Truckee Hoteliers Meet for Fall / Winter 2025

MEETING ATTENDEES

Properties:

• Martis Valley Lodge: Kyle Overacker, Kirsten Lant, Ann Cotroneo
• Gravity Haus: Stefan Moore
• Springhill Suites: Tatum Hogarth, Spring Untalan

VTT Staff:

• Jackie Calvert, Executive Director
• Tracy Weingard, Director of Brand & Marketing

Guest Presenters:

• Truckee Chamber of Commerce: Jessica Penman
• Common Pine: Rikesh Patel

AGENDA

1. Roundtable News
2. Marketing Updates
3. Annual FY 24/25 Report
4. Lodging & Visitation Data
5. New Truckee Developments

Performance & Revenue

Hotels reported mixed results through summer, reflecting both strong weekday performance and softer weekend occupancy. Rate strategies played a major role — several attendees noted that aggressive ADR pushes early in the season dampened demand. Guests are becoming increasingly rate-conscious, with midweek and shoulder periods showing greater resilience.

Market Shifts & Guest Behavior

Booking windows remain short, with many guests reserving within 72 hours of arrival. A recurring theme: price sensitivity and late decision-making. Hotels observed travelers comparing across independent, boutique, and branded properties, as well as Airbnb’s renewed marketing push, now positioning itself as “hotel-like” but often falling short on cleanliness and transparency.

Properties discussed the critical role of guest satisfaction scores and the power of word-of-mouth. Maintaining consistency and proactive communication was noted as essential to sustaining brand reputation.

Operations & Staffing

Staffing remains a universal challenge, especially in housekeeping and front desk roles. Hotels are focusing on morale, cross-training, and incentives to improve retention. Collaboration across the lodging community was encouraged to share solutions and maintain service quality.

Amenities & Parking 

Some hotels are exploring third-party valet partnerships and creative layout adjustments to maximize snow-season capacity, while others have implemented parking fees ($15–$20 for self-parking) as part of a broader revenue management strategy.

Competitive Landscape

Independent and branded hotels both acknowledged increasing competition from Airbnb, which is repositioning itself with hotel-like amenities. Attendees emphasized the advantage of professional service, reliability, and authenticity — areas where Truckee hotels continue to outperform short-term rentals.

Visit Truckee-Tahoe highlighted recent and upcoming marketing initiatives from the Hotelier Fall & Winter 25/26 Updates presentation:

• New Website: Driving a 218% increase in booking engine views and 488% growth in purchase revenue since launch.
• AI Trip Planner (Mindtrip): Usage up 593%, with 1,000+ itineraries built in just 60 days; now integrating direct booking through Ripe.
• Fall Media Plan: A $100K investment spanning Google, Meta, Expedia, and CTV — maintaining visibility through shoulder season.
• Winter Lodging Offer: The popular $150 Gift Card Promotion returns to drive early bookings and longer stays.
• New Visitors’ Map: A comprehensive branded guide showcasing Truckee’s trails, dining, lodging, and local favorites for guests on the go.

• 14.5M total impressions (+41% YoY) achieved despite a reduced media spend.
• 80.3K social followers, up 104% year-over-year.
• 396 PR placements reaching 5.1B UVM.
• 608K website pageviews (+18% from FY 23/24).
• Lodging referrals increased 67%, and direct offer conversions surged 371%.
• TART Connect usage rose 10 points YoY, highlighting growing use of sustainable local transit options.
• FY 24/25 established a strong performance benchmark for tracking visitor engagement, marketing reach, and conversion.
• Visitation data shows that visitors consistently outnumber residents, reinforcing Truckee’s position as a visitor-dependent destination and the importance of continued investment in responsible tourism growth.
• Thursdays have become the busiest day of the week, now outpacing Saturdays during peak summer — a clear indicator of how popular community events like Truckee Thursdays can drive local vibrancy and visitation.

The Old Lumber Yard

Truckee’s heritage meets modern mountain living in this reimagined community hub on the former Truckee Tahoe Lumber Co. site (1931–2020).

• Phase I: Dining, fitness, art, and gathering spaces including Dopo Pizza & Pasta by Coffee Bar, Liv Studio, Alpenswing, Ryan Group Architects, and anchor tenant Fifty-Fifty Brewing.
• Phase II (pending approval): 3-story housing, 2-story event center, and a 10–12 room boutique hotel.
• Plans include outdoor events, public art, fire pits, and community activations that honor Truckee’s creative spirit.

Mtn Scout Hotel (Gray’s Crossing)

A 129-room boutique hotel blending contemporary mountain design with Truckee’s heritage.

• Amenities include a conference center, restaurant and bar, Tunnel 6 whiskey lounge, outdoor fire pits, hot tubs, and event lawns.
• Developed by Gray’s Crossing Hospitality and the Abbate Family, with construction by Huff Construction.
• Groundbreaking: June 2025; Opening: Early 2028.

Common Pine

Common Pine, presented by Rikesh Patel, shared an update on Truckee’s upcoming mass timber hotel planned for the Truckee Railyard Master Plan area.

Key project details include:

• 60 hotel rooms and 15 residential units
• 5,000 sq. ft. of food & beverage space, including a ground-floor restaurant and rooftop bar
• 2,300 sq. ft. of wellness space and rooftop pool with mountain views
• Commitment to sustainable timber construction, using local sourcing and innovative fire-resistant materials

Timeline: Permitting anticipated by 2027, with construction to begin shortly after and opening targeted for 2029

View Fall 2025 Updates Presentation