I brought my family to Mammoth to stay at Tamarack Lodge. We decided to try one of the cabins. We had planned to stay in a "historic" cabin but the management kindly worked with us to upgrade us to a beautiful deluxe unit with a bedroom and loft with extra beds for our kids. The appointments and furnishings in the cabin were absolutely perfect. We had beautiful wood floors and a gorgeous fireplace with a huge dining room table for family meals. The staff was very friendly and accomodating and my children loved having the freedom to ski right out the door on the beatifully groomed nordic trails. We will definitely come back to this spot each year, if possible. If I could give more than five stars, I would! I will upload photos later this week when I have my computer charger back (which the Tamarack Lodge staff found for me after we left and offered to mail out to me! :)

For what we paid for a 3 bdr deluxe cabin, we were not only treated like we were imposing on the management, but crazy too for bringing things to their attention. I don't think it is unreasonable to expect a manager to not take issue with a broken and uncomfortable chair in the living room, but he did. The same with the loose and broken (and sharp) bathroom tiles that were freshly set and not properly installed, but he did. Or the other sitting room chair that was soiled and discolored that he refused to acknowledge or replace saying "it's a cabin". Not to mention he did not repsond for two days to our complaints but kept sending staff who did nothing. The frefrigerator was broken too and was being replaced, after we left. But that wasn't something we were informed of beforehand or until after we had complained about it. This whole experience was a scene out of SNL. We have been bringing our family to this resort for 20 years, and paying 5 star rates because the service and furnishings were top rate and worth it. But this time we were totally put off and made to not only feel unwelcome, and that we were being unreasonable asking for the basics of what we paid for and shouldn't have to bring to their attention in the first place. No apology was ever offered, no discount was given. We were offered to move to another cabin with one day left in our trip. We declined to pack and move 11 people for one night. We will be staying at Snow Creek the next trip for a lot less and where you are appreciated and treated like guests. Night and day differnece between these two resorts. Our kids and grandkids really liked this place. What hapened to the words 'customer service' and the customer is always right?? They're lost here. The entire trip was very stressful delaing with all this. Not the relaxing, welcoming get away environment here it once was. A lot of managment training is needed before we'll ever come back. Left there not feeling rejueventated or like we had the great trip it was supposed to be for everyone at all. Especially when I got the bill. Left a real bad taste in all our mouths...This kind of treatment is totally unprofessional, unprecedented and uncalled for. Too bad, we love the area.

We read the reviews and were looking forward to both the lodge and the attached restaurant. We had a "deluxe" two-bedroom, which reportedly had been recently rennovated. Hah! Very dirty carpets throughout; all the furniture was run-down, scratched and scarred; the dishwasher pulled out of its cabinet; the sheets were nice, but duvee/comforter was dingy; great shower. The Lakefront Rest. was highly acclaimed and served mediocre food, AFTER a 45-minute wait for reservations made three months previous. And on top of the over-priced cabin was a $20/day "resort fee," which got us a "continental breakfast" of raisin bran and toast, on paper plates, and intermitent WiFi. Best thing about the place was its very quiet location, and leaving.

In December 2011, I visiting Tamarack Lodge with my wife, 3-year old daughter, and another adult friend of ours. We stayed in one of their deluxe 2-bedroom cabins, and had an excellent experience. The kitchen was the perfect size for our small group, and enabled us to cook all of our meals, which (since we're foodies) saved us substantially on the cost of the rest of our trip. The decor and furniture was comfortable and inviting, and the staff was extremely prompt in responding to our needs. And the great walking trails around the Tamarack Lodge were perfect for entertaining my daughter; she thoroughly enjoyed walking over the bridges, or going to watch the birds in the lake. The only downside to our trip was that there wasn't enough snow at the lodge for crosscountry skiing or sledding, but I can't blame that on them.

All in all, a wonderful place to bring families with small children; the deluxe cabin worked great as a luxurious and comfortable base for our family, and helped us keep our extra costs (food, entertainment) down substantially compared to if we'd been staying in the Village or any other location.