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

nice little lake, picnic and barbacues no charge for entry. They had a outdoor church service going on one early sunday morning

The area is beautiful. That isn't enough reason to call your establishment a resort. The cabin my son and daughter in law rented for $250.00 a night was a filthy mess. We took our shoes off before we entered the cabin. The carpet felt a little damp so we thought it has been shampooed. That wasn't why it was damp. Our feet were black almost immediately. It was disgusting. The couches were old and almost as nasty as the floor. Totally unacceptable. I can see a room like that at a $25 a night motel in the boonies. Not at a 'resort', and not for the outrageous amount that was charged. Total rip off!!!! read more

Came here for 4th of July celebration. Very very crowded. You need to arrive before 9 or you won't find any parking or find a place to set up. The restrooms are clean when you first get there but through out the day, it turns into the most disgusting filthy nightmare. So use it early and just hold it! Haha!! Anyway... There are grills available and tables. I also saw fliers and seating for outdoor movie night so that's pretty cool. The hike around the lake is fairly easy and you can get it done in 3-4 hours and that's with stopping for pictures and going for a dip in the little creeks that you find. The line for the rental kayaks and water activities were ridiculous so we didn't get to rent any. Water level in the creeks and the lake changes depending on the season and the rainfall that year. Overall, It's beautiful and very family oriented. I'd suggest water shoes if you plan on wading around, the rocks are sharp!! read more

Both windows in assigned room were defective. Neither could be closed or opened from inside and the complete mechanism for opening one of the windows was missing and had been clearly missing for some while. The hotel does not provide shampoo or hair dryer and does now let guests know at time of reservation. Sheets on bed were threadbare. read more

Our family has been going up 24 years. Our 90 year old mom still goes and enjoys "tent camping," as long as she has her cot to sleep on. We have tried to get her into a condo/hotel, but does not want to. We absolutley LOVE, LOVE this place. We try to stay where the bathrooms have lights for our mom. The lake is beeeeutiful, the hike around is fabulous. The kids love the outdoor amphitheatre, and all the shows that have there, like "Snakes alive," music etc. This is truly a "FAMILY GETAWAY, and very affordable because of the economy. read more

This was the worst stay I have had in the United States. Let me start off by saying that I expected this place to be rustic. I selected it given it is close to Dodge Ridge Ski Resort. When we arrived, we quickly got our keys and went to get our ski equipment. When we returned an hour later, at 4pm, there was no power. The people at the front desk said that we would not have power until the next day and it was "not their problem" there was a storm. This is the mountains- there is no way to even see the path to our cabin without lights. We asked if we could check out and she said yes but would not give a refund. We found a restaurant with power (via generator) and the other patrons we met from surrounding smaller hotels had power via generators. We were not given anything - no candles, not a note, nothing. I asked if the staff would stay to make sure we were ok or if we needed to check out early and was told that they were leaving at 6 and I could call if we needed anything. Might be good to mention there was NO PHONE in the unit, and cell phones (AT&T and Verizon) did not work up there. The power returned 7 hours later. But the issues continued. Other issues: - the heater bangs loudly throughout the night. It is in the hall and not in the rooms so all doors have to be kept open to be heated so the noise is unavoidable. - the refrigerator is old and loud. Again, you can hear this in every room all night. - nothing other than thin bars of soap are provided, even if you stay for over a week. - no washer and dryer within MILES. You can rent for a week, but apparently have to go to Miwuk Village to do laundry (10 minutes away by car). - Hot water lasted 5 minutes and did not warm up for hours. Therefore only two of us could shower per morning or night. - No housekeeping. They literally told us to strip the beds and do our own dishes. For $259 a night, that seems crazy. - No Wifi. It is $11 per day per person (cannot use for multiple devices). It is spotty. - No DVR. TV is a computer monitor. No movies or way to watch them. If this were $99 a day I would think that might be more reasonable, but at $259 this was so overpriced. I might add the stay was made worse by the HORRIBLE manager, Laurie Cashman. When I asked if we could check out earlier given the issues, she berated and yelled at me and was the most unprofessional of any person I have ever met in hospitality. She lied to me about the power being off for only a few hours and said she had someone check on each cabin and provide kerosene lamps. When I told her no one even left us a note, let alone lamps or offering us other accommodations, she called me a liar. It is worth mentioning the entire staff was gone by 5:30 - the store, and restuarant were closed too. We were literally left there all alone and they were not concerned. Please avoid this at all costs, specifically if you have children. It is a dirty place and the people working there made it so much worse. read more

If I could give no star's I would. I have never written a negative review but I feel compelled to today. We had reservations for a patio boat over 4th of July weekend. It was the end to such a good time with our old friends. We arrived early for our reservation and was told the boat was not in yet and then they would have to gas it and get it ready. We were told to wait and we did no problem. About 10 minutes into our 2 hour reservation I decided to go up and find out if it was ready yet? There was a man in front of me who was having an issue with the young man behind the counter. The young man who works for the Marina was Very Rude to this man and I could tell he walked away not happy. Now my turn... I asked if the boat was ready? He proceeded to say why didn't you go down where the boats were? We said that we were waiting as we were told so they could get the boat ready. He said they don't call out anyones name and we were to just go down there and thats how they have done things for the last 3 years??? All the while he was shockingly rude and nasty. I told him we had no idea how they did business as this was my first time renting a boat there. Now it's about 15minutes into our 2 hours we have paid for. I let him know and he was so rude. I asked to talk to his manager and I was told the manager would not help me and time is passing and to go to our boat. By this time I am so angry by how this young man has spoken to me. When we finally were done with the boat we brought it back right on time because we didn't want to cut in the next peoples time. The manager was there I explained what happened. They offered 8 minutes of refunded time @ .79 per minute and is that what I want. Out of principal I said yes but it was 15minutes. I will NEVER ever rent from this business again!!!! All they had to do was say sorry that we all had a miscommunication. Easy as that. I called the resort manager to let them no what occurred as we are small business owners we would want to know. I left a message to no return call back!!!! Bad business and would never use any of their services!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Drastically overpriced and no customer service. Spent $195 for 1 night in January at the motel and was thoroughly disappointed for what is provided at the price. First, no signage to identify where to check in at night. Second, no customer service after 6pm, they leave the keys with your name on an envelope on the front door if you can find it. This is a security issue. No amenities, not even a refrigerator in the room. Very disappointing. read more

Sorry for the late review, I should have reported these guys months ago. I have been visiting and staying almost every year at the resort for close to 30 years. As stated in other reviews, I support the descriptions of great scenery, trails, family friendly amenities etc etc. I give them FIVE stars! However, I subtract a half star for their installation of television back in the 80s (I am a high tech guy who prefers no tech on vacations). However, I deduct half, HALF, the stars for lying. Last years trip I asked the usual questions including "Has the Lake been stocked with fish?" and they presidentially boldly lied "Yes..." When we got there, our 2 families fished for 3 days renting thier boats, with a single keeper. We found out after reserving the 'fishermans special' upon arrival that they did not stock since the previous September because their supplier was out of fish. There is no excuse for lying except unless it is for profit. No, not really. read more

Have stayed here at the "resort" twice. Will not be staying here again. The price was ridiculously high - not at all in line with the accommodations offered. Just got back from two nights staying in the 3-bedroom cabin. It's tiny, has only one ridiculously small bathroom with a shower stall that doesn't have enough of a step into it, so that water literally pours out onto the floor. The furnishings are sparse to say the least. The beds are uncomfortable and the bedrooms have only one small dresser - no nightstand, no place to put your stuff down. There was no clock in the entire cabin. The kitchen had only one outlet for toaster, coffeepot and microwave so you always have to unplug something. And the cords are not long enough so you have to move something out of the way to plug in something else. There's no dishwasher which I think is pretty unsanitary if you're depending on people washing dishes in hot enough water. The previous occupant had turned the refrigerator dial to 0 (OFF) but the light was still on so we didn't notice that it wasn't cold until a day later when we had to throw out a lot of food. IMO the staff should be checking that the cabin is ready for the next occupant by making sure the fridge is on. Cabin also a very noisy heater and it's not central heating - one wall unit in the living room and one in the hallway leading to the bedrooms. The steps to the front door iced over every night and they didn't provide any salt so we had to shovel and break up the ice just to get down the stairs. They claim to offer wifi (and charge you $11 a day for it) but it didn't work. Simply would not connect. Very spotty cell phone service in the area also, and forget about using a smartphone - no 3g/4g available. Not the worst thing in the world to be off the grid but if they advertise wifi, it should work! The pros: the location is beautiful; the Steam Donkey restaurant serves a good dinner; the little general store has a bit of everything. The lake is a very short walk and was snow-covered and has some gentle slopes, good for easy sledding. I like the area but will look for a private rental next time. Will not stay at Pinecrest Lake Resort again. read more

Love this place.... I didn't get to take pictures but it's so beautiful and peaceful. The water is clear and everyone is safe and having fun. Will be going back. read more

Great location. Easy access to the lake and skiing at Dodge Ridge. Friendly service at checkin. Clean rooms. Reasonable price. All good!

Wonderful spot for hiking, fishing, camping or an extended visit. Bring your family and stay in the well appointed townhouses/condos! They are perfect for family reunions or family get-aways. Rent a small boat, take the 5 min ride and explore the other side of the lake. Paddle boats and kayaks are also available for rent. Get off the grid and enjoy the outdoors! This is a perfect place to enjoy the mountains. read more

My best advice is don't go unless you have very low expectations. One star is a bit high. I did not have high expectations on arriving as far as cabin decor but I did expect it to at least be clean. The entire kitchen floor was sticky with something that had obviously been spilled and ot cleaned up.. We found their rules posted on the door stating each tenant is required to mop the kitchen floor and vacuum the rooms before departure. We were also directed to remove the sheets and place them in a bag when we left and leave bedspreads and blankets on the beds. My first thought was when does the bedspread or blanket s ever get washed. We called the desk and they sent someone over to mop the kitchen floor which was like walking on a giant sucker. This by the way is after their "cleaning crew" was supposed to have cleaned after the last guest or victim left. Later that night after walking around the cabin in slippers I stepped onto a damp towel on the bathroom floor. I discovered the carpets were dirty enough that my slippers left black imprints on the towel! The next morning I went to the office and asked when was the last time they actually cleaned the carpet and that the carpet in the second bedroom smelled like a pair of gym socks. I don't know why they have carpet anyway in a cabin. It's not like it's an upgrade it looks like the type you would put outside on a patio. The weak-spined, sensitive office boy tried to tell me if I expected clean bedding when I stayed in a hotel I was mistaken and that the carpets were cleaned recently. When I raised the issue of body fluids from the previous "guests" his answer was he doubted their was anything like that on the bedding. I came back a couple hours later to speak with the manager since the spineless one was worthless. I suspect he wanted a quiet room to meditate. The manager heard about my complaint and said the carpets had been steam cleaned two weeks ago. Most guests are required to stay a week so I doubted her statement right away. She said they do not have their own steam cleaner ( which I found incredulous but absolutely believable) and that they have someone with a carpet cleaning van do their cleaning. The latter may be true but there was no way in hell that filthy carpet was cleaned two weeks ago. We would have left the first night and walked away from what we had already paid if it hadn't been for the fact that my granddaughter enjoys the lake so much. The manager as well as the office boy had tried to tell me the cabins were old so I should not expect something that looks new. I have been coming to Pinecrest since 1969, I know how old things are there though this is the first time we have tried a cabin. I told them both the cabin itself is basically what I expected (though the curly-que florescent bulbs sticking out of a 98-cent porcelain base was a stretch) but for $250 a night I did expect cleanliness. She offered to have the "cleaning crew" clean the cabin or try to move us. Since we only had to get through two more nights we accepted the cleaning crew. When we came back there was new bedding but nothing could be done about the carpet. We kept shoes or slippers on at all times, but the dead flies were still on the window sill and the carpet in my granddaughters room still smelled. She slept on a sleeping bag on the couch for 3 nights. We did find a cleaner cabin we tried to reserve for next year but that didn't work. The office boy said we had unrealistic expectations because we complained even after the "Cleaning Crew" cleaned the cabin. Yes, expecting a cleaning crew to vacuum the dead flies off the window sills is reaching for the stars. if you rent, bring boots for the cabin. Lots of carpet freshener, and unless you like sleeping on the body fluids of lots of people you don't know bring your own bedding. That is what we had planned if we returned. read more

Pinecrest Lake Resort Marina is the best place for renting a boat. Our family rented a boat for the date. When the engine got broken, we got Steve came out to help us. He could not fix the boat so he hauled us back and gave us a refund. He was kind and very helpful. He was happy to return our money and made no trouble for us. Good place for renting boat. Customer service was awesome. Thanks Steve. :-) read more

I had much higher expectations, especially considering how much we paid for this spot. While you can't beat the location, I was extremely disappointed by the lack of cleanliness and lack of amenities. We stayed in a 2-bdrm condo (#8) and upon arrival the couple staying with us discovered a gas leak in the stove. Then, after just 1/2 an hour running around barefoot, our kid's feet were black from the dirt on the floor. I think a carpet cleaning, or replacement, is definitely in order. Also beware that the "full kitchen" is anything but. Bring all of your own stuff if you actually want to cook or bake something. They do have an old coffee maker though. And last but not least, when I pay this much for a place I don't want to have to strip the beds, do all the dishes and replace them in the cupboards, and fill ice trays. Aren't we paying for some of this? Not to mention they say NOT to take off the blankets or comforters from the beds. Ewww. Aren't they cleaned? read more

We've been here three times and it's ok. We've stayed in the cabins and this year the smell of gas was very strong. We had someone come look at it and he couldn't find a leak but it stunk and the heating unit made load noises. The beds are not comfortable; would recommend bringing your own pillow. The Steam Donkey is great and the outdoor environment is beautiful. We may try condos if we come back. read more

My family and I recently stayed at the resort while visiting some family in the area for thanksgiving, the room was nice but not for the high price. I would have expected far more than self service. read more

Kari A already wrote this == and better. But it can't hurt to reiterate. "Pinecrest suffers from a malady borne of a life too easy." Beautiful spot, great to have easy access to food and the grocery store, and...well, beautiful spot. None better. BUT the way this place is managed, it feels as though we should arrive and just be humbly grateful to have been accepted - to be allowed into the presence of the all-hallowed (and totally falling apart) Pinecrest Lake Resort. Example: "fully stocked kitchen" not only does not include salt, it doesn't include a spatula or a pot with a lid. The beds are a disaster, and literally, the sheet on mine didn't actually fit. And we had the "pleasure" of listening to music blasting from the restaurant for our entire stay (some classic rock, some hard rock. Nothing that was't a rock). All this would be fine -- if it didn't also cost way too much. I could go on, but won't. And it doesn't really matter - since the management certainly doesn't care what I write here - I guess its just a warning for future potential vacationers. read more