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South Lake Tahoe Hotels: Harrah’s Hotel & Casino Review
- Alyssa
- Jul 21
- 10 min read
South Lake Tahoe is a popular summer destination on the California and Nevada state line. Multiple casinos, resorts, beaches, and plenty of shopping and restaurants are in the area. We enjoyed a free three-night stay at Harrah’s South Lake Tahoe Hotel courtesy of my father, who is a seven-star member of Harrahs and receives free stays. We stayed in a double room with two full-size beds and two bathrooms completely free. The hotel is within walking distance of a private beach, shopping, food, and activities like the Heavenly Gondola.
Getting To Harrah’s Hotels and Casino South Lake Tahoe:
The closest airport to South Lake Tahoe with commercial flights is the Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO), about 56 miles and an hour's drive from Harrah's Lake Tahoe. There are a few transportation options to get you to South Lake Tahoe from the airport including; ride-share, taxi, a shuttle service, or even renting your car.
A ride with Uber from the Reno-Tahoe Airport ranges from about $100 to $150 (during the summer) depending on the time of day and traffic.
A taxi ride is estimated to be about $170 in total, but like an Uber vary depending on the time of day, traffic, and even the season. Yellow Cab's website has a spot where you can pre-book your rides in advance.
Riding the shuttle service provided by South Tahoe Airporter costs about $33 per person, and offers limited departure times per day. You can pre-book your transportation on their website, and we recommend doing so early since they can book up quickly. There are a few rental car companies that operate out of the Reno-Tahoe Airport. Enterprise, Budget, and Avis all have stations at the airport. The average price for an economy car for one week is close to $500. Enterprise is closed on Saturday and Sunday! An amazing resource for anyone flying into the Lake Tahoe area is this page from the Visit Lake Tahoe website that breaks down all your options for flying into the area.
Check-in:
When pulling up to the hotel there are two parking areas, a self-parking lot and valet parking. There are multiple valet lanes outside the front of the hotel, all with various signage. One lane is exit only, one is for drop-offs, one is for standard valet, and one is specifically for tiered caesars rewards members. There seemed to be no difference in service between the lanes, and people used whichever was open. Since my dad has Seven-Star status with Caesars rewards we also enjoyed free valet parking for our stay at the hotel. Despite the valet team being swamped with cars, they were quick to help.
There are two check-in desks at the hotel, one is for Seven-Star Caesars Rewards guests, and the other is for all other guests checking in to the hotel. The standard check-in line gets long at peak times of day, around 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm, and can take a while to get through. The official check-in time is at 4:00 pm, but early check-in is possible if there is availability, but may be subject to an additional fee.
We checked into our room through the Seven-Star line which is in a separate room just off the hotel lobby. Since my dad was with us he handled the check-in process. It took him about 10-15 minutes as there was only one team member helping guests check-in. We were surprised at how long it took! We thought there would be more employees to help guests, especially during peak times.
Room Details:
We stayed in an executive double room for three nights for free since we stayed with my dad. We enjoyed two queen-sized beds, a large sofa, and two bathrooms. We even had a slight view of the lake from our room. There was a small coffee bar and mini fridge tucked away in a cabinet, and a small desk next to the TV stand. The air conditioning in the room worked great, we had it set as low as possible and at night had to turn it off because we got too cold. There was some obvious wear and tear in the room, the furniture was chipped and stained, the outlets were loose and some were even broken, and there was paint peeling off the wall in the bathroom.
However, the wear and tear on the room was not as big of a problem as the mold we found in the bathroom. The shower had a large collection of black mold growing in the corner near the grout. Above the moldy shower was a heat light covered in rust. Next to the shower was a wall with paint peeling off. The air vent in the bathroom was not any cleaner, it was covered in thick layers of grime and dust and looked like it had not been cleaned in years.
The floor in the room was also dirty, with food crumbs left over from previous guests. While we didn't have extremely high expectations from a casino hotel, we were surprised that this was an executive room! We made sure to keep our shoes or socks on while walking around the room, feeling a bit uneasy about the condition. It was disappointing, especially since cleanliness is a basic standard we expect from any hotel stay, regardless of the property's focus on gaming or entertainment.
The toilet was very low to the ground, and the toilet paper holder was awkwardly positioned about a foot behind the toilet, making it difficult to reach while sitting down. Next to the toilet, there was a door stop made of solid metal that protruded up from the floor in the middle of the walkway. This was a huge tripping hazard, especially in the middle of the night when visibility was low. To make matters worse, the door stop was covered in grime, adding to the overall feeling of neglect in the bathroom's upkeep. It was a combination of poor design and inadequate cleanliness that left us feeling disappointed.
This was just one of the bathrooms. The room had two full bathrooms, but the other was not much better. The floor of the other shower was discolored and looked dirty, and the shower door only had a small knob to open/close. This proved to be a problem since the shower door used a magnet to close and all you had to try and get them unstuck was a small knob. Despite the shower floor looking dirty and discolored, the shower head was clean. The baseboards in this bathroom were also coated in grime and dust.
The sinks and vanity area in both bathrooms were cleaner than the showers, and we did not have any issues with them during our stay. We just wish the rest of the bathroom had been cleaned to the same caliber.
There were some other cleanliness issues in the room, we found crumbs on the carpet near the couch, dust on all the coffee bar items, and stains on a lot of the furniture. Overall, seeing all of the mold, dust, and stains, we just felt dirty while staying here.
We were in a double room, and both beds only had two pillows each. While this wasn't a huge issue since we were able to request more pillows from housekeeping, it did make for a slightly uncomfortable first night. That said, the beds themselves were quite comfortable otherwise, and once we had the extra pillows, we slept much better. It was a minor inconvenience, but it would have been nice if the room had been better stocked from the start.
We were told we had a lake view room, and if we had specifically paid for a lake view we would have been disappointed. Our window looked out facing the neighboring resort, shopping strip, and mountain. If you stood right up against the window and looked to the right, only then you could see a small portion of the lake. Which was not a bad view in itself, but if we had been charged for a lake view and gotten that it would have been upsetting. You could only see the lake from right in front of the window and not from anywhere else in the room. There was a mirror that tried to reflect the view of the lake into the room, but it was still only slightly visible.
Overall the room was usable, we were not in there much throughout the day, and only used it to sleep and shower. If we had not been staying with my dad who receives free nights at Caesars Hotel locations we would have complained about the quality of the room. The mold, and cleanliness of the bathroom was inexcusable.
Extra Benefits:
Since we were staying with a Seven-Star Caesars Rewards member, we enjoyed a few extra benefits at the hotel that enhanced our stay. These perks included complimentary Wi-Fi, which allowed us to stay connected without worrying about additional charges, and free valet parking, which made coming and going from the hotel a breeze. Additionally, we received a $10 daily Starbucks credit, which was a nice touch and came in handy for grabbing our morning coffee or a quick snack before heading out for the day.
Property Perks:
Gaming and Dining:
One of Harrah’s Lake Tahoe's biggest attractions is the expansive casino on the ground floor, which draws in guests with its vibrant atmosphere and variety of gaming options. The casino boasts hundreds of slot machines, card tables, and several dining options, including bars where you can unwind with a drink after a night of gambling. Additionally, the hotel features rooftop restaurants like Friday’s Station, known for its steak and seafood, and Sapori, offering Italian cuisine with stunning views of the lake and surrounding mountains.
During our visit, we witnessed a few lucky guests hit large jackpots, adding to the excitement in the air. We managed to break even, and my dad won about $1200 on a slot machine. A woman next to him even hit a grand jackpot, sparking cheers from those around. The machines seemed to be paying out well, which made the casino experience exciting.
For quick bites, the casino floor also has a small food court with diverse dining options like Fatburger, Tahoe Asian Kitchen, and Tahoe Italian Kitchen. We decided to grab a late-night meal at Fatburger and were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. The service was fast, and the dining area was well-maintained and clean, making it a convenient spot to refuel before heading back to the action on the casino floor.
Harvey's Next Door:
Attached to Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, is Harveys, another Caesars brand hotel. The two are connected via an underground tunnel, and it makes it easy to go from one resort to the other. This resort is similar to Harrahs and has a ground-floor casino with a few quick-service food options and a bar. There is even a rooftop restaurant called Sage House, which we were able to try! Sage House was underwhelming for us, especially for the high price. We started our experience by being served a shattered wine glass, and the evening never recovered.
Amenities Outside Of Casino Floor:
Aside from the casino, there are a few other amenities throughout the Harrah’s hotel like a gym, sauna, and indoor pool. The pool tends to be busy during the day and is often full of kids while parents hang out in the casino. Another fun spot for kids to hang out at the hotel is in the basement arcade which has multiple claw machines, lots of arcade games, and a pretty extensive prize counter. The arcade is open late into the evening and is a fun spot for kids and adults alike.
For guests who are paying for their stay at Harrah's Lake Tahoe, there is a $26.95 per night resort fee which includes access to wifi, the gym/pool, and local phone calls in the room. This feels steep, considering most of those things are included in modern hotels without a resort fee. There are a few shops onsite, selling souvenir t-shirts, jewelry, bags, and various knick-knacks, but they were closed most times when we walked past them. Along with a few small shops, there is also an onsite spa and even a hair salon! We did not try any of their services during our trip, but we did see a few people in the salon.
If you are visiting Lake Tahoe for the lake, it may be difficult to get to the lake from Harrah’s on foot. There is a beach within walking distance of the hotel, however, it is a private beach and you must pay to enter. It was about $30 per day per person. The next closest beach is over a mile walk from the hotel, which sounded miserable on the way back after a long day in the sun!
Driving to a beach is also an option but during the summer the parking lots fill up quickly! If you want to be walking distance to a public beach this hotel may not be the best option!
Although it may be a challenge to get to a public beach on foot from the hotel, there are plenty of things to do in the area. There is an abundance of restaurants in the area, shopping, art galleries, and even a gondola that takes you up the mountain! (Find our full experience review for the Heavenly Gondola here). There are a few other casino resorts in the area, so if gambling is something you are interested in during your Tahoe vacation, this may be a good spot for you!
Check out:
During this stay, we had the option to do a digital checkout. All we had to do was text the front desk and let them know that we were checking out, and received an email with our final bill. We had no issues with the digital checkout, and the final bill came quickly. The standard check-out time at the hotel is 11:00 am, and late check-outs are possible for a fee when they have availability.
Summary:
We stayed three nights at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe and our entire stay was free thanks to my Dad's Caesars Rewards status. A three-night stay in a similar executive room for the same dates would have otherwise cost around $936.44. Our room was substandard, with black mold in the shower, dirt, and grime throughout the room, and stains on the furniture. The room felt outdated and most of the furniture was chipped and had signs of wear and tear. If we had paid almost $1,000 for our stay we would have been upset! The property itself has a lot to do like; shopping, dining, gambling, pool and spa, and even an arcade. However, if you plan on visiting the Lake there is not a public beach within a reasonable walking distance. We would not pay the price for this room based on the quality we received.
Do you think a stay at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe is worth your wallet? Let us know below!