Holiday Inn Resort The Lodge at Big Bear Lake

The honest review

Big Bear Lake, California is a two-season destination, and the Holiday Inn Resort is one of the few properties in the village that works well in both seasons without requiring you to book a cabin rental. That year-round predictability matters more than it might seem.

In winter, Big Bear Mountain Resort (the combined Snow Summit and Bear Mountain ski area) is 10 minutes from the hotel. The ski area has genuinely good terrain for families — Bear Mountain has an excellent beginner progression area, Snow Summit has intermediate terrain that older kids can grow into, and the combined operation means you can switch mountains on the same lift ticket. Ski and snowboard storage at the hotel eliminates the après-ski trunk shuffle. The indoor heated pool means kids can swim after skiing regardless of temperature.

In summer, the property sits 10 minutes from the Big Bear Lake waterfront and marina, where boat rentals, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and the alpine pedal boats are the main family activity. Big Bear Village (the walkable downtown strip) has shops, ice cream, and the casual dining options that make an after-lake evening easy. Big Bear Mountain's downhill mountain biking operation runs from mid-June through fall — one of the better family mountain bike parks in Southern California — and the hotel is 10 minutes away.

The indoor pool is the structural advantage over cabin rentals for families with young kids. Big Bear Lake's spring and fall shoulder seasons run cold (40s overnight, 60s days) — a cabin without indoor facilities leaves parents scrambling for entertainment. The indoor pool at Holiday Inn absorbs an afternoon any time of year.

Service is consistent IHG quality: reliable, not exceptional. The Lodge dining room does breakfast well; dinner is functional. For actual dinner, Big Bear Village has enough options that eating on-property every night isn't necessary.

The family rooms with bunk beds are the right room configuration for families of 4. The standard double rooms get tight. Suites with kitchenette are worth it for stays of 4+ nights — being able to make breakfast eliminates the morning restaurant wait and saves $60–$80/day for a family of four.

Comparison with Big Bear cabin rentals: Holiday Inn Resort is better for shorter stays (2–3 nights), winter ski trips where you want hotel convenience, or families without teens who prefer on-property pools and programming. Cabin rentals are better for summer stays of 5+ nights where a private deck, fireplace, and full kitchen are the actual vacation. Big Bear's cabin rental inventory is enormous — if you're doing a week in July, a 3-bedroom cabin near the lake almost always beats hotel lodging on value and experience.