Vacation Rentals by Owner

Great For Kids!

Guest: Joe (Indy)
Date of Stay: 12/22/11 Review Submitted: 01/22/12

We spent our Christmas vacation at Bruin Woods and had a wonderful time. The house was set up perfect for our 2 kids ages 7 and 9. The house was great and just as advertised. Michelle was great to work with and really helpful with info regarding the Tahoe area.

Owner response:Thanks Joe, so glad you had a merry time even though the Heatmiser brother beat Snowmiser this Christmas... It's white up at Bruin Woods now, sorry the snow arrived a month too late! :)

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children.

Home away from home!!!

Guest: Krista (Greenbrae, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/16/11 Review Submitted: 09/21/11

We had a wonderful time staying at Bruin Woods. The house was clean and well maintained. Perfect family get away. We definately plan on staying at Bruin Woods again.

Owner response:Thank you so much Krista, glad you had a great trip and a successful race! Please feel free to make yourselves at home at Bruin Woods at Tahoe Donner any time.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Great vacation home in perfect family-friendly location

Guest: Francesca (San Carlos, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/13/10 Review Submitted: 08/19/10

We had a wonderful time staying at Bruin Woods for 3 nights in August. The house is very spacious, and had more than enough room for our family of 4. The two rooms downstairs both have bunk beds, and while they were a little colder than the upstairs rooms, each had space heaters that we used. The master bedroom upstairs is very large (certainly large enough to keep a baby in a portable crib with you) and has a very nice bathroom with double shower. The house definitely feels like home, and is full of fun things for the kids: big rolls of paper and an art bin, children's books, movies, and games. The backyard is absolutely lovely and super fun (fire pits, game of horseshoe, hammock), and the garage has things to borrow for the lake (fishing poles, rafts and tubes, nets). We cooked in the kitchen, and were happy with cupboards full of pots/pans, appliances, and even spices and basic ingredients. There were also lots of towels (both for in-home and lake use) and blankets/sheets/pillows -- overall, a very, very well-stocked house. Tahoe Donner is a great place for children -- our older son (4.5 yrs), had a great time at the pools in Trout Creek Rec Center and Northwoods Clubhouse (with the waterslide!), we loved the private beach at Donner Lake, we enjoyed hiking the nature trail at Donner State Park, and we had a really fun evening at the Donner Equestrian Center's BBQ night -- complete with wagon ride, large BBQ dinner, campfire with s'mores, and games of horseshoe, pinata, and find the golden horseshoe. Michelle and Jeff, thank you for opening up your house to us. We loved it, and can't wait to return.

Owner response:Thank you so much Francesca for your kind words. We are so pleased that you had a great stay, and we look forward to welcoming you back in the future! Warmly, Michelle, Jeff, Trevor and Parker

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Debbie152 (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 04/09/10 Review Submitted: 04/09/10

We truly felt like we were in our home away from home during our stay at Bruin Woods. This cabin is kid-friendly and very comfortable. The kitchen was well-stocked. The availabilty of amenities (i.e. hair dryer, hand soap, towels, saucers, baby gate) were definitely a plus. We would recommend this place to any family!

Owner response:Thanks Debbie! We look forward to your family's return :)

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Guest: Laura Reed (Saxtons River, VT)
Date of Stay: 03/07/10 Review Submitted: 03/07/10

We had a wonderful February snowboarding vacation with our three adult children at Bruin Woods. The house is large and spread out on three different levels so there was room for everyone. It is also very sound proof which we appreciated as we were coming in from very different time zones. We all love to cook and found the kitchen to be fantastic. You can even grill outside in the winter! The location is great for trying out the different North Tahoe slopes, and returning to the Bruin Woods hot tub was delightful. We are trying to figure out when we can return again!

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Guest: Deena3 (Rohnert Park, CA)
Date of Stay: 02/09/10 Review Submitted: 02/09/10

Our three families had a great time in your home. The area is great for families and we had a fun sledding and skiing in the area. We enjoyed the amenities including the well-stocked kitchen and plenty of linens. The hot tub was easy to run as was the TV. Both can be troublesome without good instructions......We've stayed at many other homes enjoyed yours a lot. We had one item that could have been better, the stovetop had only one burner working but we managed to cook for everyone with the oven, stove and microwave. Thank you so much for providing the weather information prior to our visit and offering the cabin a night early due to the storm! This was so appreciated and helpful! Thank you for sharing your home with us.

Owner response:Thanks so much for your comments, Deena. Our housecleaner hasn't been pushing in the burners completely after she cleans the stove :( They do work when plugged in! We have alerted her to this continued problem and we hope all 4 burners work on your next visit to Bruin Woods!

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Guest: Mike Agron (Carmichael, CA)
Date of Stay: 01/02/10 Review Submitted: 01/02/10

A great time was had by our family during a few quite days and nights at Bruin Woods. Our kids, both in their early 20's and their friends had plenty of privacy and loved the hot tub! Proximity to skiing was good, as Alpine and Squaw, even in snowy conditions were about 30 mins. The binder was great how to manual for navigating around the cabin and appliances, and was also helpful for trips to Truckee.

Owner response:Thanks Mike and Peggy! We hope to welcome your family back to Bruin Woods in the summer too -it's a whole different place without the white stuff outside ;-)

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/08/09 Review Submitted: 12/08/09

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday at your cozy cabin. We found everything we needed to cook a feast, and all the extra touches such as sleds in the garage, all the great instructions about places to sled for free, and the general warm, welcoming feeling of the place was much appreciated. Already looking forward to our next trip! Thanks again!

Owner response:We're delighted that your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving at Bruin Woods -- complete with snow too! Thanks for sharing your comments.

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Guest: Christie McCorstin (Lodi, Ca)
Date of Stay: 11/10/09 Review Submitted: 11/10/09

Michelle, We are so thankful we were able to stay at your familys cabin. It was a perfect surprise weekend for my husbands birthday. Our family enjoyed a very quiet and relaxing weekend. Thank you for being so easy to work with. You really made us feel welcome. I have already handed out a few of your cards to some friends and I hope that we can make another trip back real soon. Thanks The McCorstin Family

Owner response:So glad the surprise worked out so well! Thanks again for choosing Bruin Woods -- We hope to welcome you back again :)

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Guest: The Heerys (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/29/09 Review Submitted: 08/28/09

We had a wonderful summer vacation at Bruin Woods. The house was peaceful, cozy and private, perfect for our family vacation. Michelle left notes of a lot of wonderful recommendations for us as far as good restaurants, things to do with children, good beaches, etc. Their hospitality made us feel very comfortable at the house. My husband and I were very happy with their kitchen. We cooked a lot and we could always find everything we needed. Also, the hot tub under stars was so nice. I can only imagine what it is like to soak in a tub in the winter. The house is child-friendly. Our kids were happy. The area has so much to offer for a family with young children. We were busy exploring the area everyday. Michelle and Jeff, thanks again for letting us having a wonderful vacation at your house and for your hospitality.

Owner response:So glad you had a great long summer stay! We hope you'll come enjoy the cabin again in the snow too!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/01/09 Review Submitted: 04/07/09

Had a wonderful time - house was perfect for adults and children. Great location. Highly recommended

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My family loved our stay

Guest: maureen k. (Redwood City, CA)
Date of Stay: 03/27/09 Review Submitted: 04/09/09

My family loved our stay at Bruin Woods. It's comfortable and beautifully furnished, and the kitchen had everything we could have asked for -- it felt much more like a home than a rental, and we looked forward to coming back at the end of the day. Best of all, our six-year-old daughter was over the moon about the place -- she told us it was the best house in the world. I'll never forget her smiles and laughter on this vacation -- especially all the fun she had in the hot tub, and her first time watching the Wizard of Oz on the big screen TV in the living room. Thank you for letting Bruin Woods be our home for a few days, and thanks for a wonderful, memorable vacation.

Owner response:We're delighted to include your family among the many happy vacationeers at Bruin Woods at Tahoe Donner! It is truly our "home away from home" and we furnished and stocked it accordingly. It's perfect for our family of four, we're so happy your family also enjoyed our family-friendly accommodations!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/01/09 Review Submitted: 02/18/09

Our stay at Bruin Woods was fantastic! The hot tub was welcoming after playing in the snow. We also enjoyed cooking in the well-equiped kitchen, and relaxing on the couch watching DVD's. My favorite part of the weekend was when Michael proposed! :) It was a beautiful and inspiring experience. Thanks for having us!

Owner response:Thanks so much for the wonderful story. When Mike called to book the cabin over Valentine's Day weekend, he sounded like he was looking for a romantic getaway! Best wishes for a lifetime of happiness -- and return visits to Bruin Woods!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/01/09 Review Submitted: 01/20/09

We had a blast staying at Bruin Woods. This was my daughter's first time to touch snow and she was so excited. There was plenty of snow around the cabin and the hot tub was great for thawing out after our many snowball fights. The cabin had everything we could have needed to make us feel at home. I can't thank you enough for your assistance in giving us ideas to help create so many wonderful memories. This is a trip I will not forget. ps. When my 3 year old was told that we were just borrowing the house for the weekend, she informed her dad that he needed to buy it from you. She loved it. Thanks for the child safety amenities in the cabin which made it more worry free for me! I noticed the outlet plug covers!!

Owner response:So glad your birthday visit was happy!Please break it gently to your daughter, that we plan on keeping Bruin Woods for a long long time -- but we hope you'll visit again!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/01/09 Review Submitted: 01/01/09

Thanks so much! We had a lovely Christmas week at Bruin Woods! Michele was kind enough to let us check in early to beat the storm, and we spent Christmas Eve and Day watching a huge snow fall. Everything at the cabin was as advertised - comfortable, warm, and fun! We skiied at Tahoe Donner, sledded down the street, and relaxed in the hot tub. The house had everything we needed. A good week filled with fun family time. My son said his second favorite girl in the world (next to me) was "the mommy who let us stay at this house." Now that says it all! :) Thanks again for a wonderful week!

Owner response:So glad your family had a great time Kim, and we were happy to grant you the early check-in :)

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Guest: Marcy & Family
Date of Stay: 08/28/08 Review Submitted: 08/27/08

We have had a wonderful time at Bruin Woods and look forward to 3+ more days at Tahoe Donner. Before we get back to school and life in Marin I wanted to give you some feedback on the cottage and accommodations. We have rented more that 7-8 houses on Cape Cod, Key West, Jersey Shore, Stinson, etc. Your house is definitely one of the best outfitted and easy to settle into as a renter.· We love the well equipped kitchen. As a cook it is fantastic to have everything I would want and need to be able to cook great meals on my vacation – you should let renters know this! Good pots and pans, plenty of serving bowls, all the needed utensils, etc.· The instructions, signs around the house, tips on the area, all of those details are well organized and so appreciated.· Your beds are comfortable, the linens very nice, the blankets and towels plentiful – all this makes for a much more pleasant stay.· Having paper towels, tp, soap, laundry soap, etc. on hand is so much more convenient. The “if you use it, replace it” policy is great.· Having young children, all the games, videos and toys are great – a bonus!· Cable and a beautiful big TV/VCR/DVD in the living room is very nice. We have only a few ideas for what might make future rentals more attractive – but should not in the least detract from our great experience at Bruin Woods –· We would love internet access and would look for that in a future rental – not to be able to do work, but because we have become so dependent on it for everything!· A TV in the Master Bedroom would mean more to us than in the kids’ rooms.· A third bedroom with a Queen bed or 2 twins is what we would look for in a winter rental, so two families could be here together, or us, our children and grandparents. Again, we have had a great vacation, and have fallen in love with Tahoe Donner as a terrific place for families. We will definitely keep you place in mind for the summer in the future, and recommend it to friends.

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Guest: The Mandelboim Family
Date of Stay: 07/26/08 Review Submitted: 07/25/08

We had a wonderful vacation. The house is great and we all hope to come some day again. Thank you.

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Guest: The Parrish Family
Date of Stay: 07/21/08 Review Submitted: 07/20/08

You have a beautiful home! We had a great time! We spent time in Tahoe City rafting on the Truckee River and visiting the Commons Beach -- my kids love the water! We visited Reno for shopping (we have a teenage daughter) and the movies -- "The Dark Night" was awesome. We hiked the Nature Loop - it rained and felt wonderful! We also drove around the entire Lake - visited the South Shore casinos -- and enjoyed the spectacular views! We did take advantage of the amenities (fitness club etc) and watched movies as a family in the evening. The house was great and the kids enjoyed sleeping in bunk beds! We'd love tocome back, so much to do, so little time.

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Guest: Karen & Family
Date of Stay: 07/11/08 Review Submitted: 07/10/08

We really enjoyed our stay; the upper deck is lovely. Thanks.

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Guest: Carolyn & Family
Date of Stay: 07/05/08 Review Submitted: 07/04/08

Michelle, We had a wonderful vacation thanks so much for everything. Hope you had a terrific 4th. Thanks again, Carolyn

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Guest: N/A
Date of Stay: 07/01/08 Review Submitted: 06/30/08

We had a great time! Wish we'd visited clubhouse on 1st day because they had maps of the area& info on Marina. We still enjoyed our trip immmensely.

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Guest: Tom & Jeni
Date of Stay: 03/30/08 Review Submitted: 03/29/08

Michelle, We had a wonderful time. It’s a beautiful home. We hope to be able to visit again next year. All the Best,Tom

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Guest: Joan & Family
Date of Stay: 03/27/08 Review Submitted: 03/26/08

We had a fabulous time. Your house is just spectacular--magnificent and cozy at the same time. The skiing was amazing.

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Guest: The Herrman Family
Date of Stay: 03/24/08 Review Submitted: 03/23/08

We had a great time here on spring break. The amenities were perfect for our two families and the weather was AMAZING! Clear & sunny. Bruin Woods is our 1st choice for fun & relaxation. We (heart) everything! -Christina & Jim Thank you for letting us play, sleep,and pretty much play at your cabin. I really loved the hot tub, and the snow is just like the last time. So thank you for letting us stay and play at your cabin. Sincerely, Alyssa (5th Grade) Thank you for letting us stay here. We had really fun. I really like the hot tub. If you look across from the cabin you'll see slides. And if you go on them you'll see three snowmen. From Marshall (2nd Grade)

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Guest: Heather & Tim, and friends
Date of Stay: 03/23/08 Review Submitted: 03/22/08

Thank you very much for opening your beautiful home to us. We had a great time at Bruin Woods! We loved sledding in your backyard, snowball fights amongst the trees, and playing cards by the fire. What a cozy home to come back to after a day on the slopes! -Dinner at Cottonwood was delicious! -Coffee and a quick breakfast at Wild Cherris is always our favorite! -Heather & Tim From Nicki (4th Grade): Hi! Thanks so much for letting us stay here! We had a lot of fun sledding playing. The hot tub is awesome too! I love everything here and you are very lucky to have this house. I love big houses and that is exactly what this house is. THIS HOUSE IS AWESOME!

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Guest: Lara, Martin, Kade & Beau
Date of Stay: 03/09/08 Review Submitted: 03/08/08

Dear Michelle and Family, As we pulled away from the cabin on our way to dinner, I turned around to talk to my sons and out the back window I saw the most beautiful dark pink February sky I've ever seen. This trip marked the first time my sons have ever seen snow. Kade snowboarded and Beau skiied between Martin's legs. It was a dream weekend I'll never fortget. Thank you for creating such a wonderful place for us to enjoy. Thehot tub was the icing on a fabulous cake.

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Guest: Ken & Lisa
Date of Stay: 03/02/08 Review Submitted: 03/01/08

Love the cabin! Look forward to having some drinks with the owners sometime soon! Weather was grat - clear, crisp, with some wind at night. Snowbanks along the road were 4-6' high. Hard to see the signs, but we found it every time. While we didn't make it to the slopes, due to late nights in the poker room, we did make it to the hot tub! Being disconnected -- no cell reception and no internet, wasn't a bad thing! The only missed electronic convenience was of course TIVO! How else are you supposed to watch your favorite hit or goal in the Sharks game? Maybe we can work something out in this area for Bruin Woods. We had a wonderful time, Lisa & Ken (TIVO employee ;-)

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Guest: The Herrman Family
Date of Stay: 02/23/08 Review Submitted: 02/22/08

What a great place Bruin Woods is! It will most definitely be the cabin our children will grow up with! It was so exciting to see the kids ski for the first time - and then to see the cousin gang take over the slopes. More memories like this will be made soon, as well as through the years! Her's to the yadda yadda sisters giggling, laughing, and talking our husbands' ears off! Love it! (Michelle's sister) Christina, Jim, Alyssa, Marshall & Cassandra

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Guest: Jill & Art and family
Date of Stay: 02/23/08 Review Submitted: 02/22/08

Hi Jeff and Michelle, Thank you so much for letting us stay with you in your beautiful cabin. We had a great time! It was so fun for us and the kids to go skiing and sledding with the Leopold gang. The cabin is beautiful. Perfect for families and casual relaxation. We know you guys will create some great memories in your cabin in the years to come. Thanks so much for the great time!

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Guest: Mary and all
Date of Stay: 02/19/08 Review Submitted: 02/18/08

Sorry we never used the hot tub... we were so busy heading off on long x-c ski days, but fully enjoyed the warm, cozy cabin upon our return. Wish it had snowed while we were here but there was plenty on the ground for a great ski at Tahoe Donner and Northstar. The cabin seems pretty kid-friendly and wish ours weren't all out of the house to have enjoyed it with us (first year). Enjoy your wonderful family get-away. Like bears, we enjoyed some wonderful salmon (grilled). Mary and all,including 2 UCB Grad School Grads. (Go Bears!)

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Guest: Kat and Ryan & Friends
Date of Stay: 02/07/08 Review Submitted: 02/06/08

Hey Michelle, we had such a FANTASTIC time this weekend!!! It snowed SO much. We had a blast and can't wait to plan our next trip!!! From the guest book: We have LOVED staying in your home away from home! We had a wonderful time snowboarding at Sugarbowl & Donner and can't wait to come back. It was Ryan's b-day and he said this was the best place to spend it. We don't want to go home and know we'll be back soon.

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Guest: Wendie and Tom & Friends
Date of Stay: 01/22/08 Review Submitted: 01/21/08

Hi Michelle, it was GREAT. The cabin is really nice and everyone had a great time. Thanks for renting it to us. Wendie

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Guest: Erica & Friends
Date of Stay: 01/13/08 Review Submitted: 01/12/08

Thank you again for allowing us to stay at your cabin. It is truly a beautiful place, and we enjoyed our stay very much.

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Guest: Kit, Kat, Nolan & Kaila
Date of Stay: 01/10/08 Review Submitted: 01/09/08

Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful home with us. Bruin Woods is fun, cozy, warm, beautiful, and family-friendly. Nice bear theme decorations (We are a Cal Bear family ourselves) and the comfortable furiture made our stay very "bearable". Great guest binder: very resourceful. Our kids Nolan (5) and Kaila (3) had a great time playing in the snow, sleddinig, and enjoying the warm jacuzzi -- so did we!

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Guest: Lori & Family
Date of Stay: 12/31/07 Review Submitted: 12/30/07

Michelle & Jeff, Thank you for a lovely stay -- your cabin is lovely, and we ate, slept and played well here! The snow is great and the skiing is fantastic.

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