This is such a special place! Innkeepers Wendi and Bruce have created a gracious and welcoming atmosphere in this beautiful timber-framed inn with its five guest rooms that backs up to the Stanislaus National Forest. Bruce is an artist and professional chef. His scenic paintings are spread throughout the inn, and the food is outstanding. We went up for a birthday getaway, and it was memorable. It was also snug -- whether sitting in the covered hot tub and watching the snow fall or enjoying wine and hor d'oeuvres by the fireplace. With great attention to detail, the new owners have created a beautifully decorated inn, though we are partial to the rusticity of the Calaveras room. Yelp's information about the Black Bear Inn indicates there is no Wi-Fi service, but there is, and it's free. We see that as just another way that the current owners have added extra touches in anticipation of guests' needs. We have traveled extensively and have stayed in many small inns and bed and breakfasts around the world . This is definitely one of the top five! We highly recommend it and look forward to returning. read more

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. read more

A beautiful place and a beautiful wedding but I just wish they didn't allow kids. I was yelled at so many times about the kids at our wedding party who were actually so well behaved. They were standing in a couch and I was asked if 'they could just behave and not be juvenile'. Just ridiculous. Beautiful wedding though and gorgeous place. read more

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. read more

Black Bear Inn - Hotels Near Me - Arnold, California

This past Saturday I participated in and witnessed the marriage of one my beloved nieces. In a word it was quietly spectacular. It was held at Black Bear Inn and hosted by its owners, Wendi and Bruce Davison. From the planning stages to and through the event they extended every conceivable hospitable convenience to the wedding party and guests. Don't know if they had a hand in the weather (gorgeous sunshine with a cool hint of breeze) but they aced everything else. Highly, highly recommend weddings at this venue as well as lodging. FIVE STARS (because six weren't available). read more

What a find in the forest! If the beautiful and plush accommodations are not enough then the friendly hosts will make your day! Wendi and Bruce make breakfast a real treat and are full of helpful information and suggestions on how to make your stay in the mountains a special occasion. Too bad my wife and I could not stay longer! But we will go back ... read more

Spent Memorial Weekend using Black Bear Inn as our base. Beautifully manicured property! You have to visit this place. It is your get away from the get away. A few miles down the road is Murphy's,Ca and that's where the activity is from a town point of view. Quaint, but can be touristy, so relaxing at The BBI was very enjoyable. Owners Wendi and Bruce go out of their way to make you feel welcome. Hot tub was wonderful. Bruce's home cooked French toast is to die for. With only 5 rooms you can count on the quiet, but you can also have fun meeting the other guests. The whole feeling is like your staying over at someones cabin. Well actually that's about what it is I have a new electric car and they graciously let me hook up 110v. So new Tesla owners here is a new place you can try out your range anxiety. They are looking into possible EV charging via 240v RV like hookup in the future. So call ahead. That's what the mountains need, quiet cars that don't spew toxins in the air. read more

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. read more

We recently had my daughter's wedding at The Black Bear Inn and let me tell you - it's a phenomenal venue - meticulously maintained and beautiful year round! Wendy was such a joy to work with. I had many questions as we prepared for the big day and Wendy was so responsive I thought she must be sitting at her computer waiting for me to send more questions. Starting with our tour of the venue and all throughout the preparations and the weekend of the big event she was gracious and accommodating. We had a couple of unique requests because of the time of day (it was a morning wedding and brunch reception) and she was very accommodating. The thing that struck me most about Wendy and Bruce was their uncanny knack for being always present and available to help out and answer questions without being in the least bit intrusive. I wouldn't hesitate for an instant to recommend the Black Bear Inn to friends and family, whether it is for a weekend getaway, a family reunion, a wedding or anything in between. I could say so much more... the cleanliness, the comfort of the rooms, the delicious food, the photo opportunities, and on and on... Thank you, Wendy and Bruce, for being part of making this very special time something that we will cherish forever! read more

Thank you to Wendi and Bruce for a beautiful wedding! Our daughter Shelby and her new husband, Kody were married at Black Bear Inn on July 29, 2017. We used the venue for the weekend, had the bridesmaids stay at the inn on Friday night, wedding, cocktail hour, and reception all within the venue, then the bridal party stayed Saturday night! What a treat for all of us! Wendi and Bruce accommodated and anticipated all of our needs, have a beautiful inn, and shared their professional insights into what would make the event most successful. I am now anxious to return to the inn as an overnight B&B guest and enjoy it in an all new way! I would recommend this venue to anyone! read more

If I could give a star rating of 10+ I would. We just attended a wedding at the Black Bear Inn and the venue is such a beautiful property. The lower meadow where the wedding took place was so beautiful and perfect and the reception in the back with the strung lights just added to ambiance. The inn owners always make you feel as if you are family whether you are or not. What a special place! read more

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. read more

Black Bear Inn - Hotels Near Me - Arnold, California

An absolutely delightful couple, Bruce and Wendy, who singlehandedly operate this gem of an establishment. The rooms are modern with every convenience you could ask for, the ambiance warm and inviting, the service very friendly and folksy, but tailored to each guest. They go out of their way to make your stay individual, and memorable. The setting is gorgeous....... you can only get a hint from the photos. The food is first rate, cooked fresh each day, and if you stay multiple days, there will be no repeats on the menu. Looking for something truly special in the little town of Arnold, Gateway to the Big Trees? This the place for you. . read more

The Black Bear Inn is a beautiful gem in the Sierras, surrounded by forest and meadow. Magnificent lodge architecture, cozy and comfy rooms with fireplace, luxurious bedding, bath with jacuzzi tub and walk-in shower, wine glasses, robes, truffles, French doors opening out onto a meadow, and so many other thoughtful touches. Great gathering room with magnificent fireplace, overstuffed leather sofas and club chairs, a wall of books, coffee, tea and hot chocolate, afternoon wine and charcuterie prepared to your specifications, and oh, the gourmet breakfast each morning - superb. Hosts Wendi and Bruce are very personable and welcoming - be prepared to be pampered; they do everything to make your visit wonderful. I wished that I had had more than two nights! Will definitely be back. read more

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. read more

I cannot say enogh about Wendi and Bruce and the Black Bear Inn. We just got back from our wedding this Labor Day weekend and it was simply magical. Bruce and Wendi were extremely flexible, accomodating and incredibly helpful in making sure our day was special. They worked flawlessly with all of our vendors, even making arrangements on the fly for all our needs. Bruce knew we planned to have an after party at the Avery Saloon and even called over there to remind them and set up our pickup for 10pm following the wedding. The grounds were beautiful, and they made sure everything was exactly the way we wanted it. The rooms were immaculate, extremely comfortable and the cleanest I think I've seen. The food was incredible, especially the breakfast we had the morning we left. Our wedding was very detailed and required a lot of extras and Bruce and Wendi made all of the things we didn't want to worry about so easy and really helped everything go smoothly. We never dreamed our wedding would go as smoothly as it did but with their help everything was flawless. It was incredible that while they helped so much they were also never "hovering" or intrusive. It was like they knew when to pop in and when things were fine and were never unavailable. If you want an intimate venue for your perfect wedding and want things to run smoothly, having your wedding here can go a long way towards making that happen. It felt like home for us and our guests and we loved every minute of our stay. I would highly reccomend The Black Bear Inn whether you are planning an event or staying for the weekend. You will fall in love with it all the same. read more

It really is as good as it gets! 'Spent the night in this delightful mountain-style bed and breakfast inn. The innkeepers are on top of their game, with the most easy-going personalities, and knowledge of the area, and high standards of service... they're the perfect hosts for a getaway in the mountains and will make anyone feel at home. As previous reviewers have stated, the grounds are lovely and the breakfast divine. The newly refurbished rooms are somehow both cozy and roomy/luxurious and I didn't want to get out of that comfy bed! (Ignore the folks that wanted to bring kids and pets here, what a crazy idea) Wendy and Bruce are the friendliest, warmest couple and are a real asset to the little hamlet of Arnold. The best place to stay in Arnold! read more

The photos don't do it justice, you can see some more if you go on Trip Advisor. All rooms are equally gorgeous. The owner is a chef so breakfast is fabulous as was the afternoon cheeses where we got to pick 5 from a list to sample. Huge clean bathrooms, comfy beds, all around fabulous!! read more

I fully agree with what all the other posts state. Great environment! Friendly and wonderful hosts! The food is off the charts yummy and healthy as well. The room and bed are so comfortable!!! My wife and I will be heading back in 2012 for sure!!! :) read more

Eek. Brides beware. I waited for 2 years to see my best girlfriend get married and could not see one second of the ceremony. The venue is not set up right. The grass slopes downward on the side behind the brides area. Only the first 2 rows (family only) could see. The rest of us were slightly lower. To add to it, the venue handed out small umbrellas (sun shades) and failed to ask guest to close them for the ceremony. You couldn't see over the umbrellas if you tried. To make matters worse the happy couple did not walk down the isle coming or going. They came and went from a side entrance. We literally never got to see them for one second of the ceremony. Thankfully, there are great speakers at Black Bear, so we were able to hear the vows. Can you imagine waiting 2 years and driving 3 hours for this and seeing nothing? Other than these major set backs. The venue is beautiful. Note there is only 1 bathroom. The mother of bride had to open her hotel suite and let guest use hers the entire event. That part was manageable. The suites are beautiful and look as relaxing as can be. read more

My girlfriend and I stayed there on Halloween night after a long motorcycle ride in and around the Columbia area. The first snows had fallen blocking the passes in the Sierras, so it was quite cold. The owner/proprietor innkeepers were friendly and glad to see us.The spacious and well appointed rooms were extremely inviting.The rooms come with individual stoves that warm your room to the desired temperature. The bathrooms come with jacuzzi tubs( that accommodate two) that are perfect after 7 hours on a motorcycle. The breakfast served the next morning was superb. The owner is also an accomplished chef and painter , a modern day renaissance man. After we finished breakfast, we packed our gear and watched as the owner, his wife and the local glass artist started to build a fence. We asked them to take our picture and they were eager to do so. We had to snap a picture of that industrious, artistic trio before we left. If you're in Arnold, CA, look for the 'Bed and Breakfast' sign on the side of the road and follow it to the Black Bear Inn...you won't regret it. Arlie Ray and Sarah. K. read more