Big Bear Lakefront Lodge

We booked and paid in advance through Booking.com for a king room with spa amenities and a lake-view balcony. When we arrived, we were given a different room with a smaller bed, no spa, and no balcony. The front desk staff member said they were sold out and offered only $35 back, though the price difference online was much higher. Booking.com customer service told us to ask the front desk whether they’d received an email so they could help resolve the issue, since the room wasn’t as advertised. The same staff member, who is also the owner, Lori, said she had received nothing without even checking the computer in front of her. She talked over us, took no responsibility, and said the conversation was over. Then she threatened to call the police and kicked us out of the office. This was the worst hotel experience we’ve had. The misleading listing and terrible service could have been avoided if they hadn’t given away our reserved room. Luckily, the rest of our time in Big Bear was great, and the other places we stayed treated us professionally and kindly. I don’t know how THIS place is still operating. I wish we’d read through the long list of bad reviews before booking. Do not book.

The service alone was enough to put me off staying here. After quiet hours began at 10, loud music from directly below us kept us awake and shook the floor. The office told us to find the room and ask them to stop. We did, got no response, then called again 45 minutes after quiet time started, at 10:45 PM. They told us to bang harder and say the office wanted them quiet. Our room could have looked better, too. The mattress felt old and was very uncomfortable. The bathroom door wouldn’t close, and the main lock was hard to turn from inside. The curtains left gaps around the windows, so there wasn’t much privacy. The balcony was covered in leaves and could have been swept before we arrived. The room wasn’t dirty, though. Don’t book here if you want a quiet night.

The owner’s response to our concerns was rude and disrespectful, and seemed focused only on payment. Later that night, she contacted our friend staying at the same lodge and threatened to call the police over a supposedly pending payment. It wasn’t pending, and nobody told us about any payment problem at check-in. She never contacted us directly before making that threat. From the start, things were already off: the website claimed 24/7 front desk service, which wasn’t true, and when someone finally arrived, they told us our room had been double-booked. We eventually got a key and went on with our day. This was low and unprofessional.

The room was shabby, the internet was bad, and there was no free TV. I switched rooms, only to find no toilet paper in the new one, and I’d lost the lake view. They did refund $25, but I won’t be back.