The Retreat on Mount Charleston
"Why did this hotel catch your attention?For years, the Resort on Mount Charleston was a fixture here, and its exterior remains much the same since it was rebranded The Retreat on Charleston Peak. Surrounded by towering pines, the timber and fieldstone lodge is exactly what you expect in an alpine forest. You just might not expect it to be 30 minutes away from sweltering Las Vegas. The tall timber building is a dramatic sight at the base of snowcapped peaks as you drive up the mountain, and sits at a 7,500-foot elevation. Its dark and outdated lobby has been overhauled with an updated tribute to the Old West: big leather couches and seats dot the great room under vaulted timber ceilings, with view from massive windows to the forest outside. What's the backstory?The resort was, for 10 years owned by The Siegel Group, which renovates distressed motel properties. Despite its incredible location and old-school timber exterior, it was never able to break out as a high-end resort, and relied on conference business to keep it going. In 2018, Rhea Hospitality, a small, independent North Carolina hospitality company, bought it with a plan to landscape with native plants, switch to solar power, and decorate with the work of Nevada artists. Tell us all about the accommodations. Any tips on what to book?The Retreat on Charleston Peak is a work in progress (it's on year two of a three-year renovation plan). It's rustic and old-school in the way you'd expect an old mountain resort to be. So there are some dated elements as the resort gets up to speed. Rooms have undergone good soft renovations (floor and wallcoverings, linens and draperies), but some of the baths are still awaiting an update. Wi-Fi is now working in the rooms and all the public areas of the resort (a change from yesteryear). The king suites, all on the highest floors, with timber-beamed ceilings and redone in creamy neutral shades, are the best bets for views and comfort. Drinking and dining—what are we looking at?What a change a few years makes. For years, locals came up here for the rustic charm—which included such ancient relics as a cigarette machine right off the lobby. Now the smoky old lounge and restaurant have been transformed into Canyons Restaurant, which serves coffee made from locally roasted beans and baked goods from Mount Charleston's Cathedral Rock Bakery. You won't find experimental haute cuisine here, but you will find an updated menu that includes a "Pioneer Breakfast" (biscuits with country gravy, sausage, and home fries), omelettes, and a boozy hot chocolate. An updated burger menu, plus slightly more modern additions like fried cauliflower, mahi cakes, and glazed pork belly finish it off. Those who are accustomed to Strip dining might not appreciate the actual vintage charm of the place, but that's why locals flock here. How was the service?The Retreat on Charleston Peak is slowly transitioning from mostly convention business to a resort and lodge that's focused on sustainability and love for the outdoors—including Mount Charleston's winter skiing business and major appeal as a hiking destination. It takes a bit of time to transition, so you'll find a resort that's making major improvements to sustainability (LED lights, buying local goods and planting native plants, transitioning to solar power), but hasn't made the changes overnight. Service is sincere and helpful, but they're adjusting to their new normal, too. What type of travelers will you find here?Guests of The Retreat run the gamut from families who've been coming to the lodge since it was built in 1984 (through its various owner changes) and don't care if the resort is sustainable or not, to a new generation of Mount Charleston explorers, who are here for the hiking and love the idea of a sustainable retreat. This area was almost strictly a locals' secret for years, but has become popular in the last decade. Weathered bikers meet annual family reunion groups meet Silicon Valley escapees who are here for the nature but need their connectivity. What about the area? What else is around?The Retreat is in an isolated mountain location. There are occasional little shops and gas stations around, but you're coming here to get away—and it feels like it. Is there anything you'd change?As in any resort rethink, there are plenty of features that are stuck in the resort's past (furniture, some bathroom fixtures). As it continues to update over time, guests will find a resort that's more linked to the Nevada wilderness it calls home. Any other hotel features worth noting?One of the best ways to enjoy The Retreat is to come here in the winter. Even though locals can get up the mountain and back home in just an hour or two (enough time to see a little snow), they love to come here and book a weekend, drink something warm and boozy by the fireplace, and be completely transported from the slick gaudiness of Las Vegas in virtually no time at all. Bottom line: Why are we choosing The Retreat?Prices at The Retreat are gentle and well worth a weekend escape, especially if Las Vegas' lack of seasons gets you down. Up here in the Spring Mountain Range of the Humbolt-Toiyabe National Forest, you can quickly leave the sweltering temperatures of the valley below and get into the fresh air and pine-studded mountains you might have had no idea exist so close to the Strip." - Andrea Bennett
