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Peak of Luxury

Postcard-perfect mountain getaway will appeal to guests year-round

The $300 million Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe is the first new-build resort development to be constructed in Lake Tahoe in decades, according to the hotelier. The ski-in, ski-out lodge is located mid-mountain within the Northstar-at-Tahoe™ resort.

The hotel design was inspired by historic lodges like the Ahwahnee Hotel in California's Yosemite National Park, and the Timberline Lodge, located on Oregon's Mount Hood. Indeed, one of the first things guests will encounter upon entering the resort is a octagon-shaped lobby outfitted with heavy timbers and a 200 ton granite and blue stone fireplace that rises 55 feet into the air. 25-foot high windows and plenty of cozy seating areas will allow guests to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the mountain—and the main building's four crackling fireplaces. (Every guest room at the hotel will also feature a gas-burning fireplace).

The rustic look extends to the exterior too, but with a modern-day, low maintenance upgrade: HardieShingle® shingle siding and Artisan® Lap cladding. Approximately 50,000 square feet of HardieShingle product and 10,000 square feet of Artisan cladding are used on the hotel, according to Andrew Ellis, James Hardie's representative for northern California and northern Nevada.

The architects from San Francisco-based Hornberger + Worstell left nothing to chance when it came to getting the architectural details just right on the new lodge. They even constructed full-size mock-ups of key exterior components two years before construction was completed, so they could evaluate the materials and make certain everything was in proportion. The portable mock-ups were even moved around the site so the designers could see how materials would look with varying degrees of sunlight and shadows.

Artisan Advantages

Those dramatic shadow lines are just one of the reasons why Artisan Lap by James Hardie has quickly become a preferred material for architects since its introduction in 2007. Of course, Artisan Lap's revolutionary 5/8" thickness also deliver architectural-grade strength (and a 30 year full replacement limited warranty) to both residential and commercial projects.

"The Ritz-Carlton is an upscale project and this product fits in with that because of the thickness of it," says Cliff Busby of Reno-based Los Gatos/Nevada Construction Company, Inc., the installer on the project. Artisan® siding's thickness, as well as its tongue and groove ends, also produces much less waste than many products which require a "break on a stud," Busby explains. "When I buy [Artisan], it goes up on the building as opposed to a certain percentage of it being thrown in the dumpster." Less waste material is more environmentally-friendly and also reduces jobsite clean up costs, he says. "My estimator likes it, and my foreman and the guys in the field like it. It's going to be a good product."

Of course, our HardieShingle product is an ideal complement to Artisan Lap and our HardiePlank lap siding. HardieShingle siding is available in a variety of edges and textures, lending an authentic look to virtually any architectural style—without the maintenance headaches of conventional wood.

Check-In Time for LEED Certification

The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe is the first LEED-designed resort in the company's portfolio, and one of first major five-star resorts to seek LEED certification.

Nine percent of the materials used in the project are recycled, and the developer recycled or re-used approximately 16,000 tons (88 percent) of the waste generated during construction. The lodge also incorporates the latest energy- and water-saving technologies, and uses numerous locally-sourced building materials and furnishings.

What's more, the hotel is designed to encourage guests to park the car and walk—or take a gondola ride down to the bustling Northstar-at-Tahoe Village below.

The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe features 170 guest rooms, 23 private Ritz-Carlton residences, and 25 Ritz-Carlton Destination Club units. A 17,000 square foot spa and fitness center, as well as a signature gourmet restaurant, will also pamper hotel guests.