Big Cedar Lodge — Hotel in Hollister

Well I will say there were a lot of really nice perks I’ll start with that. It was cool that you could have a shuttle from your lodge/condo. You download an app and most shuttles are there in 3-8 minutes. Very quick during the day. The breakfast buffet at devils pool was our favorite meal, once we ate there we made it a breakfast tradition. Our favorite family pools/bodies of water: were the marina waterfront with ‘sand’ it was definitely more rocky than sand. But cute for the kids to play in. We also received a complimentary paddle boat which my oldest daughter loved, we could have also done a kayak or canoe (float situation) for free. Which was very nice but having a 9month old and 4 year old we decided to forgo the canoe and kayak. Still a really nice perk. We also did a two tier waterfall pool, and the lazy river which my oldest loved, with a few slides on site as well she was in heaven. We also did PutPut and a few playgrounds on site complimentary which was nice with littles because you never know if they’re going to participate.

Now for a few negatives:

1. We did a 10am fishing experience with our 4 year old Sunday. The guys were young and labeled themselves experts, which I did love hearing.. when I approached the one that was maybe 16-17 I told him I was going to need a lot of direction that I couldn’t help my 4 year old, and that the only thing I ever caught was my pants. My husband also hadn’t fished since he was a kid.. they did a short demo with a very large group of people. It lasted a few minutes and definitely was explained like we had had some fishing experience. I know they tried but they really didn’t break it down well. My daughter picked a spot about mid lake. I managed to get a worm on, daddy tried to show her but the baby was fussing so he offered to walk her around. I tried - badly to show my oldest how to cast.. I ended up catching/hooking my arm. It was very dramatic and my toddler was crying worried about me. And we ended up heading out.

2. The top of the rock is way over hyped. An insane amount of construction right now. I had to put my daughter on my shoulders to try to get her to see it, but she was afraid of being up that high so she just wanted to stand behind the people and basically watch people’s butt . They were closed for a private party downstairs so we couldn’t walk out. The restaurant took up most of the viewing. We left at 7:02 and got back at 10.. there were two shuttles you had to take. We got stuck at the top for 53 minutes after accidentally taking the mammoth bus to park for outside guests. However, it would’ve been over an hour at the top of the rock (because I checked there) I ended up taking the mammoth bus on accident thinking they had thought it through and had bigger buses for everyone to get out.. It wouldn’t have been easier had we not stayed on site. Which is backwards if you ask me. Furthermore, I was in tears a rude person on the phone said it was above his pay grade and he just arranged the shuttles. A timid girl that didn’t want to make a fuss at the front desk of the visitors center - just told us they were busy. Why weren’t the big buses used for onsite guests? At this point, I was in tears. It was 9pm which doesn’t seem like it’s that late. However, I’ve been up since 5:30am with my baby. We were all tired, overheated and getting bit up by mosquitoes. Also…Marketing is a lie, they took the best angle but it doesn’t represent the whole.

When we arrived back to wait for our second shuttle to our lodge another guest was also stuck trying to get to a creek area for 73 minutes… we were in the wilderness club. I did tell the front desk at check out and they offered a half hearted apology, hopefully they figure it out. (Unfortunately the negatives outweigh the positives, I don’t think I’ll be back with littles. I definitely wouldn’t be an owner with littles. We did a time share presentation. We fortunately got out of there in 1.5 hrs, 12,000 pts for $45,900 buy in) Also, we pay roughly $3000-$5000 a year for our trips. The taxes/fees alone are...

Our stay had some amazing points & some that left a lot to be desired, especially at this price point. So I will break this down into categories. For reference, we were a party of 5. Two kiddos, myself & my parents took a family trip/celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. Big Cedar Lodge - Absolutely beautiful & SO much to do & see!

Check in - I did the express check in at 1pm on the app. Cabin was not ready, which was fine. Per the app, email & website, we went to check in at 3pm at the front desk & were told that check in can be between 3 & 4 (this was not stated ANYWHERE on the website or confirmation emails we received). Our room was not ready. By 4pm, I returned to the front desk & asked to speak with a manager. She apologized & stated that there was another cabin that had taken housekeeping longer & offered gift cards to Fun Mountain to pass some time as a nice gesture. The room was not ready until almost 4:30. For $1,057.00 a night & a 3pm check in, it should have been ready.

Cabin - We rented a cabin near the marina & it was absolutely beautiful! Walked in to a queen sized bed, bathroom, living/dining/kitchen & separate bedroom with a king sized bed. Shared a deck with next door, but still felt very private.

Devil's Pool (Buzzard's Bar) - Service for the time of day we went (3pm) was pretty slow. There were 5 of us & the meal ended up right around $100. It wasn't bad, but I wouldn't recommend it or go back.

Shuttle drivers - We took advantage of the shuttle app & got Rodney twice, Jim & Daniel. Every ride was very quick to arrive & the drivers were so friendly & helpful!

Spa - I scheduled a massage & facial. From the moment you walk in, this place is stunning! The lady at the front desk (I apologize, I don't recall her name) was super helpful & walked through the entire layout of where everything was & what to expect. I then was greeted by Mary. She was easily one of the best memories I will take away from this experience! Such a great person. The massage/facial was amazing and the spa was beautiful!

Top of the Rock - We took the golf cart tour & went to the museum also. This, above all else, is my recommendation to anyone reading! The golf cart tour was an hour wait, but worth every minute!! I'd recommend grabbing snacks/drinks before you get in line if you have kiddos with you. Every twist/turn on the trail offers stunning scenery... just when you think, well that has to be it, there's more! All ages in our group agreed that this was the best thing we'd booked!

Fun Mountain - Signed waivers before I got there for the go karts, but Abby could not find them. Had to fill them out again. Also, while I paid for the go karts before we got there, she did not load them on the card you have to have to ride them. Multiple trips up & down the stairs. Not the end of the world, but definitely not convenient when you're already spending money. While the kids did have fun, it was understaffed & there were a lot of long wait times. We tried to get into the restaurant while there, but after an hour wait & only a few seated, we went back to the cabin. I'd recommend the go karts & bowling for sure though!

Checkout - We left earlier than the 11am checkout & instead of just handing over the keys, I was told that I had a balance due. She said one charge was from Fun Mountain. Ends up they put the vouchers on my room & not the Fun Mountain card, which showed as a charge. Was an easy fix, but had to provide proof. Also somehow a charge was made to our cabin from one of the restaurants. When we went to the restaurant, we didn't even have a cabin yet & paid credit. After showing the receipt, she took it off. I know problems happen at any price point, I just expected a smooth experience & it wasn't.

Overall, an absolutely beautiful place, but as a review, I'd tell you to save your money & just visit the property. It was just OK. Update Anne called & they were interested in the feedback &...

We had heard many people talk about Big Cedar and what a fun destination it is, so we booked a quick trip to check it out to see if we liked it and potentially plan some family gatherings there in the future. The property is truly beautiful and very well maintained. Beautiful grounds, lots of activities as well as good food options - and full kitchens in the cabins if your family wants to culinary DIY. The Lady Liberty dinner cruise was especially nice. The crew really looked out for us and were as nice as they could be. We very much enjoyed the fall colors and our stay was mostly positive. We fully intend to come back but were glad we did a quick visit first to get the lay of the land (so to speak) because we did encounter problems that others in our situation would benefit from knowing beforehand if you plan to visit the lodge. One of our party is more than 50% paralyzed and relies almost exclusively on her wheelchair for mobility. She has very limited ability to stand as well as walk. Big Cedar offers 'ADA compliant' rooms that are outfitted with zero entry doorways, bathroom grab bars and other fixtures that are helpful. However, using the shower in our situation would not be possible as the shower is in a tub which has a 12 inch step you must step over to get into the tub, and the tub has no kind of a seat. So if you have issues with mobility and stability you won't be able to use the shower. The bedroom was spacious enough but there was so much furniture in it that it was not possible to maneuver a wheelchair to the side of the bed like we need to get her into bed. We removed a sitting chair and were able to move a (very heavy) dresser just enough to squeak by. The large end tables, however, prevented the chair from being backed up to the end of the bed so getting in and out posed quite a challenge. Our party member ended up 1/2 way down the bed with her feet dangling off the edge while sleeping. The bed headboards are also bolted to the wall so there is no moving the bed. Our second issue was with the shuttle service. We were informed they had a shuttle that was equipped for a wheelchair but were informed on check in that it was 'in the shop' and unavailable. We felt comfortable enough to try using the normal shuttle to take us to the Lady Liberty dinner cruise. When we called to arrange a pickup we were told, rather abruptly, the shuttle service does not travel to and from the Lady Liberty dock area and we would have to drive ourselves. While it was an easy drive and not far (the customer service person I spoke to - not the shuttle people - gave excellent directions and was very kind and helpful) we had counted on that shuttle service so we could have a few drinks and enjoy our meal with the knowledge we had a safe, sober ride home and not worry about driving unfamiliar, winding, steep, pitch black dark roads. So when our dinner cruise was finished, we were walking back to our car and.....were quite surprised to see the Big Cedar Lodge shuttle drive up to pick up about a dozen guests. I asked the shuttle driver if they always drive to and from this area and he said 'yes, of course. It's a free service we provide'. We were not happy about what we were told and it was very disappointing. When we informed the concierge via the app we received a boilerplate response about how they would strive to improve. We felt as if our complaint was met with a 'meh'. We definitely do plan to return. While we were specific with our questions with the people we spoke to when booking this trip, we will do better in explaining our situation in greater detail to hopefully avoid the issues we had on our next visit. The rest of the staff was always very attentive and nice, and the lodge has an overall 'chill' vibe that we very...