3961 Lake Tahoe Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, California, United States | (251) 219-4428
Comfortable hotel within walking distance to the lake, casinos, and restaurants
Upgraded guest rooms, with Keurig coffeemakers, microwaves, and mini-fridges
Some units have gas fireplaces and whirlpool tubs
Free hot breakfast that includes eggs
Seasonal outdoor pool/whirlpool and indoor whirlpool and sauna
Business center with a computer and printer for boarding passes
Free coffee all day in the lobby
The front desk has a safety deposit box for guests
Free parking in front of ground-level units
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Not located directly on the lake
No gym or full-service restaurant
No safes in guest rooms
The two-and-a-half-pearl Holiday Inn Express South Lake Tahoe offers guests a comfortable stay following its complete upgrade in early 2017. The property isn't directly on Lake Tahoe, but it's centrally located within walking distance to the waterfront, restaurants, casinos, and the gondola at Heavenly Mountain Resort. Highlights include a free hot breakfast, seasonal outdoor pool/whirlpool, indoor whirlpool and sauna, laundry room, and free parking and Wi-Fi. Its 89 guest rooms are cheerful and fresh, with Keurig coffeemakers, mini-fridges, and microwaves, but bathrooms are on the small side. Travelers looking for accommodations closer to the lake can consider Best Western Plus Station House, which has a restaurant/bar and free shuttles to ski resorts -- two features that the Holiday Inn Express doesn’t have.
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Scene
A peaceful tourist hotel with a bright and cheerful lobby
Lake Tahoe is a year-round vacation destination, so expect to see plenty of tourists at this relaxed and friendly hotel on any given day. It's bright and cheerful, fresh from its 2017 renovation, with light-wood laminate floors and rustic touches, like an antler chandelier and a natural stone wall framing a gas fireplace in the breakfast room. The breakfast room gets quite crowded at times, when lines form at the food stations and seats can be hard to find. Otherwise, the hotel is generally peaceful, but not a place guests tend to linger.
Location
On the main road in South Lake Tahoe, within walking distance to the lake
The hotel is located on the main road (Lake Tahoe Blvd.) in the heart of South Lake Tahoe. It’s surrounded by other hotels and several restaurants, including a popular Italian restaurant next door and a Starbucks three minutes away on foot. A grocery store and the gondola at Heavenly Mountain Resort are a six-minute walk, and the casinos just across the Nevada state line are about a 10-minute stroll, or two minutes by car. It’s also about 10 minutes on foot to the shores of Lake Tahoe, and a three-minute drive to Action Sports at Lakeside Marina for watercraft rental. Reno-Tahoe International Airport is a 70-minute drive.
Rooms
Comfortable and nicely updated, with Keurig coffeemakers, mini-fridges, and microwaves
The guest rooms at this Holiday Inn were nicely updated in the 2017 hotel-wide renovation. Walls are white, except for taupe accent walls that coordinate well with the light-blue-patterned carpeting. The bold, horizontal-striped drapes in copper, blue, and white add a striking dash of color, and photos of idyllic Lake Tahoe are a classy touch. The matching, light-wood furniture includes desks with office chairs. Units are comfortably sized, and The Standard King that we saw was spacious enough to include an oversize armchair and matching ottoman. Standard Double Queens also are available, and some upgraded rooms feature gas fireplaces. Two suites with kitchenettes are part of the inventory as well.Amenities enhance rooms' appeal, and include Keurig coffeemakers, mini-fridges, microwaves, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms are a bit small, but they’ve also been upgraded nicely, with wide stone-and-wood vanities, and brown slate-style floors. Handsome beige tiling frames the shower/tub combos, and a large, back-lit mirror provides excellent lighting. Rooms are generally quiet, but views are unremarkable.
Features
Free hot breakfast, pool/whirlpools, sauna, plus free Wi-Fi, but no gym or full-service restaurant
The free hot breakfast buffet is the top attraction at this limited-service hotel. It includes eggs and breakfast meats, and coffee is free all day in the lobby. The hotel's heated outdoor pool and whirlpool are in lovely setting, surrounded by towering pines and lounge chairs, but they're seasonal. However, guests who want to warm up during the winter can use the indoor whirlpool and sauna. Wi-Fi is free throughout, and a computer and printer in the lobby serve as the business center. The hotel has a guest laundry room, as well as valet dry cleaning and laundry, and there's a safety deposit box for guests at the front desk. Parking is free and plentiful just outside the ground-level rooms.
