Jimmy Buffett’s famous — or infamous, depending on your persuasion — chain of Margaritaville Resort hotels is headed to Lake Tahoe. It will be the chain’s first ski resort location anywhere in the world.
The Margaritaville brand is taking over the Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel, the alpine-style hotel at the intersection of Highway 50 and Lake Tahoe Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe. The hotel hasn’t had a prominent brand associated with it since 2013, when it dropped its partnership with Embassy Suites. The Margaritaville rebrand is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
“From design elements that adapt the property for all four seasons to thoughtful details reflecting the destination, the refreshed resort will be firmly rooted in the Margaritaville state of mind, while giving guests an entirely fresh and elevated experience that is quintessentially Lake Tahoe,” Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe shared in a news release Tuesday.
All 399 rooms are suites with separate living and sleeping spaces, plus a wet bar and dining table. The resort will have an indoor heated pool and at least five different eateries: the atrium “License to Chill” bar, an indoor-outdoor beach bar-inspired LandShark Bar & Grill, a Joe Merchant’s coffee shop, the breakfast spot Come Monday Café, and JWB Prime Steak and Seafood, “an acclaimed, laid-back luxury restaurant serving fine cuts of meat and fresh seafood, perfect for special occasions.”
JWB Prime Steak and Seafood will be the special-occasion restaurant at Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe, which is set to open in winter 2023.
Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe/HandoutRenderings of the new concept have Margaritaville’s signature turquoise color scheme and beachy accents like palm trees and waves. If the island vibes sound incongruous with a ski resort, the brand is trying to unify the design with some Tahoe-specific alterations.
“Several signature Margaritaville emblems on display in the lobby will feature their own Lake Tahoe twist,” the press release says. “The signature 13-foot flip flop will be a bright emerald green, inspired by Emerald Bay, while a large double-sided fireplace with margarita glass chandeliers on each side will provide a gathering place after a day on the slopes or on the water.”
The indoor heated pool at the Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe.
Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe/HandoutMargaritaville Resorts, named, of course, for Buffett’s signature 1977 song, are growing fast across North America. In 2020, the first West Coast Margaritaville hotel opened in Palm Springs. Its size is comparable to the Tahoe hotel, with about 400 rooms. An upcoming August weekend stay in a standard room is $214 a night. There are currently 30 Margaritaville hotels with “over 20 additional projects in the pipeline,” the news release said. The Tahoe hotel will be managed by Davidson Resorts.