A hotel in Lake Tahoe made the 2023 “Best of the Best” list of hotels in the United States from travel-rating site Tripadvisor. And it’s not the ski-in Ritz-Carlton, the beachside Hyatt Regency or the posh Edgewood Tahoe Resort that placed on the exclusive list. In fact, it was a tiny hotel many travelers to Lake Tahoe have likely never heard of, especially as it doesn’t do any advertising. 

“We found out that we were ranked one of the top 10 family-friendly hotels in the country on the same day Tripadvisor published the awards,” said Greg O’Malley, director of revenue management at the 86-room Stardust Lodge in South Lake Tahoe. 

O’Malley credits the hotel’s inclusion on the list to its focus on guests, noting that its non-chain ownership allows it to offer more unique experiences. Stardust Lodge has ongoing amenities for guests included with all stays, including fresh popcorn in the lobby; free mountain bike, sled and snowshoe rentals; free daily breakfast and on-site parking; and weekly activities for families, like guided hikes, karaoke contests and movie marathons at the outdoor pool. Stardust Lodge is currently the highest-rated hotel in South Lake Tahoe of the 95 listed on Tripadvisor, which O’Malley says is enough to keep it busy without doing any paid advertising. 

The vintage motel first opened in the early 1960s, with plans describing it as “three stories of rustic chalet design” with a swimming pool, ice skating rink and coffee shop, estimated to cost $1.5 million to build. The hotel’s current sign also dates to the 1960s, and while the property has had some renovations, the sign has remained the same.

“We feel blessed that we can offer our guests a very unique and vintage exterior combined with a truly modern interior,” O’Malley said. 

The hotel is reasonably priced by Tahoe standards, with rooms starting at about $139 per night. That’s a little more than the rate back in 1985, when the hotel advertised “a spectacular alpine world of pine scented days and all night fun,” for $48 per room, but still less than other Tahoe hotels within walking distance of the Heavenly Village. 

The Stardust Lodge is still owned by the same families who bought it in 1972, O’Malley said, and added that their commitment to respecting and retaining staff is one reason why the hotel continues to thrive. He’s worked there since 1998, and said most of the managers running the other departments at the lodge have as well. He credited the knowledgeable, experienced staff as being a large factor in why it’s able to create such highly rated guest experiences. 

“As for the impact of the award,” he says, “any exposure that small properties like ours receive helps vacationers to see that there are options beyond the generic franchise hotels that dominate the market.”