Lake Tahoe Goes Upscale at 5,000 Feet: Ritz-Carlton Highlands Breaks Ground

Northstar-at-Tahoe will soon be changing the face of the north shore. Once a funky area dotted with wooden A-framed homes and family-run hotels along the shores of this sparkling deep blue alpine lake surrounded by 10,000-foot mountains and pine tree forests, the Ritz-Carlton Highlands is going upscale, big time, with the construction for the area’s first 5-star ski-in/ski-out resort.

This new $300-million resort project will include residences. It will open sometime in 2009 with 173-rooms, a spa spanning 20,000 square feett spa with pool and treatment rooms, and conference rooms to accommodate large groups. [Via TheInformedTraveler.com.]