# Need quick help about The Ridge Tahoe!



## thinze3 (Jul 23, 2009)

I had a trade come through this morning and have 24 hours to cancel if need be. It is for a 2BR at The Ridge Tahoe Resort for Spring Break 2011. Tripadvisor doesn't have very good reviews about the resort, while Tug's are a little better. 

Questions are:
Is the resort nice - clean, updated, non-smoking, etc..?
What about the location? Views? Can you walk to anything - restaurants, gondolas, etc..?
How is the snow is mid March at Lake Tahoe (Heavenly)?

Thanks in advance.


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## DeniseM (Jul 23, 2009)

The Ridge Tahoe is not by the lake.  It is up on the mountain that separates Lake Tahoe from the Carson Valley.  There is really nothing else up there except maybe a small convenience store and a coffee shop.  Most views are of the Carson Valley.  It is about a 15 min. drive to South Shore Lake Tahoe (Stateline) where everything is located.  That's where the gondola is as well.   

This area was mainly developed as a ski resort on the back side of Heavenly Valley.  I don't know the details, but I have heard that they are removing the ski lift that's right there.  If the ski lift will be gone by your trip in March, it won't be very convenient for skiing. 

As far as March skiing - it could be great or it could be horrible, it just depends on the weather and the snow pack.  I would say you have a 50/50 chance of good conditions.

There are quite a few threads about this resort, including some recent ones.  Just use the "search this forum, button," and search for the resort by name.


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## dougp26364 (Jul 23, 2009)

thinze3 said:


> I had a trade come through this morning and have 24 hours to cancel if need be. It is for a 2BR at The Ridge Tahoe Resort for Spring Break 2011. Tripadvisor doesn't have very good reviews about the resort, while Tug's are a little better.
> 
> Questions are:
> Is the resort nice - clean, updated, non-smoking, etc..?
> ...



We've been to The Ridge twice and have an exchange back into The Ridge for next year. It's an older resort but is well maintained and is our prefered resort when visiting Lake Tahoe. 

The Ridge is at the top of Kingburry Grade. Essentially, it's at the top of that particular mountain. There's not a lot to walk to IMHO. There is an onsight restaurant, deli and convenience store as well as a fitness center, indoor pool and indoor tennis courts. Some units provide views of the Carson Valley but, as memory serves me there isn't really any units that have much of a view of Lake Tahoe. The tree's block the view of the lake. I can't tell you about the snow or gondola's since we only go to Tahoe in the summer. 

IMHO, Trip Advisor is not the place to go for timeshare reviews. You'll get reviews from people who have rented and seen that it has a 5 star rating as a timeshare but, they're expecting 5 star hotel accomadations. Timeshare owners understand that a 5 star rating for a timeshare is not the same as a 5 star rating for a hotel but, the general public doesn't have that same understanding. To the general public, 5 star means daily maid service, room service, turn down service et.......5 star for a timeshare means it has certain amenities (pools, fitness center, onsite convenience store, onsite restaurant, activiites center, et.......)


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## Phill12 (Jul 23, 2009)

dougp26364 said:


> We've been to The Ridge twice and have an exchange back into The Ridge for next year. It's an older resort but is well maintained and is our prefered resort when visiting Lake Tahoe.
> 
> The Ridge is at the top of Kingburry Grade. Essentially, it's at the top of that particular mountain. There's not a lot to walk to IMHO. There is an onsight restaurant, deli and convenience store as well as a fitness center, indoor pool and indoor tennis courts. Some units provide views of the Carson Valley but, as memory serves me there isn't really any units that have much of a view of Lake Tahoe. The tree's block the view of the lake. I can't tell you about the snow or gondola's since we only go to Tahoe in the summer.
> 
> IMHO, Trip Advisor is not the place to go for timeshare reviews. You'll get reviews from people who have rented and seen that it has a 5 star rating as a timeshare but, they're expecting 5 star hotel accomadations. Timeshare owners understand that a 5 star rating for a timeshare is not the same as a 5 star rating for a hotel but, the general public doesn't have that same understanding. To the general public, 5 star means daily maid service, room service, turn down service et.......5 star for a timeshare means it has certain amenities (pools, fitness center, onsite convenience store, onsite restaurant, activiites center, et.......)



  This was a very good reply and I have to agree including TripAdvisor. Most people go to a timeshare first time and expect five Star Hotel handling and do not understand timesharing is a home away from home and you do need to do some things yourself like cooking in the kitchen take your things to your unit in a four wheel cart! 

 We own two units at the Ridge and wouldn't choose another timeshare over the Ridge in Lake Tahoe. Yes its older (around 26 years) for the Naegles and (20 years for the Tower) and both are still the most asked for units.

 The gondola is history but they have bus service every 20 minutes to lifts for skiiers!

 If you want to be away from the casino area and in mountains where you can spend the day enjoying the resort then the Ridge is for any family.

 If you want to be in the casino area with hundred of vacationers and local's walking around then resorts down town better for you. There is a Marriott within a block of the casino's  and couple other good size resorts within couple miles too! You can also go to North Shore and find some nice timeshares 

 If you like timeshares then you can not go wrong at the Ridge!

  PHIL


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## robertr55 (Jul 23, 2009)

I'd agree with everyone else here...only traded to the Ridge once 2 years ago, and I probably wouldn't go back, but it had nothing to do with the Ridge...we just wanted to be closer to town. The Ridge was a very nice place to stay, particularly if you want some peace and quiet. 

I'd also agree with the 50/50 chance on the snow..you might end up skiing on fresh-fallen powder, or icy pack from sun-melt and nothing new for a while. Heavenly does have the snow-making machines on their main downhill run (maybe elsewhere too, and I haven't noticed), so you won't be completely out of luck no matter what, and if there hasn't been any new snow for a while, we enjoy skiing through the trees between the runs (I guess it's more dangerous, but the snow's better


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## ecwinch (Jul 23, 2009)

SOFTBALLDAD3 said:


> This was a very good reply and I have to agree including TripAdvisor. Most people go to a timeshare first time and expect five Star Hotel handling and do not understand timesharing is a home away from home and you do need to do some things yourself like cooking in the kitchen take your things to your unit in a four wheel cart!
> 
> We own two units at the Ridge and wouldn't choose another timeshare over the Ridge in Lake Tahoe. Yes its older (around 26 years) for the Naegles and (20 years for the Tower) and both are still the most asked for units.
> 
> ...



Whats the reader's digest story on the Gondola? That is kinda surprising.

I just spent a week at Ridge Tahoe, and came away think that the location was less than optimal in the summer, but would be great in the winter with the Gondola. 

I have to agree about the TripAdvisor reviews. They should change it to TripComplainer, as most of the reviews on any resort are negative.

I use a modified curve when reading the reviews, and up them by at least one notch. If reviews are good, I know the resort is going to be great.


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## DeniseM (Jul 23, 2009)

The gondola still runs from downtown South Shore, next to the Marriott, to the top of the Heavenly.  It was the Stagecoach chair lift that was removed.


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## Phill12 (Jul 24, 2009)

ecwinch said:


> Whats the reader's digest story on the Gondola? That is kinda surprising.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## ecwinch (Jul 25, 2009)

SOFTBALLDAD3 said:


> I have to totally disagree with you about summer months as this is a great time at the Ridge! We own a Naegle Summer and a Tower even year unit so we love July 4th week which we always use and have 2010-2011 already booked for the July 4th week.Also next year we have our Naegle for Labor Day Week and haven't decided to use,exchange it or rent it. Love our Tower but wife wishes we had kept Naegle for July week because of large patio and bar-b-que.
> 
> There have been many changes that owners and guest asked for. The Plaza all 106 units was renovated with new carpet,wall paint,new furniture,artwork and rock fireplace,flat screen televisions and Sleep Number beds.
> 
> ...



If you re-read my original post, I simply said that its "LOCATION was less than optimal in the summer".

My comment was in regard to it's distance from main part of South Lake Tahoe, and if you wanted to go bike riding that you needed to go down to the Lake (unless your Lance Armstrong). 

I agree in regards to the effect of the refurbishment. I found the resort and room to be in excellent condition.

The resort had overly expensive wireless internet access - requiring you to purchase a separate access account for each computer - which for my family would have been $120 for the week. 

But other than that it was fine.


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## jfk123 (Jul 26, 2009)

*Ridge Gondola*

There seems to be some confusion as to the gondola removal.  The only gondola removed was the one from the Ridge to the Stagecoach lift.  Both the Stagecoach and Boulder lifts still exist.  The Ridge runs shuttles - takes about 5 minutes to go down the hill.

I also agree with Phil.  We love the Ridge because it is away from all the crowds in South Lake Tahoe.  We own four weeks and only come in the summer.  Skiers may like to be closer to all the activity.


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## Phill12 (Jul 26, 2009)

ecwinch said:


> If you re-read my original post, I simply said that its "LOCATION was less than optimal in the summer".
> 
> My comment was in regard to it's distance from main part of South Lake Tahoe, and if you wanted to go bike riding that you needed to go down to the Lake (unless your Lance Armstrong).
> 
> ...




 Eric my response to you was only about the gondola and that the summer months are great here and many love coming to the Ridge for summer. It is pretty much booked out during summer and this is saying something for a resort this large. The rest of my post was for everyone letting them have some updated information on the Ridge.  

 The statement of making the Ridge closer to the casino's was because another poster's only problem was it was away from town 15 minutes. We hear many love the location well others want to be right in town or on the lake and there is nothing wrong with that. This is why there are other nice resorts in town or on Lake.

 jfk123 posted that we are only talking about the Ridge Tahoe Resort Gondola that ran down the hill next to the pool. Not sure how anyone could confuse this but hope that statement cleared it up! 


 PHIL


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## dougp26364 (Jul 26, 2009)

I guess it depends on what guests want out of their vacation. Cool quite mountain top resort of hot noisy in town resort. Since this will be our third trip to The Ridge, forsaking making a less expensive internal Marriott-Marriott exchange, I'd say we fall into prefering the cool, quite mountain top. 

The location preference for exchangers is purely a subjective opinion for different timeshare owners/exchangers. Perhaps the majority prefer to be in town but, when we on a mountain vacation, we usually prefer to be on the mountain than to be in town. The same thing goes for us in Breckenridge when choosing Grand Timber Lodge over Marriott's Mountain Valley Lodge. Grand Timber is up the mountain a little ways were the Marriott is more in a commercial area. We prefer the cool, quite mountain most of the time for location.


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