Desolation Hotel provides outdoor enthusiasts with the best of both worlds: luxurious amenities and unmatched access to the great outdoors. Designed to equally inspire outdoor exploration as they are to invite tranquility, our resorts allow you to simultaneously light the fire that fuels you and recharge your battery. Spend the morning hiking our favorite scenic trail or paddleboarding on the lake, and take all afternoon to rest: lounging in the pool, sauna, or your own private soaking tub. Our wildernests balance reverence for the past and appreciation for the present, with charming features that allude to the simplicity and ease of yesteryear, and plush amenities that elevate the experience yet still feel like home.
Inspired by the preservationist and pioneer John Muir, we encourage both exploration and celebration of the natural wonders that surround us. We aim to be exceptional stewards of the entire Sierra Nevada region, Influenced by Muir’s reverence for the Earth as well as his passion for its preservation.
Desolation Hotel was born out of a love for the great outdoors; out of a desire to celebrate the wondrous area that surrounds; and out of a yearning to share the bounty of these natural wonders with other outdoor enthusiasts boasting a similar passion for exploration.
After spending more than four decades creating exceptional experiences in the consumer electronics industry, the owners of Desolation Hotel yearned to build a community that would synthesize their passion for tech with their love of outdoor exploration. With a focus on delivering exceptional experiences both inside the resorts and outside of them, Desolation Hotel has become more than a place where modern adventurers can stay and relax during their vacation. It has become a basecamp for exploration; a launching pad for touring, enjoying and celebrating the wonder that is the great American West.
Although they officially became Tahoe residents in 2019, the owners of Desolation Hotel have been visiting the greater Sierra Nevada region for more than 40 years. Their nuclear family of nine spent nearly every summer at Lake Tahoe, and as a result came to know the charming town of Hope Valley and its storied resort as well. It is because of their appreciation for and celebration of this portion of the country — the magnificent Sierra Nevada mountains, the crystal clear Lake Tahoe, the rugged Desolation Wilderness to its west, and the pristine Hope Valley to its south — that Desolation Hotel has become a beacon for travelers seeking true, outdoor immersion. A place where every staff member is knowledgeable and passionate about celebrating the gifts this area has to share, Desolation Hotel invites guests to reinvigorate their connection with nature and themselves by soaking up the magnificence that surrounds.
Desolation Hotel was created by a family that believes in the magic of relationships — connecting with others and connecting with nature. As such, we’re excited to bring our passion and reverence to the hospitality industry here in Lake Tahoe and Hope Valley, California.
More than just a place to rest your head, Desolation Hotel is a steward of the environment, a patron of the community, and a student of everything the area and its past has to teach us. While we’re committed to playing a role in protecting the wilderness we love, we are equally passionate about expanding our local reach to help our community thrive – today and tomorrow.
