Charming Big Bear Lake Cottage w/ Deck: Hike & Ski

Reviews

• Great Place

  5/5

  Family friendly, clean and short drive to places to eat. Easy in and out. Kids had yard to play in snow. Property manager very friendly and helpful.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

• Incredible Week in Snowy Big Bear

  5/5

  What an incredible romantic January snowy week in Big Bear!! This cabin is so perfect with its cozy fireplaces, spot on furnishings, well appointed with fluffy towels, blankets, cozy bedding, etc. It was so fun that the master bedroom has a fun retro fireplace with glass double doors leading onto the wooden deck balcony to see the snow falling. And the loft area had a great leather couch/futon to just sit and read while looking out on the snow through the large upper windows.

  We were so delighted and surprised to find a goodie basket of snacks, hot cocoa, coffee, etc. with a kind note welcoming us to the cabin. That was so kind and unexpected. The kitchen had everything needed to make meals which we found exciting because we enjoy cooking. . .in the past many places we have stayed were found wanting. The cabin was clean from top to bottom and all linens fresh, and smelled so good. I am extremely picky with cleanliness of hotels and rentals and this Cabin met our expectations. We enjoyed sitting on the covered front porch having coco or morning coffee, looking at the snow, birds and watching the locals sled.

  We are newbies dealing with snow and driving on snow. We were so relieved to see when we arrived that the road was plowed and even the drive way! It was cleaned of snow and salted as well as the front porch. Our car does not have a 4WD but we had no problems with driving and parking. . .just take your time.

  Also we loved how close we were to “The Village” area with cute shops and restaurants and plenty of yummy places . . .we tried a few. And super close to the “Alpine Slide” snow area.

  When our week was up my husband and I were sad to leave because we loved this cabin so much. We felt so warm, cozy, safe in such an adorable cabin surrounded by the snow. Everyone around us so friendly and welcoming. Plenty of restaurants to choose from, plenty of snow activities to choose from and we are always blown away by this thought. . .so close to LA! That was also a nice treat not having a long drive. The vistas driving up and down the mountain are breath taking so please pull over and take those in, so peaceful.

  All and all, if you are looking for an adorable, super clean, nicely located rental for a “get a way” look no further and rent this place for a weekend or even the week. We will be rebooking for next January for sure and also looking at this for a quite Summer get away as well. We will be back!

• Romantic getaway

  5/5

  This is a cute and cozy cabin that was perfect for our romantic anniversary/ valentine weekend getaway. So much to do at big bear! Hikes, drives, exploring downtown. There are delicious restaurants and relaxing wine bar experiences, not to mention shopping. This is definitely a repeat experience for us!

• Idyllic and restful

  5/5

  What a gem in the heart of big bear! So well designed and clean!

  If you are looking to take time away in modern comfort look no further. The house itself is lovely and well stocked with amenities and comforts! The master bedroom opens to the balcony patio and is the perfect place for a coffee in the morning. The owners are extremely gracious and very fast to respond to any issue!

  It is centrally located in big bear so you can get anywhere in about 5 minutes!

  We will definitely be back often! I’m

• Inconvenient and Unsafe

  1/5

  SITUATION: Winter Family Vacation 2022Couple and 4 kidsUNSAFE: Although it snowed in Big Bear on Dec 11 and 12, when we checked in on Dec 17th, the driveway is still full of snow and ice. The street directly in front of the house is all ice. When we tried to drive into the driveway, our rental suburban was sliding on the ice. The contact person's husband was hesistant but had to drive our car into the driveway.INCONVENIENT: When it was time for our family to get out of the driveway, we kindly asked the contact person, Karen, to clear the driveway of snow but were told that because it snows in Big Bear, there is nothing they can do, although our family saw and passed by atleast 3 different houses down the street whose driveways were clear of snow or ice. My husband and I applied the tire cable hoping that it will help us get out of the driveway safely. With our whole family in the car, my husband started slowly backing out and immediiately got stuck in the snow in the driveway, while the back wheel spinning in the ice directly in front of the driveway and the car sliding sideways toward the tree and the rock which almost hit our tire. We had to call the towing service, paid $320 and our teenage kids had to walk to the snow tubing place on a 30 degree weather that night. For 3 days, we had asked the property contact person, Karen and the Property Management Company, Evolve, to clear our driveway of snow and ice or provide an alternative parking but to no avail so our family started looking for an alternative parking ourselves. So, for 3 days and 3 nights, our whole family would walk a mile to the property after our kids get back from snow boarding and wake up early and walk another mile to get to our car from the property on a 20-30 degree weather. At times, we would order to-go meals early on during the day or have it delivered at night so we dont have to walk back and forth to our car. (Sorry, but unable to attach a picture here)CONS:The property's location is close to where we needed to be, the house is clean, modern and has all the amenities we needed BUT is it worth renting during winter? The unfortnate answer is NO.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

  Manager's Response:

  Hi Elaine, providing a safe and comfortable environment for all of our guests is at the forefront of our mission, and we're sorry to hear the weather caused some safety concerns. After going over your feedback with the homeowner, they wanted to share the following:
  - My guest's safety is my top priority. I and my team always do all we can to accommodate our guest's needs during their stay, and the local Guest Contact was in frequent communication with you throughout your visit.
  - Before your arrival, the driveway was plowed and as much of the snow was removed as possible. The snow that remained was compacted from the removal. Additionally, we put down salt to help the remaining snow melt faster.
  - The road in front of the cottage is city property, and I am not legally able to remove or touch that snow, which we informed you of this during your stay.
  - I'm truly sorry that your vehicle got stuck and that a towing service was needed to assist you. While the weather is out of our control, my team did all they could to prepare the property for your arrival.
  - I also personally reached out to discuss the situation and help make things right for the inconvenience you experienced.
  The owner and their team work hard to provide an ideal stay for all guests, and we look forward to this home hosting many happy travelers!