- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Royal Valhalla Lodge
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$
19 reviews for Royal Valhalla Lodge
This is my third time staying here. It is our family's go-to hotel when in Tahoe for the summer. I hate to say it, but the website makes it look a lot nicer that it really is. However, it is a great little hotel right on the water and a 10 minute walk away from the casinos. We usually get two full units (upstairs and downstairs) because we bring the whole family. This year when we arrived the rooms weren't ready yet, but they did give us our beach passes early, which was nice. Once they were ready we noticed some cobwebs and that there weren't any towels. With a quick call to the front desk, both of these things were taken care of very quickly. Another great thing about the Royal Valhalla is that a continental breakfast is included in your room rate. While it is only donuts, cereal, coffee, tea and other pastries, it is nice to have a little something offered.
Don't go expecting this to be a 4 star hotel, because it isn't. However, it is a cute place with good service, clean rooms (besides some cobwebs), clean swimming pool, breakfast included, and some grills if you want to use them. My family will definitely keep coming to the Royal Valhalla.
Ok so I've stayed in roughly 19584345 different hotels in the South Lake Tahoe area. This was by far the worst.
The room was shockingly run down. Stained carpets, lamps that didn't work, and the shower broke. The website makes this place look really nice. It's not. People working there were friendly enough though.
The lakeside location is nice for the summer right across from the lake, but could be a pain in the winter if you're walking to the Gondola in ski boots.
There really isn't anything that could make me want to stay here again.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
Oh, the Royal Valhalla... Don't be fooled by the website. Yes, it is right on the lake and provides access to a private beach, which is the only positive thing about this hole-in-the-wall hotel.
I stayed there for two nights this past weekend. I shared a room with my cousin while my aunts got the "suite" with a "deck."
Some lowlights:
- The deck was unusable due to "construction" which consisted of a 2x4 blocking the door.
- No A/C.
-Thin, stained sheets and pillow cases. My bed actually had an old bloodstain on it... right near the head of the bed! If you're not going to bleach and/or throw away sheets with stains on them, at least have the decency to put the stains somewhere away from my head. k? thx.
-We had no towels in the afternoon on day 2 because the laundry guys were behind in their work. Lame. Took them 3 hours to get us new towels.
-The continental breakfast consisted entirely of beige food: toast, bagels, cheerios, donuts. Not one ounce of protein or fruit in sight.
They should really just tear the whole thing down. I think it might actually be nicer as a campground than as a hotel! I can't even say it was worth the cheap price, since we could have spent just a few dollars more and stayed at the Marriott up the road...
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
1 star for the lake view - which we were fortunate to have
1 star for the fireplace and free hot chocolate in the lobby
Had I read the reviews below before we went, we probably would have been a bit less disappointed (or stayed elsewhere). We went to SLT for a wedding over Memorial Day weekend and this place was recommended due to it's proximity to the lake, where the wedding was being held, and the group rate we were being offered (which was only $20 less than the Embassy Suites up the road would have charged us for MUCH nicer rooms).
When we checked in we were told that our room was on the top floor, but it ended up being on the first floor. We asked if there was anything higher up and were told that they were booked and this was the only room left (not the only time they used that excuse, but I'll get to that). We got to our room, and the light bulb in the entry was out. In addition to that, the trash can still had a maxi-pad in it from the previous guest. To be fair they did come and take care of these things, but we really shouldn't have come across those problems to begin with either. The water didn't drain in the shower either, which we didn't bother to ask them to come and take care of since we were only staying one night.
The continental breakfast was pretty skimpy and offered a choice of two cereals: Raisin Bran and Frosted Flakes, oatmeal, and a few bread items (bagels and toast). My husband and daughter both got a doughnut and they were quite nice, really soft, so we either got lucky, or the previous reviewer that commented about the doughnuts were stale hit a bad day.
We planned to stay the day after the wedding at their private beach, with the rest of the wedding guests, before heading home in the afternoon. When I called to request a later check out time, I was told that they could not accommodate our request because they were full and needed to get the rooms cleaned for the next guests. When I pressed them for just one additional hour, they told me they could do that but they would have to charge me an additional $20. I declined. It was Memorial Day weekend, and they could have truly been completely booked. However, the parking lot did not have very many cars in it and more than half of the car ports were empty the entire time we were there, so I find it a bit hard to believe that a later check out was completely out of the question.
Lastly, when we checked in, I inquired about getting a pass to their private beach and was told that we wouldn't need it b/c they wouldn't be monitoring the gate until next weekend. However, it turns out she was wrong about this (probably had her dates mixed up due to the funny way Mem. Day weekend fell this year). After we checked out, I asked the front desk if they could still give us a pass to the beach and the lady rudely told me they could not but she would anyway. It was a bit of a back-handed favor and seemed to me like she was trying to make some silly point that somewhat undermined the "favor" she did by giving us a pass - which I also find ridiculous as we were paying guests the previous night.
Long story short, if you go here to be close to the lake and you get a room with a view, you will be reasonably happy for the price. Just don't expect friendly service or quality accommodations. Your room rate pays for the view and that's pretty much all.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
Hrmm. . .This place has a lot of plus n minuses. Easiest way is to do a pro n con list
Pros:
Concierges are very helpful and friendly
Cheap and willing to price match online rates
The floor plan with 2 queens is two separate rooms giggity giggity
View of the lake
5 dollar cab ride to casinos
very laid back atmosphere
HBO
Nice heated rooms
Neutral:
Continental Breakfast. its aiite
Cons:
Cannot go out to some of the balconies due to water damage
I get shocked by the doors every time I open them
Sometimes the folks at the front desk are non existent
Definitely could use some repairs and upgrades
Overall good for the money. Great place for a bunch of friends to mob up to the mountains and stay a night or two.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
1 star for lake view
1 star for free yummy hot chocolate in the lobby
It is a cheap hotel. I can deal with that and expected that for the rate I paid however, I did not expect to be woken by the people staying in the room upstairs because the floors are so darn squeaky! It was torture. If you go to this hotel, get a top floor room!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
I was very excited about staying at this place, their website looked and sounded great.
We arrive...all is well, im very satisfied with the price we got through priceline. It was a queen with a kitchen and little couch, I was happy.
The Bad:
Toilet floods - they give us a plunger
Toilet overflowed - used up all towels
They promise to bring more towels - never happened
Bathroom fan NOT working
Ceiling has water stains
Late check out means 30 mins extra :|
The Good:
Access pass to beach
Served its purpose, we had a place to stay and make our own food
The Ugly:
THE TOILET OVERFLOWED!!!!
I will not be back even though one of the employees said he would give us a discount the next time we come. I will not recommend this place.
Next time I will not be so cheap.
My boyfriend and I checked in to the Royal Valhalla the weekend before Christmas and immediately Jose, the young, nice, and very accomodating Concierge, upgraded us to a room twice as much as our original for FREE.
The room was spacious, we had our own large balcony, kitchen, and decent bathroom.
Oh, and how could I forget to mention the view from our room of the Lake. Wow. Right there! Stateline is within walking distance, but far enough away so you actually feel like you're staying in the country.
The only downfall was the hot tub was not in working condition. Warmed pool, but I really wanted to use the hot tub!
It was great service, and I will stay there again.
This is a cheap hotel on the lake, within walking distance to the main casinos = great location.
You probably wouldnt want to walk in the winter, little too far in those temps for me. The lobby is cozy. Staff is helpful. Free breakfast is alright.
Room for 3 was a little cramped. The heater was loud. The tv picture a little fuzzy.
Not the Marriot, but not a crap hole.
My two-night stay at the Royal Valhalla had to be one of the worst experiences I've ever had in a hotel. It was dirty, and in general disrepair. The towels and sheets were threadbare and questionably clean (my pillow case had a footprint on it). The balcony was barred by a 2 by 4, with a note saying it was not safe to go out there. I decided to move my car out from underneath the balcony, because I had visions of the deck collapsing on it. The rooms were stuffy and unventilated and smoke from the parking lot wafted in at night. There was no AC or even a built in fan/ventilation. There were stains on the ceiling and peeling wallpaper. I checked out the horrible continental breakfast at 8am, and walked back to my room through the foul smelling stairwell and hallways, preceded by a very drunk man weaving his way back to his room. The list goes on and on. I would not only NOT recommend this place to anyone, I am spreading the word of its filth to everyone I know. Do NOT waste your money. And by the way, I can't believe anyone was OK with a sanitary napkin in the trash can because they came and took care of it. (previous review) We pay for clean rooms and should get them. Unbelievable.
People thought this was:
- Funny (1)
We reserved a room with a lake view, but ended up facing the parking lot. We called twice to confirm that we had a lake view. The attendant stated that we were originally booked in a room with a lake view, but was moved. This was disappointing because we booked this room especially for the lake view. It was pricier than other nearby hotels that did not offer a lake view. The management didn't do anything and we wouldn't recommend this place.
Breakfast was measly - just doughnuts, old oatmeal and juice. And the attendant stares at you and watches your every move...creepy.
We were placed on the second floor, and the other reviewers are right on the noise - you could hear every step the person above you takes...it's loud enough to wake you up and keep you from getting a good night's sleep...seriously, it's very loud. Don't stay here. They don't follow through on their promises, and you might end up paying for something that's not worth it...
We also reserved a non-smoking room, but of course that request wasn't followed either, and we ended up in a smoking room. Awful, stinky.
The sheets, blankets, pillows were very thin. The bed was saggy, and the fixtures had chips and scratches on them. The carpet felt dirty and our socks quickly became dark after walking around the room. There were also huge flying bugs in the room which we had to chase down and kill--awful, awful...don't stay here..even with a special 'deal' on http://hotels.com, because when we called them, they refused to help us at all. Yuck.
I have stayed here many times, mostly during the winter over the new year. Once we stayed over spring break.
I find this place awesome for what you pay.
The rooms are pretty good sized, I have stayed in the kitchenette and the 2 bedroom. The kitchenette is perfect for a couple. My bf and I get this room every year. We go get groceries at the local market and make all our food and tea/coco whatever in the room. Its a big cash saver and way convenient when you get done partying on the Nevada side and realize nothing open at 3 am.
The 2 bedroom rooms are little small however are perfect for two couples since they provide the privacy one would not get from a room with just 2 beds.
The rooms are not a Hilton suite quality but keep in mind you are not paying Hilton suite prices either.
I feel the staff is always helpful. Since my bf and I have stayed here so often we usually get a nice discount, and they always accommodate people we bring with us.
Usually if you are friendly with the staff when booking they will turn you on to some great money saving deals at the slopes.
In the rooms there is storage for your boards (or skies) so you dont have to leave them in your car.
You can walk across the road, okay maybe a 5 minute walk, to the casino, Which we do often if its not snowing heavily, because once inside the first casino you can pretty much stay cover down the whole Nevada strip via casinos. This hotel is a short cab ride from some awesome bars on the California side.
Oo and there is a Starbucks in the hotel across the street which is always a plus!
I feel some of the previous reviewers have forgotten they were in South Lake Tahoe. People go to South Lake to party and ski and with the freedom of being in Nevada without the Vegas prices. If you want a 5 start hotel spend the money and go to Vegas.
Also to Lily D's review; the only business in South Lake that salt their walk ways are the casinos. If its that big of deal stay in one of the smoke filled casinos instead.
I feel this is the best it gets based on the amount of money you pay.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
I had better start from the beginning. We found the lodge - yes it's right next to the lake. That's pretty cool. But we pulled into the parking lot and immediately found it to be very icy. People were slipping all over the place. Yes, I know it's winter in Tahoe, but the lodge could've put some effort into de-icing the parking lot. Seriously - put down some salt!
The lobby was pretty nice, like someone previously said. Nice looking couches (I didn't sit) and a big fireplace. But how much time do you spend in the lobby? Just checking in and out. The guy checking us in was nice.
We slid into the parking lot. There are carports as the first floor of the building, but everything was occupied, so we parked in the lot. then we had to hunt for the door into the building. After we finally found it and slipped on the ice right over the doorstep, we went up to our room.
Now, we had 3 people. They knew this when we booked it, and when we checked in. The room we had (a 'Kitchen' room) had a max occupancy of 3. We walked in. Ok, there's the queen bed, and a small couch. Does it pull out? Nope. So where's the third person supposed to sleep? We call the front desk. "Oh, is there no roll-away bed?" Nope. So the guy had to go hunt around and find us a bed. The roll-away bed totally sucked. Sagged in the middle, springs popping up. Yuck.
Oh, and 3 people, right? But only 2 towels. We had to ask for extra towels. And every morning, the maids would take away our third towel, so we kept having to ask for more. Speaking of the maids, one morning we walked by a room they were "cleaning." Yea, they were sitting in there, chatting away. Plus there was a piece of trash in the closet of our room from the previous guest that they never picked up. I threw it away myself.
Oh yea, back to the room. Our room was non-smoking and smelled ok. But the floor was a mix of smoking & non-smoking rooms, so the hallway smelled funky. The queen bed that was in the room was probably the cheapest thing they could find in the store 10 years ago. When leaning on it, you could feel all the springs. The only reason I could sleep was probably because I was exhausted from skiing.
Here's what else the advertise:
Lake view - if you mean by standing way off to the side of the window and peaking between two buildings
Free wireless internet - in the lobby only
Continental breakfast - stale pastries and weird things floating in my juice
Since the first floor of the lodge is a carport, our 2nd floor room was right above some car that kept revving it's engine in the morning. Probably attempting to get out over the ice. The blue tarp tacked over some of the carport spaces looked... well, tacky. The orange extension cords, with the junction points covered in duct tape, that led to the gutter drainage pipes looked dangerous and suspicious. Oh, and we could hear every step from the guests upstairs.
The rest of the room was ok. The bathroom was fine and the kitchen was nice. The kitchen had a basic set of pots & pans, and some dinnerware and silverware. But there were no knives for chopping.
The Royal Valhalla is an awesome, low key place to stay. Period.
You can't beat having gorgeous lake views and a beach right outside your patio. The casinos and downtown-y area are within walking distance. And if it's too cold out you can hop on the shuttle bus!
Not posh but definitely livable! Friendly staff and good deals. A little breakfast is included and tea and cookies are always available in the lobby along with a roaring fire! Ahhhh....
I had an awesome time!!! The hotel is a little old but for the price the Royal Valhalla is the Sheit! They offer free hot cocoa 24/7 and the free continental breakfast was better than most. They even have a continental room where you can enjoy your vittles if you don't want to eat in your room. The breakfast server was so nice. He let us in a little early to help ourselves to what ever was out. He was great.
The hotel is only miutes away from everything. Heavenly Village, the Nevada Strip, grocery stores, and a couple restaurants.
The pool and hot tub is heated year round but we didn't go in because there was some old couple in there gitten freaky. Yuck!!!
We rented a family suite which slept 8. It had a full stocked kitchen and the rooms were pretty roomy. Whenever we called the front desk, the clerks were always very friendly and were able to provide suggestions on places to go and helpful tips on how to handle the snow. We got towels asap whenever we called for them and one of the clerks was able to find us coupons for $5 off lift tickets when he found out where we were skiing. I really expected to to get bad service because we weren't paying $300 a night but the staff at the Royal Valhalla was ***** (five stars). Big thanks to ROSA and KAREN. They went especially out of their way to make sure we had a good expierience. ROSA, KAREN, Thank you again!!!
For a Saturday night stay it was $121 (with tax), we got a 2-room unit with a deck that had a partial view of the lake! I think this place was quite decent. Don't expect fancy accommodations, this is you're bet for comfortable lodging. Plus, you're walking distance to the Heavenly Gondola and the casinos. Also, the front desk staff was super friendly.
People thought this was:
- Cool (1)
Ok, there is a view on the water and a private beach (we didn't go) but it's a little too seedy for my taste. Pricing was good and I really don't know what to expect in SLT.
My wife and I drove up to South Lake Tahoe this week, for a cheap get a way from the city for our wedding anniversary. We saw before we left the Bay Area that there were a ton of vacancies, so we decided to play it by ear and find a place to stay when we got there. The Royal Valhalla was the second place we found, appealing to us because it was right on the lake. When we walked in the lobby, we could tell it was a much more serious attempt at running a hotel than the first one we tried - no jaded, chain smoking old lady with a screen door, but a fireplace and a very pleasant, helpful young man behind the desk (I wish I could remember his name). We asked if he had any rooms with a view, and he offered us room 264, and admitted that it was only partial. He gave us a key and told us to go check it out, and offered us about half off the rack rate. Inspecting the room, it was very clean, well stocked with towels, and had a queen size bed, full kitchen, dining table, couch, and a balcony patio with a decent little view of the lake. We took it for two nights.
The room comes with a private beach pass. We scoped it out, there's a little restaurant there that is probably nice to have breakfast at, but it wasn't really our speed. Cool option, though.
My 2000 G4 laptop got four bars consistently in my room. Open network meant I didn't have to screw around with a login or pay any fees. Bonus!
If there is A/C in this room, I couldn't get it to work. Good thing I didn't need it, I usually like to set hotel rooms to the "meat locker" setting. What can I say, I like it cold. With the screen door on the patio, we got a nice breeze during the night.
Didn't spend a lot of time watching TV, but there were plenty of channels, and an A/V in on the front.
Also, we didn't gamble, but the hotel is located directly on the state line, so it's easy to walk or drive up to Harrahs or Harveys and get your casino on.
The bed and pillows were comfortable enough, and there were four pillows - I hate when hotels only give you one per person.
The water pressure in the shower was very good, and I had plenty of hot water. I managed not to clog the toilet, which is a plus.
There's a pool and jacuzzi, neither of which we used, but several other guests did while we were there, so they must have found it pleassant. It seemed to be clean and upkept.
The continental breakfast is just that. Another review on here complained about it - it was an above average low priced hotel continental breakfast, in my opinion. Nothing exciting, but doughnuts, toaster waffles, pop tart, cereal, english muffins, hard boiled eggs along with cold pitchers of apple, cranberry, or orange juice, milk, or hot coffee. If the goal is to get some carbs and juice into your stomach in the morning, it works just fine, otherwise, go buy yourself some breakfast! One half star off for the bizarre local womens/spiritual The View rip off show we were subjected to on the television. Suggestion: either CNN, ESPN, or off.
Another half star off for the weird garbage and mess just around our building while we were there. Kind of gross.
Everyone there was extemely pleasant, and we will definitely stay there again sometime!
The third star is for the view right on the lake. We had a third floor room with direct lake front view. Make sure you have this. Otherwise there is nothing special here. Rooms are cheap but all possible corners are cut in terms of service. Wireless internet access is advertised but only works in the lobby... kind of. Continental breakfast consists of industrial corn syrup and partially hydrogenated soy stuff in the shape of various food looking items. Seriously I can't think of any exceptions except for apples which were the only fruit. Maybe the foam pillows were made of this stuff too.
