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TRAVELING TO SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA, www.skiheavenly.com and STATELINE,NV - JULY 25-JULY 27, 2008 for the WEDDING of ERNIE SOUHRADA and CORY CASSONE Saturday, July 26, 2008 AT 1:30PM
The South Lake Tahoe/Heavenly area is a very popular summer destination, so although your formal R.S.V.P to our wedding ceremony and reception is not requested until after your receipt of the forthcoming invitation, we strongly recommend you make air and hotel reservations as soon as possible if you do intend on making the journey to be our esteemed guests.
Many of you will be traveling long distances to attend, and because we would be honored to have you there to share our special day with us, we are providing nearby airport details, as well as ground travel information and suggested hotel accommodations.
It is highly recommended that you do some comparisons of airfares from varying airlines to those found on discount travel sites. Many sites now offer you the option to book room, hotel and car together which can reduce cost versus booking separately. A car is not necessary once you get to Heavenly but you will need to arrange ground travel to and from the airport.
We want to make this as fun and as easy as possible for everyone, and we are masters at uncovering discount travel, so if none of the options below seem to be working for you, please feel free to call Cory at 480-296-8477, send email to coryann@deadbunny.com or visit our wedding website, http://wedding.deadbunny.com . You will find links there and all the pertinent details as they come along, so check back often because we will constantly be updating it.
When you do book your hotel, please send us the name of the hotel and your estimated check-in date and time. This way we can keep everyone organized and provide you with the best information with regard to the wedding events and area activities.
AIR TRAVEL___________________________________________________________________________________________
The closest airports servicing Heavenly Mountain Resort are: Reno/Lake Tahoe [RNO] (approx. 1 hour by auto)
Sacramento [SMF] (approx. 2 hours by auto) San Francisco [SFO] (approx. 3 hours by auto)
Depending on which city you are coming from and which days of the week you plan to travel, you may find a better deal by choosing
an airport that is a longer distance by ground to Heavenly versus flying into Reno. For instance, there are no non-stop flights that we’ve found from New York City to Reno, so it is suggested that you fly to SFO and make the scenic drive through mountains, wine country and national forest into South Lake Tahoe via US Highway 50. Connecting flights from Eastern cities to RNO are an option, but the cost tends to increase significantly. Sites we suggest for the best air, hotel and air/hotel package pricing: www.travelocity.com www.orbitz.com www.expedia.com www.usairwaysvacations.com www.cheaptickets.com www.kayak.com
From New York and vicinity:
The best fare we found as of April 3rd is $318 round trip for a non-stop flight on Virgin America from JFK to SFO leaving on flight #224 at 9:15am on Thursday, July 24 or Friday, July 25 and returning on Flight #223 at 1:35pm on Sunday, July 27 or Monday, July 28. There are also other flight times for the same cost on Virgin America. Please allow for travel time to and from each airport and at least 2 full days at Heavenly if possible. Reservations can be made at www.virginamerica.com, by calling 1-877-359-8474 or by using one of the sites suggested above. JetBlue offers non-stop service to SMF for ca. $466 per person but travel times are limited. If you would like to make a connection and fly into RNO or SMF, try Continental Airlines, Delta, US Airways or American Airlines and book using a travel website or travel agent.
From Arizona, California, Colorado and Nevada:
Non-stop flights from all major cities in these states to RNO and/or SMF are available from several different airlines such as US Airways, United, Frontier, Delta and Southwest. US Airways offers non-stop from Phoenix to RNO and Southwest offers non-stop from Phoenix to SMF. United and Frontier offer non-stop from Denver to RNO and Delta offers connecting service from all 4 states to RNO. Average air travel cost for these options is ca. $250 per person. When traveling from Arizona, California, Colorado or Nevada, it is suggested you book a www.usairwaysvacations.com package. We have done this several times to travel to Lake Tahoe from Phoenix and obtained the best pricing as a result. United and Southwest also offer vacation package pricing, but usually www.travelocity.com or www.orbitz.com can save you more money.
FOR ARIZONA FOLKS - OUR AWESOME FRIEND HOLLY JUST BOOKED HER TRIP USING SOUTHWEST AIRLINES VACATIONS AND GOT A GREAT DEAL AT THE HORIZON HOTEL DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM MONTBLEU BASED ON SINGLE OCCUPANCY. WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU ALL TO STAY AT MONTBLEU BUT WE UNDERSTAND PRICES CAN BE DECEIVING.
From Holly:
I found the best deals at the Southwest airlines website, under their vacation packages: http://www.southwestvacations.com. Select 'Lake Tahoe, NV [Reno]' as destination, not just 'Reno, NV'. I just booked roundtrip airfare from/to PHX-RNO, 2 nights stay at Horizon Lake Tahoe Casino Resort http://www.horizoncasino.com (approx 300 feet from the Montebleu), AND shuttle to and from the airport and the hotel for a grand total of $681.49 (incl all taxes).
On 07/25 I'm departing PHX at 8:55a and scheduled to arrive at RNO at 9:55a. Nonstop. On 07/27 I'm departarting RNO at 1:25p & scheduled to arrive back at PHX at 4:50p. One stop. I'm guessing one friend will be staying with me, but I may also be looking for one additional person to share the room to share costs (probably $100-$150 to that person for two-nights stay). AZ people can email me at spacekadette00@yahoo.com to discuss this as a possible room option. I reserve the right to decline on my own discretion, but if I accept I will not later rescind the offer :)
Thanks Holly for sharing!
L+C, Cory&Ernie
From other Eastern Cities, Chicago, the Midwest, and the Southern United States:
We checked sample flights from Philadelphia, Chicago, Cleveland, Tampa, and Jackson, MS, to RNO and came up with an average of $400 per person, but you know your own city better than we do, so our best suggestion is to check flights from your nearest airport to any of the three we have listed above and then to book straight from the airline or by using a package from a travel website and following the ground and hotel options below.
GROUND TRAVEL______________________________________________________________________________________
Car rentals from all the major companies are available at all three airports for an average of $23-$35/day and depending on your needs the car rental companies can you provide you with directions if you don’t get them from us. Check the website below or email coryann@deadbunny.com for exact driving directions: http://www.skiheavenly.com/lake_tahoe/getting_here/auto/
There is a shuttle bus from the Reno/Tahoe airport to the Stateline, NV casino area which leaves approx. every hour. The cost is $43.00 per person round trip. Call South Lake Tahoe Express at 1-866-89-TAHOE or 1-775-325-8944 or visit their website at www.southtahoeexpress.com to make reservations based on your flight arrival and departure time. This shuttle takes you directly to several of the Stateline, NV casinos. If not staying at a Stateline hotel, your hotel may offer shuttle service as well.
Once you are at the mountain, you should not need to drive if you stay at the suggested hotels we have listed below. There is also a Heavenly area BlueGO Bus and Shuttle Service that can take you anywhere from the hotels to the beaches and around the two towns if you need to leave the Heavenly Village area and you are without a car. Buses run from 6am to Midnight and cost $1.75 each way, $3.00 for an all day pass or $15.00 for a 10 ride pass. Maps, schedules and more information can be found on their website: www.bluego.org or by calling 1-530-541-7149. There is also a BlueGO Trolley that runs in the summer which takes you to hiking areas, Emerald Bay, State Parks, beaches and other recreation areas.
HOTELS and ACCOMMODATIONS________________________________________________________________________
The wedding ceremony will take place at Heavenly Mountain Resort after a Gondola ride up to the midstation deck, and all other activities such as the reception are within no more than 6 blocks walking distance of the Heavenly Gondola Village. If you do not select any of the hotels we have listed, make sure to ask your chosen hotel how far it is from the Gondola and whether or not you will need a car to get to the MONTBLEU Resort (formerly Caesars).
MONTBLEU Resort Casino & Spa, Stateline, NV – 440 rooms –
The bride and groom will be staying here, and as of this printing, the reception will be here too (we confirmed everything on April 5). MONTBLEU is within 4 blocks of the Heavenly Gondola and the Heavenly Gondola Village or a 6 minute walk. Rates vary by day of the week. A sample 4 night stay from July 24-July 28, 2008 averages out to $194/night. Check your travel sites for more information, photos, descriptions of all the Vegas style amenities and pricing, but the direct reservation line is 1-888-829-7630. Wedding group rates are available if we get at least 10 but no more than 20 rooms. The group code for this option is FGCASS8. Savings is $20 off per night, but potentially more. www.montbleuresort.com
MONTBLEU (formerly Caesars) is the only hotel the bride and groom have ever stayed at near Heavenly so we unfortunately do not have complete reviews to provide to you for other local hotels, but based on reviews we read on Travelocity, some other choices are listed below at varying price points. Our best suggestion is to do a search for hotels in South Lake Tahoe, CA and look for those that have the amenities you need and the price that works best for you. If you will be renting a car, it is not necessarily a must to be within walking of the Heavenly Gondola Village. Plus this is an outdoor place, so keep in mind you are looking for a nice, affordable and comfortable place to rest your head after a busy day’s worth of activities.
Lakeside Inn and Casino - Tahoe, Stateline, NV – 124 rooms –This resort features a newly completed million-dollar room renovation with contemporary mountain lodge-style decor. It has a casino and is located right on the Lake and next to the Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. Room amenities include: phone with data port, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, comfortable new bed, fully appointed bathroom, Lake Tahoe artwork and hickory furniture. There is a pool and spa on site and it is 2 blocks from MONTBLEU and within a few blocks of the Gondola Village. Rates are $79 Thurs and Sun night, $169 Fri, and $199 Sat. Phone: 1-800-624-7980 www.lakesideinn.com
Best Western Station House Inn, South Lake Tahoe, CA– 100 rooms – This hotel received 4.5 stars on Travelocity and is located 2 and a half blocks from the casinos and 3 blocks from the Heavenly Gondola. There is a complimentary full American breakfast served with any stay and a scenic outdoor pool and spa. Some of our guests have already chosen this hotel. Average nightly rate for July 24-July 28 is $149. Phone: 1-530-542-1101 www.stationhouseinn.com
Rodeway Inn Casino Center, South Lake Tahoe, CA – 117 rooms – This hotel is conveniently located next Harrah’s and Harvey’s Casino Resorts and 2 blocks from the Heavenly Gondola. Based on the reviews and photos, it is a great low cost solution in a very accessible location, but did not receive rave reviews. There is a swimming pool on site with lounging area and hot tub. In the morning, a complimentary continental breakfast is served. The Rodeway Inn also has free local and long distance calls, laundry facilities, free high-speed wired internet access as well as free wireless high-speed internet in all rooms and common areas. Nightly rates for the wedding weekend are as follows: $49.99 Thurs and Sun; $119.99 Fri; and $129.99 Sat. Phone: 1-530-541-7150 www.rodewayinn.com ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
There are ca. 10,000 rentable rooms near Heavenly Mountain Resort ranging in nightly cost from $65-$850, and this is just a small sample of what is available. You may like to make a long week of it and stay by the beach in a cabin, someone else might like to have 24-7 blackjack at Harvey’s or Harrah’s Resort. Since you are all coming from afar, and there are so many choices for varying budgets, we found it hard to select one hotel to send everyone to. Ideally, we suggest everyone try to stay at the MONTBLEU Resort or as near to it as possible. However, now that you have a base point, choose any of the aforementioned hotels or do your own search for hotels in South Lake Tahoe, CA or Stateline, NV. You are bound to find something that fits your needs. Other links: www.skiheavenly.com www.visititnglaketahoe.com www.virtualtahoe.com www.harveystahoe.com
If you have any questions at all or would like even more information, please contact Cory at coryann@deadbunny.com or 480-296-8477. We have been looking forward to this day for a very long time and we hope that many of you will be there with us. Destination weddings are a great excuse for everyone to take a break and spend time with loved ones. They just take a little extra planning, and perhaps sometimes even a two page insert with the Save the Weekend card! :) |
