Lodging

Pistante's Coyote Den, South Lake Tahoe

My friend Joe mentioned a motel he’d returned to several times in South Lake Tahoe when skiing at Heavenly. So, last weekend, while spending the holidays in a rented cabin nearby, I decided to stop and get the skinny on the ominously named Pistante’s Coyote Den.

“We get a lot of returning guests,” Lorraine Pistante, the affable, motherly innkeeper told me. “Right now, half of the rooms are booked by people who come back every year.”

Lorraine and husband Earl Pistante acquired a tired, 16-room motel called the Sundowner on Emerald Bay Road in 2002, and set about updating it. They incorporated outdoorsy themes that reflect Tahoe’s nature and wildlife — coyotes, bald eagles, sunflowers — into the dated, generic motel rooms. Many of the beds have rustic headboards hand-crafted from logs.

Prices range from $50 to $235 depending on the size, season and weekday versus weekend. Non-themed rooms cost slightly less.

The Suite is a good option for families and groups of up to six. It has two rooms, three queen-sized beds, a microwave and a refrigerator.

Pistante’s is next door to legendary S. Lake Tahoe breakfast joint, Ernie’s Coffee Shop, which was packed with locals and out-of-town skiers both mornings we stopped in for generous platters of pancakes and scrambles.

Amenities include free WiFi, complimentary Continental breakfast, baked cookies and coffee or tea in the evening, a year-round hot tub and a picnic area with barbecue.

There are tons of activities in the area — skiing, sledding, casinos, hiking, biking hot air balloon rides and any lake-related sport imaginable.

Oh, and you don’t have to leave Rover at home, Pistante’s is a dog-friendly establishment.

Photo by Lisa Dion

My brother got married this past June and as big sister/bridesmaid/travel writer, I was tapped to help find suitable accommodations for the incoming legions of friends and family. The stipulations — affordable, family-friendly and close to the Presidio where the wedding took place.

I set my sites on the lively Marina district of San Francisco adjacent to the Presidio, a former military post which is now one of the most stunning public areas in the city. The Marina is close to the bay as well as restaurants, cafes, the Exploratorium (a hands-on science museum), a great playground and two huge waterfront parks — the Marina Green and Crissy Field. There are several motels/motor lodges on Lombard St. which rambles over Russian Hill (the crooked part) and cuts through the Marina into the Presidio. Among the strip of run-of-the-mill motels, a bright, sunny yellow beacon beckoned — the aptly named, Hotel del Sol.

This vibrant, colorful, former ’50s-style motor lodge, has been renovated into a cheerful boutique hotel with a heated outdoor pool and a Southern California vibe. The interior courtyard is lined with hammocks suspended between palm trees. Amenities for kids include sun visors, sunglasses, beach balls, a free video library and cookie hour from 3-5 p.m. A nice feature for families is that suites are split and have a separate sitting area next to the small bedroom. The “family suite” has bunk beds, kid-sized furnishings, toys and games. Continental breakfast is served poolside and parking is free. We booked it.

One big caveat is that the common outside area is next to the parking lot, so for young children and kids prone to bolting, parents need to be extra vigilant. Suites come with refrigerators and microwaves, but guests need to request them for standard rooms.

The wedding went off without a hitch and most guests were pleased with their lodgings, though one couple complained that the walls were too thin and that the hotel was just an overpriced motor lodge with a paint job — but hey, that’s family, there’s always one, n’est-ce pas?

Photos by Dan Dion