The buzz along Lake Tahoe’s South Shore since early 2015 has been about the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, a $60 million renovation of the former Horizon Casino Resort.
In true rock and roll style, the hotel’s grand opening ceremony was topped off by the owners shattering an ice sculpture of a guitar with sledgehammers to celebrate what they deemed “a once-in-50-year event in Lake Tahoe.” A different kind of guitar—this one a 25-ft high, 2,150-pound sculpture in the courtyard—was designed to turn 360 degrees so guests can take selfies in front of it with their choice of backdrop. There is also no shortage of guitars, or any music memorabilia for that matter, in the resort’s cases, with the possessions of rock icons from Buddy Holly to Lenny Kravitz in residence.
The 539-room resort takes its meetings seriously, with more than 14,300 sf of meeting and convention space. There are also four restaurants, several bars and a 25,000-sf casino.
With the lake and the Sierras right outside the door, groups have dozens of choices of activities for their down time, whether hitting the slopes at Heavenly Mountain Resort in winter or grabbing a bike in summer for a ride on the Lake Tahoe Trails.
The Hard Rock is fast becoming known for its Oyster Bar, the first-ever raw seafood bar of its kind on Tahoe’s South Shore. It was created as a showcase for the property, with chefs preparing the meals, from seasonal oyster dishes to New Orleans classics like jambalaya, right in front of the diners.
