968 Park Hotel

Hotel description

Lake Tahoe is known for a lot of things — chiefly water sports, skiing, and other outdoor pursuits — but inventive small hotels are typically not among them. Development here has tended toward the utilitarian, to put it kindly. Which makes the 968 Park Hotel all the more special.

For one thing, it’s a renovation, not a new build, and given the amount of empty space around here, that’s something that requires uncommon restraint. But what’s most impressive about the development process is that the 968 was a zero-waste renovation: though they stripped it to its studs, they salvaged what they could, and found homes for everything else.

The finished version of the 968 Park is about as green as it gets, which is still surprisingly uncommon even in California. The stylish, contemporary interiors stand out as well, especially given the state of the competition. There are some notable comforts, especially the spa, which comes in handy in recovering from a day spent on the slopes. But in the end the 968, like all Tahoe resorts, is about the location: the lake, the casinos, and above all the ski resorts. With Heavenly Village just across the road you’ve got all the trappings of a ski town, from chair lifts to shops and restaurants and even an ice rink, all within a few minutes’ walk.