Timber Haven Lodge

Extremely nice people! My girlfriend and I stayed there the weekend of Valentine’s Day and I couldn’t ask for better. The lady at the front desk (forgot her name) was so warm and welcoming. The unit we stayed in, #2, was small but very nice and perfect for what we needed. Perfect for a couple get away. Kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, living room were all clean. Fireplace only takes duraflames and was very clean, only $ 6 for a 3 hour log, 8 for a 4 hour log. Cabins have good heaters to get out of the cold. Perfect little place, I couldn’t ask for a better, lower price, place to stay for a weekend.

Great place. We really enjoyed the cozy feel. Karen and husband are great and very welcoming !!! We’ll be back !!!

Karen and her husband were amazing hosts. The place was so cute and comfortable. They were very flexible with our requests and super helpful on things to do. We stayed in cabin 7.

This lodge has its charm we stayed for a night at cabin #1.It was very cozy the spa tub was amazing after 8 mile hike we really need that and were so relaxed, fireplace was so comforting makes the lodge warm, they have a warm heater too.
It has a small patio with grill facing road breeze is so piny wow… i loved the breeze
Kitchen had all essentials things. Worth the price we paid. Direct sun rays from the window at spa tub was soothing :-) :-)
Sofa was a bit discomfort didn’t like only thing at our stay.
Overall i would rate it b/​w 8.5−9.0÷10.

Great accommodations, great price, and great service. The breakfast was simple but had everything you needed. The room was comfortable and clean. I also really wanted to bake brownies, but when I realized I didn’t have a pan Karen was generous enough to let me borrow her personal one. My toddler and I had a fun time baking.

This lodge is a perfect hidden gem. The rooms are so clean and convenient. My boyfriend I stayed here for just one night and it was awesome. The hot tub was our favorite part of the room and they also come with clean and soft bath robes. The kitchen came with everything you need (besides food to cook) so we decided to stay in an cook dinner and it made our trip that was much funner :) it’s right down the street from the big bear village which was also a fun because we never been there before :)
Karen is such a sweet person! She made sure our room was clean and ready and she even let us check in early. She also walked us to our room and showed us how to work the fireplace and the heater. She is so helpful and I could have talked a storm with her :)
We wish we could have stayed longer ! Next time we will for sure stay longer and bring more people! Thanks Karen and timber haven lodge for making my boyfriends birthday trip the greatest !

Cabin #4 was a cozy little place. One bedroom with a pullout sofa bed and kitchen. Gets 4 stars out of 5 because there was no tv in the bedroom, the room has a weird smell (but nothing major) and the water temperature goes up and down without touching the fossett. Overall bring some firewood snacks and games and you should have a great trip!

I wouldn’t book a room here again if my life depended on it just because of their cancelation policy. My wife started to fell sick the night before we were to go & thought she might feel better after a good nights sleep. The next morning she was still not well & not up to the drive. I called the lodge & told them we were not going to make it because of illness & wanted to reschedule. The refused to reschedule & did not offer even % of the money back. Just be warned of their terrible reservation policy before you book unless you just want to give money to these people! FYI here is their policy:
CANCELLATION /​NO-​SHOW:
All No-​Shows are charged full fee. NO EXCEPTIONS.
There is NO CHARGE for cancellations made within the first 24 hours after making a reservation. (NOT 24 HOURS BEFORE ARRIVAL). There is a $ 50 charge for canceling a reservation from 24 hours after the reservation is made up till 7 days prior to date of a
rrival ($ 100 fee and 14 days during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holidays). There is NO CANCELLATIONS within 7 days prior to arrival (14 days during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holidays). Cancellations made within 7 days prior to arrival
(14 days during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holidays) are charged the full fee.
REFUND:
No refund for undesirable weather, road conditions, medical issues, work schedule conflict, early departure etc. By making a reservation the guests understand that the weather is unpredictable at best and Timber Haven Lodge is not liable for last minute
weather change. FULL REFUND IS ISSUED ONLY IF ALL THREE ROADS TO BIG BEAR ARE CLOSED. NO EXCEPTIONS.
RESCHEDULING:
Based on availability, reservations can be rescheduled up to 7 days prior to arrival with a $ 25 rescheduling fee (14 days during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holidays with $ 50 rescheduling fee).

Karen was an amazing hostess. Very friendly and just a nice person in general.
The cabin was nice, and the grounds were well kept. Jacuzzi, ping pong table, kids play set, fire Pit, etc…
The only reason I couldn’t give it a five star rating was because the beds were very hard and I couldn’t sleep at all. I would suggest bringing an egg crate mattress cover if you want to sleep.
Supporting a friendly, nice family is important to me and Karen and her husband are just that. I would recommend!

Stayed in cabin 1, which has its own jacuzzi. We enjoyed our stay and will definitely stay here again.

Suzie Q’s Fun Fact:
The word «lodge» originates from an Old German word, «laube» (meaning «arbor» or «hut») or later, «loge» (in Old French/​English), meaning «shelter of foliage» or «house made of bark.»
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If you’re looking for luxury and modern conveniences, turn around and find a Hilton or some other corporate hotel chain… because Timber Haven definitely doesn’t have them.
Still, our stay at this kitschy, rustic little motel complex was pleasant and issue-​free.
Rather than a single motel room, our «room» was actually a mini one-​bedroom apartment suite with a (spare) full kitchen, tiny loveseat, corner fireplace and separate bedroom. So it was certainly roomy.
[Note: Contrary to other reviewers’ reports, while we did find two Hershey’s kisses in the fridge (cute!), no mini bottle of champagne or sparkling cider greeted us; nor did we see candy by the bed. Maybe they skipped us inadvertently, or the management has grown stingier?]
It goes without saying that the accommodations here could use some updating, but we felt that the dated and rustic décor was part of this place’s charm. Examples: The fireplace’s «brick» backing was actually concrete painted to look like brick. And a chair hid massive scrapes along the paneling near the door. Kind of hilarious.
While we appreciated the «luxury» of a TV with DVD/​VCR, the old-​style TV was only about 13 inches wide and bolted into the far corner — as far as possible away from the sofa. My companion and I both felt like we were watching a movie on an airplane… the screen was just that small. Still, we were glad we could play the DVDs that we’d brought with us.
The continental breakfast was bounteous, with its mini-​muffins and pre-​packaged sweet rolls and bagels and croissants, but one thing it lacked was protein (hard-​boiled eggs or yogurt, for example, would have been appreciated). Still, the fresh fruit bowl was great, as was the OJ. And the croissants, surprisingly, tasted fresh-​baked as opposed to commercially packaged.
Most of all, the proprietress was very kind and helpful, acting as a concierge when it came to restaurant suggestions, the best ski area and the best ski equipment rental shops. I never ran into her husband (the proprietor), but he was pleasant when I originally spoke with him while booking my hotel room.
Our room didn’t come with a hot tub, though many other rooms do. As such, my companion appreciated the outdoor hot tub after skiing had left her with sore muscles. The hot tub is sort of out in the open with no cozy feeling, right next to the parking lot… but it’s still a luxury that many motels probably don’t have.
While our stay here wasn’t dirt cheap, considering we’d booked our hotel only a week before our stay on this holiday weekend, we felt like we’d gotten a pretty good deal. We would return!

Karen was wonderful! The lodge was comfy and very clean. The heater and hot shower worked perfectly. My daughter enjoyed the playground & ping pong table. It was close to everything, but was far enough to enjoy the silence. It took less than 5 minutes to get to Snow Summit for us to enjoy the snow. We will definitely come back here again.

Ok I’m not normally a «yelper» but after my stay here I had to :) …
Stayed here for one Saturday night in Cabin 1 and even though there was no snow it was a great trip. First off its one of the few places that will do just a one night stay (many have a 2 night minimum). Secondly I read all the previous reviews and the rants n raves about Karen and her husband are 100% true. Their hospitality is above and beyond.
When you open the fridge there’s candy, little champagne bottles and a welcome note from the couple– so cute.
The cabin itself looks like a doll house, everything is so quaint and adorable. Cabin 1 had an oversize jacuzzi bath tub, gas fire place, living room, and a full (mini sized) kitchen & queen sized bed. The cabin was warm when we got there and very clean n tidy. There’s even a book in the bedroom where everyone can leave a little note about their stay, sweet hand written testimonials :)
The above and beyond hospitality I was talking about came from Karen’s husband Mehdad. My boyfriend and I had gone down to the village to Whiskey Dave’s (a bar I’d also recommend) and since there’s only on cab company down there we were having a bit of trouble catching one. I called the hotel and Mehdad said if the cab didn’t come he’d pick us up personally.
Sure enough within about 10 minutes he was there. When we got back to the cabin we asked him if anywhere delivered late night food & when we found out they didn’t he drove us BACK to town to grab food (this was past 10pm). On our second trip back, he even pulled over to show us the best star gazing spot & pointed out some constellations. It was gorgeous.
Because we didn’t have cash on us that night I told Karen to charge my card for something the next morning. Of coarse she refused and said it was their pleasure. My bf and I were just baffled by how kind they were.
Truly an amazing stay, will be my go to spot in Big Bear. No need to look any further :)!

I stayed in Cabin 2 over a long weekend (labor day). This place was cozy and clean. still very private and social whenever you needed it. Karen (owner/​operator) was outstanding in terms of service, friendliness, personality, etc. my experience here was defiantly a 5 star. i already recommended it to many of my friends and will stay there again. its a great place to go, mainly if its just you and your spouse/​girlfriend.

A-​OK.
To echo all of the other reviews Karen is a gem! She was helpful, thoughtful and even let us check in early — I’m talking 4+ hours early. This place is NOT The Ritz, and doesn’t aspire to be. You should know that by looking at the pix online. If you want top of the line/​brand new everything this isn’t the place. The room/​cabin was clean and cute but certainly dated. However, all of the similar places nearby looked like they had the same decorator (according to the Unilocal pictures). I liked the old touches and thought it made the place amusing. All of the furniture must have been made for little people. The bathroom sink was well below my waist, as was the dresser. They have the most adorable miniature oven I’ve ever seen. This was one of the only places we found that didn’t have a minimum stay over labor day weekend. They even provide a complimentary continental breakfast.
My one and only complaint about this place is that the bed was HORRIBLE! I couldn’t sleep on it the whole night and ended up trying to sleep on the tiny couch. Every time the BF or I moved it would squeak and creak. I like to sleep on my stomach and felt like my ribs were rubbing against wood. It was not soft. :(If Timber Haven were to spend a little money on comfy beds this would be a 5 star review all the way.

My dad and I have been coming here since I was about 10. Karen ad her family do the most fantastic job of making you feel right at home with their amazing customer service and warm personalities.
Normally when you stay at a hotel it feels like just another crummy room you’ve been crammed into to make room for other guests. This is nothin like that. Karen and her family make you feel like part of the family from the second you get out of the car.
On top of that. The rooms are cleaner and more homey than you’ll find at any 5 star resort for a literal fraction of the cost. To be perfectly honest, if your staying anywhere else in Big Bear… Your probably staying at the wrong place.
P.S: Too all you car and bike enthusiasts such as myself. The driveway and parking lot are freshly paved and perfectly flat. There is no easier or safer place to park your car in all of Big Bear. Trust me I’ve tried.

To put it simply, Timber Haven Lodge is my new go-​to place to stay in Big Bear. Owners Karen & Mehrdad have elevated the «cabin experience» to something more like a bed and breakfast experience while still offering great value.
These innkeepers are simply delightful, and their personalities and spirit are the biggest appeal of this place. One example is when I asked Karen if there was an ice machine on property. She said no, but she gave me a small bag of ice out of what I believed to be her personal supply. They have been here since about 2004, and they both have backgrounds in architecture. This perspective is evidenced by the thoughtful and creative touches throughout the property, such as fresh paint, new windows, and inspiring landscaping. They are quite industrious, and these details are seemingly endless. Clearly, this place is a labor of love for them both.
Loved the ping pong, «beach» and fire pit and hot tub. Continental breakfast was great and unexpected… loved the fresh fruit! If you’re obsessing by the map, this place looks like it might be out of town a bit, but it’s not. You’re just west of the Village, walkable to Big Bear Blvd near the Alpine Slide and the brewery. To keep your expectations in perspective, remember that these are still cabins, built no later than the late ‘40s in my estimation. So while there’s a little peel here and a crack there, the overall feel is still very clean and tidy. They will never be the Ritz Carlton, but they don’t aspire to be, either. The kitchen in Cabin 5 is sufficiently equipped for an extended stay with a huge fridge and microwave. The biggest limitation for Cabins 3, 4, 5 and 6 (I believe) is that the fold-​out sofa is really only good for two kids, so good for young families, but not for four adults.
Please note that this review is for a 4^th of July stay. From what Karen told me, the winter ski season is much more challenging for them as well as every other resort in town.

I’m embarrassed that it’s taken me a full year to write this review. Having said that, Karen & Mehrdad were so amazing that it’s far better late than never.
I took my girlfriend to Big Bear as a birthday surprise last spring. I can’t remember how I found Timber Haven Lodge — I believe it was TravelAdvisor or a similar site.
The cabins were warm and cozy (and yes, rustic — this is not the W or St Regis; you’re in Big Bear, folks.) We had our own little kitchen, sitting room, and fireplace. It was awesome. They also offered a light breakfast each morning.
Karen & Mehrdad went above and beyond to make us feel at home.
The HUGE kicker is this: the first day we arrived, my car broke down. It had to be towed ALL THE WAY back to LA. We were stuck in Big Bear with no car! And, there were no car rental places open until Monday. We were determined to make the best of it. Mehrdad and Karen volunteered to drive us wherever we wanted — we even took them up on it once or twice, and they were just amazingly kind. They drove us to a dinner, a breakfast, and even picked us up a couple of times, it was unbelievable. (We hired Big Bear’s only taxi a time or two as well.)
Later in the weekend, we found out that the only place that would rent us a car one-​way (back to LA) was in Redlands — a good 45 minutes away. We were busy researching car services to come pick us up on Monday. Karen and Mehrdad each inquired a couple of times about our arrangements. We told them we were hiring a car to come get us and take us down into the valley. They would hear nothing of it — Mehrdad insisted that he would take us.
I know this is a lot about them, and not as much about the lodge. But I think fantastic people deserve our patronage, and I really want you to know that if you stay at Timber Haven Lodge, you’ll not only have a great stay, but you’ll be doing business with great people.

My stay here with my gf was excellent. Upon getting my reservation canceled by ‘Big Bear Lakefront Lodge’ due to a pipe problem they were having I was immediately devastated because the trip to Big Bear was the following day and with a lot of people still on vacation, no way I’d find a room (also don’t count on me to ever call that place ever again, they nearly ruined my remaining vacation).
So I look on google and found Timber Haven Lodge. I thought it was TOO good to be true! One cabin available, a cabin! Not a lame motel-​like room like Big Bear Lakefront Lodge. I immediately reserved online, to seal the deal I had to call them to pay, and so I did. We got cabin #8. There’s also a journal for guests to write in, my gf did the honors since I have terrible handwriting :).
We get there and I liked the location at instance! The town is reasonably far, it’s right next to the national park (a BIG plus), parking is separated by cabin number, so no worries. I check in and the owner which was very kind showed us the room. The only weird part was that the cabin was part of the main building (office, owners home, etc.) but the inside makes you immediately feel like home. The hottub was cool! Never done that before, after a long day of walking and freezing, the hottub was a blessing.
The room itself was perfect. The only thing missing is a real TV! That TV was so small and it’s a block not an LCD, but who goes to Big Bear to watch TV? The bed was comfy, and it’s silent at night with random noises (stuff falling on the roof, etc). My gf and I got creeped out a little. It’s PITCH black toward the bathroom/​living room area, and when our eyes adjusted we saw a blue light but in the end it was the microwave hahaha.
The breakfast was okay! I’m not a big time breakfast guy at all. I’ll make do with coffee, juice, bread, and fruit. For you egg, hash browns, bacon, ham lovers out there don’t expect their continental breakfast to satisfy you, it’s free after all.
Two min walk to the park! DON’T go up the street like I did, go towards the snow diagonally and you’ll reach a nice part of the park, there’s a small entrance on the fence just outside of the lodge, no more than 40 ft.
It’s a bit pricey, that’s the only sad part. You also have to reserve by a month in advance according to the owner (peak season: winter), weeks in advance in summer and days in advance for the spring. I feel lucky, someone probably canceled a day or hours before I made my reservation.
I’ll be coming back here again, this time I’d like to stay in cabin #1.

It was a last minute decision to stay a night up in Big Bear with my girlfriend. On the New Year’s eve weekend, it seemed impossible to find a decently priced yet good reviewed place to stay for just ONE night. I think their website might say two night min. required but I called and talked to Karen and va va voom, one night available on this busy holiday weekend!
My expectations were a little high because of their Unilocal ratings but they were definitely met. The cabin was warmed for us, check-​in was a breeze, and there were cute items located in and around the place. We stayed in the jacuzzi cabin, which we would definitely request again, it was really «cozy» :)
They have a nice selection of movies to rent (free) and when I called to ask about the movie, a guy delivered it within a minute! Awesome service. Although we only stayed one night, the cabin was a nice touch to our romantic last-​minute getaway. We can’t wait to come back and play around in the snow covered forest behind the cabins!
Great price, location, cleanliness, and most important, customer service! Will be back!