We very much enjoyed our stay for our anniversary getaway. The cabins are right in the middle of majestic redwoods. Trails for hiking or running are just steps outside your door. Our room had a small porch where we're came up quietly just feet from us. So serene. Cell service is super spotty but we enjoyed unplugging. The rooms are not fancy but do the trick. You are in the woods. If you are looking for nice hotel this is not that. If you are looking for quiet getaway in that woods this is that. Lots of cute restaurants and shops just miles away up and down. The Pfiefer Waterfall trail is closed due to damage from a fire some years ago but we did see some people working to repair it. The Valley View trail was a very nice alternative. read more

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What a great location. We stayed for two nights at the lodge and enjoyed it. There was a lot of hiking around and also liked that other state parks were included (even though most trails were closed due to recent fires). The rooms were nice, bed was comfortable, and parking was easy. Very friendly staff and convenient that there is a restaurant located nearby. Lots of wildlife to see too. Very expensive and pricey though. Very close to the coast. Like that you can drive and see other things. read more

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Not the cheapest hotel to stay at in the area but you are definitely getting what you are paying for. Cottage style rooms that are spacious with a patio which comes with lawn chairs, a nice bathroom with heat lamps and plenty of towels. Includes assigned parking that is right in front of the rooms and access to a heated pool. No television, alarm clock, ac, or telephone so it forces you to enjoy nature. The price tag also includes access to Pfeiffer Big Sur St. Park, Andrew Molera St. Park, Julia Pfeiffer Burns St. Park, and Lime Kiln Creek St. Park. The hotel is also very close to popular trails and access to the hotel restaurant and gift shop. - star for the service here. When we arrived a little pass lunch to get a parking pass and we had to wait a good 10 minutes to get help. No one was manning the help desk. They also need more people working during check in times. I had to wait a while just to ask a question about the location a place we wanted to visit. Not only did she not help she just kept talking about how her and husband went there. Why tell me that when I can't even go there because you don't know how to get there?! read more

I wouldn't recommend Big Sur Lodge. The first cabin they gave us was filled with the smell of smoke. Not "this smells like a fire", more like, I can't smell anything else and my eyes are burning. There was soot on the walls. I'm asthmatic so I couldn't stay there at all. There's no way housekeeping didn't notice, but they just shut the place up, didn't air it at all. I called the front desk and they said they had no other rooms. At that point we felt trapped -- we had just driven 3.5 hours, there was nowhere else to stay, and I couldn't sleep there. So I went to talk to them in person and that's when they gave us a different room. We're expecting a child, so this was our last vacation together just the two of us, but Big Sur Lodge definitely spoiled the experience. read more

We decided last minute to take a trip out to Big Sur and Big Sur Lodge was one of few available locations on such short notice. The location is great, really close to Pfeiffer beach and right by a few national parks. They also have us free entry for 3 of the parks for the duration of our stay. The restaurant is cute and cozy and they have good items but I feel the menu was a little limited. I'm only knocking one star off because the room could have been cleaned better. Nothing huge but some grime that was not pleasant in the bathroom and the sink. Also, the beds could be comfier. Other than that, everything else was fine. We would return again. read more

The park is our favorite place to go to relax and has been for many decades. I'm posting this review in hopes that it helps with encouraging improvements. We recently stayed at the cabins which are expensive but minimalist which is a nice change of pace. The front desk management have trained all of the staff to be short and very unwelcoming which is very disappointing in such a beautiful place. Every person that arrived to check in were treated very rudely and told they have to wait until 3 pm check in time without even a nice word or smile. We arrived at 1pm and came back at 2pm and sat in the lobby relaxing and learned that our room was ready but the front desk staff made us wait until 3pm on the dot. Pointlessly rude and unaccommodating staff which makes such a beautiful place tarnished by power tripping staff. read more

we have stayed at the Lodge many times. We have rsvp for Oct 4-6 and would like to extend our time by one day. We could come a day earlier the 3 rd or stay a later the 7 th thank you for your help. alyce Thorp read more

I got a good deal in groupon for 1 night stay in this lodge.The lodge is located inside the Pfeiffer Big Sur State park.So if youre into hiking this is a good place to stay.You also get free admission to Pfeiffer big sur state park, Andrew Molera state park and Julia Pfeiffer burns state park. They will give you a small paper to have access on these parks. The staff in the front desk and cafe is friendly and helpful. The room is clean and big with a roof window that helps bring the natural light. We also enjoyed eating in the room's patio. I'll post pictures of the room 32 we stayed in. The prices in the cafe and restaurant is not reasonable though thats why we didnt try it and prefer eating the food that we brought. read more

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You pay for the location so don't expect luxury! It's rustic so no technology....Wifi, tv, etc. (you can go a mile down the street to the library and get in their free Wifi just by sitting in the parking lot lol). It was a comfy cottage. Had a wood burning fireplace which was fun to use. Table and seating area where we were able to lounge and play games. The falls hike and buzzards roost were awesome and just steps away from our cottage. Staff was friendly. Overall we really enjoyed the stay and area!! read more

If I could give the Big Sur Lodge negative stars I would. Much like almost ALL of the other reviews, I too have had a HORRIFIC experience with their COSTUMER SERVICE team. The front desk was incredibly rude when we walked in and tried to inquire about where our rooms were located that we booked for a future weekend. AND the sales manager is by far the most DISGUSTING example of costumer service. I called about having a wedding block there, she hung up on me, refused to give me any information, told me to go to her website where all of the requirements are listed (which of course they are not), said they don't do buy-outs (which they do according to the website) and basically said tourist will book rooms with us, so we don't need your business. UNBELIEVABLE!!! Never in all of my life have I ever experienced someone so willing to work so hard to refuse their company income and business. After the rude customer service I received multiple times, trusting your staff to host one of the most important days of my life is 100% off the table. It would be a shame for anyone who books their wedding with you bc I only see it ending in tears. Hopefully, they will check yelp first and see how terribly rated your service is by most of the reviewers. read more

This place is extremely overpriced for why you get. Staying at the lodge in January and the room is drafty and cold. Crappy little refrigerator in the room that froze our food, no microwave and we even paid for a little wireless time that never worked. This place is rustic...which is fine. But they should charge accordingly! read more

My partner and I booked an overnight stay in a queen cabin with fireplace. We would not stay here again. The room was tidy, but the bed and pillows had seen better years. The fireplace leaked smoke back into the room, so much that it stung my eyes. (My partner grew up with a wood-burning fireplace in his home and assures me that this is unusual.) The staff were rude. We showed up at 6:30 p.m. on a rainy Thursday and had questions about nearby dinner options and how to access the hotel's wifi. The staff gave us curt responses. I'm glad I asked about whether we should show up at 7:30 or 8:00 for dinner because we would have gone hungry if we had not gotten there by 7:30. We stayed there the week after CA dropped most of its indoor mask mandates, and during the 36 hours we were at the lodge, we saw only one employee wearing a mask while indoors. I would at least expect employees to put on a mask when interacting with customers who are wearing masks, but I guess that's too much to expect here. The restaurant food was terrible and expensive. We ordered a burger, a stir fry, and a bottle of beer to share and spent $60. Literally the only redeeming quality of Big Sur Lodge is that it's located inside the park. read more

What an awful place! Big Sur is such a magnificent place of beauty and this dump is in the middle of it. What a shame that being one of the few places to stay in Big Sur, that this establishment doesn't try harder. I honestly don't believe I have ever met such a rude and unprofessional group of people as I experienced here. Outrageously BAD service and attitude. Do yourself a favor and camp! You'll be a lot better off than spending the night here. read more

We stayed two nights in the two room cottage. Our cottage was at the very end of the road which made things quiet. We were treated to visits from the wild life each morning. We saw Deer and Turkeys. Our cottage was very nice, very clean. The beds were comfortable and the towels were soft and fluffy. We had lots of windows. It was nice to let in all the light. We had a skylight but it wasn't cleaned so not a very clear view from above but I imagine it would be quite a task to keep it cleaned. We had a little deck with chairs and a table but unfortunately we weren't able to enjoy sitting on it due to the little flies, I think they're Black Flies and they are a nuisance flying around our faces and biting. The grounds of the lodge are very well kept and clean. The staff at the front desk were very friendly and welcoming. My one complaint is with the so called restaurant. I was expecting to be seated in the restaurant and be handed a menu, order, and have my breakfast served. Instead we had to wait in a long line at the coffee bar just to be greeted by a crabby barista who seemed put out when I asked for a menu. He slid a plastic menu to me without saying a word. I was so turned off by his attitude that I slid the menu back and walked out. We drove down the road about a mile and had a delicious breakfast at the Ripplewood Resort. We were greeted there by a very welcoming staff and served a quality breakfast in a quaint setting. I don't know why Big Sur Lodge doesn't have the same quality food service. The lodge is very convenient to the hiking trails in Pfiefer Big Sur park. Our room was large but pricey. When we booked there were no less expensive options available. I think Big Sur was a once in a lifetime trip for us so I wouldn't come back especially if the situation with the restaurant didn't improve but I can recommend our cottage for a family. There is an open area right outside the room for children to run around and play and a pool close by. I recommend eating at Ripplewood Resort for your meals read more

Don't bother purchasing their WiFi. It doesn't work, and the management knows it, but has no problem charging your credit card for it After paying for it and continuing not to have access, they directed me one mile down the road to another motel that offers it for free. Charge still showed up on my card. Stayed in the park, so I thought it would be a convenient thing for me to work at the lodge in the evenings to stay on top of work. **shrug** I'm always offended when services are easily charged and never provided. Sketch. Update: Hi Dana, if you can't refund, don't charge. It didn't work and the front desk made it clear it almost never works. read more

I stayed here for a wedding last year and i had few complaints, but also, not much to write home about. Our room was a double, so there was one private room with a queen bed, another queen bed AND twin bed in the "living room". Tons of room to sleep, but also no couch for anyone to sit on. The beds were comfortable and the rooms were warm at night. I liked that there was a complimentary bundle of wood in the room, that was a nice touch. We at breakfast at the lodge one morning and it was pretty okay. A basic breakfast but everything tasted fresh and hot. It was kind of expensive, but you come to expect that when you're eating out in big sur. i had been to big sur previously and stayed at another campsite (Big Sur Campgrounds and Cabins) and when the wedding was over, we actually stayed another two nights over at that campsite. As much as i enjoyed Big Sur Lodge, i think i'd choose the other site instead. read more

I stayed here while attending a wedding in Big Sur in October 2018. I would encourage anyone considering this establishment to look elsewhere & I certainly will never stay here again. While the location itself is coveted, the attitude of the staff is simply inhospitable. I was treated extremely rudely over the phone as I attempted to get my reservation set up. The desk staff told me to "have more patience...stop calling...stop leaving messages" (I never left any messages, maybe they had me confused with another disgruntled customer?) As I tried calling back to get things resolved the phone was rarely answered & I was hung up on multiple times. Had I had the option to stay elsewhere, I certainly would have, but wanted to stick with the wedding group I was with. Once we arrived, things didn't improve. The check in process was so slow, which was hard on my young children who had been driving all the way from LA. Parking rules were not clear & the two vehicles we came in could not be parked at our cabin which made for a lot of extra walking for my in-laws. The rooms were OK, though not as clean as they could have been, with multiple bugs crawling around inside. The walls are PAPER thin so we heard every word of our neighbors conversations while we were in our room. Restaurant staff was unhelpful & rude. Prices for food dwarf anything you'd see in SF or LA, which I guess makes sense since it's as remote as it is. No cell phone or wi-fi, again, it's remote, I understand that. When we asked for advice regarding a hiking trail, we were told to check the map outside - thanks for zero service Big Sur Lodge. We were never made to feel welcomed or appreciated. This establishment was the low light of our time in this gorgeous area. read more

This is for the restaurant only. We stopped here for breakfast after visiting Pfeiffer beach. The staff was so incredibly helpful and kind. The food exceeded our expectations and was truly so delicious (had the Benedict Florentine and BF had the breakfast burrito) we ordered two americanos to go - delicious! I am coffee particular I was pleasantly surprised by how good and potent their coffee was. Delicious. Aromatic, bold, flavorful and good!!! I highly recommend breakfast here! And the views!!! gorgeous. And if you're like me - i love supporting a good cause - they're owned by a non-profit which supports the national forest. Win, win. read more

I was excited to finally stay here. Hiking area outside lodge - awesome. Ice cream and lattes yay! Gift shop great ! Room... ehhh $100 more than at the other hotel and half as nice. Bathroom light didn't work. Mirrors are horrible. Bed was hard. Shower curtain cheap. Just like wow really??? WTH why is it like $260 a night ??? Nope never again. read more

There is no air conditioning in any of the cabins. We arrived 5 p.m. in mid-august and our cabin was 90°. Propping the doors open and leaving the room was the only thing we could do. There was also a handful of hair on the decorative pillow on top of the bed. Between the Heat and the poor housekeeping we were very disappointed in the accommodations, despite the bucolic surroundings. read more

Big Sur Lodge is in an excellent location. My family thoroughly enjoyed the pool area after our hikes, and it was great to have the convenience of staying inside the park. The room was larger than expected. That said, the biggest disappointment was the housekeeping. The room was in need of a deep clean. The comforter was sandy upon check-in. We also did not have towels. We signed up for the "sustainability program" so that we would skip cleaning services for one day, but no one ever came to clean the room. We had to call to get fresh towels and to get our trash dumped on the third day. Don't expect to get good WiFi anywhere in Big Sur. Also, if you want to cook, I'd recommend grocery shopping before you get into town. The general stores don't have much and are pricey. read more

It's now beginning to make sense. The lodge is run by people who couldn't cut it at the DMV. The front desk is peopled by nearly comatose people who have never heard of customer service. Interminable wait to help, then surprise surprise no help. Rooms were ok, restaurant ok. Deli, was staffed by person in parks uniform who it seemed English was a third language. We needed some deli sandwiches, of which they were out , when asking him if we could get them made he made vague references that the kitchen could possibly make them, but he didnt know, because they were still making breakfast. And of course he couldn't say definitively when they could ever make them. Luckily the Big Sur bakery was only a short drive away and since they were in the business of making and selling food , they made us the required sandwiches. Seriously , when at the deli counter and at the front desk, it was like being in the DMV. Find another lodge. read more

Definitely not a fancy place but if you want to get away with no frills a decent little spot. No AC (tough), internet signal is terrible (maybe good thing depending what you need) and the staff was very nice. Restaurant food is so so. Loved the trees, river and the quiet. read more

We had dinner at their restaurant while our stay at the lodge and ordered food worth $95 for 4 people, the waitress was okay and was constantly interrupting us which I understand, she was trying to make sure we were doing okay and ensuring she gets a tip and we did tip her $15. But she came back with the bill immediately while we were getting ready to leave lecturing us on how we do not know the tipping system in US as assuming we are tourist from another country. She went on and on embarrassing us in the middle of the restaurant and did not let us leave until we gave her $10 more totaling to a $25 tip. We went and complaint about this at the lobby and all they did was nod their head. This was a terrible customer service and very bad experience for us. Would never eat at this place again. read more

I don't know what all the bitching is about. Yeah, for a hotel room it's expensive, but that's if you're comparing it to the Motor Inn outside Daly City or something. My woman and I rented what is essentially a cabin with a fireplace and a front porch. The water was warm, there were plenty of towels and the fireplace was easy to set up if you have even basic survival skills. Seriously, I feel sorry for the dude on here who was complaining about having to start his own fire. How did he even survive long enough to make it to Big Sur without accidentally swallowing his tongue? We arrived during the biggest storm of the year and spent the evening lounging away in our room playing board games next to a roaring fire. How awesome is that? It was the perfect getaway. I also read something about a power outage, how is that the hotel's fault? Are you guys idiots? The staff were charming and helpful. The lights worked. There were no phones and no clocks, but to be honest, you're in a national park. If you've ever been to any National Park lodging you know part of the charm is getting away from all that techy crap that's slowly making us even more crazy. I only took off one star because we found a couple bugs. I've found bugs even in some 5-star hotels, but at least this makes sense as we're in the woods. It also was a bit drafty as the door wasn't entirely sealed so there was a lot of cold air pouring in, but I'm also sure that this is to ensure that all the carbon dioxide generated by the fireplace doesn't poison any sleepy travelers. Great place, highly recommended and if you can't go a couple days without your iPhone apps, please get a life and start it here! read more

I would like to respond to your points: 1 - we called the hotel directly when we made our RSVP. We were told it had a king bed. 2 - We did contact the front desk and and they did not offer to send us a fan. 3- they also did offer to switch is to a different room but we would have had to pay an extra $150 a night. Again the service was NOT good and staff was rude. I encourage you to take peoples reviews seriously and train your staff. I wish you a great September as well. read more

First of all - the price. If you've never stayed anywhere in Big Sur before, it can be a bit of sticker shock. But trust me, Big Sur is not a 'quaint little town'. They know what they have and charge accordingly. Compared to the majority of places you can stay along Route 1, considering the location, the price for rooms at Big Sur Lodge is comparable if not reasonable. The real benefit is the cabins are set back from the main road. The only other places to stay in Big Sur away from the main roads are either camping spaces or high end spas in the $1000/night range. Second - the accommodations. Staying in Big Sur is not like staying anywhere else, ie. do NOT expect your room to have TV, phone or even wifi. People come to Big Sur to escape the outside world. In the past we have stayed at both Deetjen's and the Big Sur River Inn. Compared to those places, our cabin at Big Sur Lodge was practically modern. It was clean, well kept, and comfortable (I can't believe another review actually complained about 'not vaccumed under the bed'. Really? You checked under the bed?) You definitely will NOT find nicer rooms for lower prices elsewhere in Big Sur. Our room was cabin #34, off in the back, a comfortable King bed and a fireplace. And it was quiet. Third - fringe benefits. Staying at BIg Sur Lodge gets you access to THREE state parks nearby: Pfeiffer Big Sur, Julia Pfeiffer and Andres Molina. The store is open much later than most other Big Sur stores, well stocked and very friendly service. The restaurant, while pricey, had excellent food. Outside our cabins every morning were a small herd of blacktail deer, and some days a group of wild turkey. Overall we'd definitely stay there again. read more

I won't give a one star review just because of the service like some reviewers, but you need to be aware that it really is hit and miss. My wife and I were staying with a wedding party and forked out over $300 a night for a mediocre cabin. View was of the conference centre with a single tired patio chair and unkempt lawn from the deck. Look - it's Big Sur - you're going to be taxed no matter what, so I have not reflected this in my rating. Negatives: SOME of the desk staff - sensationally rude and unhelpful. After a 5 hr drive from LA, were told check-in was 4pm (???). Rooms for some of our friends were not ready until 6pm with no explanation, offer of things to do until then etc. It is almost too minimalist - no iron or ironing board (only a problem if you need a pressed shirt for a wedding), the iron I borrowed from reception leaked. The 'welcome pack' is more a list of 'don't do this or we'll fine you'. No laundry facilities - for the avid (sweaty) hiker, this may be an issue. Rooms are very dated. Positives: It's quiet and well located. The cabins are set out well for a travelling family. Restaurant staff tried really very hard to provide 5* service for a 2* meal at a 6* price. Beds surprisingly comfy. My tips: Buy your own drinks and use the recycling bin to fill up with ice to keep them cool (no fridge) Eat at the cafe adjacent to the Shell gas station about 5 mins drive south on the 1 - delicious! Don't expect terrific $300/night service as you will be setting yourself up. read more

We stayed here for two nights. We paid $200 per night. The room was a little rundown. There was No phone, No TV, No alarm clock in the room. No breakfast, not even a continental breakfast was offered along with the reservation and since the service at the Big Sur Lodge restaurant was so slow and the coffee at the espresso bar was so horrible, we had to go to another place down the road in the morning to get breakfast. I feel that we didnt get what we paid for. I wouldnt stay here again. There are good hiking trails that begin at the Pfeiffer State Park and the natural beauty of Big Sur is unsurpassed. I love the area but this Lodge just didn't deliver. read more

It doesn't matter what we say about Big Sur Lodge. I'm sure people will continue to stay here because there are few choices but that's a bummer because, for the price you're paying per cabin, this place serious lacks. 1) Wifi is $5/hour or $20/day. When you're spending $400/night for a room, this charge just seems like one of those suck-as-much-as-they-can kind of things. It's kind of tacky. 2) There's a pool but NO JACUZZI. Serious minus points for this. Plus, the pool was just a rectangular hole in the ground surrounded by beach chairs on concrete. No ambiance. No umbrellas. Meh at best. 3) We had a cabin with a kitchen but I gotta say, it was beyond barely basics. There wasn't even a full set of utensils! Very disappointing because I've been to "rustic" cabins that had more amenities and charged less than this. PROS: The beds were comfortable and bathrooms were clean. The "resort" was quiet and there were no other obvious minus points. We did get to experience two deer sightings right outside our cabin during breakfast one morning. It was really cool. And the easy hike to Pfeiffer Falls was accessible from the Lodge's main office. That was very convenient. read more

3.5 As another reviewer mentioned; set expectations when staying anywhere in Big Sur. People don't come here to be pampered or lounge in luxurious suites. The facts: -Cabins are expensive -Rooms are outdated and not in the greatest shape -Rugs have spots and who knows what else -Shower is about as big as a phone booth -Utensils in the kitchen along with drawers/cabinets are lined with paper towels and are kinda icky -If you don't arrive at check in time (ie. if you arrive early), you can bet they'll make you wait The good: -Beds were surprisingly comfy -Food at the restaurant was decent -Within state park, so plenty to do nearby -Plenty of on site peeps roaming around on carts, so you feel kinda secure Probably the best location and cabin you can get without going "boutique" in Big Sur. But, just accept that you're in Big Sur for other reasons... read more

The lodge itself is decent as far as park lodges go, however the two stars I am giving this place are for the poor service at the front desk. I expect somewhat friendly service if I am paying $200+/night to stay at a hotel. I was completely appalled when the front desk staff told us to use the pay phone when we asked if we could borrow their phone to call my cousin's wedding coordinator to make sure we had not missed our shuttle. There is absolutely no cell phone service at the lodge so I think they should at least provide a phone in the main building as a service to lodge guests especially for emergencies. There were a few positives to our stay: (1) Food at the lodge restaurant was surprisingly tasty. I recommend both the eggs florentine and the huevos rancheros (2) Gift shop was cute. I bought a vintage Big Sur magnet here (3) Access to the park. There was a nice trail to the waterfalls that was easily accessible from the lodge (4) Friendly volunteer at the discovery center (not affiliated of the lodge, but I enjoyed it nonetheless) Additional Negatives (1) No map of nearby hiking options for guests. I would think that this would be a must given their vicinity to the hiking trails. read more

Rooms are outdated and you must ask for a blow dryer and refrigerator if you need one, if they have them available. The room smelled of firewood even though we didn't light a fire once. When I packed all my clothes smelled of smoke. I have to give them some credit for having clean rooms and making the beds. We tried the restaurant the first night and it was really slow. The waiter Sean knew the wine list and menu, made appropriate recommendations and his conversation made our dining experience fun. read more

Run- run away. The staff at Big Sur Lodge were very rude. No line and no welcome. They acted like it was a big inconvenience to do their job- check us in. At the food counter, we waited 5 minutes as the staff talked amongst themselves and decided to even acknowledge us. I am always very courteous, especially to those that work in customer service because I worked in a restaurant while in high school. The rooms are very old, dusty and the blinds were broken. I will never come back here. read more

Bad/Rude Service, High Prices, My wife and I stayed at Big Sur Lodge this last weekend. We found the service at the lodge is very poor. No phone service in the room, no Internet service or Wi-Fi service either, and no TV in the room. When we got into our room the baggage rack was broken, the light outside our door wasn't working and last but not least the back door to our room dead bolt lock was broken on the back door. We told the front deck about these problems, and were then asked what do we want them to do about it! I was shocked at that. At one point I asked about the location of a beach and was asked first if I was staying at the lodge before they even would answer the question. Wow! But we did have a great view of the garbage dumpster from our deck along with a cracked dirty table. All for about $189 per night. The restaurant at the lodge was good for breakfast but very bad for dinner at high prices also. We are still waiting for a refund of $40 from them. Overall I would not recommend this lodge to anyone. The prices are high and you don't get much for your money. read more

The location is unparalleled and would receive 5 stars on that alone. Beautiful trees surround the entire area and hiking trails are practically right out of your doorstep. However, we found the rooms to be very shabby and dirty (the bathtub was not clean, not vacuumed under the bed, and the room smelled of smoke) for the cost -- you will definitely find nicer rooms for lower prices elsewhere. And the service was hit or miss: some staff members were quite pleasant while others were rather rude and abrasive. read more

Place was cool. As far as condition the lodge was pretty much what I expected--a little dirty, a little smelly, but smack in the middle of Big Sur. Great. Why 3 stars? Coming in from Ohio, our first night at Big Sur Lodge we ate at the restaurant on sight. I got the Black & Bleu Burger. No less than 2 hours later I was trying to stifle the sound of my vomiting to keep from waking our 1 year old that we hauled across the country. This lasted all night and ended with me sleeping on the bathroom floor. The next day we headed out and I had a hard time keeping up because I couldn't eat and had no energy. I slept at the table at a restaurant as my friends and family ate around me. Just how I wanted to spend my vacation! When we mentioned this to the staff, they didn't seem too concerned that I had gotten food poisoning from the restaurant. Seems par for the course after reading reviews. Tl;dr: Stay here but bring your own food and hope the stove works. read more

Nobody puts Baby in a corner. That's the first thing I thought when we got here. Although I think the camp from Dirty Dancing was in the Catskills or the Poconos or somewhere like that. But anyway... that's not the point. The point is that I really, really loved it here. We wanted to get out of the Bay Area to celebrate our anniversary and this was a perfect spot to do just that. Unfortunately we waited until the last minute, so every cabin was booked except for the super expensive $269 per night ($300 when including tax) room with 2 queen beds, 2 twin beds and a kitchen. Note that those are off-season prices. During peak months, that becomes $319 per night instead of $269. With a little more advance planning, we could have gotten a regular Queen room as low as $159. Next time! As a bonus, you get free admission to the following parks for each day you are a guest at the lodge (you put a sticker on your car window): Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Andrew Molera State Park Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park Lime Kiln Creek State Park Point Lobos State Reserve As the previous reviewer noted, there are no TVs, no phone, no Internet, no alarm clocks and - during the hotter months - no air conditioning. Depending on your personality, this could be a good thing or like a slow painful death. I promised to untether myself from my laptop and my PDA for an entire romantic weekend and I'm sooo glad I did. If you really need to unplug, this is the place to do it. I didn't turn on my cell phone during the entire trip, but they do have cell reception. The lodge is actually INSIDE the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, which is pretty cool. The trial for Pfeiffer Falls is a short walk down the hill. There are 62 duplex-style cabins in total, along with a large, heated swimming pool that's open from 9AM-9PM. It's perfect for couples or for families. We saw a fair amount of little kids running around and it was great. Our cabin had two bedrooms and would have slept 6 people, making it perfect for families or a group of friends. The rooms are particularly well-cleaned and comfy, with propane wall heaters, pretty skylights and comfortable beds. If you get a room with a kitchen, they come stocked with dishes, utensils, silverware, pots, pans and dish soap (although the maid service does your dishes). There is a full refrigerator, gas stove and table for 4. Make sure to bring food with you because the grocery stores in the area are horribly over-priced and offer a very limited selection (a package of hot dogs was $7 - you'd have to refi your house to make smores - no joke). The shower was super tiny and makes things like shaving your legs a little trying. They offer above average toiletries (soaps, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, make-up wipes, Q-tips, mouthwash) and plenty of clean towels though. If you are expecting this to function like a regular hotel in terms of service and amenities, you are bound to be horribly disappointed. If you want to go out to the beautiful wilderness and get into something that's a few considerable steps above an actual tent, then you'll be happy. You can reserve rooms online at their web site at https://reservations.synxis.com/LBE/rez.aspx?Hotel=13185&Chain=6150. P.S. Someone stole my boyfriend's digital camera from the lodge lobby after a day of hiking and taking some amazing photos. Keep an eye on your stuff and you'll be fine. read more

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Came here for a post-anniversary celebration with my bf. Even after reading the reviews, I still booked my room. Even made sure that the lodge was still open after the 12/17 fire down the road. This is a great place to stay if you want actual peace and quiet. The rooms or "cabins" are remotely away from the lodge and do not feature any TVs or phones. We checked our phones and had very little bars for service. The room itself was huge and much too big IMO for just the two of us. I'll go into detail later where the minus comes in. The service was friendly and as we aren't ones to use too much of the amenities it was just right for the both of us. Even their in-room coffee was decent, especially black. I was really excited to see they have board games and cards you can borrow from the front desk. We checked-out cribbage and that was a fun night-in game for the both of us. Their restaurant was, I agree, decent. The evening service was a little odd and the morning service was a little slow, but picked up once I made sure we ordered quickly and ate up right away before the day got warmer. The minus part was the bathroom was big, but the standing shower was not doing it for me. There wasn't a proper enclosure and even the whole mat situation was weird, because it was too big for the shower floor. That was half of the minus here. The second minus was that the housekeeping did not do a great job of inspecting their towels. Lets just say one of the towels, that I ended up using on my face had a particular stain known to most women. I didn't complain though. I know I should have but it wasn't the end of all ends. I was disappointed but then again I know of other places that thrive on quality and have produced much worse. All in all for the price we paid for one night, especially during the holiday weekend, it was well worth the cost. I recommend staying here and see myself coming back if I'm ever in the mood to visit Big Sur again. read more

Def read the reviews; a few people mention that in addition to things I also experienced and may affect your stay. Nothing terribly crazy, but there are some common 'dislikes' about this place: smoke stains on fireplace walls rude front desk service in need of upgrades pricey (I get that it's Big Sur) Having said that, though, we didn't spend much time in the room, there's so much to do. The location is, hands-down, the best. The walk to Pfieffer Beach was a fun challenge. You get a national park pass with your stay, too, so that's rad. The pool is great, the turkeys are great, and you're right in the middle of everything. This is by no means a spa or resort, though. I can't overstate how hot the rooms get during the day, and the AC unit did not work at all. Final note, there was crib in our cabin??? A crib. Ew. I appreciate that Big Sur Lodge checked in with me. It was cabin 20 of Big Sur Lodge; there's a unit under the window that reads the temperature, and there are arrows to increase/decrease it. My mistake if it's not AC. I agree that Pfieffer isn't really walking distance, only the young lady at reception told us it was "just across the street, then a mile hike down to the water," when really it was about a mile and a half north, then another mile down. read more