We spent this last Easter weekend at Welk Resorts' incredible Northstar resort on the north shore of Lake Tahoe.  Having previously stayed at other ski resorts during holidays in the Lake Tahoe region, including Labor Day weekend at Mariott's Timber Lodge on south shore and President's Day weekend at Red Wolf Lodge on the north shore, it's fair to say this resort really amazed us with just how modern and luxurious it is.  In fact, it is by far the nicest resort of the three.  We were so impressed that we decided to buy a 480k Platinum Points package so we can stay there every year - it's that nice!

The Welk Resorts already had timeshare resorts in San Diego, Cabo San Lucas, Palm Springs, and Branson when it purchased the Northstar resort in 2013.  At the time of purchase, only 1 of the 3 resort buildings had already been built.  In the past 5 years, Welk completed construction on the other 2 buildings, and they are incredible!  The units are spacious, the appliances are new, and the building materials are of excellent quality.  Fireplaces in just about every living space (bedrooms, living rooms, balconies) contribute much to creating a warm and cozy ambiance during ski season.

For skiiers, Northstar is a true ski-in/ski-out resort, with valet service on the ground floor.  Here's a little known fact for people serious about skiing, besides the three main buildings, Welk also owns 10 units in One Village Place, which is located literally right above the ski lift on the other side of the village.  Owners and their guests have access to an exclusive line that lets you bypass everyone else in line.  Here's a photo of this magic door, showing an empty line next to the crowd of people waiting to hit the mountain:

There is so much more to say about this resort.  Please call us if you want more info on the different buildings, recommendations about where to go, how many points you would need to book a 2BR vs. 3BR during ski season, how much these packages cost on the resale market, or any other questions you may have.  We have already assisted many buyers with purchasing packages from 240,000 up to 1,920,000, and we love talking about this resort!  See you on the slopes!

We recently spent a long weekend at the Red Wolf Lodge in Squaw Valley.  This is a Grand Pacific Resorts property, and you can find exchange weeks available on the GPX exchange.  The resort is a little on the older side, but it's really charming, and the location is unbeatable!  This is a true ski-in/ski-out property, with quick access to the Funitel and Red Dog chair lifts.  If you get a room with a mountain view, you can sit on your couch and watch people ski down the mountain all day.  Here's the view from our room:

What the resort may lack in amenities, it more than makes up for in its location, friendly staff, and fun activities onsite.  Once you get to the resort, you park your vehicle below the building, and check-in at the lobby.  The Village at Squaw Valley is a quick three-minute walk from the resort, and there are lots of great restaurants (Twenty-Two Bistro), bars (Auld Dubliner), shops (Spruce), and even a little market with some good wine and craft beer.  Besides skiing, we took the kiddos up the tram to High Camp to show them where Mom and Dad got engaged many years ago!

This is a great resort for the whole family.  Besides our family of 4, we had Grandma and Grandpa, and an aunt an uncle stay in another room directly across the hall from us.  Their room had quick access to the on-property hot tub!  It was fun cooking dinners together after a full day of skiing and shopping in the village.  Squaw Valley shot off fireworks over Red Dog on Saturday night, which the kids loved!  If you're an annual skier, you should consider looking at this resort, a Welk Platinum Points package for booking stays at Northstar, or Marriott Timber Lodge.  This is a great place to spend a long President's Day weekend.  Happy skiing and pray for snow!