Last week, Art surprised me by “kidnapping” me away to South Lake Tahoe for two days.  We had not gone on a trip away just the two of us in almost a year and it was so relaxing!

We stayed at the 3 Peaks Resort and Beach Club, just three blocks from the casinos at Stateline.  The rate for a King Deluxe room was $34 per night for Sunday and Monday nights, which is a great deal for the area.  The rooms looked pretty basic, from the website, with a King bed, table with two chairs, dresser with TV, and a bathroom with tub and shower.  The decor was cabinlike and homey.

When we arrived at the hotel, we were immediately greeted by Hank, the resident Boston terrier.  Upon check-in, the desk clerk let us know that we were being upgraded for free to one of the Poolside Suites.  We weren’t sure what that meant until we saw our room.

The Poolside Suites are amazing!!  Our room was spacious, with a king-sized bed, sofa, built-in dresser and desk, flat-screen TV and jacuzzi tub.  The bathroom was covered in beautiful mosaic tile and there was a walk-in shower with a bench seat!!  The main entrance to our room was from the parking lot, but through a sliding glass door on the other side of the room, we could enter our own private gated patio, which led to the pool area.

The pool was closed for the season, but the hot tub was open.  Pool towels are available at the front desk. The hot tub was two-tiered with a waterfall spilling over from the top tier into the second.  The jet controls on the outside of the poolhouse control both tiers. We spent so much time in the hot tub that we never got to try the jacuzzi tub in our room. We’ll have to save that for next time.

The pool area is open until 11 p.m.  Although we had no problems with noise, I think that during the summer months the poolside suites might get a little loud.

The lobby of the hotel has a pool table and TV.  Coffee and tea are served all day.  The southern  building has a refreshment center with ice machine, vending machines and coupons and flyers for various nearby attractions.  We found a little coupon book in the lobby that had lots of discounts on touristy items, as well as local restaurants.  Monday night we ate at a Chinese buffet off the Y which had decent food for only $10 a person.

The lake is only about a 10 minute walk from the hotel and hotel guests get private beach access. Casinos, Heavenly Valley gondola, movie theaters and restaurants ranging from Burger King and Subway to the new 19 Kitchen Bar and Lounge at Harvey’s and Friday’s Steakhouse at Harrah’s with dramatic views of the mountains and lake from the top of the casinos.  Sunday night Art and I iwalked to Harrah’s and had dinner at the Forest Buffet, also at the the top of the hotel.

The uber-comfy bed, convenient HVAC unit (disguised by a photo of the lake), plus all the other amenities already described and the friendliness of the staff, combined with the phenomenal rate (off-peak rate for the Poolside Suite is still on $70 per night) makes 3 Peaks Resort and Beach Club a no-brainer pick for a fun and relaxing South Lake Tahoe vacation!!  5 Boston terriers for this resort!! Arf! Arf! Arf! Arf! Arf!

You can make reservations for 3 Peaks by visiting 3PeaksHotel.com or calling 530-544-1480.

I did not receive any compensation for this review.  I purchased my own room and all opinions are my own.

I carried my youngest son on my hip until he was about 3.  He weighed 30 or so pounds by then. I went to the doctor for what I thought was pleurisy. As it turned out, I had strained muscles from carrying around that much weight, not to mention displacing my hip that far for him to ride on. After that I made him walk on his own.  I held his hand, but he had to walk on his own.

We all get to that point sometimes where we feel like the person in the “Footprints” poem, who says to God, “But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there have only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?” to which the Lord replied, “Those times when you see only one set of footprints, it is then that I carried you.”

Thank God for those carrying moments, but sometimes we want God to carry us even though we don’t NEED God to carry us.  Like my 3 year old son.

I remember one time hiking up to Eagle Lake, near Lake Tahoe with my husband.  I was pretty out of shape at the time and with my asthma, the elevation, at about 5600 feet was really getting to me.  My husband kept encouraging me along, reminding me that it’s only a mile to the lake and it’s all downhill on the way back, but I finally just gave up.  I sat down on a rock and refused to budge.  Finally Art looked at me and said, “Well, I’m not going to carry you down.  You can do this.  Just take your time.”  And I got up and held his hand and made it to the lake, which was a spectacular view and the walk back was completely downhill.

So sometimes I think we WANT to be done.  We want God to pick us up and carry us until the rough part is over.  But God knows what we can handle and He tells us we can do it – He will hold our hand and guide us, but we need to get through this on our own two feet.  And think of how much stronger we are for having done it with God’s help, rather than having God do it for us.

…but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.

 – Isaiah 40:31