I guess I'm missing something, but hard to believe this place is given a 5 star. Now, I don't go…read morethere for wedding festivities, therefore, can't review on that, but I do go to enjoy a couple of days of relaxation.
Since I've now visited this place often, I can totally say that unfortunately nothing much has changed. The rooms are not updated the way they should be, get rid of the dirty carpet already I would say. The bathrooms need a lot more updating than placing a new shower head and think that will do the trick. Doesn't work that way. The sink still has a huge crack in it as far as 3yrs ago. Attention to details is not the owner's forte at all and it's now pretty obvious that it will remain so.
Flowers outside the entrance should be real, again, 3yrs and they still have the fake flowers in their pots, fake flowers, even fake flowers need changing after a while especially when the sun is strong in the summertime, fake flowers will fade the colors away. Just buy some inexpensive REAL flowers already, it can't be that hard to water them and would make the entrance look much nicer.
Still having those annoying barking dogs come right up to you, totally wrong to say the least.
The whole place, the front desk especially does not look clean at all, and the fact that they serve breakfast which by the way I assume they have a permit to do so and charge you the same amount of money that other restaurants around the area do, is absolutely ridiculous to say the least. Who's even cooking it for you? Regardless, they shouldn't charge you so much.
What's totally wrong as well, is when you stay here, the owner or whomever is helping at the time, they use the kitchen to make themselves breakfast, the smell of it goes right up to your room as early as 6am, and it wakes you up. I understand they need to eat but you have guests staying here and I am almost sure that no one wants to smell bacon and eggs as early as 6am, especially when it's not even a weekend when that is the ONLY time they offer breakfast. Totally uncalled for.
The other bad experience this time, it was quite cold, so we went to our room sooner than we normally would have wanted to, but there is a TV so we just wanted to relax and watch a movie, the TV wasn't coming on, it took and no kidding here 2 hours before the TV started working, there was no signal for 2 hours, 10pm no one is at the front desk any longer so we couldn't get help and I wasn't going to bother even if I could have since the TV should work properly.
We also wanted some tea before bedtime, I couldn't believe how dirty the coffee machine was, just disgusting to say the least, so we didn't get any tea as I was not in the mood to clean up for the owner who should take the time to look at everything around this very small area, and make sure everything is clean for her guests, it's not a huge area at all and everything is at a very minimum space, two steps from the front desk is where they finally by the way, after years, have a coffee machine, yet, it's too much to keep it clean and neat. Other places around the area, offer continental breakfast daily, some offer some sort of muffins, this place only offers coffee/tea unless you stay in the weekend when they rip you off charging you prices like a real restaurant, and after all it looks and feels of total lack of caring, and no attention to details at all.
The owner got lucky to have this property and it's sad to see how very little enthusiasm she cares to put into it. You don't need much to show that you care and want to make the place look presentable, nice and clean.
As far as I now can see having visited often, it's so obvious that the owner only cares to make money, raises the prices as most do I get it, but other than that can't care less about how the place is kept. Even the outside where you can sit and look at the beautiful views, totally dirty both on the floors and some of the chairs they have outside for you to sit on, just carelessness is all I can keep stating.
I recall staying here in one summer, 2yrs ago to be exact, she had a temp helping while she was on vacation. It was a nightmare, and I am sure the owner knows nothing about it. Let's just say that the temp was mostly upstairs with her boyfriend then downstairs, the bell on the desk, well, it was used quite often if you ever needed anything at all. I'll leave it at that. There was much more and all unpleasant. But the owner needed the vacation.
This place has a lot of potentials; it is an old house turned Hotel but it could be spectacular if the owner would really try to put more effort into and turn it into what it could be. Of course, if you are not happy, go elsewhere I'm sure is the attitude.
The views are spectacular for sure; however, they are not the Lake Views, they are the city view's, therefore, if you want the Lake View since you are at Lake Arrowhead after all, that's not what you'll get, nevertheless, they are beautiful.