Bear Creek Inn

We spent our first night as newlyweds here after getting married on 6/13/16, and it was wonderful. The Ru Paula room suited us perfectly, with a king bed, electric fireplace, balcony sitting area, comfy couch, TV, free WiFi, a roughly 8ft x 8ft bathroom with a women’s makeup vanity, and a folding rollaway bed in case small children need it. Jill gave us the best service and was so helpful. Breakfast was delicious, prepared in a real home-cooking style. The grounds and location were great for all kinds of photos, and the price was very reasonable if you just want to take pictures. It also worked wonderfully for a wedding ceremony. When the wind scattered flower pedals, the staff helped us clean them up. I’d recommend the place for a formal event, a relaxing weekend, or even a single night in one of Merced’s best bed and breakfasts. Very happy newlyweds! Carlos & Angela Castro

The beautiful mansion made a stunning setting for our 50th high school reunion last night at the Bear Creek Inn. More than 200 people came. We had the social hour in the backyard, then dinner and dancing out front with a live band. The space worked perfectly for the outdoor celebration, and the staff at Bear Creek Inn were very accommodating and helpful. (Posted by Curtis Riggs).

We stayed in the guest house, which has a bedroom, kitchen and bathroom, plus a guest bed in the living room sofa. The inn also has more guest rooms and extra bedrooms. WiFi and printing are complimentary. It’s a quiet, tidy area, and the owner made breakfast for us the next morning.

The owner is kind, and the place looks nice. I’m leaving these comments because a few small changes could make the stay better, even though I couldn’t sleep all night. The room boundaries were confusing. Both the bedroom and bathroom had locked doors that led to another guest room, with no sign explaining what was ours. I ended up trying doors that faced someone else’s bedroom or bathroom, which could disturb their privacy. A simple sign would help. Noise carries everywhere: a neighbor’s shower, the entry door, breakfast voices, and pretty much anything else. The train also comes by every 10-15 minutes through the night. I imagine better window frames or double glazing might reduce the train noise, and perhaps adding a second locked door could help with other sounds. The train won’t change its route for guests who need sleep. The heating and cooling system is a nice, new Nest setup, but it’s centrally controlled from the hallway outside the rooms. If one guest is hot and another is cold, someone has to put up with it. And adjusting it in the middle of the night means getting dressed and going out into the corridor. It’d be great if guests could each set a comfortable temperature. Breakfast was fresh and good, but there wasn’t a choice. I like eggs and enjoyed them, while my girlfriend doesn’t want eggs in the morning and could only eat part of the meal. A little more variety would be enough. I hope this is useful in improving the place, not harming it.