The Peak of Pampering

With nary an antler chandelier or a bear-skin rug in sight, The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe (Truckee, CA), which opened in December, has successfully added a glam factor to the classic idea of a rustic mountain lodge. The first LEED-designed Ritz-Carlton and the second mountain resort in the hotel group's portfolio (Bachelor Gulch, CO, opened in 2002), the building harmoniously blends into its environment and is discreetly tucked mid-mountain in a forest of pine trees at the Northstar-at-Tahoe ski resort.

Inspired by iconic 20th century lodges, such as the Timberline Lodge on Oregon's Mt. Hood, the Ritz was constructed with natural materials that were primped and polished to perfection. At the heart of the resort is the Living Room, a communal area that surrounds a stately 55-foot granite fireplace column. Cozy furnishings are sprinkled throughout this contemporary space, which also features smooth caramel-colored wooden beams on the ceiling that glisten in the natural sunlight that streams in from 25-foot windows. Sure, fireplaces and flannel are spotted around this ski-in/ski-out resort, but so are martinis and Montcler jackets alongside guests, who would prefer to not sacrifice an ounce of chic for the sake of being sporty.

The refined, yet cozy, alpine-inspired aesthetic of the resort is carried through to the 17,000-square-foot Ritz-Carlton Highlands Spa, Lake Tahoe, which features a consistent, yet subtle, theme. "The spa design celebrates the magic of the High Sierras at Lake Tahoe," says Stanford Hughes of San Francisco-based BraytonHughes Design Studios. "The feeling the spa was intended to evoke was that of being suspended in the forest above Lake Tahoe, connecting with the mountain setting visually and metaphorically in a natural, elegant, and comfortable manner."

Upon entering the spa, guests are immediately introduced to this woods-and-water idea by simply taking in the panoramic view of the mountains and enjoying the natural light, which streams in through floor-to-ceiling windows. These windows run along one side of the spa on the floor that is home to the reception desk, retail area, salon, and state-of-the-art fitness center. "The slopeside location of our spa and the expansive views of the forest are integral to the experience we offer, as well as the sense of place we deliver," says spa director Michael Taylor. "We want to provide a place where guests can relax, restore, and rejuvenate in an amazing setting—a warm space that complements the refreshing mountain experience."

Paying a tangible homage to the region's woodsy environment, many of the building materials used in the spa, according to Hughes, came from the western region of the U.S., including stone from Montana and Douglas fir columns and cedar panels from the Pacific Northwest. Even the wild yarrow flowers that are suspended in glass panels behind the registration desk come from the Sierra foothills.

Leaving the bright lights behind them, guests descend to the warmly lit treatment area on the ground level, which is where the true relaxation occurs and the 16 treatment rooms—all named after native blooms—are located. This experience of heading downstairs is supposed to mimic the feeling of descending into the forest and is enhanced by an abstract representation of a row of branches that hang above one's head, which Taylor explains is an architectural detail that is echoed throughout the hotel giving it the feel of "a contemporary forest sanctuary."

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