Tried booking on VRBO due to an unusually good deal (great cost). Called VRBO to make sure it was valid and not a scam. VRBO told me to contact the host. I called this host at least 5x before getting anyone, only to be told that the price was incorrect so I should cancel and rebook. When I asked to speak to the manager to try to resolve the issue, he denied responsibility and directed me back to VRBO. Further, he accused me of trying to take advantage of the wrong price. Accusing the customer is never a great idea, especially when she is doing due diligence on a reservation. I responded that I wasn't asking for the listed price but what he could do to help me. Still, he refused to apologize or suggest a solution other than talk to VRBO. Fernando was very rude, and unhelpful. Now I'm waiting to see if he cancels my reservation. Don't go here unless you want to support a business who really doesn't care about your satisfaction as the paying customer. read more

Our experience was very mixed. This was a last minute booking. I made a mistake and booked it for a night earlier than needed. I realized this an hour later, contacted the management company immediately and they would not issue a refund, but did move our reservation to the correct date, so that worked out. The location itself is great. It's right on the lake of Donner Pass Rd, which isn't nearly as busy as in town (this was a summer stay by the way). The room wasn't great though. The walls are *paper thin* We could literally hear every word of the conversation the couple in the next room were having. Whenever they took a shower it sounded like a plane taking off. Thankfully everyone respected the quiet hours. There was also no AC. On top of this, the ceiling fan was on the same light switch as a light over the sink, so I had to climb on a chair and unscrew the lightbulb so we could sleep with the fan on. This place was about $40-50 less per night compared to staying in the Best Western. Although the location was nice, I'll probably look elsewhere next time. Truckee in general has become a very expensive place to stay. read more

Self Check-in. Pickup stuff from closet. The kitchen is a big help if you are ready to cook your own meals. Safeway & other groceries nearby. Great location if you want to kayak, Jetski in the lake nearby. Park is nice to visit nearby. read more

A family friend has owned a unit here since the place has been built. They invited me up for the afternoon and evening. Their unit has amazing views of the lake. Parking was easy. I grew up by Lake Almanor and I have lived in Incline Village, Cave Rock and Kingsbury Grade at Lake Tahoe. It reminded of rustic mountain cabin living. The boat dock was nice. It's a short drive from Reno where I currently live. It's a nice getaway. read more

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The hotel it's self is in a beautiful and secluded area of The Truckee area ( I am sure it's very busy in the summer). The gentleman from Australia ( his name escapes me) is amazing and you can tell he loves his job. The furnishings are newer and the rooms are clean. The mattress is really old and needs a replacement and the rooms was extremely warm with no way to cool down ( it was 28 degrees last night)! I also think a coat of paint, tub redo and shower head would really go a long way since most of the other items in the room seems upgraded for the most part. Lastly the people in room 121 were a nightmare! They were extremely loud and from the way you can see it looks might be actual residents? All this said, we would stay here again. The location itself is what really has this location going for it! read more

Donner Lake Village - Hotels Near Me - Truckee, California

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BEWARE DON'T STAY HERE!!!! We checked into our room and found bloody underwear next to the toilet! These nasty people DON'T CLEAN OR FIX THEIR UNITS! The TV didn't work. Sliding glass door was broken, heater broken in winter time, light fixture fell down when I closed the cabinet door.The temperature knob was broken in the fridge and outlets had no plate covers on them. Good thing we didn't get electrocuted trying to charge up our phones! And couldn't use the washer & dryer because were distrusting with pet hair and old soap caked on. This place need a full remodel and must better housekeeping! We will NEVER be back here again! They know ALL these things are broken but still continue to rent out the place! Looks like a law suit waiting to happen! read more

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When we checked in the smell was horrendous. We were met with a mix of curry, dog, and heat. This is supposed to be a pet free resort but my wife's puffy eyes, red cheeks, runny nose, and all around misery would beg to differ. Avoid this place at all cost!! Sleep in your car, the street, literally anywhere else! Avoid this place like you did Covid in 2020!! UPDATE! We called the on call hospitality number and we were not treated very friendly. I explained the situation to him and he became very aggressive. At one point stating " WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME!". It was at this point we decided to pack up our belongings and goto a different hotel. Do yourself a favor and avoid this place. read more

unclean. horrible air. terrible bacteria definitely in the air. the entire family got sick because of this hotel. probably doesn't even wash the bedsheets. read more

I will NEVER stay at this "resort" ever!!!! What a dumpy studio--Claustrophobic, no proper air ventilation/small space heater (no central heating system!), kitchen, bathroom, carpet, and dirty mini-blinds are archaically out-of-date: The unconscionable audacity charging almost $300 per night is absolutely, immorally outrageous!!!! Checking in was a disaster as well: Matt, the front-desk attendant locked the lobby while my party and I stood outside in the freezing snow; ten minutes later, Matt finally appears~(--__--)!!!! read more

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Super clean, comfy and updated unit (#225) with a beautiful snowy mountain (sunset) view. 2-burner stove but was enough to make dinner and dine by the lake view fireplace down the hall. Wine, cheese, snacks avail at the deli down the street, groceries a little further down at Safeway or Raleys... a fairly new pub within walking distance. Quiet and romantic! (a pullout sofa & a divider if you've got 1-2 lil ones). Great location! read more

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We have been staying at Donner Lake Village for many years, actually since it was built in the 60's. It is important for renters to realize that this is not a regular hotel. These are all privately owned units that are rented through a management company. Each room is different, some are upgraded, some are not. It is my pleasure to recommend Room 145. It is on the ground floor and has a lovely lake view. It has glass door that exits to the lawn and barbecue area. It also has a rentable adjoining room. It has everything necessary for four: electric stove and oven, under-the-counter refrigerator, freezer, garbage disposal, microwave, blender, dishes and flatware, sofa-bed and queen-sized bed. We have also enjoyed the room directly above 145. Actually we have never had a bad room though I am sure some exist. This particular room has a lovely, coordinated mountain decor, subtle but sweet. Be warned that the closet space is minimal. The owners have commandeered 1/2 the closet for their personal possessions, so if you are here in the winter with four persons and all the ski clothes, it's tight. We were also disappointed not to find a corkscrew or spatula. Daily maid service is provided which is very nice: Fresh towels and sheets etc. We had left a sinkfull of dishes and were pleasantly surprised to have found them washed. There is a sauna down the hall and upstairs is a lovely fireplace room. The resort has a little "beach" where kids can splash, it is walking distance to the municipal beach, the resort rents boats and water skis, there is a store across the street, Sugar Bowl is very close and Truckee is a lovely town. read more

This was by far the worst stay at hotel in a very long time... 1) Our confirmation said that check in was at 4pm. On our way to the property, my fiancé getsa call from the front desk at 3:30p wondering if we were going to get soon because there was an event in town and the front desk would be closing at 4:30pm. WTF? You're a hotel. How are you going to cal ll your guest and tell them they better hurry up because the staff wants to call it quits for the day. 2) After checking in, it appeared that the heater wasn't working. We thought maybe it was some sort of radiant heating and it might take some time so we left it set to 80° and we went to dinner. When we got back, the room was still cold. Know that the weather was going to drop into the low 50'd that night, I decided that I would call. But since the front desk decided to punch out at 4:30pm, my call got routed to another hotel's front desk. That person could not help because she wasn't even familiar with our thermostat. She said she would contact someone from Donner Lake Village and have them cal us back in the room. After waiting 20minutes, we got a call but it's to my fiancé's phone. Basically they told us it was too late to call anyone to fix it. That's it. No offer to move us to another room. No offer to do anything to make our stay more comfortable. The best they could offer was to send someone the next morning. They were supposed to come at 10am but by the time we left at 10:30am, we still hadn't seen them. Apparently they came later. 3) So if spending the night in a hotel room with no heat wasn't enough, the walls are paper thin. Between being cold from not having heat, we also had to listen to the people in the adjacent room cough and sneeze all night. 4) and if all that wasn't enough, after a night of poor sleep from being cold and being forced to listen to the neighbors, housekeeping is apparently told to disturb the guests at 8am on check out day. I can only imagine that they're told they can go home early if they get the rooms cleaned so I'm surprised they weren't banging on our door asking us to leave at 7am. I will never stay here again. I hope this review will keep people away from the poorly managed property. read more

Right next to the lake with access to docks. Easy late checkin and our room had view of the lake. Relaxing just what we were looking for as a anniversary getaway read more

Donner Lake Village - Hotels Near Me - Truckee, California

We stayed here 3 years ago for the same price and had a PHENOMENAL room. Needless to say we were shocked to walk in tonight to a room that has not been remodeled since the 70's. Adding to the fun is being on the ground floor with drapes that don't close and a ceiling fan that looks like it's going to blast off. I would recommend calling and asking before you book because no one should pay $300 per night for a room that should cost $80 max. read more

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Me, My husband, brother- in-law and wife stayed in Townhouse Room 154 that faced Donner Lake recently ( august 21-22, 2023). We were extremely disappointed with the high price of the Unit and lack of adequate upkeep for the price. The furnishings were basic and old. One cloth rocking was extremely dirty with both arms torn. The upstairs bathroom had a burned out light which we had to have bulb replaced. Now management did come quickly after we reported it. The beds in the 1st floor bedroom was twin beds with small amount of bedding. There was only 1 quilt in the entire unit. Each bedroom was sparse ..bed , dresser, chair, lamp. It happened to be a cold, rainy couple of days for our visit. The TV didn't work and had apparently been out for weeks due to repairs being made to this particular group of units. We should have been notified before we rented this unit and given the option to stay elsewhere. Also, we stay at many places and usually there is a TV in each bedroom. There was also only 1 hairdryer in Master bedroom. I'm use to a working hairdryer in each bathroom The showers did not have a rubber mat for the floor of the shower or bathtub. It was slippery when I got in but luckily it had bars in the tub area for stability. The patio door does not have a lock, but a poll to keep people out The pots and pans we old and just not acceptable for the price we paid. Our concern is that my brother-in/law and wife have stayed in 2 other units here and were extremely pleased. It is obvious that those Unit owners want their units to be nice for renters as well as themselves read more

Made our booking on booking.com and we were assigned unit 232, which we understand on checkout these are individually owned. The unit pictured on booking.com was no where close to what we were given...the unit was out dated and disgusting, dusty, dirty and things falling apart. We could hardly plug in our phones because the plugs were loose and the one power cord was for the tv that the remote didn't work well on the rocky refrigerator, micro coffee pot combo. The toilet rocks and is ancient. There was a fan in the closet which we tried, only to find it is broken...it was a warm night and we were forced to open the door to the Smokey outside, due to the fire in Tahoe, not the owners fault. We paid almost $200 a night and I realize that this is truckee but what a huge disappointment and I won't be staying there again...false advertising!! If the owner was an honest business person, a discount would be welcomed!!! read more

If I could give it less than one star I would. It was way overpriced at $275.00 a night for a small room, which hadn't been updated since it was built. The door between rooms bottom hinge was held together with wire. The carpet was very dirty, not worth the price! read more

We arrived at 3pm, Friday Jan 2, 2014 an hour before our 4pm check in time. Our 3 year old needed to go to the bathroom. Shawn at the front desk told us that they had no bathroom, but that we could use the restrooms at resturants down the road. Our 3 year old didn't make it... When we returned at 3:45 the lady now next to Paul said that we should wait in the lobby and that our room would be ready "soon". I said that I was suprised that they had a lobby, and yet no bathroom. She said sure we do have a bathroom, I can take it to you. I explained to her and Paul why this upset me (greatly), and Paul explained that this was a misunderstanding. Paul was not able to articulate where there had actually been a misunderstanding. They offered an apology and I said, lets check in as I have no other options. So, whilst lugging in our stuff, I immediately noticed that there was no elevator, Really? I then I noticed that there was what to me was not any view of lake from our room, which their website included as a partial lake view. I decided to go back to the front desk and inquire about these things. They explained that there was no elevator, which is suprising when you have a nealy $300 a night, second floor studio room. Hmmm. They also exmplained that "if I could put my face against the wall and see any of the lake" that was a partial lake view. While I agree that they are technically correct, I will say that if you hold out a dime in your hand, as far out as possible, you could easilly cover up a few specks of water between trees and the adjacent property. Keeping score, to me that is twice that we were treated poorly and (IMHO) lied to, and we hadn't even taken our shoes off yet. Wow! The room (#225 I believe) was nice enough. This place is really an old motel that is being sold off as condos. I don't think most of them (as of Jan 2015) are currentlly being rented. Room 225 had been recently redone. Issues we had with the room. First, there was no thermostat, only a heating unit with "hotter" and "colder" settings. It was roasting in our room on a not all that cold (20 degree) night. Then we would turn it off an be pretty cold in a half an hour. The coffee provided in the room was undrinkable. Just disgusting. My wife use the term distinctive. Also, the design of the hotel makes it really loud. I thought people were just being loud, then I paid more attention and sound just reverberiates in the hall. Bring ear plugs. The ice machine sounded like someone was emptying out a 55 gallon trash can full of empty beer cans into an empty dumpster. That was accross from our room. I know that there are not a lot of options, but I wish I had plunked down more money and stayed at a real hotel, condo at a ski resort, etc. This was awful. Also I wish the palgue upon Shawn at the front desk for making my daughter wet her pants for seemingly no reason at all. What a jerk read more

Donner Lake Village - This is what they are calling a partial lake view from room 225. I think calling this any lakeview is dishonest. - Hotels Near Me - Truckee, California

I travel a lot and stay at nice resorts throughout the country, I have a dog so i stay at resorts that accommodate me and my dog. Most high end resorts like the Waldorf and the Riitz welcome pets and even supply a welcome package for my dog. These resorts are progressive and know that in todays society dogs/cats are like family and travel with their owners. Now back to the DLVR review. I have stayed there several times and even though it is not a 5 star resort it is nicely situated on the lake and offers nice amenities like jet skis, kayaking and boating during the summer. The units themselves are hit and miss. Some have been updated and others not., but they are kept clean. Paul the manager is great to work with and is always around to help answer your concerns. What brings down the rating at this resort is the Board members. The units are individually owned and managed by a management company overseen by The Board. Some of these Board members made me feel very uncomfortable during my last few visits. They nit pick and take pictures of guests, they don't like. This last visit for the Fourth of July weekend I rented a townhome. It was outdated but nice and had a beautiful view of the lake. We brought my daughters emotional support dog with a letter from her Doctor,The whole time we were there the neighbors who I was told were Board members took pictures and constantly were taking notes on where our dog was and if he was on a leash. He even came up to us and said our dog had to be on a leash. Ironically the other neighbor who is an owner had a dog that barked at people all the time and was also seen unleashed but nothing was said to them.This situation could have ruined the weekend but I refuse to let some old Board member bully or intimidate me.We enjoyed staying there but doubt we will be coming back. Like I said at the beginning , there are 5 star resorts that welcome me and my family better than this 'Resort'. The Board needs to review their bylaws and join the 21 century. It may be that new Diverse board members are needed to change the way DLVR treats their guests. read more

This place is a total dump! Got screwed on Expedia paying 220 a night for a room that sleeps four. Was told, a queen bed room and fold out couch. Well we got two fold outs, the couch and a Murphy bed. Not that we would want to spend a ton of time in the room, but we got stuck one evening and enjoyed the television and VCR from the mid eighties. Our son had no idea what a VCR was, so at least it was educational. Other reviews complain about the paper thin walls, well add floors to that review. Enjoyed the stomping back and forth till twelve at night from upstairs. Luckily I found our rooms air conditioner, a crappy out of balanced box fan in the closet that vibrated so bad the noise it made drowned out the noise coming through the wall. Has we spent 80 bucks on the room I wouldn't be upset, but 220 give me a break!!!! read more

Donner Lake Village - Our fold out bed and Zenith TV and VCR straight out of an 80's time warp! - Hotels Near Me - Truckee, California

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I love the Donner Lake Village Resort --- I have stayed here many times, I have had lots of fun here and I have followed all of the rules that they put forth, including not bringing my dog with me when I visit. There are signs all over the property that say, "NO DOGS," yet when I arrived on my recent visit the most beautiful Huskie was wandering around the property as well as in and out of one of the condos. We come to find out later on that the dog belonged to one of the employees! Not cool!!! Establishments should not put forth rules for their guests that they are not willing to follow themselves! Just so you know, the ability to bring my dog would have given me about $150.00 more that I could have pumped into the local economy, instead I had to pay for a dog sitter!! read more

My friend and I stayed at Donner Lake Village twice before and had a great time. Thus, we decided to come back again on March 20, 2022 for a 4-night vacation. In the past, we stayed in a "lodgette" which is small. This time, we decided to pay extra for a "studio" which is supposed to be slightly larger and it's supposed to have a bigger refrigerator and a stove (either 2 burners or 4 burners . . . it's unpredictable . . . more on this later). We got Room 213. On the third night of our stay, while watching TV, we saw a RODENT (mouse or rat?) run across the floor and dash under the stove. Because it was so late (after 9 pm), we couldn't call the Front Desk, so I rolled some bath towels and covered the "holes" next to the stove. As long as Mr. Rodent remained behind the stove, I was OK with that. Unfortunately, Mr. Rodent managed to squeeze under the towels and escape. The following night, we saw it running around our room again. It was around 8:55 pm, so we called the Front Desk. We spoke to a very nice young lady who was apologetic and offered to switch us to another room (216). We washed the dishes (in the first room), packed up our things and hauled everything down the hall to Room 216. By the time we got settled in the new room, it was after 10:30 pm. It was time for bed. And guess what . . . the pillowcases REEKED of old sweat!! The sheets were also questionable. I also noticed a pistachio on the floor. So, clearly, the housekeeping staff did NOT clean this room (216) properly. But it was late and we were exhausted, so we just "sucked it up" and remained in the dirty room. The next morning, while checking out, the woman couldn't find my reservation because of the room-switch. So, I casually said, "We had to switch rooms because there was a rodent in room 213." And immediately, she snapped at me, "It's spring. There are mice around here. It's an old building. We've had mice in other rooms." I wasn't even complaining about the rodent situation, but she felt the need to get defensive and snap at me! TERRIBLE customer service. The young lady who gave us the new room that night was MUCH MORE professional. I will NEVER again stay at Donner Lake Village. The ONLY good thing about this property is its location . . . it's next to Donner Lake. What's bad about this property? Each unit is owned by a different person (or persons), so you NEVER know what types of amenities you're going to get. On the property's website, the units are classified as "lodgette," "studio," "studio deluxe," etc. The problem, again, is that every unit has a different owner, so there's absolutely no consistency regarding the furnishings or the amenities. One "studio" may have a queen bed, a full-size refrigerator and a 4-burner stove + oven, but a pricier "studio deluxe" may have only a mini-fridge and a 2-burner stove with no oven. The "final straw" - the woman at the Front Desk commented that EACH individual owner is responsible for pest (rodent) control in his/her own unit!! REALLY???? It seems that the manager of the BUILDING should be in charge of pest control!! I will stay at Best Western Truckee from now on. read more

My fiancé and I needed a weekend for ourselves to reconnect after having our daughter almost 2 years ago!! I'm planned a weekend as a surprise for us and found this beautiful place! We got in after 5pm and was nice that have allowed a late check in and gave directions on how to get into the building and also our room! Went down when the office was open in the morning to finish check in! The views were spectacular, the weather was perfect.. a little cold lol but felt so great!! The room itself was beautiful!! Absolutely loved loved the kitchen!! Went and bought groceries for the weekend so we didn't have to spend money on food while there! Short drive into town with TONS of little shops, stores and everything you may ever need! A little more driving up through town we ended up in Tahoe and Kings Beach. The only thing I didn't about the property was that my fiancé couldn't go smoke on the balcony as that was a big part of the reason why I chose the room with a view and balcony, but I get it!!.. People live there also! It's a respect thing! And I can respect that! None the less this place was 10 out of 10 in my book! We will definitely be staying here again!... And next time we are bringing our daughter! read more

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We decided to take a chance and stay at Donner Lake Village. Really regret it, over priced, but that's to be expected on NYE, but definitely NOT clean. There were long black hairs on the duvet. Unfortunately we noticed this the next morning so GROSS! It smelled really bad when we got there, but the manager was nice and brought us some air freshener. The bathtub had mold underneath the faucet which of course I didn't notice until I was in the bathtub. The toilet had rust/mold in it. Just overall not clean at all. I usually don't write reviews but I thought others should know before they stay here. read more

Unsafe and unclean! When I arrived the door to my room had been left propped open. Anyone with access to the building had access to my room before I arrived. As I was clearing the room to make sure I was alone I noticed hair on the toilet. Each day the bed was made and I received fresh towels, but the sink, tub, and toilet were not cleaned once during a 4-night stay. read more

Donner Lake Village - Hair found on toilet during arrival - Hotels Near Me - Truckee, California

Awesome stay. Each corner of the complex has a sitting area with beautiful views, cozy reading chairs, and space to play a board game. The rooms are small but well furnished and were perfectly comfortable for our family of 4. Will be back! read more

unwillingness to reschedule or give refund when 80 is closed indefinitely shows what kind of place this is. definitely not on theme with tahoe. spare yourself the grief and support businesses that support its customers!. read more

Very great beautiful quiet please just righ at the lake . If just want to relax here is the place highly recommended read more

Donner Lake Village - Hotels Near Me - Truckee, California

We stayed at this resort after boarding Tahoe just for the night. We liked that it had a kitchenette so we could cook up our own food because food around resort areas can add up to be expensive. The views of the lake is very stunning and the close proximity to the lake is most likely the only benefit of this lodge. Unfortunately, we didn't get a lake view room or a room that was renovated. We were there just for the night but we found the room lacking. The room got too hot but we couldn't find the thermostat to turn it down so we had to open the sliding glass door to cool it down. The connecting door to the other room allows sound to travel through so we could hear our neighbors. The stove top burners weren't flushed with the stove. The pull out bed was nearly flat and a back breaker, very uncomfortable. The TV remote control stopped working so we couldn't even change the channel anymore. I could go on but I'll leave my last thought on this review. As we were walking down the hallways late at night, it is creepy AF! Lol, but it might have been because we just learned about the donner history. If you don't know about it, YouTube it haha. read more

What a sad little place. Tired accommodations and understaffed (I understand COVID going on but just not acceptable). We tried a reservation at Squaw Valley Village but they were booked and do they referred us to their "sister" resort at Donner. Should have checked it out first. 3-day minimum for $1,150 or so total. No AC. And consider that you might really need it. Doesn't cool down in the swampy rooms at night. Fan in bathroom not working. They provided portable fans in one of the closets but they are old and extremely loud. Cable tv in one of the rooms not working. Asked them to fix but was never done. Too many other items to mention them all. Don't expect a hotel- like daily service here. Loud barking dogs all the time. This is like an old scabby step sister resort of Squaw. I think the folks that give it good reviews are wistful of days here gone by. Find another place. read more

This is my new favorite place on Donner Lake! We got a lodgette,which is a room with a kitchenette. It includes a microwave, fridge, dishes, silverware, kitchen sink and dining table.The staff was very friendly and our room was nice and clean :) It was perfect for my husband and I!!! Great value and right on the Lake! Absolutely spectacular!!! We will definitely be back ;) read more

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My fiance and I decided to take a weekend getaway to relax and ski one day at Sugar Bowl. We called the day before letting the front desk know we would be checking in late. They advised us that it would be no problem, there is a phone in front of the office with instructions on how to check in. To our surprise, we received an email with the entry code to our building and the code for the room. This was super convenient since we didn't have to stand out in the cold and dark trying to figure out the phone system. Upon arrival to our room, we discovered a beautifully update studio with a full kitchen. It was fairly modern yet still had that Tahoe/rustic charm, which was a surprise after seeing the worn down and dated hallway. The kitchen was stocked with everything you would need including plates, glasses, can opener, etc. It even had a dishwasher and stainless steel appliances! The reason I took off stars is because of the noise. Your could hear the next door neighbor breathe! You could hear all the kids running up and down the hallway talking and the people upstairs walking. The neighbor next door to us woke us up at 7am simply talking to his kids. If I were to want to stay here again I would want to make sure the noise issue was under control whether it be thicker doors, weather stripping under the doors so there is no gap underneath, anything would help! It seems like a simple solution that would benefit this resort greatly. read more

So unexpectedly pleased with our stay! Booked this place for a last minute trip in order to go snowboarding the following morning. We were going to be arriving at around 11pm, so they have us a call and let us know that they would email the codes to get into the building, the codes to get into our room, and also a map of the lodging so we could find our room easily. We arrived and were just expecting a room with a bed since we had only booked the studio room. Surprisingly they gave us a free upgrade to the Deluxe room and it was so cute and cozy!! I just absolutely loved everything about the room. It was super clean, had an electric fireplace, and the COMFIEST bed!! Loved the fluffy duvet with the extra mattress foam pad to give it an extra added comfort. I will definitely be booking again in the future! read more

Last minute, one-night reservation. Stayed in room 213, facing the road opposite the Lake. Staff was decent but not overly friendly. Since it was the middle of July, it was hot and the room didn't have air conditioning, which meant keeping the glass slider open all night -- LOUD TRAFFIC!!! Also, not good security-wise. Room looked like it hadn't been updated since Nixon was in office. It was nearly $200 for the night in what could only be described as a dated studio-style room. Lovely location right on the Lake, which is the only perk. Rentals for kayak and paddle boards were adjacent to the "resort's" parking lot. read more

Nice, but nothing to write home about. Clean, comfortable lodgette room (#211 end of hall, next to stairs) included mircowave, small fridge, plastic plates, metal utensils, etc. My room had a great view of the road but, the hotel's right on the lake. (I arrived after the lobby/rental office was closed for the night and had to use the house phone to obtain my security code for the room's door. The lobby was difficult to find, as it's located in an adjacent building, separate from the main lodge. Agent said that they would send me an email with the instructions but, I never received it.) Off season and quiet. Quiet neighbors, except for a group of young kids who ran up and down the hallway a few times during my short, 3-night stay. Price was $108/nt (Hotels.com). Located a few hundred yards down the road and within an easy walk, a large public beach awaits you at the west end of the lake, where there's a pub across the street from it. (Unfortunately, it was closed the night I wanted to eat there. Dejected, I walked across the street to the beach. While standing at the water's edge, gazing out across the lake, contemplating my next move, I had a craving for Thai food. So, I walked back to the condo timeshare-hotel and then drove 5 miles to the downtown area to complete my quest. (Read my 3-star review of Thai Delicacy, which was NOT my first choice.) Siam Cuisine was closed (fortunately?), even though trusty Yelp app stated that it was open.) I will probably stay here again as, it made a great base camp for my stay in the Tahoe area. I took several day trips and investigated the environs of the Sierra. ((When I vacation in the Tahoe area, I usually stay on the south shore at Camp Richardson. (Read my review.) Donner Lake was a nice change of pace, as it's closer to Lake Tahoe's north shore where one can explore King's Beach, Carnelian Bay, Incline Village, Crystal Bay (NV), Tahoe City, and Squaw Valley. (Take Hwy 267 to King's Beach, then, eventually, drive south to Tahoe City, then Hwy 89 back to Truckee.)) read more

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We called last minute and booked a standard room. Pros: Waterfront "resort". There is a private dock that you can fish from or just hang out on. There are lounge chairs to relax on and picnic tables and BBQ's. We checked in on a Sunday and out on Tuesday, while we were there the place was very quiet and serene. Microwave and mini fridge and freezer in the room. You can rent boats and waverunners here but they are redicilously expensive. Around $1000+ per day. Cons: The bed was hard as a rock. No AC or heater in the room (that I could see). I did finally find a fan in the closet that I put in front of the sliding door at night to cool it down in the room. We were in room 201 and it was very dated. Old school TV with a DVD/VCR combo. Did I mention the bed was hard as a rock? read more

Avoid this tourist trap at all costs. No joke. Wifi is poor, room smells like fish, there is no lake view or fireplace for a majority of the rooms despite the $$$ cost. Ignore their "Lake Front Special Walk in Rates." It's a lie and a sign they'll never take down because it draws in the unsuspecting. No snob here, I've travelled all over the US. I don't mind a well kept Motel 6 (Joshua Tree National Park) or a $$$-priced boutique hotel (The Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.) What I take issue with is this deceptively named "Donner Lake Village Resort" which seems to exist merely for the purpose of separating travelers from their hard earned $. read more

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From beginning to end the staff at Donner Lake Village Resort are five star. I must have called these nice people half a million times with questions (my first trip with childrens eek!). During every phone call they were pleasant and helpful. I felt like they were happy we were coming to visit. I checked in with Rachel upon arrival. What a nice person she is. She started off our vacation with a great big smile and helpful information such as the Truckee Thursdays. We had a great time there thanks to Rachel - we would probably not known about it otherwise. The accommodations were pretty good. The layout of the townhouse is awesome. Downstairs is open so you can enjoy conversation while cooking, hanging out on the deck overlooking the amazing view, watching some tv, etc. There is a bathroom downstairs. Upstairs is great. The bedrooms are not huge but don't plan on spending a lot of time there as it's a gorgeous location so being indoors is not a priority at least it wasn't for us. One bedroom had a king. The other a queen and double I think. Perfect. The bonus was the loft upstairs - our boys used it as their "mancave". They got to stay up late and watch tv, hang out, etc. and not "be in bed" as they cuddled up on the sofa bed. The bathrooms upstairs worked out great. You walk in and they split. A double sink entrance with a toilet and shower with a door on both sides - so basically two bathrooms in one space. The only thing that would have made this trip better is the furniture being updated. By furniture I mean the sofas and sofabed/chair upstairs. They have had their time and it passed a while ago. I can understand not wanting to put expensive furniture in a rental BUT these items have seen better days. Not only were they very uncomfortable but they were kind of grimy. Again, we brought two boys and were fishing the whole time but still.... The beds were HELLA comfortable - by "hella" I mean REALLY :) I slept so good. Plus nothing beats waking up and having coffee on a deck with the lake right there. The kitchen had just about everything we needed to cook and enjoy meals together. It can't be easy renting out your vacation home to others, so we do thank the owners for renting through the resort. Maid service came daily but we declined - if you do decline please leave a decent tip tho when you do depart as this is how they make their money too and at the end of the day it's nice to have the option. She was very nice and offered to replenish anything we needed. Overall this is a great gem of a spot and we are thrilled to have found it. The people made our trip even more enjoyable. Please be sure to shop local and visit the nice gift shop across the street. We bought bait and some mugs there, the lady is very nice. And a new market called Sticks opened. They are great for toys, deli and quick things you might need. read more

Great central place to stay and ski at nearby Northstar or Squaw Valley. Privately owned condos are nicely decorated and some have a killer lakeside view. Downside, no restaurant or bar nearby. You need to drive to get food/drinks. A bit pricey but the locale and beauty are unbeatable. Ask for lakeside or lakeview room but you will pay more. We stayed here every year for 5 years in a row for our annual ski trips. We recently 'upgraded' to ski in/ski out condos at Northstar. read more

We stayed at Donner Lake Village for a last minute trip to Squaw Valley. They were one of the only places with availability at a reasonable rate with such short notice. The rooms are modest but quaint. We stayed in a "lodgette" which had a pullout sofa, small kitchenette and table for 4. They don't have a ton of amenities (i.e. hot tub, etc) and could use some updating, but it is minutes away from Truckee and the mountains. I would recommend this place to others looking for a good location for mountain access, reasonable rates, and for families staying a few days to prepare meals and such. It is not "fancy" if thats what you're going for, but it fit our needs and what we were looking for in a last minute ski trip to Squaw. read more