Long Barn Lodge

WOW!!! What a quaint and beautiful little slice away from the city. My girlfriend and I had the pleasure of renting one of the most adorable cabins on the property, (cabin L). This cabin looks like it has recently been renovated and had a very comfortable sunken in tub. The bed and bedding were very cozy and we both slept like babies! I was disappointed to find no ice machine on the premices, we did have ice trays in the room however. Overall, I found this place to be like something out of a movie. The grounds were immaculate, the motel– although dated, was like stepping back in time. There is a swimming pool central to the whole establishment, but only is seasonal so I was not able to experience that, which would have been nice. Everything seemed to be kept up very well. About 5 years ago, I stayed here and the place had a VERY different feel to it and was extremely dirty. I returned this time after hearing friends say their were new owners and it was slowly undergoing a very elaborate transformation. I’m glad I decided to give it another chance and I look forward to coming up with better weather to swim and drive up to the beautiful Pinecrest lake :)
My only word of caution would be to ensure you bring groceries along since all stores are about 5 miles or more away. Also, cell service (unless you have verizon) is very touchy if not non-​existent. That kind of adds to the charm of escaping it all!

Yuck. Stayed here with family.
Based on the reviews here we were expecting an older rustic place that was basic but clean with good friendly service. Not so. At first take that’s how it seems, but then you might notice the ten year old pile of filth under the beds. Or you might notice the sewage backing up into the shower and swirling round your feet. Don’t expect an apology from the management for that by the way — I guess it’s just normal round there. Plus I know it’s off season, but is there really a good reason to have half a tree in the swimming pool? And then there’s the ice rink. The ice rink was actually pretty cool in a dismally surreal sense. When was the last time you saw three grown men too wasted to speak gliding around under disco balls while the sound system blasted ‘That Smell’ by Lynyrd Skynyrd? One of those men being the rink operator of course. My kids were fascinated. Speaking of which, one of my kids got bitten by ‘something’ in the bed.
In this day and age there’s just no excuse for a place like this, not even in the mountains. Should be shut down. Maybe a good motel for goats. Honestly, you would be better staying at a Crazy 8 motel. Best avoided.

I have been to this cabin several times, my kids love it and insist on going back, Although the cabins are not really updates and can use some more TLC, I did not mind too much. Expect visiting this past weekend I had horrible customer service both in the office and the ice skating arena. Sad to say. But I will no longer be a returning customer here. The snow and view was great. But not worth it. Looking else where for better rooms and service

This little place was cool. We got the cabin for $ 150/​nt. The office staff was very nice and helpful. Apparently they just took over new ownership a couple of weeks ago. I would have liked to have seen the carpet vacuumed and the dishes cleaner. Other than that, everything went well. Personally, I think the price was a little steep for what we got, but all in all, it went well.

Overall a nice stay. I gave it a 4 for it’s wonderful setting, though the Long Barn Lodge deserves a 3 for its amenities.
PROS:
Gorgeous location, very serene and away from the crowds at Pinecrest Lake. Nice pool. A perfect spot for a group event or reunion. The cabins with kitchens/​fireplace are very decent at the price point; do not expect the Ritz. Place has just reverted back to original owners, they are slowly doing upgrades. Very nice staff.
CONS:
No A/​C. Mini-​fridges in only some rooms. No ice machine. Dated rooms. WiFi is v. slow, no cell service and no phones in the rooms. This is a major problem– no internet is OK but phone service is expected. The beds are older, soft, you feel the motion of your bed partner. They absolutely need to replace the beds; people will pay a little more for good quality sleep.
Lodge is a 15 – 20 minute ride to Pinecrest Lake; plan on spending day at lake and returning to lodge only late in afternoon.
NO on-​site restaurant or convenience store. Closest store is a few minutes drive down mountain to the (overpriced) Sierra Market. Shop in Twain Harte instead!
Summary: This lodge is a good alternative if you don’t like the crowds (and higher prices) at Pinecrest Lake. Get a cabin and do your food shopping down the mountain, Twain Harte or Sonora. There are limited restaurant choices between Mi Wuk Village and Pinecrest Lake. Nice place for families intending on hiking, swimming, kayaking at Pinecrest, or horseback riding.

Last Wednesday I came to the area to visit the caverns in Vallecita. My friend in the Long Barn area had mentioned this place. I looked on line and the booking was only available if you reserved for two nights. I didn’t need a two night stay. However meeting my friends in Twain Harte we decided to drop in to the Long Barn Lodge. On first glance the property looked rustic with several cabins and a dated looking motel with a pool in the front. So we go into the office. The lady at the desk was accommodating, she offered to «discount» a room which had a double and twin bed. This was fine since I was traveling with my grandson. I should have asked to inspect the room prior to taking the room. They offer wi-​fi and gave me the code. We drove around to the back side of the motel.
The room had a old fashion key which makes me uncomfortable. The room was very dated. It had an off putting smell. The TV was tiny and off in a corner which if you were to be in bed you could not view the TV. I then inspected the bathroom. Clean but again very old and dated. They have your typical carpet and bed spreads.
But what was the strangest thing no phone. Ok most people would say no big deal right? Wrong! There is no cell phone service in your room. I could get any service at all even standing outside. Well being alone in a remote mountainous area can make you a little nervous. Especially when your family may need to get hold of you. There was this odd staircase going up to a door which I assume is for the room above me and it only had some cheesy chain lock to keep this room locked.
There also was no mini fridge and in today’s lodging that is just a basic commodity. I also noted no ice machine anywhere.
I chose to not stay here and returned to the office. The woman in the office was on the phone and did not even make eye contact with me. So I waited for at least 10 minutes until she had finished her call. I asked if she had ice. She said no, but there might be some in her fridge in her kitchen. I told her that my grandson and I were uncomfortable with the room and not having any phone or call ability with my cell phone. I told her my grandson had a medical condition and this might but him in jeopardy.
Her friendly attitude changed and it got quite frosty in the office. She begrudgingly gave me a refund.
My advice is this. If you are looking to «unplug», relive the 1970’s than this is the lodge for you.

This place is nasty! Disgusting in fact! I purchased a Groupon, and thought I was getting a great deal. I refused to stay here, the room was filthy I walked back into the office and demanded a refund The comforter had dried food on it, and was not washed. The pillows smelled like dirty hair, and the room smelled like urine. The door had a huge crack and did not close properly. Not safe! The shower had mildew, and the furniture was from the 70’s. I would not recommend. I will upload pictures for you all to see. Ask to see the room before paying!

smelled so bad, we had to move to another room that was barely any better. mildewy. the area was beautiful and there are limited options for lodging hence the two stars.

Just had the pleasure of staying at the Long Barn Lodge just before Christmas. We haven’t been up to the area for a couple of years because of the lack of snow. I have to say, we really missed going. This year our kids were a little bit older and they really took advantage of the ice rink. They absolutely loved being able to skate everyday so it provided so much entertainment for them. We went to the sled park a couple times but mostly stayed and just let them have fun. I will say we will definitely be back next year!

We just returned from a night at Long Barn Lodge. We loved the area & our cabin (L) but NOT the smell!!! Someone before us used an excessive amount of curry in their meals! It was so strong it gave me a migraine. Unfortunately, their was no other available cabins for us to move to. The owner was very nice & offered us Lysol, but being afraid it would only worsen my headache, we passed & just opened a window (in 30 weather.) I had to sit on the side of the rink to watch my son & husband skate as I was feeling horrible. Again, unfortunate as I was there for my birthday. I wish the room had been more thoroughly disinfected before our arrival. There is NO WAY that the staff responsible for cleaning could miss the odor. It permeated our belongings. I could not even bring our suitcases in the house, after 6 hours of being in the car. We would love to return, but for $ 200+ that we paid for 1 night, it will be unlikely that we do. I would have given 5+++ rating, even given the price (as I knew about this at booking) had it not been for the stench! I now have to wash the clean clothes that were left in my suitcases, while they have been febreezed & left outside to de-​funk. All that being said, we made the best of it & had a great time with our family.

We bought the living social deal so it was an ok deal. We arrived on Saturday night and got the key to our cabin and when we entered it was freezing. Took a good two hours to warm up. Had a weird smell so we bought a candle. It is a pretty small cabin. Beautiful area but here are the pros and cons.
Pros
— beautiful area
— hot shower
Cons
— ice rink closed very early on Sunday
— came back around 645pm on Sunday and office had been closed for 2 hours
— couch is horribly uncomfortable. You sink in almost a foot
— limited maid service
— really nothing around this place
— all the businesses around set their own hours. Beware. Some close three hours before usual
— TV is from 1990
— wireless is useless
Final thoughts. No fireplace. Uncomfortable bed. Pricey. You can do better

My husband and I spent our honeymoon at the Long Barn Lodge… best decision ever!!! So peaceful, fresh air and historic places to visit! Long Barn Lodge was super clean and provided everything we needed. No need to pack all the pots and pans, baking sheets or measuring cup… they thought of that for you. The refrigerator is very clean and spacious. Lots of cabinet space. You also have the option of BBQ’ing. There is a big red brick BBQ available for all. The pool was clear and didn’t smell of chlorine. The ice skating rink was closed while we were there but we probably would have fallen anyway, but we will check it out the next time we go up. Everyone was so nice and accommodating, we didn’t know what trails to take or what sites to see. they gave us some ideas and brochures to help us out. I highly recommend visiting Jamestown, country charm! I also recommend visiting
Sooo much history at that place! We found out about Columbia State Park on our last day but we will be back to check that place out.
And when we go back, we will DEFINITELY be staying at The Long Barn Lodge!!!

We Stayed here December 2012 & Enjoyed Sledding on the perfect kiddie hills right next to the cabin! We also enjoyed the indoor Ice skating (I think it was around $ 10 per person for the day) The lodge is old & out-​dated, definitely not your 5 star resort but it’s cozy and comfortable. The linens, bathroom & kitchenette were old but clean! The staff was friendly and willing to help anytime! You can’t beat the natural beauty & serenity this lodge has to offer! We are planning another trip hopefully by Feb 2014! We hope to make this our annual winter family getaway!

Just driving home from my wedding weekend hosted at the Long Barn Lodge, and I just couldn’t wait to write my review. I would recommend Long Barn Lodge to anyone looking to get out of the city when searching for a wedding venue, party site, weekend getaway, or family reunion destination!
The staff truly made my special day smooth and flawless. They accommodated 150 guests, over 80 staying at the lodge two or more nights, and took care of all needs large or small! And despite the mess and masses of people, they always checked in on us with a smile and left us with Hugs and well wishes.
For weddings, the site is reasonably priced and the local vendors did an incredible job. Dancing in the converted Ice Rink was fabulous, disco lights creating a truly magical vibe.
I have absolutely no complaints about any part of the weekend, and all our guests were happy with their rooms. They even let our guests hang out all day Sunday at the pool, after checkout! I can not even express how deep my love and appreciation is for the Long Barn Lodge and their wonderful staff!

We stayed at Long Barn Lodge using the Groupon and really enjoyed our stay. If you’re looking for a nice quiet weekend away it’s hard to beat it. The Studio Cabin we rented was cozy and had all the comforts of home. We took advantage of the location to go explore Sonora and Tiago Pass, as well as Yosemite which is a little under 2 hours away to the South entrance.
The staff was extremely friendly and available when needed. The weekend we spent there was a slow one and there were only a few other cabins rented, meaning it was very quiet.
The only complaint we had was the cleanliness of the pots/​pans, as well as the tile floor in the kitchen and the carpet, which left our socks very dirty and caused us to wear shoes at all times when walking around the cabin.
Overall we were very happy to stay there and will likely return.

Like most others recently, we used a groupon for a weekend get-​away.
When I called for reservation they put me in a cabin with a double bed. I asked if there was one with queen and she said yes, but it’ll be $ 20 more a night. This was a little weird since it stated on their website that Cabin B, the one we ended up using, was grouped among the cabins with the lowest rate. Still wondering why they charged more.
Overall the cabin was clean. The bathroom was tiny and the shower door did not close, so the first night there was a huge puddle of water. The kitchen was nice, but I found that most of the dishes we used were dirty and had to re-​clean prior to using. Apparently they charge $ 25 for not cleaning, but I guess they don’t check to make sure.
The bed was what is expected. Not great, didn’t really sleep well, achy back in the morning. But no surprise.
There weren’t many people there, so that was nice. I think it is the ideal location. Close to Twain Hart as well as Pinecrest Lake. Staff was friendly and helpful when needed.
Overall it was nice for $ 200 for the weekend, but most likely will not stay again.

Purchased a Groupon get away for a two night stay in the studio cabins. We stayed in Cabin I and brought our little dog along. The cabin inside was very nice — nice living area, big bathroom. The bed was a little small for two of us plus the dog, but I don’t think I’d expect a luxury bed in a mountain cabin. Very friendly service on check in. No cell phone service, but we had wifi to check in with the family. Only disappointment I had was my own misconception of the cabin being «in the woods». It’s next to the paved parking lot along the main little street of Long Barn. So don’t expect a wooded forest retreat as much as a nice cozy cabin in a quaint mountain community. Lots around to do, too!

I spent 3 night at Long Barn Lodge a week ago and had a great time. The area is beautiful, and the cabins and lodge were very cute. Everything was clean and organized which is a plus to me.
We enjoyed our stay because the staff was very friendly, always on top of things and willing to help. They gave us very good recommendations on what we could do in the area or where to find what we needed (food, groceries, entertainment).
Because of all their help, we were able to relax and enjoy our time off.
Swimming in the pool was the best because the weather was pretty hot.
If you decide to go, make sure to visit Pinecrest Lake! They recommended it to us and it was awesome! The lake is pretty warm, and you can swim, or rent kayaks, motor boats or whatever you are in the mood for. Such a beautiful place!
We will definitely be coming back in the winter!

The first time I brought my bofriend to Long Barn Lodge was the last weekend of Sept 2012.
We had has a very rough day because we had just run over our dog while on vacation in Long Barn.
When we got to Long Barn lodge I was a mess. And, the staff were very helpful and kind to us.
We stayed in one of the cabins which we loved.
We have since been back 3 times and always enjoy our stay.
We now have bought a house in Long Barn and are looking forward to family coming and staying at the Lodge during there visits.
This is a wonderful place to enjoy ice skating and nature.

Long Barn Lodge is an old-​fashioned place that brings back the nostalgia for another time. Except this is the real deal, not like one of these faux-​50s diners that try to recreate an era that the owners know only from «Grease». It’s just what you’d picture the perfect mountain resort to be, and when you drive onto the property, you might find yourself thinking «This can’t be California.»
I’d driven by it a few times, looking for a long barn. Couldn’t find one. Found out later that it was demolished before most of us were born. I’ve never stayed there because I grew up camping in a trailer, going to Pinecrest every year, and as an adult I’d rather drive off the paved road for a mile and throw up a tent. Now, married with child, we drive to a developed campground and throw up a tent.
But in early December 2012, we went to the ice rink. No snow below 7800′, so this had to do. And again, it didn’t feel like stereotypical California. Not like the rinks around San Francisco. It is an authentic mountain rink set among red cabins, a motel setup, and a lawn area with pool outside, with pine trees all around. Like a smaller version of the resort featured in «Dirty Dancing». Inside, it was a smallish, intimate rink, with tables and chairs on two sides. Real ice, kept that way by the 44-​degree temperature. Food is available. At a cost lower than at rinks around The City. I was told later that this is a local’s favorite, that people in the Greater Sonora Metro Area (!) have come here for generations.
Good place to take kids and introduce them to ice skating. Or a date; there’s something about gliding across the ice (or falling down) that brings out the romance, with roaring fireplaces, hot chocolate, and Ray Conniff music coming into your head. On second thought, Ray Conniff might be a turnoff.
Worth a stop in, and if you like to stay the night in a cabin, that looks good too. One extra star for being the real deal.