Black Bear Inn — Hotel in Revillagigedo Island

Location and views are the ONLY things to recommend the Black Bear Inn. Their website claims “Each of the Inn’s Elegantly [sic] suites have what you would expect to find in a fine First Class hotel or Private Villa that was designed just for your enjoyment.” My experience was the opposite. The only thing this place has in common with a luxury hotel is an overblown price point. Please do yourself a favor and look through my photos even if you don’t read this review.

The rooms are dusty, musty, smell terrible and are desperately in need of upkeep/updating. While the bathroom sinks and toilets were clean enough, the place is deeply dirty in a years-of-neglect kind of way. Base trim is covered in sticky dust, tub grout is cracked and stained, towels are threadbare and stained, and the toilets actually sport shag lid covers with a matching bath rug in front of the toilet (ewwwww). The “first class hotel” robes look like what you’d find in the back of grandma’s closet after 40 years of use. Every possible surface is covered with tchotchkes, many of them extremely dusty and a weird mix of legit nice Alaskan artwork and kitsch such as creepy dolls. The shag-style carpet show what is obviously decades of wear, the mattresses are saggy and long past their expiration date, and furniture that used to have springs apparently no longer does. I don’t know what an “award winning fireplace” means (in my room’s description) but it’s a tiny electric unit in a wall and doesn’t work.

On arrival I was shown to a room with such an overwhelming pungent smell I mentioned it immediately. The host professed not to smell it and claimed never to have had an issue (although it’s mentioned in reviews from three years ago on other sites which, unfortunately, I did not check). Ironically, she removed a device left by the last guest, which I’m pretty sure was a portable air freshener. I immediately checked for alternate lodging, feeling completely deceived by both descriptions and reviews and hoping to flee the situation. Nothing else was available. Despite leaving windows open, the smell never abated and my perception never adapted—each time coming into the room was a new assault. The next day the host offered a change of room which I accepted. That one also had a distinctly aversive smell but a little less strong so I dealt with it, as no other lodging options were possible.

The advertised “continental plus” breakfast was entirely self-service in a filthy home-style kitchen. When I came out to make my light meal the second morning, the sink was piled with dishes, compost bin overflowing, countertop deeply dirty, hosts nowhere in sight. To get dishes or silverware I had to touch grossly sticky drawer and cabinet handles. Then, biting into a cold “hard boiled” egg, I discovered it was nearly raw inside. The whole scenario was an appetite killer for sure. The outdoor kitchen wasn’t used by anyone during my stay but was also very dirty and chaotic.

I feel compelled to add that the inn’s entry proudly displays three large emblems trumpeting (pun intended) support for 47. While the hosts are entitled to decorate as they see fit, the result was that I instantly felt unwelcome and wanted to run in the opposite direction. I think it’s important for guests to be aware this statement will be in your face, as well as FOX news blaring in the common room in the morning.

The view and deck areas outside the rooms are absolutely terrific. The rooms also have very pleasant “enclosed porch” sitting rooms. Jim and Nicole are kindly and pleasant in their interactions--to the point where I hesitated to be so blunt about the place—but I have absolutely no idea where the five-star reviews could possibly be coming from and wanted to show...

Location and views are the ONLY things to recommend the Black Bear Inn. Their website claims “Each of the Inn’s Elegantly [sic] suites have what you would expect to find in a fine First Class hotel or Private Villa that was designed just for your enjoyment.” My experience was the opposite. The only thing this place has in common with a luxury hotel is an overblown price point. Please do yourself a favor and look through my photos even if you don’t read this review.||||The rooms are dusty, musty, smell terrible and are desperately in need of upkeep/updating. While the bathroom sinks and toilets were clean enough, the place is deeply dirty in a years-of-neglect kind of way. Base trim is covered in sticky dust, tub grout is cracked and stained, towels are threadbare and stained, and the toilets actually sport shag lid covers with a matching bath rug in front of the toilet (ewwwww). The “first class hotel” robes look like what you’d find in the back of grandma’s closet after 40 years of use. Every possible surface is covered with tchotchkes, many of them extremely dusty and a weird mix of legit nice Alaskan artwork and kitsch such as creepy dolls. The shag-style carpet show what is obviously decades of wear, the mattresses are saggy and long past their expiration date, and furniture that used to have springs apparently no longer does. I don’t know what an “award winning fireplace” means (in my room’s description) but it’s a tiny electric unit in a wall and doesn’t work. ||||On arrival I was shown to a room with such an overwhelming pungent smell I mentioned it immediately. The host professed not to smell it and claimed never to have had an issue (although it’s mentioned in reviews from three years ago which, unfortunately, I did not check). Ironically, she removed a device left by the last guest, which I’m pretty sure was a portable air freshener. I immediately checked for alternate lodging, feeling completely deceived by both descriptions and reviews and hoping to flee the situation. Nothing else was available. Despite leaving windows open, the smell never abated and my perception never adapted—each time coming into the room was a new assault. The next day the host offered a change of room which I accepted. That one also had a distinctly aversive smell but a little less strong so I dealt with it, as no other lodging options were possible.||||The advertised “continental plus” breakfast was entirely self-service in a filthy home-style kitchen. When I came out to make my light meal the second morning, the sink was piled with dishes, compost bin overflowing, countertop deeply dirty, hosts nowhere in sight. To get dishes or silverware I had to touch grossly sticky drawer and cabinet handles. Then, biting into a cold “hard boiled” egg, I discovered it was nearly raw inside. The whole scenario was an appetite killer for sure. The outdoor kitchen wasn’t used by anyone during my stay but was also very dirty and chaotic.||||I feel compelled to add that the inn’s entry proudly displays three large emblems trumpeting (pun intended) support for 47. While the hosts are entitled to decorate as they see fit, the result was that I instantly felt unwelcome and wanted to run in the opposite direction. I think it’s important for guests to be aware this statement will be in your face, as well as FOX news blaring in the common room in the morning. ||||The view and deck areas outside the rooms are absolutely terrific. The rooms also have very pleasant “enclosed porch” sitting rooms. Jim and Nicole are kindly and pleasant in their interactions--to the point where I hesitated to be so blunt about the place—but I have absolutely no idea where the five-star reviews could possibly be coming from and wanted to show...

My hubby and I got off a cruise in Ketchican, I was to stay by myself at the Black Bear Inn for 4 days while my hubby went fishing to the Prince Of Whales @ Waterfall Resort. I wanted a more small, personal, private, quiet environment and yet luxurious and above hotel standards. I must say my expectations were exceeded. The ambiance was exceptional, the grounds were lovely with a variety of flowers and beautiful views. There were Black Bear's to greet me everywhere. They followed through with details of white napkins with black bear paw prints. I was given "The Raven Room" it was exceptionally modern and clean and decorated in the theme of the room's name. Black ravens were perched high on the armoire and on the glass coasters. Now, with all that care to visual detail the owners Jim & Nicole Church, also have genuine care for their guests. They are warmly hospitable and are a great source of information and help, they made reservations for anything that I might want to do, restaurant and/or spa, zipline. They accommodated my needs to make my stay extraordinary. Jim drove my hubby to his fishing meeting place and dropped him off at 5am so I would not have to get up early and be disturbed. They expect nothing in return except to leave with a wonderful experience and a warm feeling like I have been hugged by a big black bear. Their other guests were friendly and yet respectful of when I may want my privacy. When I left I knew I wanted to bring home with me ​the genuine warmth that Jim & Nicole Church gave to me and extend that warmth to others. I came home a better person for my wonderful stay at Black Bear Inn.

Thanks, Jim &...