Sunnyside is an essential part of the magic of Tahoe's West Shore. I've visited the property quite often through my whole life, and have fond memories from years of experiences there, but had never stayed overnight before. What a pleasure to wake up in the morning to that amazing view! Better yet, what joy to sit and watch the sun go down, and the colors deepen on the mountains, and not have to drive home!
Any property on the lake shore should be focused on the exquisite beauty of the water and mountains, and Sunnyside does an excellent job, bringing the beauty inside. Every room in the building is designed to optimize the experience of being on the water. It would be easy to spend entire days and nights experiencing Tahoe in all its glory, every hour, without ever leaving the property.
Sunnyside is comfortable. I slept deeply on a delicious mattress, enjoying the lush linens, and total silence. In the morning, the breakfast nook offered not only a wonderful assortment of yummy treats and great coffee, but yet another cozy spot to sit and get lost in the view. Free wi-fi is available through the whole building, and it is a real treat to sit by the fire on a chilly night with some hot delicious food, a glass of elegant wine, writing emails and ruminating on life. My room itself was a good size, tastefully decorated, pleasant to spend time in, and offered in-room bottles of some of California's best wines at extraordinarily good prices. Hard to resist! The ensuite facilities are clean, well-maintained, and pleasant. Knowing how busy Sunnyside is, I wondered just how loud it is in the rooms, and I was pleasantly surprised by how quiet it was.
The staff is available to help with anything at any time, and were pleasant to deal with, making every effort to accommodate all my requests. Their friendliness and helpfulness contributed a personal, welcoming element to my stay.
In the summer, Sunnyside is THE place to be on the north and west shores. A bustling marina, a waterski school and boat parking, kayak and jetski rentals, and a public beach are literally right there. Sunnyside's deck is enormous (the largest on the lake?) and virtually no one comes to Tahoe City in the summer without stopping at Sunnyside. Nothing beats sitting outside at sunset, watching a full moon rise over the mountains in the alpenglow, enjoying a delicious adult beverage and zucchini sticks while eyeing the talent. Unless it's sitting outside at sunset, watching a full moon rise over the mountains in the alpenglow, savoring a filet mignon and lingering over a deep glass of Cabernet.
In the winter, Sunnyside's charms are even more homey: gleaming wood and polished brass, big roaring fires and fat, comfortable chairs, glowing warm lighting, and outside the windows, crystalline-cold night air and the glittering stars. The atmosphere is cheerful, homey and relaxing, in an honest way. Evidenced by a bar full of locals and regulars, Sunnyside is so welcoming that many consider it a second home. On a weekend night, or the Wednesday fish taco events in winter, the cheerfulness becomes heightened, and once again, it is the place to be for a good time after dark.
To me, Sunnyside feels like home. It seemed so natural to stay overnight; I should have been doing this all along!
Room Tip: The view from the lakefront rooms deserves 10 stars. It doesn't get any better.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
