Silverthorn Resort

This place is basically Motel-​6 on the Water…
Stayed in one of their cabins for a few days. Most Beds in the cabins are Full size (Why Not queen? or King Size?) and the mattresses are crap and leave you waking up feeling sore.
Inventory in the cabins (Toilet paper, paper towels, dishes, bedding) was seriously lacking. Talking with some of the other guests in the cabins same issues. During our stay we had some issues with Mice and having to basically wash the Poo off the dishes before each use.
Some of the Staff were really friendly and Accommodating Like Jeremy, Fudge and the Jamaican lady up in the Bar /​Pizzeria. They were awesome. Shuttle driver guy was nice as well. A few others down on the Docks were just kind of Prick’s. (Especially the Skinny looking tweaker dude who rides around on a quad.)
Pros:
Its on lake Shasta
Cabins Aren’t too much $ 99/​nt (Just wish Beds were better, and stocked better)
Pizza is Really good (Just hope the kitchen didn’t have the mice issue our cabin did…)
Mooring Spot included with cabin
Cons:
Parking is Cramped
Boat Launch only accommodates 1 maybe 2 Boats at a time and can be overly crowded at times.
Gas is $ 4.99/gal for Regular. (Not even supreme)
Cabin Cleanliness — and Outdated.
The road into this place sucks. (Single lane, Twisty, and in need of minor repair)

The most expensive gas on the lake! $ 4.99 per gallon, jones valley $ 4.19 per gallon.

I’ve never experienced more unprofessionalism or disrespect from employees than I did this weekend. Renting one of these houseboats is really expensive and it should be expected that resort staff treat their clientele with more respect. When you run into this behavior from not just one but MANY employees there’s something wrong with the business.
I suggest finding a different marina for your boating needs on Lake Shasta.

We’ve been renting houseboats from Silverthorn for years. We have tried other resorts but have had the best experiences here. The staff recognizes us when we call to reserve each year. We love that! Pizza pub is always a hit, too! Our family loves Silverthorn!

Just got home from a seven day vacation at Lake Shasta, this is our second year renting from Silverthorne, we were on a queen houseboat. On arrival we found that are houseboat was just about ready to for us to board sore wait time was minimal houseboat was in reasonably clean condition however there are some signs of aging that probably should be addressed on this boat. Check in went very well at the counter by two very nice young ladies. During our week the houseboat worked fairly flawlessly with only one minor problem one of the primary water pumps failed but fortunately the boat has a back up system so no harm no foul. We arrived at the check out dock on Friday. Saturday morning or houseboat was ready to check out at 8 AM. Check out went very smoothly. I will give a five-​star ***** to the people who checked us in and checked us out. The only reason why it’s the above is not higher is I just feel that the boat needed a little TLC.

Giving them 1 star only because I have to. We were first time house boaters. Our experience was horrible! Rented through Groupon for a Monday through Friday trip. I’m wondering if they keep a special junker boat for the deal. Check in took forever and it’s the off season! The man who did our orientation was completely rude and didn’t have a clue how to do an orientation. He didn’t even tell us how to turn the lights on and off so our first night we thought they were all burned out and used our flashlights. Our first day out we parked our boat in the cove across from the marina just in case we needed help. Within hours of parking our boat started flooding up front by the kitchen table. We called the office and a really nice guy came out and said oh the fresh water tank has a leak. He turned it off and came back with two cases of water bottles! He should have had us drive across and bring the boat in so they could fix it. Their solution was to give us water bottles! We had no clean water to wash dishes, brush our teeth or even make coffee! For a party of 8 they expected us to deal with two cases of bottled water for 4 nights! Also that night when I started to cook our dinner I discovered almost all of the dishes were covered in a thick sticky grease! We had to boil water from the lake to clean the dishes before we could even cook! My husband started the BBQ up to cook our skirt steak and only the right top corner of the burner worked! The first day was super stressful and a complete disaster.
Our second day was not much better… the fact that we had to call for service to fix the lights, we had no running fresh water and the BBQ was inoperable. The BBQ never worked during our entire stay… The service guys fix was to scrub it with a wire brush then he left saying it was just dirty. What a joke the burner was rotten!
Our third day we parked our boat and staked it down behind an island. The wind and rain hit pulling the boat away from shore and scaring all of us aboard. My husband jumped out to shore in the lightning storm and tried to re-​stake the boat only for the hammer Silverthorn provides to break in half! We survived the night but with little sleep from hoping we wouldn’t end up floating into trees and sinking.
Our forth morning we drove to the dock so my husband could go to work for the day and all of our cars were stuck in the mud! All because of where the Silverthorn employee told us to park! Three vehicles had already slid down the hill and gotten stuck in the mud that day. My husband missed a day of work all because of an incompetent a silverthorn employee.
Our last day of the trip was a nightmare! We couldn’t get our cars out of the muddy hill (a few cars had actually slid into the lake!) we had to hike all of our belongings up the muddy hill to our vehicles and then only to find out we were stuck! Worst houseboat trip and worst marina ever!

i was worried due to some of the negative reviews on Silverthorn’s customer service but we actually had a great experience.
We did a three night rental for the Presidential and it was ready for pick up and orientation at 3pm… yes, Andy (gave the orientation) did so quickly but it’s not rocket science and we had someone who had prior boating experience so it made the whole process less daunting.
The loading process was a pain. There is a steep dirt road and Silverthorn provides buckets for you to haul your stuff back and forth. It was hot and dusty but I considered it my cardio for the day. It’s not for the faint of heart though…
The boat was clean and well stocked. I would advise you that our boat said it slept 12. We were six adults and there was just enough room for us and two dogs. There is no privacy so come prepared if you’re a light sleeper and need earplugs.
Here’s where we had trouble… the first night our fresh water stopped running… then the lights went. The office was closed due to an employee party so we called and left a message and went to bed with no lights, no water, and no ac. The next morning we decided to boat back to the dock to get our boat fixed. We had to wait on the dock for 45 minutes while they tried to fix our boat. Then they decided we needed a new boat because the generator was shot… enter another 45 minutes.
Welcome, Trent… our mechanic. He was a rockstar. He got us a new boat and recruited two other mechanics to help us schlep our stuff from one boat to another. They also loaded up our coolers with complimentary ice and off we went.
So, now we had a new boat, a full tank of gas, fresh water, and AC! We were bummed because we essentially lost a whole day to this issue. We called Silverthorn and explained the situation. They offered to refund us for one day. Yipppeeeeee! Yes, it was an issue and hassle to get the boat fixed but they came through at the end of the day and that’s why I would use them again.

Mixed reviews indeed! I come down on the side of those who were first time boaters who had concerns that renting from Silverthorn was a mistake. And please understand that I did not intend to rent from Silverthorn — I simply told
what I wanted, and it was they who connected my needs with Silverthorn’s boat (Queen 1).
So when I arrived (early) and was processed immediately because a boat was ready, I worried that said boat would be a filthy dirty mess. It was immaculate. So I expected the loading process to be nightmare. But courtesy dock help (like Eric) was fantastic.
My family had a great time. We are already talking about doing it again. And it will be with Silverthorn — not that I have anything against the other marinas. It’s just that I really, really liked the way Silverthorn operates so have no reason to shop elsewhere.

I was a little bit afraid about the mixed reviews here, but I have to say our experience was nothing than positive.
We rented a houseboat for a 3 night trip over the 4^th of July weekend.
The check-​in was fast and the introduction didn’t take to long either. We also were able to pick-​up our small wakeboard boat at the same time instead of the next morning which was really great.
The check-​out process at the end was not too bad either. I just don’t understand why they tell everyone that they have to be back by 9 am instead of making some time slots to avoid heavy traffic on the dock.
To me the gas price of $ 5.99 per gallon felt a little bit high. But I cannot really tell if this is standard on Lake Shasta or not since we didn’t have a chance to checkout the gas prices of the other marinas.
All in all we had a great time. Everyone enjoyed the houseboat and we definitely would come back for another trip on beautiful Lake Shasta.

We planned a week long houseboat vacation over a year in advance and were so excited.
For beginners the check in process was ridiculous. We were told to arrive at 3pm. and did so at 2:40. Then had to wait over two hours to check in.. With 5 children under ten years old. It was terrible. We are told this was because we arrived too late and the clean boats were already taken.
So once we finally get in a freshly cleaned boat.. it was filthy dirty. We complained and a couple guys came back 30 min later with cleaning supplies. They quickly went in and then tried to leave. I checked it and showed them the piled on dirt and wasps nests all over the tvs. They shrugged their shoulders and said it was better then before. I think this is unacceptable.
The staff was split in half. Half with amazing customer service and the other half the worst service I’ve ever seen. The young kids need to take a few lessons from the older managers.
At the end of the day we enjoyed our vacation. On the water with fRiends enjoying the lake. I do feel like they have a ton to work on.. Especially since I am now sitting in the car again two hours later waiTing to check out with my toddler.
The two stars are for the lacking check in and out service.. Cleanliness or lack of on arrival and lousy customer service.

Round two… Customer service was on par as usual. This year we rented a boat and tube in addition to the ski. Found the usual campsite and we were good to go. I can’t wait to come back next year!
Just note: check in is at 3. There is no guarantee the houseboat will be ready by 10 am… No matter what they say. So come prepared to wait of necessary because it all depends on the previous renters turning the boat in on time.
The boats come with some basics but your guests are going to have to bring extra kitchen items etc.
2 for 2 years of success with these guys.

Very friendly staff.
Rented the presidential and it was a good size, but a bit outdated. The TV was smaller than what I expected.

Excellent service, very accommodating. The houseboat was ready, clean and worked perfectly. The deck hands were very helpful andpatiently explained everything we needed to know. Can’t say enough about the great friendly crew. They really helped make the whole trip memorable. Of course great fishing helped too!
I highly recommended Silverthorn for any marine needs on Shasta.

So I’m a houseboating n00b and can’t really compare this experience to anything else. A group of nearly 40 of us rented two 3-​level houseboats (Queen 1 and Queen 2) for a weekend and I had an amazing time!
Again, as a first time houseboater, I was really impressed with the thing. Three levels of fun and there really is plenty of space to sleep for everyone. I was particularly intrigued by the dining table area that converted into a sleeping area for 4 people. The room/​bed I got was actually pretty comfortable and reasonably sized for a couple.
That being said, the boat was not without its faults. The hot tub was broken (power wasn’t working despite the generator being turned on) and our satellite TV freaked out on us the second day (the screen kept flashing on and off for no reason so it made watching NFL incredibly painful). The mattresses in the bedbox on the top deck also were wet and musty smelling. I can’t say I was surprised, but I’m happy that the guys who showed up last brought air mattresses with them to sleep on instead.
The second deck bar area was perfect for socializing and that slide certainly made things fun. The speaker system was great and the fridge was clutch.
The only service related item I can speak to is that we had broken lounge chairs on our top deck and asked to get functional ones. It took about 20 – 30 minutes to get the working ones which was a bit of a hassle, since we were itching to leave the dock asap.

We were repeat customers with Silverthorn and as such you would think they would try and accomodate us– NOPE! My father had knee surgery and we asked to change our dates until we could recuperate– no they told us– they didn’t care if he died they were not changing the dates.
Find any other houseboat company at Shasta– Silverthorn is down right rude!

We rented their Silverthorn Queen 1 boat for Labor Day weekend with a bunch of friends. We will never use Silverthorn again!
They had terrible customer service and were very deceitful in how they presented the contract information to us. They charged us an additional $ 1000 at the end of our trip for a «cleaning fee» even though the boat was scrubbed down and cleaner than when we got it! I would never recommend using this company to anybody and was very dissatisfied in the service we received for the price that we paid.

I got a great deal on pinchit for Labor day weekend Friday-​Monday for $ 695 reg. $ 1390.anywho.I bought the deal & called to reserve my boat 2 days after. The lady I spoke to was Kathy who politely told me they were sold out for the dates listed for the deal but had alternative dates. Depart Thursday to Sunday or depart Saturday-​Tuesday. We decided to take the Saturday stay so we were able to party on Labor day instead leaving at 9am. Deal was for the executive houseboat. Holds 10ppl.2 fridges/​freezers, a slide. BBq & two bathrooms. Great for us we split it into a woman’s and guys bathrooms. Our entire stay there was great! I also talked Misty who answer my question regarding a double deposit for holidays. Great customer service from the check in fo check out! Sorry for the two woman who did our orientation & the other who checked us out. U guys were great!!! Can’t wait to visit & actually see the 2^nd largest dam!!! 4 stars because: Gas was a little expensive for us & we didn’t really cruise the lake. It was our generator & U have to run the boat 2 hours before & after (am/​pm). &&& the fridge/​freezer sucked because u had to keep them
Closed or ur food/​drinks wouldnt stay cold. Ice chest work waaaaay better. But again I loved our stay here! & for my pinchit price it was EVEN that much better!!!

RIPOFF REPORT!!! HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!!!
I bought a «too good to be true» deal on Pinchit advertising Labor Day weekend houseboat rental from Friday to Monday for $ 695. After purchasing the deal, I tried calling them several times with no success, this was on a Friday DURING business hours. I tried again calling them over the weekend to confirm my reservation, again no one picked up. Finally on Monday I was able to reach someone only to tell me they are completely sold out for those dates and only can accomodate me the same special for other dates!!! They would offer no apology, no other choices for the same dates, NOTHING!!! The girl who I was talking to was the least helpful living being I ever conversed with, no customer service skills whatsoever! She blantantly told me I was out of luck. wow!
Thankfully I was able to obtain a refund through Pinchit, who were very helpful and apologetic for my experience. I suggest for everyone out there to look for other companies to rent from as these folks are running a crummy operation that focuses solely on profits rather than its clients. If I could put no stars I would!

This is the best dock I have been to on the lake. I went there for the infamous Memorial Day Houseboats Weekend. We rented the three story houseboat. It was clean, in good condition, and had a lot of nice features. The hot tub didn’t work very well but was promptly fixed by an easy going staff member.
If you get the three story Silverthorn Houseboat, you will have the best rental boat on the lake and you will tower over Holiday Harbor, Bridge Bay, Jones Valley, and all the other names that people usually throw out there.
Have fun!

A bit expensive to rent a house boat during Memorial Day weekend, but it was extremely fun nonetheless.
I had no idea what a house boat was until I actually say it. Basically, imagine the interiors of a RV, but on a boat. I think MTV needs to get a «HouseBoat Rules» series.
13 of us crammed on 10 person boat. However, we were all able to fit comfortably.
The boat comes with free fresh water and free biodegradable toilet paper. We were stingy with our water use because we didn’t want to have to go back to the dock since gas is expensive! We only used half a tank and it came out to almost $ 200.
–2 stars for rude service. The guy who explained our the boat works /​drives didn’t actually show us to do anything, and then had us sign off on everything. Later that day, we found out that our generator didn’t work. When we asked an employee at the resort to fix the boat, he said that all the mechanics were off duty and would get back to us in the morning. As a result, we didn’t get to leave the doc till around 11 am the next day. When we went to pay the deal, we tried to get something comped (e.g. gas) or a discount, but the woman cashier basically called us liars and said that the generator was fixed promptly. Also, she said it was our fault since we already signed the papers saying everything was okay. True, we did sign it, but you don’t need to be rude.