Vacation Rentals by Owner

Beautiful Views, Huge Home, Amazing Kitchen--Perfect for two large families and kids!

Guest: Jessica (Tokyo, Japan)
Date of Stay: 03/26/12 Review Submitted: 05/10/12

This house is amazing! Beautiful views of the mountains and trees! Ginormous deck! Huge kitchen! We are in the USAF stationed in Japan, both from the Sacramento area and decided to rent this house for 15 wonderful days. Our families came to visit us, instead of us rotating from house-to-house. We could not have made a better choice! Perfect "backyard" for kids and sledding. There is NFS land behind the house with large trees. We made this into a perfect sledding hill that adults and our kids had a blast on. This house would easily fit two large families. 3 bedrooms & small living room on bottom, 3 bedrooms, large living room and kitchen on top. Each floor has a master bedroom/bath. I chose the bottom for us and our 3 kids (16 mos, 4, 6), so it would be quieter. Upstairs rooms were for family rotating in/out to visit. For one dinner, we had 17 people in the upstairs living room/kitchen and were not crowded at all! The kitchen is unbelievable! Stocked with everything you need and enough space for 3 people to cook at the same time. 5 burner gas stove, 2 ovens and a very large refrigerator. House was great for kids. We brought two wooden gates to block the top/bottom of the stairwell and needed a zip tie to attach it to the metal rod stairwell at top. The garage is very large with space to park two large vehicles (Lincoln Navigator & Volvo XC-90). It was so nice to have a garage to park in when it snowed. Joanne Bender, the owner, was a pleasure to work with. She was very quick responding to my emails and answering all of my questions. 14 minutes to Mount Rose...40 minutes to Reno Airport. The next upgrade for the house I would suggest is new mattresses. Other than that, we can not wait to return!!!

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

Great Tahoe House for Groups!

Guest: Cathy Skis (San Francisco, California)
Date of Stay: 03/09/12 Review Submitted: 03/19/12

My group of 10 adults, 2 kids and 1 dog found this house to be perfect for our annual ski-trip needs. There was enough room for everyone to sleep comfortably and good common area space for eating and hanging out. Everything was clean and well-stocked. Owners were very easy to work with. Would definitely recommend this house.

Owner response:It was a pleasure to have you and your group stay in our home. We hope you will return soon.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners.

FABULOUS, Large Beautiful, Spacious Home.

Guest: The Dolan Clan (Hollister, CA)
Date of Stay: 03/01/12 Review Submitted: 03/05/12

We went up to North Shore for my nieces wedding. Thier were 11 of us and we had the best time ever. definately more room than we had imagined. The place was FABULOUS, just as advertised if not better. Fully stocked with everything you could possibly ask for and MORE. Very clean and well maintained. The owners are very nice and more than helpful. We would definately stay here again, and recommend to everyone we know. Can't recommend any restaurants, because we brought all the food we needed for the time we spent there, and we're glad we did as you don't want to leave the house at all once you're there. Can't wait to go back...

Owner response:Thank you for the nice review. We enjoyed having you in our home, please come again soon!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing.

beautiful, comfortable, very welcome home

Guest: Tatiana S. (Sunnyvale, CA)
Date of Stay: 01/13/12 Review Submitted: 02/05/12

Our company of friends with school age kids spent a very nice weekend in Knotty Bear Lodge. We came to ski in Diamond Peak and enjoyed it very much (as usual), but the great surprise was the house itself. We did find here absolutely everything that we needed and much more than expected - even after reading all the nice reviews. The listing description and pictures are very accurate but they do not fully reflect the especially nice spirit inside this home. Thank you Joanne, it was a great pleasure to be in contact with you. We strongly recommend this property to our friends and hope to return ourselves next season.

Recommended for:

We did feel as dear guests, not as renters at all in this beautiful home.

Guest: Tatiana S. (Sunnyvale, CA)
Date of Stay: 01/13/12 Review Submitted: 02/05/12

Our company of friends with school age kids spent a very nice weekend in Knotty Bear Lodge. We came to ski in Diamond Peak and enjoyed it very much (as usual), but the great surprise was the house itself. We did find here absolutely everything that we needed and much more than expected - even after reading all the nice reviews. The listing description and pictures are very accurate but they do not fully reflect the especially nice spirit inside this home. Thank you Joanne, it was a great pleasure to be in contact with you. We strongly recommend this property to our friends and hope to return ourselves next season.

Owner response:It was a pleasure to have you stay in our home. I will look forward to hearing from you for your next stay. Thank you for the nice review. Joanne

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

Walter

Guest: Walter (Guatemala)
Date of Stay: 12/05/11 Review Submitted: 12/12/11

We had a excelent an beatifull vacation at this Incline Village Montain Home, The house vas perfect, new, very clean and very close to the sites that we wanted to go.

Owner response:Walter, it was a pleasure having you and your family stay in our home. I know it was a long trip from Guatamala to Lake Tahoe and we are pleased you want to return next year!

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

Fantastic home in Incline Village!

Guest: pat25 (aitkin, MN)
Date of Stay: 09/21/11 Review Submitted: 10/03/11

Our family was in Incline Village for our daughter's wedding. We stayed at this fabulous home with our two children and their families, and my mother-in-law. It could not have been more pleasant! The home had EVERY possible thing we could ask for! The main deck was the perfect gathering spot for our family. We loved every second! Joanne could not have been easier to work with, or more flexible. It is always scary, trusting the people you work with renting a VRBO. This was truly a wonderful spot- utilizing a helpful owner and a beautiful property. We would DEFINTILY return if we possible can. Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you for a truly great experience in Lake Tahoe. It was perfect!

Owner response:Pat, thank you for the lovely review, how kind of you when I know you have other things on your mind. We will look forward to having you and your family return to the Knotty Bear Lodge soon. Joanne

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Fantastic Place!

Guest: Stacey B.
Date of Stay: 07/09/11 Review Submitted: 07/21/11

My Familiy picked this house because it looked spaciouis and had the right amount of bedrooms. We had no idea we'd be walking into such a comfortable, well taken care of house with a Williams Sonoma kitchen, nice clean comfortable beds, lots of books, magazines, movies. We had no issues with connecting to the wi-fi. Everything you could want is at your fingertips. Plenty of gadgets, spices, silverware to feed an army, lots of towels, etc. The location is great, the price is right and it was such a pelasure working with JoAnne! We will be back next year.

Owner response:Thank you so much for the nice review. We are glad you enjoyed our home. We will look forward to having you stay with us again next year. Joanne

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

great place to call home

Guest: theresa m.
Date of Stay: 06/27/11 Review Submitted: 09/05/11

my family and I visited lake taheo the last week of june and had a wonderful vacation. This home created the right mood for vacation. great location . a really fun kitcken to cook in and the outside deck was wonderful to have our morning coffee and afternoon cocktail .We are talking now about returning next year. It was very nice talking with Joanne.

Owner response:It was a pleasure having you at the Knotty Bear Lodge. We are pleased you enjoyed your time so much, that you would like to return. We will look forward to hearing from you soon!! Joanne & Dale

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

A Very Satisfactory Stay

Guest: Bobbie (Elkins Park, PA)
Date of Stay: 06/19/11 Review Submitted: 06/27/11

This property worked very well for our group of ten comrised of three generations; plenty of room indoors and out. We had all the comforts of home plus a kitchen fit for a chef. The owner was most cooperative and helpful. I would recommend this place to friends and, yes, even to relatives.

Owner response:It was a pleasure having your family stay in our home, we hope all of you will return soon. Joanne

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

Wonderful Accomodating Get Away!!!

Guest: Kellie (Nashville, TN)
Date of Stay: 05/24/11 Review Submitted: 06/01/11

We had a wonderful time staying at the Knotty Bear Lodge! We could not believe how well stocked this home was. The kitchen has everything imaginable that you would need and everything was so clean! The rooms were spacious, the bathrooms were nice. We put the washer and dryer to use. It ended up snowing during our memorial week stay and we used the sled and saucer to sled down a hill at the back of the house and had a blast. We had two kids under one and a toddler and their was plenty of room for them to roll around on the rug and we went for walks in the quiet neighborhood. Joanne was very responsive and accomodating to our requests and we could not have asked for a better experience! We did not see any wildlife, but the neighbor's adorable bassit hound slid down the hill with us while we were sledding. :) The lake was gorgeous and the village down the road was perfect. Thank you Joanne for renting out such a wonderful house!

Owner response:It was a pleasure having you stay in our home. We hope you and your family will return soon! Joanne

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great mountain home

Guest: Phyllis (San Mateo, CA )
Date of Stay: 03/03/11 Review Submitted: 03/18/11

My family of 7 enjoyed a wonderful winter weekend at this property. There definitely was room to spare. The kitchen is amazing! In addition to being well stocked with staples, it has the largest assortment of cooking utensils I have ever seen at a rental home. All directions needed for staying in the house were clear and easy to follow. There were many books and CDs to enjoy. I look forward to our next stay at this lovely home.

Owner response:Thank you so much for the nice review. We will look forward to your next stay at the Knotty Bear Lodge.

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

Pride of ownership

Guest: Robyn (Winnetka, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/17/10 Review Submitted: 09/23/10

We rent a house every year in Tahoe in September for the Reno air races and what set this house apart is the pride of ownership. The house is loaded with extras, like the owner personal blend of spices or their home made vinger. Joanne's communication is second to none. Joanne has invested a lot of time to insure you have all the info you need.

Owner response:Thank you so much for the nice review, please come back soon!

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

Wonderful Family Vacation Rental

Guest: Andi (Oregon)
Date of Stay: 06/13/10 Review Submitted: 06/24/10

We are so glad that we choose Knotty Bear Lodge as our vacation home. With nine family members to accomodate, this 6 bedroom, 4 bath layout worked very well for us. We were amazed at all the homey decorations and the well stocked kitchen. We have stayed at other rentals that have an empty feeling where as this rental felt like we were at home. Joanne was a pleasure to deal with, quick with replies and very nice. Would definitely recommend this house as a rental if you are planning on staying in Lake Tahoe.

Owner response:We are pleased you enjoyed our home, please come back again soon!

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

Lake Tahoe Family Vacation

Guest: Gerrie Sanchez
Date of Stay: 05/30/10 Review Submitted: 03/18/11

Thank you so much for your review, we hope to have you stay with us again

Recommended for:

Wonderful place for the entire family

Guest: EugeneM (Sacramento)
Date of Stay: 05/29/10 Review Submitted: 06/04/10

We has such a great time at the Knotty Bear Lodge, love the name that the owners give the place !!! The place was very spacious and could accomodate all 12 of us with room to spare. Loved the large deck space outside to gaze at the stars at night and the second private area for the jacuzzi. It was a great layout. The kitchen was really a chefs dream with everything anyone could want. The owners even provided some of their own home made vinegars. It was a very nice personal touch. We did not use the beach passes that the owner gave us but instead visited a a beautiful beach in the area. Sand Harbor I believe it was called. Also we visited Spooner lake to go fishing with the kids. Everywhere we drove in the area was very scenic and not too crowded considering it was the memorial weekend. Close by is a Starbuck and one of the best stocked Raley's that I've seen. The place was wonderful and I would highly recommend the property to everyone.

Owner response:Thank you Eugene for the nice review, we will look forward to your families return

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

Lake Tahoe Family Vacation

Guest: Spring1 (Inver Grove Heights, MN)
Date of Stay: 05/22/10 Review Submitted: 05/30/10

We would highly recommend this location. The house is very well maintained and clean. The owners have this place stocked with whatever you want and more. The fresh flowers on the table when we arrived were quite an added bonus in the middle of snowfall. Close to lots of golf areas for the guys. There were 3 bears that were seen heading up by the side of the house and many pictures were taken. That's not something you generally see in the area where we're from. A great place to spread out either upstairs or down.

Owner response:Please come again soon and thanks for the picture of Knotty

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

Beautiful Incline Village Home

Guest: Debbie Graham
Date of Stay: 04/06/10 Review Submitted: 03/18/11

Thank you so much for your review, we are so pleased you decided to stay with us again

Recommended for:

Beautiful Incline Village Home

Guest: Cracker's (Monterey, Ca.)
Date of Stay: 04/06/10 Review Submitted: 06/01/10

My family & I have now spent our second vacation at Knotty Bear. We can't say enough good things about this beautiful home, it has all the amenities you could ever ask for. The kitchen is fully equiped with everything you can think of that you might need to cook any kind of meal for any size crowd. We enjoy the spaciousness of the house.There is so much to do in the surrounding area's We are now planning our 3rd trip back!

Owner response:Looking forward to you staying with us again.

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

Wonderful vacation home

Guest: Grooms Mom (Fairfield, CA)
Date of Stay: 03/25/10 Review Submitted: 04/01/10

We were in Incline for our son's wedding at the Chateau. Our experience began with Joanne, the owner. She is a prompt, informative and friendly person. The home was a lovely, comfortable place for our family and friends to gather. We had ample room for sleeping, sitting, kitchen prep, bathrooms, girls hair and make-up and even our ironing party (wedding seat covers)! This home made it possible for us to be together and create memories that will last a life time. Highly recommend, fantastic experience!

Owner response:It was a pleasure to have you in our home, please come again soon.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A terrific place with great ownership

Guest: Fifty Somethings (North Liberty, Iowa)
Date of Stay: 03/13/10 Review Submitted: 05/11/11

we stayed for a ski week and the house was perfect for our party of 8. The kitchen is by far the best in any vacation home we have used, and the owners are both understanding and communicative. and access to all north lake tahoe ski areas is terrific--a few minutes to Mt Rose and all others are a short drive.

Owner response:Thank you so much for the nice review. I hope you and your group will hurry back!! Best Regards, Joanne

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

WOW... I'd give it a 100 and Gold Star!

Guest: Ellen G. (florida)
Date of Stay: 02/20/10 Review Submitted: 03/06/10

We have just returned from 8 glorious nights at this incredible vacation rental. I was completely astounded at the comfort and conveniences that we experienced. Everything that we could possibly have wanted was provided for us by the owners. Each night we cooked a great meal in the MORE than fully equipped gourmet kitchen(after a day of skiing in perfect conditions.) We would then build a fire in the stone fireplace,( where plenty of dry wood and kindling was available) and finish off the evening in the immaculate outdoor HOT TUB! All six bedrooms and 4 Baths were spotless, comfortable and fully appointed. The location is perfect. For skiiers, the mountains are all within an easy drive The casinos in the area are small and comfortable with great food! For the non skiiers/ wine drinkers, we even drove to Napa Vally, which was only 3 hours away. This vacation rental has it ALL and we can't wait to return!

Owner response:It was a pleasure to have you in our home, please come again soon.

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

Best Family Vacation EVER!

Guest: floridianmomof4 (Florida, USA)
Date of Stay: 12/05/09 Review Submitted: 03/25/10

Our family of 6 stayed at Knotty Bear Lodge in early December 2009. We were fortuate enough to have an early snow that was near perfection. The caretaker did a wonderful job clearing the driveway and keeping up the house. The home is beautiful, well stocked, well cared for, very comfortable, and is wonderfully located. We didn't think an outdoor hot tub was very practical during the winter, but we ended up loving it! We loved the separation the two floors provided. The home is also very well stocked with movies, games, and books. The kids said it was the best vacation ever! (And we've had quite a few.) Not only is the kitchen lovingly stocked with everything you could imagine, they have also provided numerous cookbooks with easy to prepare meal ideas. We love Lake Tahoe and find Incline VIllage to be the best part of the lake. I can't imagine staying anyhwere other than Knotty Bear Lodge when we are able to return. Our stay was magnificent. It was the first vacation we didn't want to leave! Joanne was wonderful! We hope to be able to return sooner than later. Thanks for opening your home, Joanne! We loved it!

Owner response:Thank you for the nice review, come again soon

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

Large, clean, comfortable home

Guest: srperson (Sparks, NV)
Date of Stay: 10/23/09 Review Submitted: 10/29/09

I highly recommend this home to anyone who needs a lot of space. It fit 11 of us women for our annual Girl's Weekend very comfortably. It was clean, well maintained, and completely stocked with anything we needed. I found the owners very easy to deal with and they offered very clear instructions for operating everything from the heater to the hot tub. The deck on the second floor faces the sun which made for very comfortable lounging. It was also stocked with firewood and kindling. The '2 nights get 1 free' deal was great!

Owner response:It was a pleasure to have you in our home, please come again soon.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Wonderful house, great location

Guest: Freckle (San Rafael, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/10/09 Review Submitted: 07/07/09

We rented this house for a family vacation to celebrate my mom's birthday. We had 4 generations: 9 adults and 1 little one. We all had a wonderful time. The house is very comfortable and spacious. There were enough bedrooms and beds for everyone to sleep comfortably. The layout was perfect- living area with 3 bedrooms upstairs, and 3 bedrooms downstairs. The baby was able to sleep in the quiet downstairs while everyone was hanging out (and making noise) upstairs. The house was very clean and well equipped. The outside deck is beautiful. The location is relaxing and everything you want Tahoe to be. Close to the wonderful beaches in Incline and many golf courses. The owners were great, easy to communicate with and accommodating. We would definitely recommend this house and will definitely come back and stay again.

Owner response:It was a pleasure to have you in our home, please come again soon.

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

Time Away Well Spent

Guest: Gourmet Traveler (Central California)
Date of Stay: 10/15/08 Review Submitted: 10/23/08

Thank you Joanne for sharing your wonderful home. Our getaway was just what the doctor ordered. It is truly a place to rest, relax and catch up to yourself. My parents both needed down time and they found it here. While they focused on resting, I enjoyed going through your cookbook library and preparing hearty fall meals in your wonderful kitchen. It was great to just put our feet up, watch a movie by the fire and NOT hear the phone ring. Having the internet access did give me the option to stay in touch as needed. My little ones (2 & 11) had plenty of space to play and occupy their time. They enjoyed watching the squirrels, blue jays and chipmunks as they offered plenty of entertainment. My family and I have visited the lake many times and found this "off season" time wonderful. The Lake Tahoe area was so beautiful this time of year, surrounded by the wonderful fall colors. We look forward to coming back and enjoying your home in the snow as well. Thanks Again!!!

Owner response:This renter has now stayed 8 more times in our home since this review was posted.

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

What a relaxing place!

Guest: Love Traveling (Carmel, CA, US)
Date of Stay: 09/01/08 Review Submitted: 10/12/08

Our family recently spent a week at Knotty Bear and loved the location, casual and homey atmosphere and all the space. The girls could watch TV or read or play a game while my husband and I enjoyed the hottub or big open deck. Once we settled in we didn't want to leave. The kitchen had EVERYTHING you could need. The open floor plan was great when we entertained some friends for the evening. I would highly recommend the Knotty Bear!

Owner response:This renter has stayed 5 more times since this review was posted.

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

Beautiful Incline Village Home

Guest: Cracker's (Monterey, Ca.)
Date of Stay: 07/21/08 Review Submitted: 10/12/08

Our families stay in this beautiful home was so much more than we expected.The kitchen is completly equiped with all the cookware, etc. that you'll ever need. The house had amenities beyond our expectations, it was so clean, comfortable and homey we didn't want to leave, we are already planning our next trip back.It is very centrally located, easy access to major roads and highways that lead to all there is to do around that area.Joanne was wonderful, and so easy to deal with.I would highly recommend this house to families of all ages.

Owner response:This renter has stayed again with us since this review was posted

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