Our stay at the Black Bear Inn last week was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment we…read morearrived, the owners made us feel genuinely welcome; warm, friendly, and truly passionate about what they do. The inn has that rare, cozy "home away from home" atmosphere which we absolutely loved. The rooms were spotless and super cozy, with beds that made it hard to get up in the morning and PERFECT water pressure (I'm a water pressure snob). One of the highlights was discovering that the owner is also a chef, so every meal was absolutely delicious, beautifully plated and crafted with care. The location is ideal! It's a super short walk to nearby businesses, yet also somehow perfectly tucked back among the beautiful big trees of Arnold, giving it that "peaceful, mountain-retreat" feel. We also loved that they offer a pet-friendly room so we were able to stay with our furry companion! We couldn't have asked for a better stay. Highly recommended--five stars all the way!

The place is beautiful, quiet and comfortable. Bruce and his staff and very attentive. We spent a…read morewonderful day and night here and will be back.

This was our second stay at Arnold Meadowmont Lodge…read more Which is saying something, because it's five and a half hours from our house. We don't even drive five and a half hours to visit some relatives. We found it by accident a few years ago on an anniversary trip and liked it so much that we came all the way back just to stay here again. I love this place because it still has that classic 1960s roadside motor lodge feel. Not the "I hope the plumbing works" kind. More like, "This is what a motor lodge would look like if somebody loved it for the last 60 years." Everything is immaculate. The rooms are spotless, the landscaping looks like every blade of grass had a performance review, and they've got a fire pit and cornhole out back. Which is a game I've played for years and still can't believe that's the name everyone agreed on. The people here are just... nice. And not "hotel nice." Actually nice. We know because, on the way up, we hit a deer. That's not part of the amenities, by the way. Suddenly we're wondering if our car is going to be in the shop for days, and the staff immediately started helping us figure out how to extend our stay if we got stranded. They didn't have to do any of that. They just genuinely wanted to help take one more thing off our plate during a pretty stressful day. Thankfully, we made it home, but that little gesture is the kind of thing you remember. There are plenty of hotels where you sleep. This is one where you feel welcome. My wife and I can't wait to come back. Hopefully next time we'll leave the local wildlife out of the itinerary.

We just stayed here last night for the first time. We picked this place because we have a little…read moredog. Yes, it's dog friendly! The lady (didn't get her name but assuming from another review, her name is Heather) who helped us has a dog (black lab) named Bear. Super friendly and accommodating!! Her pup was friendly too. My little chihuahua wasn't sure of him at first but she barked at him and he was very friendly with her. This place is super quiet, has a very cute back patio with a pergola with some nice cushioned seats, a fire pit with seats and more seating. There's a dog run just past the seating area. Good size for the bigger dogs too. The lady (Heather?) even warned us of a small hole that our dog could get through (it's because of the concrete gutter that runs the length of the dog run. Very helpful! In the small lobby they offer some hot coffee, tea, hot apple cider and hot cocoa (even marshmallows!) . For an extra charge, they even have some S'mores to roast by the evening fire pit. The room was nice, clean, and roomy. Even has a fridge and microwave. We will definitely be back!!

The Victoria Inn is in walking distance to restaurants, shopping venues and wine tasting rooms…read more Our guest room was spacious, exceptionally clean and comfortable. We enjoyed the balcony , the rain water shower and was grateful for the air conditioning. The continental breakfast offered a wide selection of choices. It was a great way to start the day. Best part was meeting Michael Ninos (proprietor) and his staff. Everyone was so positive , welcoming and helpful. It made our stay a great one. Thank You.

We stayed in the Doris Room for several nights and it was delightful. The king bed was super…read morecomfortable. Sweet window seat in large window. There's a small balcony overlooking the patio where people are dining. The room is small but very accommodating with a refrigerator and coffee maker in the room. And lots of towels! Staff was super friendly. The complimentary breakfast was just right. And the location was perfect to enjoy the town of Murphys.

My family and I went up to the Cozy Cub for the weekend and had a lovely time! The hosts have…read morereally thought of EVERYTHING for a comfortable and relaxing experience. I can't recommend it enough!

Perfect getaway for a girls trip! We had the best time. The cabin was beautiful, clean, had…read moreeverything we needed and in a perfect location. Can't wait to come back with my family!

The cottage was great and the location too. Very peaceful and inviting cottage. Check in and out…read morewas convenient too. I felt like i was at home. The scenery in the yard was so relaxing!

We made a last minute reservation for the Fourth of July holiday weekend and we were promptly…read moreaccommodated. The home we chose was very well appointed and brand new. We had such a wonderful experience with this property management company. Highly recommended! We are already planning an early fall trip back to this amazing little town!

We recently stayed at Timberline Lodge and was during the same snowstorm when the power was out…read morethroughout Arnold. We had lost our car to a tree and made to the Lodge. We had the opposite experience and highly recommend the lodge. The manager and her husband were wonderful and very caring. They saw our Expedia reservation come in even with the power out and helped us get setup quickly. We were so grateful to have a cozy warm room with the gas fireplace stove. There was hot water and the room was perfect. When we had delays leaving the next day because of the snow and no car, they let us take the time we needed to figure things out. The manager's husband saved us in the end and gave us a ride to Murphy's so we could be somewhere with electricity (and food). He was so kind to do that and we won't forget. Thank you for having such a lovely place and it was beautiful in the snow too! Robert & Marianne

I kind of like the old timey feel with the wood paneled walls but this motel is right next to the…read moreroad so the road noise is quite loud. We could also hear people in other rooms when our fan wasn't on. I was surprised that the cups for the coffee are plastic instead of ceramic. This was the only hotel available but I wouldn't stay here again unless I was desperate.

Good: Location about 25min to Big trees visitor center…read more Next to a small market we didn't check out. Love having a microwave and mini fridge w freezer, esp since baby's breastfeeding. Price- affordable and great value. Coffee in front lobby was smooth Free breakfast not advertised on booking.com- donuts vs breakfast burritos + OJ. Also provided for our toddler and infant but no extra room charge for them. Clean rooms. No smoking allowed in ANY room so we didn't accidentally get a disgusting smoking room. Has sauna we didn't try. Reception was helpful and friendly. Free ice cream in lobby. My toddler got 1 daily lol (2 total) Ok: Old furniture esp the recliner, didn't mind it though. Comfortable enough bed / pillow although would appreciate 1 more pillow per bed. Weekend / holiday small town so not many staying on a Mon night. So our donuts were cold and not fresh like other reviews stated. Possibly leftovers? No hot tub due to maintenance. Husband was really looking forward to it and would have been amazing after our hike. They did warn us though before we arrived. Bathroom light is on a timer and kept turning off on us bc we didn't know how long we were turning it on for since the length of time not labeled Overall would stay again if going to murphys.

This was like one of the best places ever! Found this through bringfido and really appreciated…read morehaving a hotel stay that was really reasonable with a $15 charge for pets. Hotel was cute on the inside with a fireplace and animals. What made this place special was the amenities that came with it. We got free soft serve ice cream as well as homemade donuts in the morning. The hotel lobby coffee was actually from a local roaster and it was delicious, best coffee ever from a budget hotel and free! So amazing to wake up in the morning w nice hotel coffee. I had to write this review to remember to come back here always when I'm traveling through the area

We are so thrilled we found this newly opened boutique inn on Booking.com that's located behind the…read moreEbbetts Pass Visitors Center right in between Sarafina's and Giant Burger. This charming "home away from home" has two private suites that will comfortably accommodate a family or two couples. Only my husband & I were here, so we weren't given a key to the smaller suite, but it's only $25 extra per person should you need the other room. The kitchen has a dining table for 4 and comes fully stocked with a full-size fridge, sink, microwave, pots & pans, silverware, plates, & everything else you could need to cook (the only thing they don't have is the food!). There's also a comfy living room with an electric fireplace, couches, games, books, & a bar. There's even a covered porch that overlooks a private wooded half-acre complete with 4 chairs to enjoy the serenity and beautiful trees. It's essentially your own private cabin to relax in & take in the gorgeous scenery. If you don't feel like cooking, there's plenty of nearby restaurants to choose from; Sequoia Woods Country Club & Big Trees State Park are 5-minute drives, with Bear Valley Ski Resort & Lake Alpine 30-minute drives. The personal touches & details that have been added make this feel "homey" and not at all like a normal hotel stay. This is most definitely our new go-to spot to stay when we're in the area. I'm so happy to spread the word about this gem! :)

This is a nearly perfect place to stay when visiting the Big Trees. As a family of three, we are…read morebudget conscious, and enjoy being able to stay in a condo-style hotel so that we can cook & eat "at home." Not only does this save money (which can then be used for activities, souvenirs, etc.), but it also ensures that we can avoid trying to find a family friendly restaurant that will meet all of our needs. (Eating out with a 4 year old boy is not always the easiest task!) The owners, Sid & Kate, were hospitable to the extreme without being AT ALL intrusive. We saw them once or twice (walking their dog, working the little gift shop) and never felt "watched" or uncomfortable at all. I believe they genuinely would have done just about anything to make our stay wonderful. They definitely add a nice, homey touch to the experience. BUT... even without the wonderful customer service, the Bear's Lair would still be a great deal!! The cost is right, the accommodations terrific (great atmosphere, great ambiance, very clean), and the amenities were perfect. There was not a single thing that could have been done to make our stay more comfortable. When we booked the suite, they contacted us to confirm our reservation, provide us with the rental agreement & asked our son's age so that they could ensure there were age-appropriate games and toys for him. The owners were also extremely helpful when it came to recommending various restaurants for the one or two times we ate out, and they made some suggestions when I asked for nearby toy stores. Overall, it was very nice & we will definitely stay there again. In fact, next time we will probably invite friends and take advantage of the fact that the suite is perfectly set up for two couples / small families! *** Only "caution" - while the wi-fi is free (with the provided password), there is NO phone service if you are an AT&T customer. This did prove challenging for me as a small business owner because it was impossible to receive or return phone calls. Thankfully, I was able to keep in contact w/our business via email. Thanks for a great stay, Sid & Kate!! The Taylor Family

There aren't many places to stay in Murphy's and this motel was as expected - it was fine, no…read morefrills. But be aware that the pool is unheated and freezing cold even on a hot day. Motel is within walking distance to a market and close to the cute local park with a stream for the kiddos to play in, but it's on a busy street so I didn't feel comfortable making the trek on foot.

Stay somewhere else if you can. I come from a small town and want to support small town businesses…read morebut this place is struggling. Between the challenge with checking in and getting a room at 3p on a Wednesday, to the permeating smell of weed in the hallways (and I'm not anti weed at all, but it's really strong), to the obvious aging of the fixtures, to the unsecured back door (had to move in the middle of the night as apparently the easiest way in is to open the deadbolt on the back door and let it bang on the doorframe which bounces like a small earthquake to the rooms above) bc of one of the worker's boyfriends needs easy access (??) to the inability to request towels upon day 3 bc "there's other people checking in and we need to supply the rooms" .. it's just kind of a mess. I will say that after I asked about the deadbolt door banging/room rattling issue I was somewhat easily moved to another room in the middle of the night by an individual who acted surprised that this was happening but come to find out it sounds like it was her boyfriend needing access to the motel... I don't want to support Airbnb but after this experience I probably will. I really wanted to be ok with this place but after 72 hours of being here I wish I stayed elsewhere. You literally get what you pay for here so you've been forewarned. The word *motel* gives it away.

We stayed at Murphy's Hotel and had breakfast and dinner in their dining room. The room was clean…read morebut could use some updating. Dinner and breakfast were both delicious but for dinner I would suggest dimming the lights a little in the dining room. It was white tablecloth and that would have made it nicer. Service was wonderful there everywhere we went. It was a really good experience and the hotel is located in the middle of town which makes everything so easy. Will definitely be returning!

Dogs not allowed on patio. We drove several hours to have lunch specifically here. Not allowing…read moredogs at all seems crazy. It's a beautiful, historic building so would have been nice to enjoy a meal.