The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe

I had a trip planned to North Lake Tahoe w my wife, son, and his 2 friends. My wife and I were booked at Ritz for a full week. My son and his friends were booked at the Hyatt resort a short gondola ride away. Something came up and we had to cancel our trip. When I called the Hyatt to cancel their room, despite I have no meaningful status with Hyatt, they cancelled the reservation despite we were inside of their 7- day cancellation window (allowing them to retain the entire amount) and refunded us the entire reservation. After hanging up with the Hyatt, I called the Ritz front desk and spoke to a very nice young woman who listened to my story and told me that she did not think it would be a problem to cancel our room and get a refund but that she would have to speak to her Reservations manager and have her call me to discuss. I asked how long before I could expect a call and she replied probably 2-3 hours. No one has ever called me to address this urgent issue. It has been a week and despite several calls and emails from me the Ritz will not respond. Rather than call me, they sent me an email telling me they would not refund my money. I am very disappointed in not receiving a call from the Ritz as this email is not the customer service I would expect from the Ritz brand. Instead, I get a canned email. Considering I stay at Marriot Bonvoy properties frequently, I am a gold member, and I was scheduled to stay at the Ritz Carlton (one of Marriott’s premiere brands), I certainly expected them to treat me as well as I have been treated by Hyatt. This is especially true considering the hotel is empty this week and has lots of rooms available. I understand the purpose of your cancellation policy, but that purpose is not being furthered by this decision as there is no demand for rooms in Lake Tahe right now. That is not good business and reflects very poorly on your brand that I have always been so impressed with. Obviously the management in the Tahoe sales office is not comparable to other Ritz properties. Very disappointing and embarrassing service.

We’ve stayed at The Ritz-Carlton, Northstar several times over the years, but this visit stood out as truly exceptional. From the moment we arrived, everything felt welcoming and effortless. We were greeted with champagne, warm smiles, and thoughtful updates about the property since our last stay (when we were actually snowed in for two extra days!). Our room had a beautiful view, and the staff's care began immediately. The ski valet team was incredible. They took our skis upon arrival and sent us off with just our boots since we were heading straight to the slopes. Later, when we went to retrieve our equipment, someone had already called ahead, so everything was waiting for us. One moment that made me laugh: an employee kindly helped my husband remove his ski boots. Years ago, when our kids were little, getting boots on and off was a full workout. Now we’re at the stage where we appreciate the help — and it was offered so graciously. Every interaction felt seamless, friendly, and genuinely caring. Nothing felt forced or overly formal — just thoughtful people paying attention to the details. Food and beverage service was excellent, and the property remains stunning. In past visits, we’d occasionally had brief mix-ups with ski equipment that made things feel uncertain. This time, everything ran flawlessly. The team clearly raised the bar and made us feel truly cared for. As we checked out on a surprisingly warm day, I grabbed a hot cocoa to go. The care put into that simple cup perfectly captured the spirit of the entire stay — thoughtful, attentive, and warm. We left feeling relaxed, valued, and already looking forward to coming back. Highly recommend.

Our stay at The Ritz-Carlton on 01/02/2026 was extremely disappointing. After just four hours at the hotel, we made the decision to leave the following morning. While sitting in our room and watching TV near a partially open window, an unknown person threw a snowball from outside, which struck me directly in the eye and caused an injury. This happened on hotel premises. Hotel management, including Benjamin Biaesch, was immediately notified. The response we received was unacceptable: a brief apology and a statement that the hotel is not liable because the surrounding territory is allegedly not secured. For a hotel charging $2,600 per night, this level of safety, accountability, and customer care is inexcusable. There was no meaningful attempt to resolve the situation or take responsibility. This was the worst service experience I have ever had. I do not recommend staying at this hotel. Do better, Benjamin Biaesch

What a beautiful location right on the slopes! The service is outstanding ...Gus with food and beverage the BEST and treats guests like family. Easy to get to the village and the spa is lovely! We keep coming back bc we know we will have a wonderful time :)

Beautiful Hotel, Great Location, Great attentive staff, I love this hotel, and I never get tired of coming here. It's just as beautiful in the fall and it's less crowded.