On the Market: The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe

01/01/2008

Location: Immediately above the mid-mountain area of Northstar-at-Tahoe.

For Sale: Twenty-three whole-ownership residences on the top floors of the forthcoming 170-room Ritz-Carlton Hotel (a number of them have already been sold), which is being developed by Tahoe Mountain Resorts— whose other projects in the area include the Old Greenwood and Gray’s Crossing golf communities.

Design: Like the Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, the Highlands will have a traditional mountain feel, but with modern accents such as sleek architectural lines and expanses of glass. Furniture packages that mimic the hotel’s design will be offered.

Building Amenities: Among the resort’s amenities are a 21,500-square-foot spa, fitness center, restaurants, wine bar and a gondola connecting the resort to the village. Additional perks include a private entry with its own elevator, an art gallery, ski concierge, ski storage and an owners lounge. Moreover, as with all Tahoe Mountain Resorts properties, buyers will be part of the Tahoe Mountain Club, whose facilities have three golf courses, one of which is private, and members-only restaurants on Lake Tahoe and at the top of Northstar.

What Sets It Apart: "There is no other ski-in/ski-out property in Tahoe. Most of the resorts are on public land and weren’t planned for that kind of access," says Jay Lambiotte, vice president of finance at East West Partners, Tahoe Mountain Resort’s parent company. "The connectivity between the resort and the village is pretty nice, too—if you were stuck there in a storm, you wouldn’t really mind. It’s an entire self-contained experience."

Market Inquiries: Two- and three-bedroom residences in the spa wing range from $2.75 million to $5.3 million. The 3,500-square-foot spa wing penthouse is priced at $7.8 million. The mountain wing residences will be released soon. 800.217.7554, www.tahoemountainresorts.com, www.highlandsatnorthstar.com, www.theresidencestahoe.com