friends we camped with informed us that it was actually LESS crowed than when they camped there that same July! Our third night (a Sunday night), the entire place emptied out ... and it was a whole different - and very positive - experience. We'll be going back in 2013, but during the weekday. read more

Our second year staying here in the townhouses. Great location, beautiful lake. Townhouse had mice. Including the dead one under the sink the day we checked out. Zero decoration to the walls. Plywood is the #1 choice of lumber for repairs. The hot water barely lasted long enough for showers much less for a child's bath. Beds are uncomfortable and half the lights on the walls had no cover just a bare bulb. No screens on the first floor windows,its hot and the windows need to be open.I could go on n on. So for the amount of money they are asking you may want to try air bnb and book something nice. Or just not stay in the townhomes. 2nd year was our last year. read more

Pinecrest lake resort is our family's favorite lake to vacation. It has accommodations for every budget; campsites, motel rooms, rustic cabins, and condos. We've camped, and stayed in the cabins, both are great fun. Private residents are also available for rent. The campground is great, there are small to large sites, the D loop is the closest to the water. There is an outdoor amphitheater showing family movies most every night, complete with a concession stand. The beach is clean, partially shaded, and there are picnic areas. There is a hamburger stand that serves outstanding food; burgers, fries, ice cream, chicken sandwiches, soda etc. There is a marina where you can rent a paddle boat to a party boat. There is a little store that has everything you could want; food, camping gear, firewood, wine, etc. There is a sports store where you can find every kind of flotation device, hats swimwear, towels, etc. They have a compressor to blow up your flotation. A restaurant, and coffee stand (which opens very early) is also available to meet your needs. If you want a change of scenery, there are two more restaurants 5 minutes down the mountain. If you want exercise, there is a tennis court, and plenty of hiking/biking trails. This place is the perfect family getaway - Pinecrest is the place to go. read more

Stayed here in a 3-bedroom townhouse. Very clean and amazing location near Pinecrest Lake. Super-friendly service. Relatively large 3-bedroom townhouse. Be sure to bring food and drink with you though because in winter at least there is basically nothing open in the way of food or drink for miles and miles after about 9 pm. read more

Simple review: This is a rustic setting and the rooms are rustic, totally expected and the area is beautiful. I live in Lake Tahoe, so I know........ Stayed there on a Saturday in early November 2017, to charge $184 per night for the "motel" rooms off-season in ridiculous. $89-99 per night would've been appropriate. The room was warm and comfortable with bare-bones amenities, just the minimum amount of effort for what they charge, it's easy enough to set a dorm fridge on the credenza and plug it in.......ULTIMATE RIPOFF: The wifi is horrible, and they do warn you about this (and you think it can't be that bad) before you pay the criminal $11 per day they charge, and then it's worse...... We paid and it simply stopped working after a couple of hours. I argued with the front dest/management and ended up just disputing the charge with my bank. I'm pretty sure they're using a slow DSL line and letting everyone who's staying there and willing to pay access to it, and it just overloads.....What's interesting is there are all kinds of other strong signals (Marina, Snack Bar, Restaurant, etc) that you pick up..... I'm positive these are running off of another satellite server. I asked for a password but was told to buy the ripoff service.....We only stayed one night but any more and it would be best to slip one of the workers $20 and get the password to the resort's employee server if you need internet access, and many do for work, even if you're enjoying the mountains...No room phones. Don't expect any service if you have AT&T. It's a great location but just not worth the money. read more

A great place to come with friends and family. Pros: Awesome getaway location and the trail around the lake is a must do. Cons: So "getaway" that there's no cell phone reception or wifi and the 3bdrm townhouse only had one bathroom. read more

One block from lake Pinecrest, this place is strategically placed. We stayed in a 2 bdrm townhouse, which has a nice deck and a full kitchen. If you are going to the lake, or to Dodge Ridge to ski, this place is a great choice. I would give it 4 or 5 stars, but it is overpriced a bit. It went out for $255 per night. Given that there is no maid service, and you have to clean up before you leave (vacuum, take out garbage, strip sheets, etc.), it just didn't sit right for the price. Other than that, the place was very nice. We went with two other couples, and all the townhouses we had were in a cute little circle. We had a blast! read more

Pinecrest lake is beautiful and by far our favorite in the area. The cabins are ok biggest problem is there is only one bathroom for the amount of people they occupy is definitely not enough. They do serve there purpose though. The staff is sort of shrug if you have to deal with them other than that it's definitely a good time! read more

I've been coming to PLR since I was a little kid. My family and I stayed in the same cabins that stand today (I have kids of my own now, so you can imagine how long they've been there). Part of the charm is that everything is exactly as it was in the early 80's. Everything. Even the carpet. But I don't go to PC for the cabins. No. I go for the lake, the trees, the mountains, and the wonderful way the air smells like pine on a warm summer's day. I have such great memories of this place in the past that it keeps me coming back each year. I look forward to it and so do my family and my friends. But we have to endure the misery to get to the fantasy. Like eating the sweet fruit of a cactus. You have to deal with a few pricks here and there. But it truly is a fantasy land. I thought about how to write this review and decided to write it like a fairy tale, because this place deserves it. When it comes to the location, it CAN'T be beat. But when it comes to the lodge and the people who run it, that's where the fantasy takes a dark turn. And due to those people, we stopped booking PLR. On with our story... This is a tale of the dangers that live at Pinecrest Lake. Like a Grimm's fairy tale, this too is a warning to keep little children from being lost in the woods and eaten by ogres. In every fantasy land, there is an evil with which to contend. This paradise would not be complete without the ogres that live just by the entrance, over there, under a sign marked, "office." Now, most of the male ogres keep to themselves, going about their day fixing things and won't talk much. They won't bother you if you don't ask them for anything. And by all means you should not ask them for anything. There are some grumpy male ogres, these are the ones that live by the lake. In order to traverse the waters, you must pay the ogres and they are very strict with the rules. When you pay, they will let you borrow one of their ancient water crafts for a time. These crafts, though old, will usually float. However, they will sometimes fail in the middle of the lake, or won't even make it out of the dock. Regardless, the timer continues running, watched closely by a water ogre, and if you rent one for 2 hours and have the unfortunate luck of losing an hour being towed back to shore, well, that's just too bad. You just lost an hour being towed back to shore. You must NOT ask for a time credit lest the ogre eat your face. You like your face don't you? Then heed my warning! But they, though sweaty and smelly from the sun, are not even the really mean ones. No. Listen to me when I tell you that the really mean ones are the female ogres, in particular, the momma ogre. No one knows why she is so angry, some say it is because as a teenage ogre she aspired to move to the city to pursue a career in dance and theater but was marooned at PLR by an evil curse. So here she remains, drinking cocktails of snake venom, and spreading misery on any who cross her path. Like the ogres by the lake, she is most concerned with rules, collecting fees, and cares not for outsiders. In fact, the ogres despise all people equally. Even those of us who drop thousands of dollars are treated no better than common rabble. Except one young girl, she was nice. Interaction with the momma ogre should be kept to an absolute minimum. Don't ask for extra towels. Don't report broken appliances or fixtures. Just live with the gas leak (crack the window and you'll be fine). Shod your feet whilst indoors lest they become as black as octopus ink from the carpets older than you. Wary traveler, you must resign yourself to the conclusion that during the summer months, you will not sleep. The beds have not been replaced for 28 winters. Also, the ogres have put the bedrooms on the 2nd story, which allows for the natural rising of heat to warm all the sleeping areas to fantastically high temperatures. The ogres have forbidden magical conditioning of air to cool your body, but the amount of perspiration you can expect to endure each night should be enough to help cool your skin, provided there is a breeze, which often there is not. And provided you can open the window. Not even the beauty of Pinecrest could overcome the misery of dealing with members of Pinecrest Lake Resort staff. Spend your money elsewhere, or better yet, find a nearby cabin to rent. We haven't been back in 2 summers and we're not coming back this summer either. read more

Pinecrest Lake Resort WAS one of my favorite places, we went up there twice a year. We rented the Condos there (unit #14). First, shame on me for not reading the whole discloser for canceling a reservation. BUT there is no place I've stayed at ( in and out of the country!) where they keep ALL your money!! I understand if they keep your deposit or one nights charge, BUT ALL OF IT! greedy greedy greedy, I gave them over a weeks notice we could not make it, I booked 4 nights and LOST 800.00$$$. Again shame on me for not reading all, but SHAME on them for taking ALL !!! I will not stay there again for that, plus the women I talk to at the desk didn't even say "I'm Sorry" or try to help, plus she became very unfriendly!! I'm so disappointed in the customer service. read more

This place was dirty! My husband, I & our 2 young kids went there this last week. We booked a "cabin" but when we got there the cabins were no more than a trailer decorated on the outside to look like a cabin. I went to the office & they upgraded us to a townhouse at no extra charge, which was great! We moved into the townhouse that was MUCH better than the cabin but it was dirty & outdated. I had to ask for a mop because the kitchen floor got my 10 month old completely black from crawling on it. So I moped the floor (not the lodge) and we made due. We also had a car in our parking space the entire time & the front desk did nothing about it. Just when I thought our experience couldn't get any worse it did. We rented a motor boat which has a 2 hour minimum. We loaded the family in & got not even half way across the lake & turned back because my 10 month old hated being on the boat. When I told the douche bag at the marina that we came right back he still charged us full price. I think he should have refunded 1/2 our money. The hospitality here SUCKS & we will never go back. It's too bad because the lake is very pretty. read more

We've been coming to Pinecrest for over 40 years and staying in the townhouses and motel rooms for many of those years. It's fun to be able to be so close to the beach and the rooms are nice. The manager, Laurie is great to work with, as with the other employees. read more

I have been taking my family up here for years. The reason for the one star rating is because of there over priced boat rentals. This is not Lake Tahoe. The guy who manages the marina, Mike is a genuine A-hole. And the two women who run the resort are prudish and think their s**t don't stink. The resort would be a much better place if they were removed. Sorta like litter. read more

When I was younger I would have given this place five stars. It is a beautiful place when there is not five million people crowded onto a tiny beach. :) Basically, now it has become too crowded, to the point you are almost waiting in line to hike on the trails on the weekends. Oh and trying to get a spot on the beach or a decent parking place? You better plan on being there before the sun comes up! By around 10am, the parking lots are full, and all the huge families with 10 kids frantically running in every direction have already claimed their territory. The long drive wasn't really worth it. read more

Pinecrest Lake Resort is wonderful place to stay with family & friends. We had the cabin... just beautiful. Everything was nice & clean ( no funky smell like the usual hotels have) , no maids but you can take your towels to the front & get new ones. Full kitchen (reg. size fridge), livingroom w/2 BR. Wonderful country feeling, everyone is so happy and always with a smile! ;) Snow everywhere... my son, daugher & niece had a wonderful time building a huge snowman & having a snowball fight. There is a little store with everything you would need if you forgot to bring.. kind of a store & hardware store in one. Make sure to stop at Safeway in Sonora (30 min from pinecrest) before heading to the resort (milk, juice, snacks, etc.). Usually the little store next to the cabin closes around 5ish. The only bad thing I can say about this place is that there is no phones in the cabin. & no cell range either... so come prepared. We will be coming back again! read more