Firelite Lodge

I’d been looking forward to spending Jan 29 – 31 in North Lake Tahoe but we had to cancel this trip from San Francisco with the children because of the weekend’s winter storm warning. Official warnings were to stay off the roads, there was a likely closure of 80, and in spite of my explaining that we could not drive up in this storm with children, Firelite Lodge refused to accommodate my request to transfer the booking to a different weekend.
I had discussed that we would surely be back up in north country later this month. Instead Firelite Lodge quoted a 7-​day cancellation policy, and charged my credit card for one night claiming they could not afford to move my booking. Given the great ski season, this statement is hard to believe.
All in all Firelite Lodge ranks as a very poor hotel, inhospitable to its customers, and lacking in basic courtesy. All reasons to not consider this place.

This lodge is a gem in North Tahoe! We got a room with two queen beds and the lake view. It’s a small room but cozy and nicely renovated. Easy parking, very conveniently located to the stores, ski shuttles and to many ski-​reports in North Tahoe. Breakfast is provided, outdoor hot tub is there for relaxation after snow activities. Microwave and a bar fridge are always convenient for family trip with small kiddos. Plus, gas fireplace kept us warm at night.

Excellent value for money and great proximity to several ski resorts. The fireplace kept the room warm and cozy when it was well below freezing outside. Our room (27) was quiet and clean and the little kitchenette was perfect for preparing snacks. The bed was very comfortable. No problem with the wifi. Breakfast served til 10. Standard motel breakfast but adequate enough. Front desk staff extremely friendly and helpful. Would definitely stay here again.

Easy check in. Nice clean room that looks to have been newly renovated. WiFi was fast. Breakfast was good and served from 7:30 to 10. Beata at the front desk was friendly and accommodating. I will be coming back and recommending this to anyone looking for a nice quiet place to stay in North Tahoe.

Nice place, perfect location, clean comfy room, good breakfast (great waffles). We stayed 2 nights, kayak and paddle board rental across the street, restaurants within walking distance all around. Priced low so wasn’t expecting too much, was so pleasantly surprised, this place is great.

This is more of an upgraded motel on two levels than a «lodge»
Be aware there is no elevator, so you’ll be carrying any luggage up and down a flight and a half of stairs.
Also, be aware that the rear parking lot in edged with large rocks that may not be read correctly by parking sensors. Oops!
We stayed one night in a double queen top floor room with a lake view. Overall we had a comfortable stay. The room itself is on the smallish side of normal but in no way uncomfortable. The view of lake Tahoe was beautiful.
Our room was clean. Beds were comfortable. There was a little balcony to sit out on. There was a small refrigerator with no freezer (The manager was happy to take our cooler packs and freeze them overnight.)
There is decent free WiFi. The selection of cable stations was limited.
There is a small pool and Lake Tahoe is right across the road.
A free breakfast is offered. It looked very limited so we opted to go somewhere else.
The only real issue we had with the hotel is that there are clearstory windows with screens along the side of the room that faces the outside walkway. You can open them for ventilation, they have screens — which is good. Unfortunately there are bright lights along the walkway and with the windows open or shut a lot of light streams into the room at night. We found it somewhat annoying, others might not. These walkway windows if open might also result in a noise problem but didn’t for us.
The door to the balcony did not have a screen so leaving it open was not an option.
The hotel was inexpensive and a good value, especially for what is provided.

Nice intimate lodge with a beautiful beach directly across the street. Spacious, clean room with a fireplace and kitchenette. Free Wi-​Fi and continental breakfast.

I thought it was a nice room. Little awkward with sink outside of bathroom don’t think I’ve seen something like that but I didn’t mind. Room was clean and next to pool and also right in front of Lake. I’d definitely stay here again. Price was good too. Love the pillows.

Liked everything about the room especially the bed and fireplace. Our room on the first floor opened into the pool area. Enjoyed the hot tub. The included continental breakfast was hearty and delicious, enough to start off a day of snowshoeing.

Absolutely great value!
Comfy bed
Fireplace heater is a nice touch
Kitchenette is functional
And damn if this isn’t Fastest WiFi I’ve ever seen at a hotel, but sadly couldn’t stream, but thats not unexpected
Everything was recently updated and clean

My husband and I stayed here the week of Christmas and were looking forward to a nice winter getaway. The lady at the front desk was nice and recommended we pick up the local magazine next to the door since this was our first time staying in the area. Let’s start with the positives.
Value — I chose this place because of the free breakfast, supposedly good wifi, and its proximity to the 3 ski resorts on the north side. Being in a hotel, we avoided having to pay the ridiculous holiday up charges of staying in a cabin or renting someone else’s vacation home during Christmas.
Updated Accommodations — The room had a nice fireplace that acted as the heater. Flat screen TV was nice too. We didn’t utilize the kitchenette much but it looked decent with a fridge, microwave, sink, two wine glasses and wine opener. It even had two USB outlets for charging devices. The bathroom is updated and modern. I appreciated how the shower head was against the wall facing in towards our unit (and not the shared wall) because if all the units are this way, the likelihood of hearing your neighbor showering is greatly reduced.
Bed — comfortable and warm. The lady at the front desk mentioned that they change the mattresses after summer to make them more comfortable for winter. The pillows are very soft but give little neck support for my liking.
Now for the negatives.
Bad Internet Reception — Our room (#27) on the third floor had zero cell phone reception with AT&T so getting wifi was very important. However, our internet reception was terrible and dropped off frequently. We were on the side closest to the office but I had to sit on the floor, right next to the balcony to get any decent reception. Seems like they used to have a second router available and I think they would greatly benefit from having it again. If it was there, half of the guests should connect to it if they can’t boost the range and bandwidth of their current router. From my testing, I believe the router is in the office. This affected my stay so minus one star.
Noise — On the third floor, I expected it to be pretty quiet since I wouldn’t have to deal with the possibility of anyone stomping above me. I was not happy about waking up at 4am to the sound of my neighbor’s TV through the wall. I could also hear them talking through the walls too. I’m a light sleeper and this is one of my biggest pet peeves about sharing walls with others. Additionally the gas fireplace makes popping noises which sounds much like the dripping of a leaky faucet. Minus another star.
Bathroom — These ones are just me nitpicking. The sink has zero counter space but there is a drawer under the sink to store toiletries. The bathroom doesn’t have an air duct to air it out after a shower so guests are asked to open the window in the bathroom for ventilation. Problem is, the window is small and located right at the ceiling. I’m 5′ 2″ and don’t appreciate having to drag the dining chair back and forth after every shower. A foldable step stool in the room would’ve been helpful.
Conclusion — a great place to stay when it isn’t the busy season and you want to be close to places on the north side. Internet is available but might be unreliable. Bring earplugs if you’re a light sleeper.
On a side note, there aren’t any elevators. If you require wheelchair accessibility, call ahead to ask about accommodations for your needs.

Great price, nice location, clean and a good place to stay after snowboarding.
Likes: Location is central in the north Lake Tahoe area. Most ski resorts are at furthest, a 20 minute drive. The lodge was clean and quiet. Far enough away from the street that you don’t hear cars. Price was definitely in the lower range when I was researching the area.
The continental breakfast is good compared to other motels I’ve been to. In addition to the standard pastries, cereal and beverages (which is the bare minimum for a continental breakfast), they have a waffle iron, boiled eggs, fruit, toast, mini bagels and some spreads. Great way to start a day of activities.
The room is clean and the bathroom looked closer to a hotel one than a motel bathroom. Cute fireplace and you could stay in and watch a bunch of TV if you wanted to. WiFi was fast. Was a necessity for me because my T-​Mobile phone had no reception in the room (could use iMessage and Hangouts).
Dislikes: Not many food places in the area, so you’d have to drive out if you want to eat. The hot tub is in an awkward place too. It’s fine if it’s warm out, but I don’t think I’d want to venture to the side of the parking area when it’s freezing outside.
I’d stay here again if I go back to Tahoe.

Super cute lodging for the price. The room was clean, cozy, and comfortable. The gas fireplace was the perfect touch and kept us warm. The front desk (owners?) were really helpful and friendly. The continental breakfast was delicious– homemade Belgium waffles, fruit, muffins, bagels, eggs, etc. A breakfast like that would have cost us at least $ 50 at the ski resort. Plus, it only took us 15 minutes to get to the ski resort. We’re definitely staying here next time we head to Northstar!

Nice hotel in north lake tahoe
Came to lake tahoe for the new years, and choose this Firelite Lodge because of it’s close proximity to the Squaw Valley ski resort. The drive to the mountain is pretty quick, about 20 – 30 minutes one way, and so we ended up being there everyday before 9am, and was literally waiting for the lifts to start. Talk about being the first to get on the mountain!
In terms of the lodge itself, the interiors look very new. In the main lodge check-​in area, the lodge itself is small, but look clean and nice. They also serve free breakfast in the main lodge area, and even though the breakfast didn’t have fancy scrambled eggs or bacon, there was a lot of tasty items like fresh fruits, a waffle maker, toasted bagels and raisin bread slices, and hard boiled eggs. A lot of pretty tasty, healthy stuff that gives you the energy to tackle the mountains for the rest of the day
Inside the individual rooms, the vibe inside is also amazing. The bathroom is pristine clean, and spotless, which is amazing. The bedding looked pretty much new. The heat inside was great – we went their on the coldest day of the year (according to the weather channel), and the heat was so good in the room that we actually felt hot and had to open the door at one point for a few min. There was even an actual fireplace in each individual room. The TV had a lot of channels, and there was a lot of equipment like wine glasses and bottle openers which was a pleasant surprise.
It’s no wonder this place had no vacancy during the 3 days we were there, with a huge red flashing «no vacancy» sign near the entrance outside. Will definitely come back to this place next time, if I can find a spot!

Excellent location, great value. We stayed here the weekend of 10÷3−10÷5 and enjoyed it very much. The room is clean, spacious, and the fireplace is just the right touch (it’s also the heater for the room) I loved the patio area. The bathroom was nice but the sink had zero counter space — that was a bit annoying but it isn’t a huge issue.
We arrived late — around 8 ish. Check-​in was a breeze. They give you REAL KEYS to your room — not card keys. When the gentlemen handed them to us, I was really confused. What is this? A real key? Like, REAL METAL KEY? I didn’t even know how to process that — neither did my travel buddy. It was hilarious. That said, I actually really liked the old school feel of this place. It’s a true lodge in every sense of the word — small, charming, right across the street from the lake. The beds were very comfy with plenty of pillows and the TV worked well, oh and free WiFi!!!
The rate was pretty standard for the area and given the location, I thought it was a great rate. Parking is limited and in the evenings, all the parking in the back is taken — so we ended up having to park closer to the front. It wasn’t a big deal — the area is really safe.
I’d highly recommend staying here if you are looking for a simple, quaint, spacious room that is close to just about everything.

We enjoyed our stay, that was the cleanest small hotel that I saw in a while, its a family business with a strong integrity. I liked continental breakfast, fireplace and updated bathrooms.

Really great place. Very clean, good breakfast, helpful, friendly, accommodating staff. I want to take another trip just to stay there.

We looked at a ton of reviews and hotels before we settled on this place and I’m glad we chose here.
Room was clean and neat. Comp breakfast with Belgian waffle maker was very good. Free WiFi was most helpful as being in management, I usually have to work at least for a few minutes even when I’m off.
I understand they remodeled last year and they did a good job. I like the bathroom tiles and sinks. The shower head should be changed out. I hate the ones they have but they worked.
There is a sink and good size mini fridge with microwave and coffee maker in the main part of the room which was very nice. Only gripe there is that the sink is shallow… standard bathroom size depth so it is hard to wash a water bottle.
Doesn’t have a DVD player and you can’t hook anything up to the big screen flat screen but the desk said that is in the works.
Like this place and would have been a 5 except for one thing: the room was too warm. Weird to say that about a room in the winter but we got HOT! We only had the fireplace going to dry out our gloves, etc an the. Had to shut if off. We had a middle floor room so mate everyone around us had their heat on but we couldn’t keep ours running for very long without going from comfortable to too hot pretty quick. There is no AC unit in the room so I don’t think we’d stay here during the summer based on our winter experience but we would def choose to stay here again.

Great place to stay. Reasonable and super clean. They remodeled the rooms last year. Nice tile bathroom floor, firm king size beds, LCD TV and a mini fridge.
Some of the rooms have great views of the lake.
Owners are a wonderful couple. Very helpful.
Highly recommend.

I’m on the fence about how many stars I want to give this place so I settled in the middle. Firelite is a pretty standard, 70s-​looking motel.
The rooms are clean, the front desk help is pleasant. We had a king size bed room on the second floor with a view of the lake. The room had a microwave and mini fridge which was convenient. We also had a good sized flat screen TV with a variety of channels.
A couple of upsides to this place is that it’s right across the street from a mellow beach and only a mile from Kings Beach. Also, they have a complimentary breakfast with make-​it-​yourself waffles, fruit salad, cold cereal, muffins, coffee, juice. The waffles were a nice surprise and we happily ate them most mornings. Also, the Mexican place right next door is a must-​try!
My complaints are that the Internet didn’t really work in the room (#26) — only on the balcony and hit and miss from the desk. I didn’t realize there were only certain spots it worked and called the front desk to see if there was a problem with the Internet. They immediately questioned my knowledge/​ability to log into a wireless network. You think they’d know by now that the signal is shotty.
My second complaint isn’t really a complaint but… The rooms don’t have air conditioning. Luckily it was only in the high 70s while I was there but I can imagine it would be a little miserable to be on the second floor in 80something degree weather.
Lastly, it’s pretty pricey for what it is. I would probably give this place another star if it were a bit more affordable.
All in all, I’d stay there again.