Hyatt High Sierra Lodge

We are owners at this resort and love it! We have used are week in October, a great time of the year to visit. We have also traded within the Hyatt club and really liked visiting other places, like Sedona and Carmel.We have also used our points to stay at the tahoe resort at different times of the year. We have stayed at other timeshare places, like Marriott's, and think that the Hyatt system is best! Hope this helps you if you are thinking of renting or buying.

My family and I stayed at this Resort for the first time on Christmas 2007. I got this 2 BR unit through an exchange with Interval International. My sister in law and her family joined us for this trip and purchased the same week thru redweek.com. Since our family are skiers and snowboarders, we really had a good time on this trip. We love this Hyatt, the unit is clean & well maintained, the interior is pretty, and the front desk people were very helpful and friendly. The unit we stayed was located onthe first floor, and next to the Club House. It was even convenient that we were given the two units next to each other (thanks to Esther at the Front Desk who helped me with this). The location is very centered to all the ski resorts. We went skiing and snowboarding at Heavenly, Mt. Rose, Diamond Peak and Northstar. We really want to come back again this Christmas. Hopefully we can get an exchange through Interval International again. I recommend this Resort to everyone.

Stayed there in July. All units refurbished nicely. Although they tell you that you can not use the pool/spa at the hotel during certain times/days, we found this NOT to be an issue. We used the hotel pool nearly each day we were there without any difficulty at all. Just bring your own towels b/c they do limit the hotel pool towels to the hotel guests...not a problem, just take them from the room.

When they say check in is at 4pm they mean 4pm or later, but will gladly hold your bags/luggage. Especially Saturdays...which is the only full week check in day. Staff is very helpful and definitely up to Hyatt standards. They sent us a fruit basket and champagne b/c we couldn't get into our room until 5pm...No big deal. We just changed at the Spa and headed to the pool!

Would love to hear what it is like there during the winter months...Summers are absolutely spectacular and we are going back every year!

We stayed here years ago on a promotion to see resort. Didn't buy at time because didn't want to pay developer prices. We came up last spring and looked at the Tonapolo fractional just around the corner from the Hyatt. At the Tonapolo you buy seven weeks at a starting price of $350,000 and $10,000 a year in maintenance. For a week that's $50,000 plus $1,400 a year. But I had two issues, I didn't want that many weeks and I know I didn't want to spend that kind of money. All I wanted was to have a nice week every year in North Lake Tahoe.

When I was looking at Tonopolo I kept telling myself this architecture and appointments seems really familar. After a day or two I remembered, it was the Hyatt High Sierra Lodge we stayed at a couple of years earlier. So now I was on a mission, to find the perfect unit and week at the Hyatt High Sierra Lodge. I put in a request with Preferred Timeshare Resales of what I was looking for and they went to work. 4 1/2 months later they found my dream unit and week. I'm now a proud owner and will be using my 'vacation home' starting summer of 2006 (even if is only for just a week).

I feel I got a great deal considering the rent on the units is $600 per night, if you can even rent one. You'll find out on Hyatt website, that no matter what dates you seem to pick, they are sold out. So I'm glad I'm an owner and have a fixed unit and week.

We purchased a penthouse (third floor) unit for week 21(gold with 1880 Hyatt points) from a listing on RedWeek. We have traded for Thanksgiving week for two years in a row and then booked several other two-day trips with our extra points. We love the setting, the restaurants, the casino, the friendly people and the great bar on the beach of Lake Tahoe. Down hill and cross-country skiing are very close. All of the units are two bedrooms and are very clean and well appointed. The kitchens are very well equipped. You have access to the Timber Lodge private pool and Jacuzzi and all of the Hyatt hotel facilities. We have a great time on the lake without the traffic and noise of the south shore.

I stayed here with friends 12-4 thru 11th 2004. We timed it perfectly for great snow and ski conditions.

I had a rental car, but shuttles to Alpine Meadows were already running from the Hyatt Hotel. It is just a short walk from the lodge and lodge guests are welcome (they're there to take people to their ski resort & return to Hyatt). Starting Dec. 16th almost all the resorts on the north shore will be running shuttles, including Squaw Valley. Squaw is 25 miles from the Hyatt and Alpine Meadows is 23. 5 minutes away is Diamond Peak. It has one of the most beautiful runs in Tahoe and is very close to the Hyatt with shuttles running after 12-16. The unit was great with a flip switch gas log fireplace that actually warmed the room. The washer and drier were nice touches especially to wash ski clothes so you don't have to travel so heavy. 1 soap is comped so you might want to bring some laundry soap if you plan on more than 1 load. The master bath whirpool was excellent for after ski.

The staff was outstanding. Room service from the hotel is available. We enjoyed the casino and poker room. Security was excellent when leaving late with all your winnings. After a 2 foot snow staff had the lot cleaned by 10AM. They were very well prepared. The unit had everything stocked well. All that was needed was food. I can't wait to return.

Dates of stay: August 7 – 14, 2004. Location: Unit 2932 – Bldg. 6, 3rd floor.

The resort grounds were meticulously maintained. Given the winter weather conditions of the area, the exterior of the buildings looked in surprisingly good condition. The landscaping complemented the natural surroundings, with beautiful flower beds, natural rock accents and garden walkways over manmade creeks. It appears that Hyatt carefully planned the resort to blend into the surroundings.

The unit was one of only 2 on the top floor (3rd level) of the building. The elevator separated our unit from the other unit, so noise was never a complaint! The unit was quite large, with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The kitchen, living and dining rooms formed the center of the unit, with a bedroom on each side of the “great room.” The deck from the living room overlooked a dry creekbed and tall pines. The wide creekbed and trees provided space, and hence, some privacy to the units facing it. We never needed to use the window coverings at night. The bedrooms could have used brighter lighting. The natural light was somewhat filtered from the trees.

The front door has a small entry with pegs to hold coats and hats. The stacked washer/dryer can be accessed from the entry, as well as one of the bathrooms. The kitchen was to the right of the entry and at the end of the entry is the dining/kitchen “great room.” The kitchen was fully equipped with dinnerware and utensils for 8. It contained a range and oven, microwave, double door refrigerator/freezer, dishwasher and garbage disposal. The counter was a lovely dark granite, which was extended to form a bar area for 2 to eat. Other items provided were coffee maker, blender and toaster. Of course, there were plenty of pots and pans.

The furnishings and décor maintained the “mountain” feel to the unit. The gas fireplace was done in river rock. The living room and bedrooms had large ceiling fans, which was welcome in the evenings. (The weather was unusually warm for Lake Tahoe.) The living room had a television, vcr and CD player. Each bedroom also had a television. The master bedroom had a Jacuzzi tub, which was wonderful after taking fitness classes.

There is a resort pool and spa with a clubhouse for the use of owners and exchangers. 2 barbeques are available for use. Reservations must be made at the front desk. The barbeque is started for you, and staff contact you at your designated time. It’s great…no clean-up either. High Sierra is located on the same property as the Hyatt hotel and casino. So, you can use the fitness center at the hotel and can access the Stillwater Spa for body treatments. The hotel pool is only accessible to High Sierra owners and exchangers on Monday and Wednesday, which is causing a bit of a stir with the High Sierra owners. Apparently, prior to the construction of the new spa and pool, owners were told that they would have full access to the pool, not just 2 days a week.

Hyatt has a private beach with a water sports center, which is only a walk across the hotel/casino parking lot and street. Lounge chairs and umbrellas are set up for you along the beach. There is beachside food and beverage service…just wave your “barefoot” paddle in the air and a server will be there to take your order. If you feel like moving out of your lounge chair, you can dip your toes in the water or walk out on the pier and sit at the bar and have a refreshing drink before having to expend the effort to get back to your lounge chair. If you want to plunk down $75, you can rent a very large cabana on the beach. The beach was full of families, which shows what a family friendly resort Hyatt has built at the Lake. Given the numbers of young children and teenagers, I was amazed at how well behaved all were…no loud, obnoxious teens with music blaring or screaming, out of control youngsters. It appeared that there was enough to keep all ages occupied, with beach volleyball and all the water equipment that can be rented, including boats.

The building in which we were staying is just across the street from the Incline Village Recreation Center. Rather than use the fitness room at Hyatt, I purchased a week’s membership there and was able to attend the fitness classes, which ranged from step to yoga and strength training. The non-resident fee was $36 for the week.

There is a Raley’s supermarket about ½ mile from the timeshare. Several restaurants are on-site. The bar at the Lone Eagle Grill serves a great calamari appetizer, and having drinks on the patio at sunset couldn’t get any better. Ordered burgers on the beach from the Lakeside Bar & Grill and had breakfast at the Sierra Café one morning. Otherwise, did not try the other Hyatt restaurants. The Wildflower Café on Tahoe Blvd. in Incline Village serves the best breakfast…but the wait can be long at times. Hacienda, also on Tahoe Blvd., serves good fajitas. One evening, we took the Tahoe Queen dinner cruise out of South Lake Tahoe…the dinner was pretty decent for buffet style. We had several meals in the timeshare, as well. Breakfast on the deck overlooking the creekbed and forest wasn’t a bad way to start the day.

Incline Village is on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe. It provides a very different vacation than the South Shore. The North Shore is much quieter. The Hyatt has a casino, but it is tiny compared to Harrah’s or Caesar’s. For a relaxing, uncrowded vacation, High Sierra is the place. Short day trips from Incline include Squaw Valley with a trip to High Camp, either by trail or tram, Donner State Park, the King’s Beach Arts and Crafts market on the weekends, and the Tahoe City area. A must- do during July or August is Shakespeare at Sand Harbor. AND, hiking is everywhere…from easy to strenuous.

Since the resort is over 80% sold out, we were not hit with a pitch to attend a timeshare presentation. Perhaps we were not approached as we already own at another Hyatt resort. We attended the welcome breakfast and wine and cheese social, two potential marketing opportunities… but, nothing! How refreshing. I would highly recommend this resort for a truly relaxing lakeside vacation. We will be returning again as thyis Hyatt resort is within a 2-hour drive of home.

Typical Hyatt quality. The Lodge portion has good sized units, well furnished, nice views and deck from units. Close to hotel (currently hotel is getting a major upgrade/refurb) which has casinos, more pools, spa services, restaurants. Located in North Lake Tahoe - plenty to do within 30 minutes in all directions.