Black Bear Inn

I got married at the Black Bear Inn on February 13 2016. I can’t begin to describe how incredible this venue is. If you are looking to have a wedding in the woods then stop your search now and book BBI. Wendi and Bruce were incredibly accommodating, helpful, and really a joy to have around. The grounds are spectacular and they make for some very romantic, epic photos. By booking the inn for your wedding, you get the entire venue, including the 5 rooms they have onsite. I didn’t think much of that beforehand, but I must tell you that the convenience of being able to walk down to my room at any time during the entire weekend was SO invaluable. It was so special being able to walk down to the gazebo in the morning, finish up my vows with a cup of coffee and just take in the surrounding before the chaos started, without worry that you are bothering any other guests around. My entire family and all of our friends could not speak highly enough of the Black Bear Inn and the service that was provided. We look forward to returning for milestones in the future.

This was our second visit to the Black Bear Inn and this time we took friends with us. We discovered the Inn at the recommendation of another hotel in Murphy’s in 2011 — and now we won’t stay anywhere else when we visit the area. Located in Arnold — Bruce and Wendy provide an escape that is unmatched in the area. Morning breakfast — amazing French toast, quiet and serene surroundings, a wonderful outdoor patio area and hot tub. The inn has only 5 rooms and they are very comfortable… yes the beds are comfortable. Oh, and the towels are so soft! I forgot to ask her how she got them so soft :) — we will be back and next time I hope it is for a cooking class that her husband provides… amazing!

Normally I would not rate any B&B 5 starts, but this place is great. The couple that runs the hotel are super nice, the food is awesome, rooms are new and in perfect condition. We picked this place for the EV charging, but truly enjoyed our experience. It is close to big trees and a couple caverns. They have guest passes for some of the local beach, tennis and golf clubs. Seems like a popular place for weddings.

I was in desperate need of a getaway to destress before closing up my freelance business and starting a new, full-​time job, so I rented a car with no destination in mind and started looking for places to go. After some recommendations I decided to head to the Sierras for a few days. Unfortunately I still had some work to finish up for several clients, but I wanted to get on the road ASAP, so I needed to find a place with wifi so I could finish up my work while easing myself into vacation mode. It was peak season and most things were booked up, but I happened to find the Black Bear Inn and it seemed like the perfect combination of what I needed: in the woods, yet in a small town with restaurants and other stores nearby, clean with every creature comfort one could want from a hotel PLUS an outdoor hot tub for extra relaxation, delicious breakfast lovingly prepared, plenty of outdoor spaces to lounge/​work, and free wifi.
I called to make sure they had room and when I embarrassingly acknowledged that I had to do work the first day but wanted a relaxing place to do it, Wendi quickly replied that Black Bear Inn would be the perfect place to accomplish both and did not find it at all odd that I planned to spend all Monday on their property working.
Bruce and Wendi made me feel like an old friend visiting their home. They clearly love what they do, and went out of their way to make me feel welcome. The breakfast was amazing and lovingly prepared. They also offer complimentary wine and cheese in the afternoon which was such a lovely touch.
I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed myself this much at a bed and breakfast. I will definitely be back and will definitely refer my friends and out-​of-​town guests to this very special place.

Excellent place to stay. Comfortable bed. Clean rooms. Fantastic great room. Well done evening wine and cheese and breakfast. Bruce and Wendi couldn’t be better hosts.

Seriously as good as it gets!
The Black Bear Inn is the perfect place to unwind. It’s location is perfect — so close to many beautiful lakes and lots of great mountain roads to explore. We were able to spend a half day in Big Trees and get back within minutes to enjoy our nice relaxing accommodations.
The Inn itself is meticulously kept, both inside and out. The same care is taken in providing a personal experience, and exceptional food. Bruce and Wendi are such awesome hosts, and really help make the experience all it can be.
While dining down the road the power went out due to lightening, and when we got back to the Inn, we realized we were in the best place in the world to be during a power outage. Bruce and Wendi had set lanterns and beautiful candles everywhere, and the ambiance was amazing. We played Scrabble by candle light and sipped on some yummy local wine. Bruce and Wendi were fully equipped with a generator, but we kept insisting not to fire it up on our behalf. Which reminds me, we were lucky enough to have the entire property to ourselves both nights we stayed. I’m not sure how we got so lucky!
We enjoyed every single moment at Black Bear Inn. I would adopt Wendi and Bruce into the family if I could! We loved our stay so much that I easily convinced my sister to have her birthday weekend there, and we booked the entire Inn for a weekend next May. CANNOT WAIT!
Thank you Bruce and Wendi, you have truly upped the bar for Innkeepers globally!

I travel to satisfy the need for ridiculously delicious food, stunning photography opportunities, and the desire to converse with lovely personalities. At the Arnold Black Bear Inn, I hit that once in a lifetime travel home run. In my many years of travel… this is by far the best experience I have had. Bruce and Wendi are what you dream of in Inn-​keepers. Every morning we had a gourmet breakfast suitable for the A-​list of Hollywood. Every afternoon a wonderful charcuterie plate paired with a great wine. I can’t say enough about them, or the Inn. Put this on your bucket list, you will not be disappointed.

Our stay here was nothing short of perfect for us. From the room, to the service, to the amazing breakfast. We loved it all! We stayed the weekend before Christmas expecting it to be busy, however, we basically had the place to ourselves (apparently it’s a slow week for them?) Black Bear made my first experience of Lake Tahoe a fantastic one, and we most definitely will stay here again!

Wendi and Bruce hosted our Wedding at the Arnold Black Bear Inn on October 19, 2013. It was the absolute best day of my life! With the most amazing man by my side, we couldn’t be happier to have chosen the Black Bear Inn as our venue to celebrate our union. From the intimate ceremony in the picturesque lower meadow to the dinner outside under the sparkling white lights (catered by Lunch Lady Catering), it was a romantic day filled with love, laughter and FUN! Our guests were impressed with the level of service and the beautiful private setting. We had the place to ourselves for the weekend and it truly felt like we were getting married at «home». Wendi and Bruce are wonderful and I couldn’t be happier with our special day. Absolutely perfect.

I decided that a great place to celebrate my «39“th birthday was in the mountains at the Black Bear Inn. We had been there twice before and looked forward to going to our FAVORITE INN. Everything Bruce and Wendi do is «PERFECTION»…which you first notice as you enter the property, to the each unique room, the friendly owners and the FOOD… OMG it’s ALL gourmet, made and served with LOVE… each creative dish is prepared to perfection and served with a beautiful presentation and attention to detail. the gourmet breakfasts are included, and if you so choose (for extra $) Chef Bruce will prepare a delicious dinner… we chose the Salmon BBQ’d on a cedar plank which was cooked and served to perfection.
Staying at the inn is like coming home to visit family. The owners Bruce and Wendi do everything possible to make your stay perfect and memorable… they are a perfect team!
As soon as we came in the inn door I noticed a cute sign that said «Happy Birthday Sandie»…how sweet is that?
Everything is just what you’d hope for… beautiful grounds front and back, cute rooms with French doors to your patio, a hot tub, clean and immaculate rooms and inn, great owners (not too intrusive) and the FOOD… OMG
We enjoyed our outings… one day we drove up to Lake Alpine for lunch and walk around the lake. Their lodge has fantastic food and wonderful decks to sit, eat your food and view the lake.
The other day we took the short drive to Big Trees. It’s so beautiful… love walking around the trails… taking a million pictures and just enjoy the beauty of those tall, magnificent trees.
On the way home we had a delightful lunch in Murphys at the Alchemy restaurant. This is not to be missed. …and a quick stop to get some delicious cookies from Aria Bakery for the trip home.
GREAT trip… LOVE. LOVE…LOVE

I happened upon the Arnold Black Bear Inn through an Internet search for wedding venues. We live in Fremont area and after looking at the all the usual Bay Area wedding spots and not finding a good fit, we decided to expand our search to Calaveras County. Even though it’s a 3-​hour drive from our home, it proved to be the perfect find, a diamond in the pines. We made three trips to the Inn prior to our wedding weekend (yes, when you rent the venue you and your guests have the Inn and ground essentially to yourselves for the weekend!). The first was to see if the venue fit our needs, the second was to show our close friends and the third was to meet with our wedding coordinator and to stay overnight for a pre-​wedding romantic getaway. Each time we visited, Innkeepers Bruce and Wendi Davison welcomed us warmly and treated us like friends. They offered suggestions for dinner or outings with a smile. The wine and cheese reception in the afternoons is excellent, delicious local wine paired beautifully with a custom selection of cheeses and/​or meats. The Inn is breathtakingly beautiful, modern romance complemented by the feeling of home. High ceilings with beautiful wood beams frame the stunning stone fireplace of the «Gathering Room». The guest rooms are well appointed, most with lavish deep soaking tubs and tile showers. The beds are soft as clouds, wrapping you in comfort and lulling you to sleep. The hot tub is awesome too. The grounds are impeccably kept and the natural beauty abounds.
Our wedding weekend was amazing, better than we dreamed it could be. I attribute this largely to Wendi and Bruce and the care they take in making the property shine and sparkle in every way. We were married at 4:30pm on May 4, 2013 in the lower meadow and our reception immediately followed at the back patio area. The simple white lights strung over our reception tables added so much magic to our evening (thank you again Bruce for risking life & limb up on that ladder!). The weather was so gorgeous and everyone had a wonderful time. The natural setting and our simple embellishments of color made for the perfect photographs… our photographer was giddy with all the great photo ops!
From the time we arrived on Friday afternoon to the moment we departed on Sunday morning, we felt so welcome and deliriously happy. All of our family and friends said again and again how beautiful the Inn was, how accomodating Wendi and Bruce were and how they couldn’t wait to visit again someday. As for my new husband and I, we are planning to make Black Bear Inn our anniversary destination starting in 2014 :-) It’s a fantastic place to celebrate love.

My friends got married at Black Bear Inn a few days ago and it was freakin’ magical. The meadow, sprinkled with fresh, powdery snow, was the perfect backdrop for their winter wedding.
The small reception took place in the gathering room which was warm, clean, and festive. And dinner… OH MY GOD, THE DINNER. So good. So so so good. We started off with creamy butternut squash soup and artichoke Caesar salad, then Bruce nearly made us all fall over in delicious prime rib nirvana. I still have dreams about this dinner. Sensational.
We had the pleasure of renting out the entire place for the weekend. My friends and I had wine in the hot tub and built snowmen in the backyard. Wendi even provided the carrots! We got to gobble up two breakfasts prepared by Bruce, the first, eggnog french toast with bacon, the second, a hearty scramble with sausage, both served with a fresh fruit medley.
My boyfriend and I stayed in the Tuscany room, which was lovely, like all the rooms (I peeked). Comfy, fluffy, warm bed, personal fireplaces, jet tub, and walk-​in shower… it was great for a romantic getaway.
Wendi was extremely friendly and accommodating, and Bruce fed us so well, I didn’t want to leave. The grounds are gorgeous, especially in the winter snow. Such a lovely weekend here!

This is a marvelous bed and breakfast! The owners, Wendi & Bruce are very good at what they do! The inn itself is fabulous, only 5 rooms and they’re all very clean and cozy. Those fireplaces work so well, you almost can’t use them (they give off so much heat your room can become a sweat-​box!)
The hot tub is magnificent, especially with the snow covered yard surrounding you.
Breakfast was amazing each day. The fact that they allow you to choose your breakfast and wine hour times are a very nice, and appreciated, touch.
I am reluctantly docking 1 star (no ½s on Unilocal!) because of the cable and wifi situation. Both are slow as molasses. However, if you are coming to unplug, this shouldn’t bother you. I was happy my phone didn’t get reception. However, we city-​slickers are nothing without our tablets, so the wifi spottiness was somewhat annoying.
Re: the inability to bring kids here… it makes total sense. The inn is NOT cheap and any elevated voices would disrupt the guests… there are only 5 rooms!!! The only loophole to that rule is getting your friends and family to rent out the whole place! We hope to after our bundle arrives!

Excellent service
Great food
Very friendly
Super easy parking
Terrific central location
Very quiet
Modern yet homey rooms with a very warm and welcoming gathering room
Anita — an amazing cook who took great care of us during our stay
Look’n forward to visiting again.

It’s times like this where I wish Unilocal would allow me to sprinkle in a few extra stars for good measure, as I’m not sure 5 of them will allow me to adequately express my appreciation for the weekend we spent at the Black Bear Inn.
Beginning with the immaculately manicured grounds and charming cabin-​like exterior, we were hooked. Moments later, we received a warm, personal greeting from Wendi and Bruce, the proprietors. Our room (Calaveras) was spacious and included a very comfortable bed. The bathroom had an incredible rain shower and all the amenities of home.
The main lodge area has a massive rock fireplace where you enjoy a personalized cheese and wine selection each evening. Mornings start with a home cooked breakfast (completely tailored to your diet) served outside on the relaxing patio. It’s truly home +1.
Wendi and Bruce should be the standard bearers of proprietors nationwide. They are at the top of their game and elevate the bed and breakfast experience for all. We were so pleased with our stay, we’ve already booked our next trip.
P. S. to the one-​star-​wonder (who didn’t even stay at the Inn)… even if you were the kid who was beat up on the playground each day, don’t take it out on hard-​working folks who are doing extraordinary things. Your words are cheap and hollow, no doubt like your spirit.

Just spent a amazing night at the Black Bear Inn. The grounds are gorgeous, the hosts are wonderful, and the rooms are beautiful. After spending the day on the cute little lake outside of town, coming to the Inn and being greeted by Wendy with a wine and cheese platter was fantastic. Bruce prepared us a wonderful breakfast that stayed with us most of the day, nutty-​crusted french bread which I already want more of.
For someone like me who has a hard time relaxing or «turning off» the atmosphere the lodge provides was perfect. Laying outside under the trees in a hammock reading and relaxing was a nice change of pace. (While listening to Joe snore through his outdoor nap :)
We can’t wait to return… maybe in the winter for our next visit.
To the hater who wrote the negative review… I’d bet my bottom dollar you never meet the Inn keepers or were ever at the lodge. You would have to be hella-​high to not think this place is magical. Why would you think pets would be appropriate for this type of setting? Or kids for that matter? Plenty of lodging choices for both, but this is a nice, QUITE, intimate lodge? Some people don’t find barking dogs or screaming kids relaxing. I am one of those people :) Peace.

If you haven’t been to the Black Bear Inn is the last year and a half, you have missed it. The new owners Wendi and Bruce are incredible. They have painted and upgraded all the rooms each named for a wine region.
As other reviewers have said, the grounds are beautiful. We planned to stay 3 nights on this our 2^nd visit and ended up spoiling ourselves with a 4^th night. I could just sit on the patio for the entire time smelling the pines, watching the birds, butterflies and dragon flies.
But the best part of Black Bear, other than the owners, is the food. A different meal each morning all with beautiful fresh fruit including the famous nut crusted french toast, Wendi’s 5 bowl blueberry pancakes with blueberry compote and fun with eggs and omelets.
The wine and cheese is a wonderful relaxing time with a fun variety of cheeses, sausages, fruit and Chathom wines. (I love the Syrah!). Individually served and each day something new.
Then there is dinner. If you plan in advance and he is available, you can have dinner in house (or on the patio in the summer). Chef Bruce with the support of sous chef Wendi is an awesome chef! We had asked for diver’s scallops and not only did he get them, but the roasted red pepper paint and basil oil made a beautiful presentation and taste. We ended up eating in two nights and of those two nights here is a list of my very favorites:
1. Appetizer of prosciutto wrapped prawns with a housemade (to die for) raspberry cocktail sauce
2. The banana bread pudding (banana and maple breads in a cream brulee sauce) for dessert.
3. Grilled cesar salad with housemade dressing (YUM!) and sauteed artichoke hearts.
4. Roasted garlic & carmelized shallot smashed baby red potatoes (with the short rib dinner)
and of course the diver scallops! That’s the short list from two great 4 course meals.
This rates as my all time favorite bed and breakfast (and dinner) ever!

I just attended a wedding here and what a beautiful place for an event! The main cabin style inn is really nice and open space. They used the back area for the reception, which had lights strung in the trees and long tables set up for about 100 people. The ceremony was down near this creek bed and the entryway path down to the alter was gorgeous. Its really long and in the trees, which makes for a nice dramatic entrance for the bridal party. Not sure how much the rooms are because we rented a cabin for the weekend, but they were nice and decorated well.
The only downsides were the building itself only had one restroom for everyone at the wedding (not good for drinkers!!) and the space probably couldn’t fit much more for a reception than what the wedding I was at held.

QUite possibly the least friendly place we’ve ever encountered in the Sierra. They don’t like pets and they don’t like KIDS!
Take your money elsewhere.

This place is outstanding. I stayed here for one night with my mom, sister and brother-​in-​law. We stayed on a Tuesday night, and we were the only people staying in this 5-​room bed and breakfast. How we lucked out and got this place to ourselves, I do not know, for this is a GEM of an inn!
Check in is at 3 PM, and we got there early, at about 2:15. There was a sign on the door that said they would be back at 3 PM. We were exploring the grounds, when one of the inn keepers drove up and cheerfully let us check in early. The Black Bear Inn is on a lush plot of land with tons of great vegetation: grass, trees, flowers shrubs… It is green and beautiful. I just wanted to hang out outside the whole time. But the inside is just as inviting. There are Black Bear decorations EVERYwhere, so be prepared, but it is quaint and charming and not obnoxious in the slightest.
All rooms have nice big king beds topped with quilts, and furnished with wood-​burning stoves, arm chairs, a table and a TV. The bathrooms all have jacuzzi tubs (with a frog and rubber ducky!) and large walk –in showers. The «backyard» has a nice lawn, chairs and tables and a hot tub. All rooms have a «backdoor» that either open to the front garden or the back yard, with keys that work the front door to the B&B, your front door and your back door.
There is a wine and cheese hour in the afternoon, and they make up individual plates for each room. Our plates had 3 types of crackers, a brie sitting in a yummy raspberry sauce, and green grapes. They also had homemade chocolate chip cookies which were basically the yummiest cookies I have had in ages. I wanted to eat the whole plate! There were two wines to choose from (a red and a white), and I enjoyed them both. They also had cider, tea and hot chocolate available, as well.
They had a number of menus from local restaurants around, which made it easy for us to choose The Snowshoe Brewing Company for dinner. The next morning we had super yummy nut crusted french toast with fresh fruit. When my mom made our reservations, they were nice enough to ask if we had any dietary restrictions, so when our breakfasts came out, there were two plates with no meat on them. It was so nice to not even have to say anything and have them know not only that two people at the table didn’t eat meat, but they even knew who wanted what. It was a great personal touch.
We met both Kirk and Doreen (the owners and inn keepers), as well as two more of their staff, and they were all incredibly friendly. They even knew all of our names without us having to tell them who we were, which granted probably wasn’t too hard to figure out, but it was still another great personal touch.
I felt immediately relaxed and at home there. I would HIGHLY recommend this place if you are looking for a little mountain getaway. It is peaceful, beautiful and friendly. Absolutely charming, and would definitely stay here again!