Eco-friendly hotel in Tahoe

Eco-friendly 968 Park Spa Resort in Tahoe
Kathryn Reed, Special to The Chronicle

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Outside, it's awash in white snow. Inside, it's all about being green.

As the first truly eco-friendly hotel on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe, 968 Park Spa Resort is a serious option for overnight visitors for whom protecting the environment is more than just a bumper-sticker slogan.

"We are renovators, not developers. We use what's there," said Solomon Aflalo, who with his brother David bought the Stateline-area property for nearly $5 million at the end of 2007 (along with five silent partners). Most of the 2008 renovation was spent taking the 58-room, 1970s-era Days Inn down to the studs and creating a "green compliant" lodging oasis. It opened just before the holidays.

The mantra during the remodel of 968 Park was simple: Nothing ends up in a landfill. What wasn't reused was given away or sold. What stayed - and what was brought in - was put to use, sometimes in very creative ways:

-- All the furniture was custom designed from recycled wood. (The dressers are narrower that most, with the thinking that guests would prefer more room for themselves than for their clothes.)

-- Mirrors in rooms are from the old armoires. Molding was made from scrap wood from the old place.

-- In the entryway, reclaimed wood with chipped paint from years gone by mix with maroon and off-white fabric-covered benches, and ultra-modern fireplaces burn denatured alcohol that results in zero emissions. An old mattress spring serves as wall art behind one of the seating areas.

-- Each room features a print from local photographer John Paul, who used recycled paper and old frames.

An abundance of natural light mixed with modern overhead fixtures and the light concrete floors give the front room an open feel, and around the corner is a kitchen. (The theory behind this is that at a party everyone ends up in the kitchen, so why not create a familiar, comfortable setting for guests.)

Even the breakfast fits the eco-friendly theme: scones, croissants and other baked goods are provided by Alpine Organics. The hotel staff heats them each morning, so the aroma of fresh baked goods permeates the mountain air. Discussions are under way with an El Dorado County winery to provide an organic vintage.

The rooms feel upscale and rustic: A vessel sink is part of the vanity in the wide entryway, not far from the low-energy 42-inch flat-screen television and the 800-thread-count sheets on the Sterling mattresses, which are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.

If fault is to be found, it's with the tiny bathrooms. The standard-size tub-shower combo seems at odds with the luxury of the room, though it fits with sustainability by not being excessive or expansive.

Despite the ecological angle, the hotel is not without amenities: Two massage rooms are on the bottom floor of the three-story hotel (in-room massages are available); there is a party-size hot tub and a sauna; and a $4,000 ionizer in the lobby purifies the drinking water.

Near the parking area (covered for smaller vehicles, uncovered for SUVs) there is a locker room for skis and snowboards, so gear doesn't have to be hauled to rooms.

Along with the sustainable practices inside the hotel, its proximity to Heavenly Mountain Resort's gondola means no driving is required. Across Highway 50 are the slopes and shopping. Stateline casinos are also within walking distance. The public bus stop and shuttles taking riders to Sierra-at-Tahoe and Kirkwood Mountain Resort are also close enough to walk to.

Summer travelers have access to the private Lakeside Beach. Without snow and ice, it's an easy walk.


968 Park Spa Resort: 968 Park Ave., South Lake Tahoe. $149-$349. (877) 544-0968, www.968parksparesort.com.

Kathryn Reed is a freelance writer. E-mail her at pinkletters@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page R - 47 of the San Francisco Chronicle