We just came back from staying 4 nights at the Cottage Inn, and we had an excellent time there.
The service, the comfort of the cottage (we stayed in the Enchanted Cottage) and of the lodge, the ratio price/quality all made it a very enjoyable experience.
There are books (mostly fiction), magazines (mostly people or fashion), the daily newspaper to read in the lodge, and also mulled wine to drink by the fire... As well as video tapes to borrow for a night and play on your VCR.
It's authentic without being (too) cheezy.
The quality of the breakfast depended on who our hostess was, but overall very filling and tied us for almost a whole day of skiing.
Water, tea and coffee were available in the Lodge at all times, highly appreciated after a walk in the snow without much else to drink but... snow!
During the winter though, one minus -- the lack of heating in our bathroom (in the Enchanted cottage)... Very powerful hair dryer and complimentary soaps, shower gel and shampoo. All a nice touch that made the stay even nicer... as if our hosts really had gone out of their way to make us feel at home.
One last thing -- I don't know how the place would feel in the Summer as it is quite dark and doesn't let much light in. It didn't bother us as we were out skiing most of the day and didn't hang around in the room too much during daylight.

We stayed here for four nights. Three in the "Romantic Hideaway" room, one in the "Cowboy Romance " room. The romantic hideaway, is great and the internet does not do justice to this place. It is fantastic. There was a huge jacuzi in the room made out of rock with a waterfall. You can step down into it, and sit on a built in bench. My Husband and I really enjoyed it. It is very roomy and I can't say enough about it. You also have a bathroom with a shower too. The canopy bed was great, and you have a tv with a video player. The fireplace is great too. The breakfast they serve, is a full breakfast in their dinning area in the lodge. Very delicious, some mornings you had french toast and sausage, other eggs and bacon, and potatoes. They served a very delicious fresh fruit parfait one morning too, with eggs and bacon and potatoes and toast. Nice sitting area with fireplace there too, and lots of books and video's to take to your room. They give you free wine, and the most delicious cookies every afternoon. The Cowboy room was fantastic. Very large and roomy. Big walk in shower with large tile. But, no jacuzi. We loved this room too, and it had a dvd and a video player with the tv and a refrigerator. We had a nice view of the woods and we could see the lake from this room. We can't wait to go back and try the other rooms. 4 star all the way. The owners and staff are great.

I stayed in the "Old Fishing Hole" room for two nights. Although the room was small, and the bathroom even smaller, it had a fireplace and comfy double bed, just right for me as I was travelling solo. The breakfast was gourmet and the grounds like a fairy tale setting. I hopped on my bike each morning, right onto the path that followed the lake shore. Also enjoyed dinner one night at Sunnyside - walking distance. A delightful stay!

Every inch of The Cottage Inn is absolutely adorable. It is the little-cabin-in-woods you’ve dreamed of, and a wonderful spot from which to explore the Lake Tahoe area. If it’s all about the setting, then this is your place. Our experience was pleasant and memorable, even though the weather was unseasonable warm.
When we arrived at our cabin, “Home Suite Home”, it was stuffy and warm inside, so we opened the windows and turned on the ceiling fans. The fan above the bed made a ticking sound, which would have kept me up all night. I mentioned it to the girl at the front desk, and her attitude was adequate, but not personable. Yet, when we returned from dinner, the fan had been quieted. The night temperature dropped to somewhere in the forties, and with the windows open and a soft quilt on the comfortable although squeaky bed, we slept well. It was very peaceful and quiet until seven in the morning, when someone’s car alarm went off behind our cabin.
Our cabin had two small rooms, a bedroom and living room, separated by a massive stone, see-thru fireplace. I imagine this is a nice feature in the winter, but on a hot July day, it was rather useless and made the rooms feel a little cramped, or some might say, cozy. The style is very reminiscent of a 1940’s cabin, with tongue in grove paneling covering the walls and ceilings. We had hoped to do some writing on our laptops, but there was no desk. The bathroom was small but clean and efficient, with sufficient towels, although some were frayed. I took a soak in the Jacuzzi tub for two, which dominates half the living room, and there was plenty of hot water and the little fragrant oil packets were a nice touch.
My husband has to be connected to the Internet for his job, and was not happy with their wireless connection, which was difficult to access and only available in the lodge area. The front desk girl found printed instructions, but there was no one on staff able to provide technical support. After several frustrating hours, he was able to get his e-mail. If you are just going here for a vacation, this is probably irrelevant.
The grounds are well maintained and reflect the natural beauty of the forest, with towering pine trees, flowerbeds and window boxes in bloom. The cabins are clustered amid the pines and around a spacious lawn with Adirondack and twig chairs grouped here and there. A hammock between two boulders invites one to a nap, and there is a waterfall trickling into a small pond by the lodge deck; all in all, a very picturesque, woodland setting.
The décor inside and out is quaint mountain lodge and each unit so unique it is hard to decide which cabin to stay in. As I strolled the grounds I was impressed with the attention to detail. The newest unit has carved bears crawling up the porch and raiding through the window and another one had carved raccoons popping out the chimney.
Breakfast is served on the deck overlooking the grounds or inside the charming lodge, and both mornings we enjoyed a two-course breakfast in the outdoor setting. There was no choice, but the dishes were tasty and plentiful. Only one newspaper was available, and the guests were supposed to share it, but did not.
For exploring the area, the location was ideal. It was away from the traffic clogged, hectic atmosphere of Tahoe City, but we were able to easily drive the two miles to town when needed. We drove around the beautiful blue waters of Lake Tahoe, the Lake Of The Sky, which took about three hours due to the traffic, but the views of the lake and mountains were spectacular. We browsed the basket of menus provided in the lodge and found a great restaurant “The Old Range Steak House”, which I highly recommend to all steak lovers. My husband’s strip steak was the size of a pot roast, and the atmosphere was also in keeping with the old mountain lodge look that is so popular in this locale.
Although there are many other hotels and motels around, The Cottage Inn captures the ambience of Lake Tahoe perfectly.