Hotel Review: Sleepy Forest Cottages Big Bear

Hi friends,

Happy Travel Tuesday! We’re taking you to a sleepy cottage in the beautiful mountains of Big Bear, California today! We visited the Sleepy Forest Cottages in Big Bear for a quick weekend getaway with family – and it was exactly the escape from the everyday that we needed!

LOCATION

Where is the hotel located?
We embarked upon the 1-hour or so drive from Orange County, CA to Big Bear, CA for a snowboarding weekend and we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at the adorable Sleepy Forest Cottages after a long day of playing (aka falling on our booties) in the snow. If you haven’t been to Big Bear before, it’s located in the mountains of Southern California – and it’s a fairly windy road up the mountain, so if you’re traveling with kids or those with sensitive stomachs, you may want to pack some Dramamine.

What was our first impression when we arrived?
Cute, charming – a quaint getaway in a serene mountain setting.

 

SERVICE

How easy was check-in?
Check in was seamless – the front desk manager made us feel welcome and we loved the small-town feel of the entire property (they offer lighter fuel to start your BBQ, a great collection of mostly-80’s-movies for free rental, an unlimited smorgasboard of free coffee, tea and cookies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Were we offered a room upgrade or any other complimentary perks?
We already had one of the best cottages in the place (the Honeymoon Hideout), so there wasn’t really anywhere to upgrade to. Sleepy Forest is actually home to the first “Honeymoon Cottage” in all of Big Bear (opened in 1985) and we loved the resort’s family history. Even though the cottage was small, the interior felt fairly modern and was just as comfy and cozy as we’d hoped. The best part was the wood-burning fireplace adjacent to jacuzzi tub – amazing after a long day of snowboarding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How was the service throughout our stay?
The service was great – it’s a small property, so we didn’t really encounter many staff while we were there. However, the groundskeeper generously offered to help start the fire in our BBQ when he noticed we were having a little trouble. The front desk was friendly and greeted us with a smile every time we entered the office – which was often, as we couldn’t resist stocking up on hot coffee and tea throughout the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR ROOM

What was our first impression of our room?
Warm, cozy, peaceful – perfect for us.

How was the view from our room?
The cottages are pretty close together, so there wasn’t much of a view, but we did have a generously sized balcony and the trees surrounding the property made it feel very relaxing.

Bathrobe, slippers, and bath amenities?
Nope – but we didn’t need them. We stayed cozied up in snow clothing or warm PJs the whole time.

Beverages?
The room had a mini fridge, which we stocked with our own favorite selections. There wasn’t really a need for a lot of beverages in the room since the lobby had such a great array of offerings.

Wifi / Phone Charging Station
Nope – and my charger seemed to charge very slowly using the outlets in the cabin. But, we were in the mountains after all, and I suppose the who point of that type of vacation is to disconnect and enjoy nature and the people around you – so that’s exactly what we did.

Food
There’s no restaurant on property, but it’s just a quick drive away from many great restaurants in Big Bear – and the family members we vacationed with rented a cottage with a full-size kitchen, so we enjoyed some fun family meals with them. There are also several BBQs on site if you want to grill and eat campfire style – love food cooked on a coal BBQ!

 

RECAP

Cost:
Nightly rates from approximately $250 – we booked our stay directly through the resort and used our Barclay travel rewards card to reimburse almost all of our stay.

Would we stay there again?
Definitely! Great for a weekend getaway for couples, friends or families who want a quiet place to de-stress and explore nature.

Would we recommend it to a friend?
Absolutely – and we’re sure they would enjoy their stay!

Do you prefer to vacation in the mountains, beach, country or city? Tell us in the comments below! We love to hear your recommendations!