Big Bear Lakefront Lodge, Big Bear Lake

Four families, rented four rooms. Our family of 4 has 2 teenagers. Clean, and warm room with two queen beds and a basic kitchen. Clean bathroom and tub. Furniture is older but in good condition. We were not staying here for the furniture! Good location for a ski trip, close to everything. We rented 4 rooms total in our group. All were satisfied with the room but the service needs work. The negatives are as follows: 1. Check in lady had an attitude. Very surley. 2. One burner on 2 stoves did not work, others were okay. We managed to have a dinner party everynight (2) and feed everyone (13 people) hot meals. 3.Refrigerator had no shelfs (in any room) and is too small if you plan on bring our own food. Used our ice chest for storage instead (below freezing so put cooler on the deck). Our refrig was missing a leg and tilted everytime you opened door so had to put a rock under it. 4. One Fireplace (gas) did not work after about 1 hour of use and could not get the pilot light to relight. Heater (wall) worked fine and kept room toasty. 5. No maid service on 3 of the 4 units. Had to call for bath towels and trash bags. You have to take out your trash but there are no bags to replace it! No dish soap either. The maids speak only spanish (and we did not). Lots of hand gestures and pointing worked out.

The website is misleading. The "beachfront" is no more than a picnic table and metal dock. The staff are nice, but the hotel is run down and needs renovation. The city of Big Bear Lake closes down around 5 pm and only a few restaurants and a bowling alley are left open for a few hours past that.

I had the pleasure of staying at the Lodge in two different rooms. Expedia had made an error, and the lodge staff bent over backward to correct it, giving me one room the first night, with the option of upgrading to a lakefront for the next, which I chose, not because the other room was inadequate, but because I enjoy the view of the lake. The rooms were immaculate; the staff, from the maid, to the desk, to the after-hours answering service were kind, friendly, and courteous. The rates were excellent, and even with the no smoking policy (the staff is no longer permitted to smoke in the office), there was no smell of smoke in any hallway, and all were kept neat as a pin. Truly an excellent example of Big Bear hospitality!

I liked the quiet area and a lakefront location with a boat dock. No street noise. Beds were firm and bedspreads were "country" with ducks. Room had microwave frig and coffee maker.