The new Ritz Carlton at Northstar-at-Tahoe

A new five star ski hotel, the Ritz-Carlton Highlands Lake Tahoe, has opened at California’s Northstar-at-Tahoe ski resort following five years of design, construction and development phases.

The new $300 million hotel is located at mid-mountain in Northstar, and the operators believe it offers the finest ski-in, ski-out experience in California. It is the first new-build resort development in the Lake Tahoe area in decades.

The included Highlands Spa is a 17,000 square foot spa and fitness center with treatments and therapies themed around water and the woods. The new Highlands Gondola also opens today and will connect guests between the nearby Village-at-Northstar and The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe resort.

Perched slope-side within a 15 minute drive of both Lake Tahoe and the historic town of Truckee, the year-round destination includes 170 guest rooms, 23 private Ritz-Carlton Residences and 25 Ritz-Carlton Destination Club residences.

The hotel is the contemporary legacy of the great mountain lodges built at the turn of the 20th century, inspired by the iconic Ahwahnee in Yosemite and the Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. The hotel was designed as a series of linked pavilions tucked into the contour of the hillside with a grand octagonal lobby at the center. The rusticity of the building has been tempered and modernized through the use of contemporary materials such floor-to-ceiling windows in the Living Room that provide dramatic views and natural light. Great care was taken to protect the natural form of the landscape and to integrate the building seamlessly into its forest setting. Landmark trees were selected and tagged important so that construction crews could work around the forest as opposed to clear cutting the site.

“This is truly a first of its kind experience for North Lake Tahoe,” said Allen Highfield, General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton resort. “It has been incredibly exciting to see the final details fall into place, the training of the Ladies and Gentlemen and their enthusiasm to welcome our first guests.”

The Ritz-Carlton has created over 350 jobs this year in Northern California, providing highly respected hospitality jobs and excellent training.

The Ritz-Carlton Highlands will be one of the first major five-star mountain resorts to seek LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Beyond the pedestrian-friendly design of the site, some of the environmental features include underground parking instead of outdoor asphalt lots, the use of recycled steel, and the incorporation of energy efficient heating and cooling systems. The Highlands Gondola acts as public transportation connecting the resort to the Village-at-Northstar below.

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