Hillcrest Suites & Cabins — Hotel in Big Bear Lake

For our first trip to Big Bear, we decided to stay at Hillcrest Suites & Cabins, and we're so glad we did. It's a charming spot, right on the main drag right before you get to the equally charming downtown. ||The owner, Katie, immediately upon checking in gave us a long rundown of all the best things to do and see in the area, the best restaurants and the best things to order at each, the best stores and the stories behind them, and the best hikes. You also get a handout with all her recommendations written down. Throughout our stay, every time we ran into our hosts they always asked with a smile if we had everything we need (which we always did).||Rooms are clean, and attractively decorated, each one with its own theme. Also dog-friendly, which is a huge plus for us. Our dogs loved piling in the bed with us as we snuggled underneath the covers. The property has an outdoor grill, sandbox, and wooden furniture, including a swing and a couple of rocking chairs (and an adorable wooden bear statue).||Location is ideal. A short walk from the Pine Knot trail, one of the best in the area. A few buildings down is the Sister My Sister Bakery, where we tried a new pastry every day, each delicious. Next to that is the Azteca Mexican Grill, also tasty. And across the street is the Big Bear Mountain Brewery, where we enjoyed a refreshing IPA while listening to live music. And that's just within walking distance. The rest of Big Bear is a short jaunt away.||Highly recommend anyone in need of a getaway from the more frantic parts of life consider...

We were pretty disappointed with our stay at Hillcrest Lodge and don't plan to come back. I feel bad leaving such a negative review, but it was really a frustrating experience. The disappointment started with the check-in process. We drove up early to beat holiday traffic and were informed we couldn't do early check-in because the owner and her husband do all the cleaning themselves and rooms wouldn't be ready until the regular check-in time at 4pm. We were there before 4pm and once it came around they weren't ready. When they were ready to check guests in, who at this point started queueing up in no particular order, the owner proceeded to have lengthy conversations with guests. We were traveling with a young baby who hadn't ate or napped well all day, which isn't the owner's fault, but there seemed to be no consideration for expedience and efficiency given they were running behind. Generally the owner was anxious and abrasive, most times towards her husband shouting at him to do things or if he didn't do things in a particular way. It was really unnerving to see someone treated like that so publicly. More generally, I probably wouldn't choose to stay in this area during peak season because the traffic going in and out of the village is so rough. Also a bummer is it's conveniently located across the street from Big Bear Brewing but there are no crosswalks near by to safely...

We were pretty disappointed with our stay at Hillcrest Lodge and don't plan to come back. I feel bad leaving such a negative review, but it was really a frustrating experience. The disappointment started with the check-in process. We drove up early to beat holiday traffic and were informed we couldn't do early check-in because the owner and her husband do all the cleaning themselves and rooms wouldn't be ready until the regular check-in time at 4pm. We were there before 4pm and once it came around they weren't ready. When they were ready to check guests in, who at this point started queueing up in no particular order, the owner proceeded to have lengthy conversations with guests. We were traveling with a young baby who hadn't ate or napped well all day, which isn't the owner's fault, but there seemed to be no consideration for expedience and efficiency given they were running behind. Generally the owner was anxious and abrasive, most times towards her husband shouting at him to do things or if he didn't do things in a particular way. It was really unnerving to see someone treated like that so publicly. More generally, I probably wouldn't choose to stay in this area during peak season because the traffic going in and out of the village is so rough. Also a bummer is it's conveniently located across the street from Big Bear Brewing but there are no crosswalks near by to safely...