Sessions Retreat & Hotel — Hotel in Big Bear Lake

We stayed during a heat wave 100 degrees, and there was an air quality warning. Upon check in, we were informed the ac wasnt working. We were told there was a fan in the room and that it cools down at night. After getting to our room and showering, our tub wouldn’t drain. It was still hot in the room, so we also requested another fan. We texted the owner and he came right over, unclogged the drain, and brought us another fan. We went out to dinner, and hoped when we got back it would be cooler. We opened both windows and had both fans on, and at 11pm our room was still unbearably hot. The air quality alert was still in effect, so we decided we couldn’t finish the night there. At that time, we had to book with a much more expensive hotel because it was the only one available. Since we booked through Expedia, we thought we had to try to initiate a refund through Expedia. Our agent informed us the refund was denied by the hotel, so we called back to try to understand why. The owner stated that he denied the refund because we “never communicated” that it was too hot and that we should have called him in the middle of the night for the refund so he knew what was going on. We did not call because the office is closed at night, plus we knew it was an issue that wasn’t going to be able to be remedied. He stated they never have ac and it’s normal for their area so we shouldn’t expect places to have it. we were confused by that because he originally said it was broken, not that they didn’t have it. He said that it is not something they should advertise, and said it’s like asking for a listing to say “no hot tub”. He said that their listing is not inaccurate because it doesn’t say there is AC. While I see his point of view, AC is the middle of a heat wave is a basic safety amenity. His listing doesn’t indicate running water, shower, functioning toilet, etc. Air conditioning falls into the same type of amenity and we expect it, unless otherwise indicated. knowing guests are booking when it’s 100 + degrees, it should be clear that there is no air in their units. If we wanted to be out in the elements, we would just camp. We booked for a comfortable, cool place to sleep. We chose to stay here over other boutique stays in the area because it was indicated they did not have ac. We stayed until 11 because we trusted it was going to cool down, but it never did. In our conversation with him, he insinuated tons of people stay and then try to get their refund, as if we were trying to get one over on him. He also said “it’s just $80”, as if we were ridiculous and being cheap for requesting a refund. Im sure the stay is fine in other seasons, but should definitely be avoided in the heat. If it were advertised there was no ac, we never would have booked. Edit to respond: You communicated at checkin that the AC was broken, then you backpedaled and said that you do not have AC the next day. If the owner created an accurate and honest listing that advertised the lack of AC, we would have booked elsewhere. The owner refuses to take responsibility for the dishonest listing, as he only disclosed the vital information after he had received our payment. He did not do his part, and refuses to acknowledge his shortcomings. I apologized on the phone and explained because we booked through the Expedia platform, we thought the process needed to be handled through that platform. We also apologized for not wanting to disturb him in the middle of the night because we knew there was no fix for the issue (again that he failed to disclose before he received our money for the room). Had the owner created an honest and upfront listing, this would have been avoided. Again he does not advertise running water, a shower, or a toilet in the listing, so his excuse for not documenting the lack of AC is a cop out. Now I realize this is likely a ploy of his to get people’s money, as he has no problem disclosing the lack of AC after he has received their money. There was a 99 degree high for the day we stayed and air quality...

Our stay at this property was nothing short of disappointing, leaving me questioning its commitment to quality and guest satisfaction. From the moment we arrived, it became evident that this is no "resort" but rather a rundown motel with a misleading title. First, the "amenities" advertised were not made available to us. After 9 pm, the office is closed, and there’s no staff available to assist, unlike a normal hotel. When we needed extra towels and bedding, we couldn’t get them because no one was on-site. The lack of 24/7 support was extremely inconvenient and unprofessional. While the location was the only positive aspect, everything else fell flat. The rooms may look modern, but the beds were uncomfortable, the walls paper-thin, and the constant noise from the street, housekeeping, and other areas was unbearable. There was a sound machine in our room, but it didn’t work, just like the fireplace, the heater, and an entire outlet. There was no a/c or window unit, only a subpar fan. The room got muggy, and the temperature was so uncomfortable that we struggled to sleep. The smoke detectors started blaring (only in our room) at 10 pm, and it took maintenance 20 minutes to address the issue. To top it off, the main window of our room didn’t lock, leaving us feeling unsafe.

The layout of the property is equally frustrating. We were the only family staying in the back building, yet we were assigned two rooms on the second floor at the farthest end from a steep, narrow staircase. There is no elevator, which makes taking our dogs out an exhausting hassle. Adding to this, there is no designated spot for pets, and there are old piles of dog feces scattered throughout the property. It was disgusting and unsanitary! Speaking of pets, the property manager, Natasha Egland, was incredibly rude and unprofessional. When asked if we had pets, I said yes, but she didn’t ask how many, nor did I think, to specify after a long day of traveling. The next morning, as we were packing to leave early (cutting our stay short), she walked right past us without a word and instead called me from her office. Over the phone, she accused me of lying about the number of pets we had and made a point of charging additional fees, even though we were leaving early. Her tone and approach were condescending and disrespectful. For a property manager, her lack of professionalism was appalling. Her behavior was argumentative and rude. She could have handled the situation so much better, face-to-face and professionally, but instead, she was condescending and combative. Between the rude management, lack of basic functionality in the room, uncomfortable sleeping conditions, and misleading “resort” label, this was one of the worst hotel experiences I’ve ever had. For the price, I expected far more. I will never stay here again and strongly advise others to avoid this property. Save your money and book somewhere that actually cares...

Unbelievably false advertising. While their values tout relaxing spaces for rejuvenation, our experience was more “raucous hostel.” My spouse and I booked a room for 2 nights in the lodge, which has a large communal space with a kitchen, dining room, pool table, and lounge area. When we checked in, people were respectfully using the space, playing pool and having conversations. When we came back from diner, we realized that a group of 20-30 had likely booked the rest of the lodge and were using the communal area as their personal space for a party – loud music playing, children screaming, multiple dogs continuously barking. I contacted the front office to ask about quiet hours (don’t start until 10 pm), and was told that they would talk to the other guests. However, they said the other guests were just “eating dinner” and using the space as intended – very much a shrugged shoulders type of response. By 8 PM the party was in full swing and with no signs of slowing down or the front desk doing anything to mediate. It was uncomfortable being in our own room trying to wind down and get ready for an early morning - at one point we opened our door and just a shockwave of sound blasted in. We couldn’t stand it anymore and after repeated interactions with the front office, left for a different local hotel (quiet hours at 8PM posted all over). Sessions said they would refund us for the second night, but would still charge us for that night. I just feel that if you are advertising yourself as a “sacred sanctuary for rejuvenation and relaxation”, then you need to actually hold those spaces. Disappointed with my stay, disappointed with the way the staff handled the situation, and disappointed with the false...