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Stayed here one night on Mother’s Day and had a fabulous experience! Frank checked us in, gave us a tour and made us feel very comfortable!
The room we booked wasn’t quite ready so we were upgraded to a fabulous chalet room with a fireplace and full kitchen! we absolutely loved it and would definitely stay here again!
Small and cozy. I liked that the premises was small but the room was smaller than expected. Not a big deal. More ideal for one person but still very well taken care of. They had great common areas. We walked over to the bar on-site which gave a speakeasy vibe and we loved it! Checking in was super easy and the staff was very nice and accommodating. It’s a small walk to the village which was super convenient. We will be back!
The designs of the rooms are unique, there aren't boring as every traditional hotel, the only thing is that they should have a much brighter light available in case you need to read or do some work, aside from that the location is super centralize, everything is 5 minutes away, the place was really clean and I did like the virtual interaction to pre-check in and possibilities to add add-ons from there (like late check-out and more).
Although this property was in a safe area and close to everything in Big Bear it was very noisy at night. It sounded like someone was getting up every 1/2 hour or so and running the shower. But I think it was the heater. The decor was mid-century/industrial with psychedelic art on the walls. I found the color scheme too dark and gloomy for my taste.
Karen
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from Frank on Apr 8, 2024
Thank you for the feedback Karen! We have a number of other accommodation types/styles on property that may be more to your liking.
Sessions was great! Super cute and great location by the mountains if you’re riding, close to the village too. Frank helped our check in over text because we were getting in a little later, super helpful! Definitely will be my go to stay when I’m in Bear.
Alexa
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from Frank on Apr 8, 2024
Thanks so much Alexa!! we'll see you again soon hopefully!
The property was very clean. Great price and very good location. They let us bring are pet which was a great not all places offer that i rate it an 10 out of 10
Rad newly renovated property. Liked it when it was wolf creek now its even better as sessions...only place to stay when snowboarding...love it...comfy beds....digital doors....hot water....nice pillows....and flatlanders offers room service....
Sessions Retreat Hotel was very clean and easily accessible. I really enjoyed my stay there. The rooms were really nice. Thank you Sessions.
Alejandra
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024
Response from Frank on Apr 8, 2024
Thanks so much Alejandra! See you next time!
10/10 Excellent
TJ
Mar 5, 2024
TJ
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024
Response from Frank on Apr 8, 2024
Thank you TJ!
6/10 Okay
Tonya
Travelled with family
Mar 5, 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
A quirky boutique hotel...not reallly suutable for a family...nowhere to sit in the room. Thankful for the cleanliness and the man on the front desk was very nice and friendly.
Tonya
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024
Response from Frank on Mar 5, 2024
Hi Tonya, thank you for the feedback and kind words about our service. We're new owners and have renovated all of the rooms. The room you booked is our smallest accommodation in the Lodge Building. Since we are unable to make the rooms themselves bigger, we put alot of effort into making the lounges, and common areas in the lodge super comfy for guests to stretch out into. Many families find the pool table, lounge areas with Tvs a great amenity to compliment the small (most affordable) rooms :). We do also much larger units available to be booked. I would suggest booking the Comfort, Chalets or cabin for next time!
The room was remodeled and clean . Easy access to ski resorts and restaurants. I was able to do early check in and late check out by paying $25 . Since it was close to the Main Street it wasn’t that quiet.
We reserved a room online for 2 beds and a fireplace with 2 chairs that looked specious online however at the time of checking a very rude , unfriendly, unprofessional man gave us a tiny room and claimed this is what we paid for :(( we offered to pay more if he can accommodate us the room we saw online but he refused to help us !! Worst of all was that he said to refund our money to go find another hotel …. Really he literally wanted to kick us on the street :( i have NEVER countered this kind of behavior. I do want to get a refund for the worst experience ever:(
Akber
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024
Response from Frank - OWNER on Feb 22, 2024
Hi Ana Safi - I knew this review was coming, as you were upset from the moment you entered our Lobby and frankly, unpleasant for your entire stay even though we did everything we could to accommodate you and all of the requests while you were here. I cannot control what rooms our guests book. The room you booked is not the room you wanted but I cannot create new rooms when we are sold out. Our rooms are clearly described and accompanied with photos online. I knew you were not happy with the room and I wanted to give you the option of a refund (even though it was an exception to our cancellation policy) in case you wanted to find other satisfactory accommodations. I'm truly sorry you had a bad experience but you chose to stay with us for 2 entire days without making an effort to book something else, even though i offered to give you your money back. I handled the issue professionally and our team gave you all the support we could while you miserably stayed with us. This is not the experience we want for our guests and I wish you had been more communicative, I would have been happy to help find you other accommodations myself. This review is unfortunate but there really is nothing i could do for your unrealistic demands. I will not be authorizing a refund and to anyone reading this response please know that this guest was simply unrealistic and unwilling to give us a chance from the second she walked through our door.
This was a great stay! We rented a studio chalet with a fireplace that was perfect for a weekend stay. Check-in was easy and staff was friendly and responsive. Extras are easy to purchase through the online portal. The pet fee was also very reasonable and it was easy to book a pet friendly room. Parking right in front of our stay was extra convenient. Also it was winter and the cabin was nice and toasty warm when we walked in. This place had all the necessities, was in a great location and was very fairly priced. I would definitely recommend and stay again! Thank you Sessions Retreat & Hotel!
Michelle
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024
Response from Frank on Feb 22, 2024
Thanks so much MIchelle!! Please come back iwth your fur babies any time!
10/10 Excellent
Aigars
Feb 20, 2024
Aigars
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024
Response from Frank on Apr 8, 2024
Thank you Aigars!
10/10 Excellent
Mariela
Feb 20, 2024
Mariela
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024
Response from Frank on Feb 22, 2024
Thank you Mariela!
10/10 Excellent
anapaula, chula vista
Feb 18, 2024
Liked: Property conditions & facilities
Close to ski resort, walkable to the village. Room was clean and comfortable.
We had a great time at Sessions, room was clean, recently renovated, beds and pillows super confortable, awesome people running this place. And the bar, the bar is super cool, great drinks and it’s only for guests. We will come back.
The owner Frank is friendly and informative. This hotel is solid with several options of rooms. The vibe is unique and has amenities like a separate bar and community kitchen/lounge area that worth checking out. The aesthetics inside and out are refreshingly different than most hotels these days. Reminds me more of a place I'd find in Berkley than in Big Bear. My kinda style.
Matthew
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024
Response from Frank on Feb 22, 2024
Thank you Matthew! glad to hear you picked up on our vibe immediately!
My recent stay at Sessions was Great! First time in Big Bear, and I don’t like to lay my head just anywhere. Definitely a great place to hang for a night or two. Friendly staff, and clean rooms. Very local to resorts, lake and restaurants.
It was cute & clean . The other guest stayed up all night in the lounge area which is a nice space but they were up till 2am ea night , so it was hard to catch some zzzzz. I’m sure that just varies on the guest .
Carol
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024
Response from Frank on Feb 22, 2024
Thank you for the feedback Carol! I remember the guests you are describing and I have let them know they wont be invited back. Hoping you'll give us another shot to show you it can be a nice relaxing stay :)
We just had a wonderful stay at the Sessions Retreat. All of the staff was very warm and welcoming, they even hosted a superbowl party in their on property bar with snacks and beverages for their guests. Very accommodating, easy parking, and great location! Will definitely be back soon with more family and friends!
Byanka
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024
Response from Frank on Feb 22, 2024
Thank you Byanka! was happy to have you on our superbowl sunday!
This property was great for what we were looking for during our time at Big Bear. It is was conveniently located just minutes from Big Bear skii resort and close to many restuarants/cafes that made it easy to find something to eat. Would stay here again. Thank you!
Property was newly renovated. One of the owners were the ones handling front desk and was very friendly. Loved that we could ask questions and checkout through texting.
Loved the room, super clean and cozy. The service was excellent only huge problem is that the walls are very thin and you can hear everything from the cabin next door. So if you want to sleep, Id suggest making sure youre not sharing a cabin next to someone else.
Betsabeth
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024
Response from Frank on Feb 1, 2024
Thank you for the feedback Betsabeth. I always suggest the stand alone cabin for light sleepers :) hope to see you again!
Very nice, rustic hotel. Lovely cabin feel.
Empty swimming pool was unsightly, dirty.
Allen
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024
Response from Frank on Feb 1, 2024
Thank you for the feedback Allen. We are a work in progress as we are new owners and have been working through the property. The pool area is certainly on our short list of improvements for spring.
This hotel had a very homey atmosphere. The rooms felt like a cozy bedroom in a vintage bed & breakfast. They were clean, I could smell bleach went first entered the bathroom. The common room with pool table, sofas and dining tables were a convenient, as well as the huge full size kitchen with two stoves and two large fridges for your use. We will stay here next time we are in big bear.
This was the cutest little cabin style hotel. Upon pulling up to the main office you are greeted by a friendly manager and his furry companions. You are then guided to your room where you discover that the owners have impeccable taste. Everything from the closets to the bathrooms looks newly renovated. The common areas are very welcoming and spacious, definitely a good spot to hang out for big parties. Finally, one of you favorite parts was the bar/community building where the owners hang out with the guests. I will be coming back.
Claire
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024
Response from Frank on Feb 1, 2024
Thanks so much for your kind words Claire!! See you next time!
Had a great stay on a busy weekend. Dug the funky decor, and friendly staff and owner. Since the resort parking lots were full, the short walk to the shuttle that picks up in front of the Big 5 was sweet and easy. Would definitely stay again and recommend to others! Thanks Sessions!
This place is really cool. I will definitely go back. My puppy’s first trip, he loved it. The way it’s decorated and all it has to offer is amazing. The cabin style room with a little kitchen is the way to go.