The Embassy Suites in South Lake Tahoe has many great things going for it. It is a large, atrium style hotel that has a big chain feel when you first walk in, but you''ll soon be feeling right at home.
We stayed in a suite with a king bed and a separate room with a fold out couch for our son. I would highly suggest this type of sleeping arrangement for anyone traveling with kids. While there was a TV fully equipped with video games in our living room, there was also a TV in the master bedroom so there were no fights over evening viewing. There was a fully stocked mini-bar and refrigerator as well as a microwave. There was a VCR and Pay-Per-View. One evening after a hard day of skiing, we had a great time in the suite as a family eating popcorn and watching a good movie together.
I would say that the carpet and furniture in our room looked a little worn, but that is really the ONLY negative I can say about this resort. What struck me the most about this Embassy Suites was the INCREDIABLE service. I forgot my toothbrush. A new one was there within two minutes of calling housekeeping. Room rates included a SPECTACULAR, COOKED breakfast each morning. We really enjoyed the selections of fruit, eggs, pancakes, french toast, etc.... This was a big change from the bagel many hotels offer to start your day. Also, there are FREE drinks in the afternoon---as many as you want---on the second floor for about two hours. I really learned to like having a Mountain Breeze (a Skyy Vodka and lime slushy concoction) in the hot tub while my son swam in the pool.
The Embassy Suites also has a sauna and workout room. The exercise room consists mostly of treadmills (it''s hard to run in the ice!) and stairmasters. Another service I really enjoyed was getting a deep tissue massage as a present from my husband on Valentine''s Day. He simply made a reservation with the concierage, and a massage therapist came at the appointed time and set up a table in our room. Services range from $70-$160, and things such as mud wraps are offered in addition to massages. This is a great thing to indulge in after skiing or snowboarding!
Also, a block away from the hotel well within walking distance is a gondola that will take you to the top of Heavenly Valley Ski Resort (see separate Gondola Entry).
I would highly recommend the Embassy Suites Resort Lake Tahoe to anyone who wants to enjoy a family vacation.