BIG BEAR REVIEWS: actual reviews & comments from our Big Bear guests. Thank you for taking the time to send us your reviews from your vacation stay with us in Big Bear Lake. Best family and groups guestbook reviews & comments PROVERBS 25: 11 "An idea well expressed is like a design of gold, set in silver" GUEST REV
01
"Malia D on Trip Advisor
★★★★★ 2 days ago
Golden Bear Cottages resort is a true Big Bear gem.
I stayed at Golden bear this past week and it was amazing we had the most comfortable beds and had everything we needed for our family get away. I was our second visit. The cabins are clean and spacious we had a Jacuzzi tub that was an amazing bonus... Check in was easy checked out and got my deposit back with in a few days. We will def stay here again!"
Malia D Mentone, CA 08-25-2018
02
"Tara तारा ( Google review of Golden Bear Cottages at Big Bear Lake, CA)
My 1907 historic cabin with rock wall shower was perfect. Had beautiful fires every night. Comfy Tempurpedic bed, large hot tub with a nice little pup yard. I've enjoyed my stay by much at Golden Bear, and love this Christian family owned business very much. Walking distance to Boulder bay, clean not kitchy, my towels were fresh and white, smelled of bleach. Very happy. Giant tub, instant hot water. Everything I needed in the kitchen. So amazing. Huge front yard, tall pine trees, quiet, except for the many birds and squirrels, and chipmunks I saw. Love this place. Come visit Big Bear and Golden Bear... It's Paradise."
Tara Milner CA 04-16-2018
03
"Thank you Golden Bear Cottages resort staff, my family and I had such a wonderful weekend. The cabins were great. Real mountain cabins. Just what we needed. So glad we stayed, and will definitely stay at Golden Bear again. Thank you so much for making this last weekend so memorable."
Gilbert Laza Long Beach, CA 02-26-2018
04
"I just had to write about my great experience!!!
We give Golden Bear Cottages resort 5 out of 5 stars!!!
I am so disgruntled about all of the people that write negative things online that I wanted to share my personal experience while staying at Golden Bear Cottages. My significant other and I went to stay in a cabin in the beginning of June this year. We loved the cabin(which we got a free upgrade on when we checked in). It was like a historic hunting lodge with big log beams and a moose head over the fireplace. The nice thing was that it was cool enough for us to have a fire. The office staff was so kind and they actually never charged us for our firewood even though we received an upgrade that should have been twice as expensive as we actually paid. What great hospitality! We were also so appreciative that our cabin was so clean and we think this was really the best trip we have ever taken to Big Bear. So I would just like to give props to the whole Golden Bear Cottages team and let them know how very awesome they ALL are!!! THANK YOU (and we posted this on TripAdvisor too)"
Leonard Curr Tustin, CA 07-01-2016
05
"Guest review and comments: We love staying at the Golden Bear and are now bringing the 3rd generation of our family. We vacation there a couple times a year and have stayed in over a dozen different cabins. But our favorites are the cozy romantic spa cabin 5 (Honey Pot), the three bedroom cabin 26 (Snuggle Bear) and the biggest one - the seven bedroom retreat cabin 28 (Golden Bear Manor). Oh, and by the way we love the new Tempur-Pedic beds! See you again soon!"
Kathy & Bud Skinner Las Vegas, NV 04-10-2017
06
"Thank you owners of Golden Bear Cottages. You've done it again! You provided a place of peace for our family retreat. Your kindness does not cease. Don, Karen, Lisa and Len shine Christ's love so beautifully, with the warmth that you all show whenever we've visited Golden Bear Cottages Resort. We feel like we have been welcomed home after a long trip. All of our families truly thank you from our hearts for being such a blessing. May the Lord bless you and keep you safe until we see you at Golden Bear Cottages again."
Steven Horvath Orange, CA 07-10-2016
07
"We have been staying at Golden Bear Cottages for over 25 years. We love it there! We have always had a great cabin no matter which one we stay in (although our favorite is cabin #9 Bear's Den and we loved our stay for the Thanksgiving holiday). As we have said before, all the staff is really friendly and always try to accommodate any special requests. The owners, Don and Karen. DiCarlo, and Lisa and Lenny Duran are very nice and treat us like just like family. The cabins are kept very clean and are stocked with a wide assortment of kitchen items and always plenty of linens and towels and daily maid service. The beautiful grounds are kept clean and they have a great play area for kids and adults. Year-round, whether there is snow or not, it's a great time and a great value for all that is included.
Your friends, the DeJong Family"
Lisa DeJong Ontario, CA 11-29-2016
08
"Our family is looking forward to enjoying Thanksgiving holiday at Golden Bear Cottages again this year. It is a perfect way to begin the holiday season with the family. The cabins are conveniently located on Big Bear Blvd across from the lake and just about 1 mile from the quaint downtown where all the cute shops, restaurants and movie theaters are, we wouldn't stay anywhere else. Been a guest many times. I've stayed in a quaint and cozy cabin with my hubby that had a cozy wood burning fireplace, we have stayed in a spacious big two story private cabin with our family and I've gone with a very large group for a church retreat. They have cabins for every size family or group. Their largest cabin was huge.... a seven bedroom retreat with several bathrooms, 3 floors, and a huge kitchen. The outdoor grounds are beautiful and I love that they have a heated pool and playground for my kids. It's nice to have a place to get away that's affordable and the owners and staff provide all the friendship your heart desires. We have joined their Golden Bear Cottages Mountain Vacation Club because of the great cabin rental values offered and now we will go on vacation even more. We appreciate Golden Bear Cottages. We also posted a nice review on Yelp."
Niza D East Highlands Ranch, CA 11-02-2016
09
"“Happiness is at Golden Bear Cottages.”
My husband and I just spent the most wonderful 24th wedding anniversary at Golden Big Bear Cottages...
The beautiful historic cabin we were in was fully furnished with every need we could possibly want. The kitchen was fully equipped, the jacuzzi bathtub was a real plus and the clean and beautiful surroundings were delightful. The cottage area was quiet, but supported seeing children on the the basketball court, sand volleyball court, horseshoes and a huge heated pool. There is something for everyone to do at any age in this non-hotel. We were close to the city, village and everything. Oh! Did I mention the fireplace. We will never stay anywhere else in the Big Bear area. Don and the rest of the family were gracious and helpful in every way. Don't miss out on the lovely place to stay. It's a treat in itself. We traveled as a couple for a romantic and relaxing weekend, and absolutely loved it.
Joe& Sandi Logan
Riverside, CA."
Joe and Sandi Logan Riverside, CA 11-06-2012
10
"Our family of four had a very nice time at this Resort! We stayed in Cabin 8, a big private cottage which was plenty of space for us. The kids really enjoyed having the upstairs and downstairs and appreciated being able to play in the pool as well. The beds were comfortable and good sized. These are AAA approved quality cabins. We had plenty of room for more to join us if we'd brought friends for the kids. The owners, Lisa and Lenny, were great, very friendly and helpful! It was a perfect place to stay for going up to Big Bear and having access to the lake and all the outdoor activities the area has to offer. We will stay again!
Our family stayed at Golden Bear Cottages for vacation in June 2013."
Jon S. TripAdvisor Member. Redlands, CA 06-19-2013
11
"'For our returning group: another great retreat at Golden Bear Cottages in Big Bear Lake. Once again, thank you so much for an amazing stay. We always appreciate all the extra service, and sincerely love your hospitality and friendliness. Each of our group leaders commented that each member of your staff were so accommodating to us. You always provide our group the best place to stay. Thanks again for the late check-outs for group members who had later travel arrangements back to San Francisco. Your resort property and variety of cabin sizes, big and small, is always perfect for our group planning retreats. We will see you again for our next group event.'
Jacquelyn Lindeman, California Youth Connection"
Jacquelyn Lindeman, California Youth Connection San Francisco, CA 04-02-2015
12
"Great Getaway at a friendly place.
I stayed at the Golden Bear Cottages over the President's holiday weekend. My decision to drive up to Big Bear from Los Angeles was very last minute so I assumed I wouldn't have any luck at finding a place to stay especially since I was traveling with my dog. I reached out to Golden Bear on Wednesday hoping for a Saturday check in. Lisa was nice and made it clear that they were very pet friendly. To my surprise she had 1 cabin available because of a cancellation. I assumed the price would be jacked up but again to my surprise she quoted me a very reasonable price. I've never stayed in Big Bear or a mountain/ski area so I'm not sure what an average price is but I found less than $150 per night reasonable. The only thing was that I wanted to stay 2 nights and the required holiday minimum was 3 nights. So I had to drive up Friday, which for the price and how accommodating she was I really didn't mind.
I had cabin #15. It was a simple historic cabin with a queen sized bed, a 2 seat dinette set, fridge, microwave, and a small storage area with dishes, pots, and a hot plate to cook on. The bathroom also has a large jacuzzi. Outside I had a BBQ grill that I didn't use. The cabin was comfortable although I found it got a little hot at night. The simple solution to that was to turn down the heat or crack open a window. There were plenty of open areas to walk the dog on their large resort property in the woods. Some of the cabins have small fenced in yards which are obviously great if you have a pet. Oh and free wifi – that’s always a big thing for me.
When I checked in I spoke to Lisa for some time. She was friendly. They seem to thoroughly enjoy running their cabins and getting to know their guests. I asked probably some of the silliest questions and she answered all of them not seeming to mind. I explained it was my first time to a mountain/ski area so I was a complete newbie. She totally helped me out. The next day the gentleman in the office was equally friendly. Part of a friendly family owned business.
Check in was simple: my credit card was charged 50% before I checked in which Lisa explained over the phone. The remainder was charged when I got there. Check out was even easier: I left before the office opened on Monday morning so I just had to drop the key in a box.
But I decided to just watch Netflix on my ipad instead. The room was a little smaller than what I was looking (it was their small studio cabin) for but considering how last minute I was I really cannot hold that against them. I could tell by walking around the cabins that there were plenty of different sizes to choose from if you aren’t a procrastinator like me.
The resort is within walking distance to the lake which has a cute area with picnic tables to sit and take in the scenery, and a small market and restaurant. It’s less than a 5 minute drive to snow activities and I guess what you’d call the town center which has tons of stores and restaurants.
It was a great stay. Thank you"
N J Los Angeles, CA 02-22-2014
13
"We have always done private rentals in Big Bear before, but we found Golden Bear to be a more affordable option for the Christmas period so went with it, and now believe we will return to Golden bear rather than do private rentals in the future.
Our cabin was a studio with a bath jacuzzi, Cabin #18, Grizzleys Den. The kitchen had a cooker, microwave and fridge freezer and we successfully cooked our Christmas dinner and did self catering for the 5 nights we were up there. The kitchen area also had a dining table and chairs and conveniently opened out to seat 4.
The bed was a little soft, but completely fine and the cabin was nice a cozy. When we arrived it was 17 fahrenheit, but the wall heater was so effective we were soon toasty at over 70 degrees.
On our last night there our friends came up to join us as the cabin had a sofa bed; it was great for the time that we were there very economical.
The jacuzzi bath is a nice touch too, and great for the evenings when you've been on the slopes.
It was great to be in such a great family environment for Christmas. Lots of snow and It had the right balance of privacy and community. We also had great fun on the grounds of Golden Bear. There is a play area which is great in the snow, but I can also see how good Golden Bear would be in the summer with its pool and hot tub.
The owners and housekeeping staff were helpful and lovely. When we asked for extra blankets for our friends it was no trouble, and we felt very welcomed.
The internet was a great advantage too as it meant we could video chat with our families back home on Christmas day. It was reliable and effective.
Golden Bear Cottages resort is rustic, charming, and welcoming. We also had great snow. We give Golden Bear Cottages our top Big Bear Lake review rating."
Rebecca Porter Los Angeles 01-03-2013
14
"Thanksgiving to remember.
A Top Review:
We just spent 4 days at Golden Bear Cottages. We have traveled to Big Bear both of these past two years for the Thanksgiving holiday. The first time we had been to Big Bear lake we were looking for a family vacation retreat, and we really found a good one here. We truly enjoyed the hospitality at Golden Bear Cottages. Our children were constantly in and out of the office to borrow sports equipment and ask questions, and the great people there made them feel comfortable each time. Their request was that we return to Golden Bear each year for the holidays. We have already booked a three bedroom cottage for our extended family for next Thanksgiving holiday. It will make our third straight year at Golden Bear and we really can't wait to get there again. See you again soon! Review rating: This is the best place to stay in Big Bear Lake."
Lenore Little Las Vegas 12-04-2016
15
"Review: This past weekend was our first visit to Golden Bear Cottages. Perfect for our family of 5. We were even upgraded to a large comfortable cabin without even asking... The 'Shaggy Bear' cabin was beautiful, clean and well stocked with clean towels and kitchen utensils. The owner is very sweet and gracious.. We can not wait to return... My boys (15, 13 and 5) are already asking when can go back and we just came back home yesterday! Looking forward to our next trip to Big Bear and the Golden Bear Cottages. We give a top accommodations review to Golden Bear Cottages."
TJ Azulay Chatsworth 06-11-2011
16
"Returned for another wonderful time over the long 4th of July weekend to Golden Bear Cottages in Big Bear, CA. The cabins are always clean and decorated in quaint, country style charm. They all have a fireplace (which we used on many cool nights), a fully stocked kitchen, and a jacuzzi tub in the bathroom.
We again found plenty to do, including the teenagers. We relaxed by the pool and enjoyed the playground with volleyball, horseshoes, ping pong, and tether ball. We watched movies on the DVD/VCR in our room at night, as well as by the pool on Saturday night. The office has a nice gift shop, and a large library of movies for rent, and games for the kids. We also enjoyed the local news and wi-fi in the room, which highlighted local attractions and special events in the area. We watched the fireworks show over the lake, and visited the local zoo again and the Discovery Center for the first time. Both were impressive!
The service was excellent, including management, maintenance, and housekeeping. Great family owned business and this is evident in the way they treat their guests! Our room was stocked daily with whatever was needed, and maintenance saved the day by supplying us with an extension cord to make our traditional homemade ice cream on 4th of July. Hats off to Golden Bear Cottages for providing such a charming, relaxing escape in the gorgeous mountain atmosphere. We'll be back for the winter!"
Laurie Olivieri Alta Loma 07-08-2012
17
"OUTSTANDING STAY:
My husband and I plus 6 of our good friends just stayed at the Goldern Bear cabin #25. Every year we travel to Big Bear Lake for the Big Bear Bash which is run by Corvettes West. We have stayed at the Golden Bear for a number of years and we have NEVER been disappointed. The owners go out of there way to make our stay enjoyable. The cabin was clean and was ready two hours before check in time. We are all looking forward to staying at the Golden Bear non hotel again next year: same cabin already booked. Personal notes:
Wedie from Ventura has had
20 review contributions the Internet.
She stayed June 25-29, 2010.
She has been a TripAdvisor Member since August 22, 2006"
Wedie D and friends Ventura 07-03-2010
18
"Review of Golden Bear Cottages in Big Bear lake: We went down for Thanksgiving Weekend and had the experience of my life like never before. I really didn't expect to see SNOW but I DID!!! It was the most Beautiful site ever...Came in when none was to be seen and woke up the next morning jumping for Joy to see God's Wonders...Loved my cottage and the friendliest service ever Thank You Lisa, you were great!! (got best deal in town) and Don Thanks for getting me on the right road...Had an Awesome 4 day Thanksgiving weekend....God Bless
(p.s. Definitely coming back soon =)"
Sara Garcia Los Angeles 12-03-2013
19
"If you don't have a fabulous time here you're with the wrong person\people.”
A review of Golden Bear Cottages Resort.
Nov 26, 2010.
The establishment and the friendly owners make every effort to provide a great stay. These cabins include a fully stocked kitchen with frig, stove/oven, microwave, toaster and all utensils. The cabins are clean and have great individual mountain decor. For your comfort a thermostat controlled heater and fireplace are included along with TV, VHS and DVD player with rentals, a gift shop and firewood available at the office. The remodeled bathroom in our cabins included oversized tub with jacuzzi jets. We found all of this in the studio unit we rented for one night. Then we came back again a month later and rented another cabin... Everything was just as good the second and third time! This is a great place to spend your Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays"
The Artel family Ontario 11-26-2010
20
"Big Bear Christian retreat with lake cabins for rent. Thoroughly enjoyed our return visit to the Golden Bear. Same clean cottage. Same great family owners and staff. Same cabin which is only a block from the lake. It's nice to have a comfortable relaxing place to go for a short vacation. After our second trip, we were sold. We even gave the group cabin rental information to out church youth group leader. She is now planning a youth retreat at Golden Bear. The Golden Bear resort property is a perfect place for our family to have a getaway from the city life in any season!"
Lee Estes Jr. Redondo Beach 09-06-2009
21
"Great Times at the Golden Bear Cottages”
Review of Golden Bear Cottages Resort by the Vasquez family.
I had wanted to take my mom and dad to Golden Bear Cottages, located in beautiful Big Bear Lake, for a long time. I had heard very positive things about this resort for a long time. Since so many of my family members wanted to go along for vacation as well, we decided to rent the biggest cottage at the resort. That way we could have family coming and going all week and would have room for everybody. We live in nearby Southern California cities so this getaway is perfect for us. It is just an hour from home, yet it is exactly like being in an entirely different world! The weather was perfect, in the low to mid seventies, while the weather at home was in the high nineties. The evenings were clear and crisp – the first time we had worn light jackets in months! Our cabin was perfect for our family. We had plenty of room in the huge kitchen for everybody who wanted to cook in our family “chicken cook off” to join in! There was a huge dining room that seats 22 plus a great game room with poker tables, a pool table, and a foosball table. Our three level cottage was comfortable for all who either came to visit or for everyone who stayed for the week. Many of our family members spent much of the week at the beautiful Golden Bear pool and outdoor spa. The setting in the centuries old pine trees is breathtaking! The kids played ping-pong, basketball, volleyball, and other sports at the resort. There was even a great playground for the small kids. Golden Bear has a gift shop, movie rentals, a huge selection of board games, card games, and karaoke plus a library of new hardback books for those who may forget to bring something to read. We had never seen so many great amenities at a vacation destination. Our entire experience at Golden Bear Cottages was just wonderful! We will definitely make this an annual event for our family, one that we will all look forward to. The staff bent over backwards to make sure all of our needs were met. The housekeeping staff and the front office staff made us feel at home, providing great service with smiles and even hugs! I highly recommend Golden Bear Cottages to anyone who wants a wonderful get-a-way for their family and friends. We’ll be back!
Signed, 'luvtotravelDV'"
Derrick Vasquez Colton 09-11-2010
22
"Very flexible, courteous, friendly ownership! My friends and I are serving in the U.S. Navy stationed in San Diego and we travel to Big bear on weekends in the Winter whenever our schedule allows. Instead of making the 3 hour drive back to San Diego one day, we decided to rent a cabin. Golden Bear just happened to be the first place we stopped, and we have been in love with it since. Once, we were snowed in on the mountain and we couldn't leave, and they gave us a generous discount on our cottage to ease our burden. Another time we planned to rent cottages for a group of 30 and planning it a month prior wasn't any proplem. Soon after, our military schedule changed and we were unable to meet our reservation date. That wasn't any problem for the Golden Bear group. They understood our predicament, helped us pick a later date, and credited our account for any unused portion. We had made attempts to stay at Golden Bear plenty of other times throughout the season, but soon learned that reservations book up fast. I definately know why, some other places on the mountain were far less accommodating and more expensive too! Thank you, Golden Bear from all of us!"
M. Mitchell and friends U.S. Navy Imperial Beach 03-15-2008
23
"Thank you, Golden Bear Cottages for your special attention during our recent 80 th birthday parties and family group celebration. We were referred by AAA Travel and always appreciate their recommendations. My wife Eileen was so appreciative for the gift basket, and the dinner reservations for our big family group were superb. We can't wait to come back to see you soon. We should be back to rent some big cabins for the winter holidays. And next time we will plan to have the whole group for a family reunion.' Anthony and Eileen from East Highlands Ranch, CA"
Anthony and Eileen D East Highlands Ranch, CA 04-30-2010
24
"Our favorite getaway from the desert heat is to our cool mountain retreat at Golden Bear Cottages. Everyone needs to know that this lodge is the best. We stayed for a week this time with our whole family. The cabins are cozy and romantic to spacious depending upon your individual needs. But each is well appointed with all the comforts you could ask for... And the owners and staff are always accommodating and so friendly. We told our boss about Golden Bear Cottages Resort one day at lunch after we got back home. Now, he is bringing his group to OUR favorite getaway. They really love it because they can rent one of your pet friendly cabins and bring their dogs. This was at least our 30th trip to Big Bear Lake's top lodging resort over the last 5 years. Stay well Lisa, Lenny, and Don. We'll see you very soon and God bless you all."
Thomas Fergus Las Vegas, NV 09-15-2013
25
"Our summer vacation memories at Golden Bear are all my son and his friend talk about. Our yearly trip to your resort seems to get better with each passing year, and now our son goes up for snowboarding just with his friends too. We have gone every year for over 20 years. We especially enjoyed the Summer family movie nights on the big screen TV at the pool. Thank you for adding that to all of the activities at the Golden Bear. Sincerely, your friends Karen and Dave."
Karen and David Stump Alpine, CA 07-25-2012
26
"This was our first visit to Big Bear Lake. Golden Bear Cottages staff made us feel like we were home. I had no clue where anything was, or how it would be like when I was booking this trip for a group af six and 2 infants. I asked a million questions when I booked our reservation and never once did they give me a hard time. They are so courteous and friendly. When we arrived I found our cabin was exactly what we were told and more! It was fabulous, the whole kirchen was equipped and ready for us to cook. All the rooms were super clean and decorated as if it was your own home. I was so amazed that it didn't look like a hotel or something. The cabin was our private home for the week. The entire property was very well kept. I extremely recommend Golden Bear Cottages resort to anyone. It's great for a quick getaway, or a week's vacation. We had a fabulous time and will return soon."
Jewel S. Long Beach 06-24-2005
27
"Our review of Great cabins. Very clean. Friendly staff. We have returned many times. The summer movies by the pool are a nice change, it's a special event for families not to miss. These are the best Big Bear family vacation rentals. A really top notch historic facility."
jorie starr hemet 10-07-2007
28
"Wedding in Big Bear Lake. My 'Happily Ever After' began at Golden Bear Cottages Resort last week. What a wonderful wedding we experienced. The big retreat cottage was just perfect for our reception. Your suggestions for wedding planning and catering were great. Thank you also for your help with the minister and salon services. It was so great to have salon right on the resort property. God bless all of you for your help."
Tabetha Chenlee Riverside 05-04-2005
29
"Every year we return to Golden Bear Cottages to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We enjoy the rustic, at home, feel of the clean cabins and we always relax and enjoy ourselves. It's a great getaway spot."
Jayne and Rich Clodfelter Fullerton 10-03-2005
30
"Review...The perfect place to find relaxation. We visited the Golden Bear Cottages for the Labor Day holiday weekend. We had the most relaxing, peaceful time we have ever spent at a resort. What a change from Las Vegas or Los Angeles. Our whole family group(kids too) were treated to the kind of old fashioned hospitality I didn't know existed anymore. Even the housekeeping staff is friendly! Everyone in the office took time to tell us about the things to do around the lake, and there is more than you can imagine! They have even created a custom guest services book for each cabin. It tells about the best restaurants, marinas, fishing, sking and lot's of stuff for the kids to do. The Golden Bear Cottages resort also has so much to do right on the property. Our family especially enjoyed the movie nights on the big screen TV at the pool. We will be regulars at this great mountain place, everytime we need to relax."
