MVC Timber Lodge, South Lake Tahoe – Best Villa Location, Before Arrival Tasks, Grocery Tips, and Resort Map!!!

So you’ve got your reservation! There are some things you can do BEFORE you arrive to help ensure you have a fantastic experience.

• Check to see if any renovations or property closures are in effect.  I hear frequently from owners who requested a certain location for their villa, only to arrive and find out some renovation is going on that they weren’t aware of. For instance, they requested a particular building to have a great view and the building has scaffolding while it is painted. Review the property status before you go to be aware of what will be the situation when you arrive.  Best place to check that for any MVC resort is by going to MVC Property Updates . To access Timber Lodge specifically, go to Timber Lodge Property Updates. Having said that, the updates given on the website state that the Kids Club is closed, while in fact it was open a few hours a day while we were there.
• About 2 weeks before you arrive CALL the resort directly and request which building and floor you want to stay in. I realize you receive an email from the resort asking you for your preferences, which you should complete. But I have had better outcomes at the properties I have called directly. Plus, you can provide more info to the Guest Relations staff who takes your call — elevator, quiet, wheel chair accessibility, etc.
• What is the best location to request for you villa? There are only 2 buildings at the Timber Lodge, both wrapping around the pool. My preference is to face the pool on a high floor in either building. It isn’t as noisy as facing the Gondola/shops/live bands. And it’s much better than looking at a parking lot or other buildings. But be sure to specify NOT to stay on the very TOP floor. The top floor has lots of gables in the ceiling, reducing the windows and making the villas feel much smaller. If you have small children, I stay on the lower floors, but always try and face the pool. We recently stayed in villa 7231, which was in the Alpine Building, second floor. Because of the lay of the land, it actually was on the ground floor, right in the middle near the pool. A door going to the pool was next to our room and very convenient. Perfect for our needs with the grandchildren. And our villa had a small balcony, too — very few villas have a balcony, and they are all very small. Only enough room for a tiny table and two chairs.
• Both buildings have elevators. The North side of either building is the farthest walk from the lobby. The gate to the shops/restaurants area is on the South side of the property. See Resort Map below.
• Set up an account at Raley’s Grocery Store. Raley’s is located across the street of both Timber Lodge and the Grand Residences and very convenient to go to. If you go to their website (link here) Raley’s — South Lake Tahoe and register, you will get their member’s discount on certain groceries.
• You can have groceries delivered to your villa directly if you want the convenience. Currently in South Tahoe, only 2 grocery stores deliver via Instacart — The Wine Shop and Grocery Outlet. I’ve never shopped at either, so can’t give a personal recommendation. Since Raley’s is across the street, we have always done the shopping ourselves.

Below is a map of the resort. The Grand Residences property is to the right of Heavenly Gondola, along with several shops and restaurants. It is common to have as many as 3 live bands playing at the same time at the various restaurants — a really fun environment to sit and watch the people!!