San Francisco

Overnights in Tahoe generally leave you in one of two situations: running a sexy webcam to get the cash for an on-mountain lodge, or ending up in a crap-craftsman flop that'd make Clark Griswold keep on driving. For the boutique hotel treatment, check into Cedar House Sport Hotel.

Reasonably priced and minutes away from the slopes and Historic Downtown Truckee, CHSH is a chalet-inspired lodge furnished in a mod-Euro style free of the mooseheads that haunt your dreams and pressure you to buy QVC dragon knives. All rooms are generously appointed with flat-screens, wi-fi, heated bathroom floors, leather platform beds, and pillow-top mattresses, and some even boast modest private decks, for making snow angels with abbreviated wingspans. Downstairs, there's a guests-only full bar flush with wine, liquor, imported beers, and 5pm free apps, just in time for Happy Hour -- or Alarmed Hour, if you're the "Man" CNN describes as "Lost in Crevasse".

As you'd expect, CHSH offers discounts at most area mountains, as well as backcountry skiiing, snowmobiling, even dog sledding -- convenient if your time's up at Cedar, and a steaming canine carcass is looking pretty good compared to the Econolodge.

---