5 Best Hotels in Lake Tahoe, Nevada

The smallest rooms at this colorful, aquatic-theme, high-rise hotel start at 375 square feet, with the penthouses more than quadruple that size. All the rooms come with complimentary Wi-Fi, high-definition TVs, sufficient tech ports, and small refrigerators. The Atlantis Steakhouse and Sky Terrace Sushi & Oyster Bar rank among Reno's top restaurants; head to Bistro Napa for modern California cuisine. 

The 18-story hotel's major selling point is that every room has two full bathrooms, a boon if you're traveling with family. Upper-floor guest rooms have lake or mountain views. Standard rooms, spacious at about 475 square feet but in need, comment some guests, of a decor update, have coffeemakers, but you'll pay a small fee for a refrigerator. Higher-priced rooms, which benefit from softer hues, come with refrigerators. Among the restaurants, the top-floor Friday's Station Steak & Seafood Grill, with good views from every table, is a standout; there's also a bar on the 18th floor. A tunnel runs under U.S. 50 to Harveys, which, like Harrah's, is now part of the Caesars empire. Cheaper rates are available midweek.

This resort began as a cabin in 1944, and now it's Tahoe's largest casino-hotel, where premium rooms have custom furnishings, oversize marble baths, minibars, and excellent lake views. No rooms have refrigerators (request one if desired), and only some have coffeemakers. The hotel amenities include a full-service spa, a 24-hour business center, a ski shuttle, and plenty of shops. Hell's Kitchen, one of lauded chef Gordon Ramsay's outlets, delights diners seeking fine food with an entertainment connection, as will Wolf by Vanderpump, the new-in-2024 restaurant by Bravo celeb Lisa Vanderpump. For a thick steak, head to the always dependable Sage Room, which opened in the late 1940s on the casino floor and is still going strong in its perch on the 19th floor. Harveys Cabaret is the hotel's showroom. In summer check out the popular outdoor concert series.

A few miles removed from downtown's flashy main drag, this property set a high standard for luxury in Reno, especially in the Tuscany Tower, whose 600 baroque suites have plush king-size beds, marble bathrooms, and European soaking tubs. The serviceable dining options include Oceano, an over-the-top seafood restaurant that feels like you're eating inside an aquarium; and Romanza Ristorante Italiano, with elegant china place settings and a planetarium-like star show.

Beneath towering pines at the lake's edge stand 28 cozy, modern, vacation cabins with peaked knotty-pine ceilings, and although they're not fancy, they come in various sizes, some perfect for families. There are also four sparely furnished rooms in the large lodge building that holds the resort's restaurant. Across U.S. 50, a sprawling year-round campground is geared toward RVers, but with walk-in tent sites, too. The resort, old-school in its ambience and ambitions, has horseback riding, snowmobiling facilities, and a marina with boat, WaveRunner, kayak, and other water-sports rentals, all of which contribute to the summer-camp atmosphere. Pets are allowed for a fee.