Oak Knoll Lodge & Cabins

This is a great spot for the weekend. We went in the off season and stayed in cabin 14 — studio that is a duplex (a house split in half). There was no one on the other side of the duplex, so it was very quite. Very good price for a cute little cabin $ 80/​night. Included a deck, kitchen, bed, tv, fireplace and bathroom.
Downside was not having a couch and not being next to the water. These are both our choices and not the lodges fault. Just things we realized after staying. Would have been nice to have a couch to veg out on instead of laying in bed. Also, we usually take morning/​evening walks from our cabin down to the lake… we were a bit far for that this time. So things to consider. We were close to everything though. A great 6 mile hiking trail is literally across the road — Pineknot Trail.
We would definitely stay again!

I was looking for a nice place to get away and relax for the weekend. Stumbled upon this place and absolutely loved it! We stayed in cabin 2. It was clean and very comfortable. The jacuzzi in the room was amazing. The kitchen was well stocked with pots, pans, cooking utensils… The owner was very nice and friendly. I highly recommend staying here. We will definitely be back!

My husband and I came up for the weekend to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. We stayed in cabin #15, very nice. Cute little kitchen for cooking in. The whirlpool tub is FABULOUS!! Fireplace is gas and controlled by a light switch, which makes turning it on/​off a breeze. The cabins are well maintained and very clean, there’s a pool to help you cool down during the hot summer months, a swing set along with horse shoe and shuffleboard games. We’re already planning our next trip out here and plan to bring the family. It’s not far from the city center but, I wouldn’t recommend walking. For hiking enthusiasts, Pooh land is up Mill Creek Road and is family friendly.
Chuck, the owner is very friendly and always helpful. We didn’t have the pleasure of meeting his wife, but learned that Oak Knoll Cabins has been run by his family since 1927, lots of nostalgia here.
Please note that these are cabins, not a B&B or hotel so please plan accordingly.

We just returned from a weekend in Big Bear and enjoyed our stay here very much. We stayed in cabin #3, very clean, comfortable, and close to the village area and lake. All cabins seem to have their own patios and they are spaced apart from each other. The owners were great, the gentleman waited for us to arrive after the late arrival time, and showed us around our cabin. Will definitely stay here again.

Very cute cottages at big bear lake. Very close to a picnic area (3 mins walk) and close to Alpine mountain play area (could walk in 10 mins). Very well maintained cottages with a patio, & bbq. Quiet and peaceful. Would love to come when there is more snow.
Owner has listed the place For Sale.

Not being a frequent visitor to Mountain cabins, it’s hard to assess whether what I got was good or bad. I imagined visit to a snow place a bit differently. You won’t get steaming hot cocoa here after your ski runs, or mould wine, or any of that 5-​star, Swiss chalet stuff, but it’s a decent place to escape the cold, ice and snow at night. If you’re lucky — your bedroom heater will work. Mine didn’t. But it’s ok, they hooked it up with space heaters…50% of which worked. Still not a big deal. The cabin dos smell of smoke and beer… which probably won’t bother you after you crack open a beer and light one up.
Anyway, one incident that will stay in memory is how responsive and attentive the people in charge of this place are. I called in at night about a minor fix in the cabin — the woman at the front desk picked up the phone after two rings, the maintenance guy was at our cabin within 5 mins. Impressive service, that makes up for all the downsides of… you know, mountain living ;)
If you have small kids — this place has a nice sledding, snow play area/​park within a few steps. Very convenient. It’s also not too far from the main village, although I wouldn’t recommend walking there. And not too sure you can summon an über there… so plan your drinking accordingly.

Loved our stay! My family and I came to stay the weekend here and I read Unilocal reviews before I book our stay. This place was perfect! The owners are amazing and such a pleasure to have meet. Across the street there is a picnic area and we went sledding with the kids. They had so much fun this was a weekend we will never forget and we pick the perfect location to stay beautiful cabins friendly and welcoming service. Tell next time my family will definitely be back to big bear soon and we will definitely stay here again.

My boyfriend and I planned a last minute trip to big bear to get away from Los Angeles life, a getaway. The lady at the front desk (lupita) was very sweet and made us feel at home. Our cabin was #14, a cute little one bed cabin. When we walked in I loved the homy feeling. Lupita had turned on geat for us which was nice. We lit the amazing fireplace. So far I like it and will return in the future.

We love the outdoors and hiking. We booked this trip as a late anniversary getaway and it did not disappoint. We would like to return so long as the new ownership maintains/​exceeds the current level of satisfaction.
Based on all the good reviews we stayed here the weekend after labor day in cabin 14 next to the swimming pool. The price was very competitive for Big Bear and for being non-​peak. The location was very convenient for us as it was under 20 min drive to all our destinations as long as we avoided the nearby road construction zone. Staff was very friendly, grounds were clean/​maintained and quiet, and the cabin was cozy and clean. We called ahead to ask if we could check-​in early & we were accommodated. The kitchen was fully functional with plates, cups, glasses, utensils, cookware, fridge/​freezer and stove were old and not full-​size but were sufficient for our needs. We were concerned that the stove was lit even though the burners were off. The front desk assured us it was normal, it was the pilot that remains lit. We also used the BBQ grill for dinner on 2 evenings. We wanted to use the fire place but it was not cold enough at night to warrant it. During the day it was very cool so we never made it into the pool. We did use the ping pong table which was really nice bc its outside next to the pool. The cabin had convenient parking space right outside our front door. It also had a rear covered porch with table/​seating. The cabin is within walking distance to the pineknot trailhead which is really convenient if you don’t have an adventure parking pass or day pass.
The only reason we did not give it 5 stars is bc the deadbolt on the front door only locked from the inside. It didn’t seem like there was a lot of outside traffic coming through the lodge so it appeared pretty safe but for peace of mind it would have been nice to have a working deadbolt while we were away which we were most of the time.

Stayed in March. Its very pricey and I thought it’d be worth it since we booked the biggest cabin, #9. But boy was I wrong! There was no room to move in the cabin. A huge dining room table is in the middle of the living room. We kept on bumping into the furniture. We also smelled gas when we turned on the wall heater. It was making us sick. When we told the «manager» how unhappy we were and how it wasn’t safe to stay with our children he didn’t do anything. No refund, no discounts, nothing! The cabins are rundown and it felt like ours had a foundation problem. I was very dissatisfied. We were told not to use the fireplace as well which ruined it for me and my girls (no smores!) The only thing we liked was the large picnic table outside on the deck.

We love it here! We were just there last Labor Day and it was our second time staring there. The cabins are clean. The grounds are clean and quiet. Chuck and his wife are amazing. I’m just so sad to see a «For Sale» sign on the property. I hope the next owners are as cool as them cause I definitely call this a home away from home. Best of luck on your upcoming retirement, Chuck!

We stayed five nights in cabin 8. It was immaculate and we loved sitting out on the deck. My husband and I have not slept so well for a very long time. It is very peaceful and beautiful. The first night we stayed we went out for a walk and returned and my son spotted a black bear several feet from our cabin. He stood on his back legs came back down and then ran off and we made for the cabin door in a fit of excitement. On our last evening my son saw a baby cub off the deck and later that night a much larger bear going through the trash can. We were happy to be inside the cabin looking out at it. Cabin 8 actually has three bedrooms so it was perfect for our adult daughter, teen son and my husband and I. Overall we really enjoyed our stay and found the owner to be very friendly. We are looking forward to staying again.

Family stayed here after reading all the great reviews and it was all true. Very quiet and relaxing. Owner was very friendly and super nice. Mentioned to him how we loved how it is up in the forest away from the 18 not like all the other cabin places that would hear traffic and how we loved having breakfast out on our porch and watching all the birds, tree squirrels, and chipmunks. One morning they had filled their bird feeders and lots of activity. Our place was very clean and had a new gas stove my Wife loved. Had all the needs for cooking and we used the charcoal BBQ for dinner. Very police friendly with a great price which we appreciate. Showed us the three bedroom after check out so when we bring more people next time.
Thanks for a great stay.
Alan and Tammy

This place is wonderful place to stay at. Quant, intimate, quiteand very relaxing. With a full kitchen it helps for preparing those quick meals, rather than running out for a bite to eat. The only downside for us was, the bed is very firm. I have and will recommend staying here. I actually plan on staying again next year. We have an annual event we attend here. I would actually love to move here. We love Big Bear.

Yes! Oak Knoll has been a family operation since WW1 (yes one). The cabins are historic and cute, but are super clean. Yes maybe the linoleum in the bathroom doesn’t match the shower curtain. Maybe there’s need to open the windows… but there is NO dust (not even in the silk flowers) and bathroom, kitchen, and bedding are clean smelling and sanitary. The cabins are brought to code, the pool is free from debris, there are flowers planted, the porches are swept.
After all, you’re renting a mountain cabin, so if you don’t mind cleaning up after yourself, the place is in good repair, and looks like a traditional back-​east fishing lodge.
The family, Chuck, Christina, and Lupita, are sweet, chatty, friendly, and go out of their way to accommodate. We’ll be back!

I can’t write enough positive comments on the Oak Knoll Lodge. From the beautiful and clean cabins (Cabin 2) to the kind and friendly management, my stay was a treat!
After a short discussion with the owner, I discovered that this is a family owned business and has been since the ‘20s. No wonder! With the level of service provided and quality of product, the Oak Knoll Lodge should be a staple of Big Bear for years to come.
The owner is one of the kindest people I have met in my life.
Treat yourself to the hospitality and quality of the Oak Knoll Lodge.

Fantastic family-​owned business they’re very police & military friendly as well. They had some gorgeous cabins I’m they had some seriously comfortable beds I brought an air mattress just in case but there was no need for it whatsoever. Came here late on a cold Friday evening at about 10pm but Chuck was still up and checked us in. He initially whisked us into the wrong cabin (which was comfortable regardless), but the next cabin he showed us was much more spacious and inviting.
It featured two queen sized beds in one of the rooms with a bathroom attached to it, one other room with a bed, another bathroom out in the hallway, a small balcony outside, kitchen with appliances and silverware, a full fridge, and a good full sized TV. Not only that, but he stayed to make sure our issues were addressed (we couldn’t figure out how to turn down the heat in the big bedroom) around or perhaps a little past midnight. He cautioned us about the slippery steps and went back to the front office.
The next day he was considerate to come and check on us where we were trying to figure out how to shut off the nauseating smell of gas fumes from the stove. After he addressed the issue, he chatted with us for a bit, and told us a little bit about himself (he’s got an old military ID when he was a young seaman-​shocker).

Had a fantastic 3 nights here with my family.
We stayed in cabin 8, it’s old but decent, heaters work incredibly well and pricing is very competitive. I looked at 3 other lodges and this was the best price too.
My favorite part is how many perfect sledding hills are so close to the cabins. Just across the street there’s 4 really good ones. Perfect for young kids and a few for more adventurous kids too.
Maybe a mile from town and half mile from magic mountain tubing facility.
We’ll definitely be back.

We stayed in cabin 4. The price was great and the cabin was very clean. The grounds are nice and the pool slide was a blast. It very close to the hiking trails and the village. We will definitely be back.
The owners are awesome and make the stay that much better.

Oak Knoll Lodge is my default spot to stay in Big Bear now. Most of the cabins are detached, they’re all unique, and very clean.
The particular cabin that I like to stay in includes:
— Hot tub.
— Gas fireplace.
— Kitchen with fridge, stove, sink, and some silverware and plates.
— TV with DVD player.
— Patio with lounge chairs.
— Living room with couch.
— Dining table.
— Full bathroom.
You technically could enjoy a very nice, relaxing weekend without ever leaving your cabin. But if getting up off your ass and enjoying the outdoors tickles your fancy too, the beautiful Pine Knot Trail (
) offers a moderately challenging hike, and is literally across the street from OKL.
Additionally, approximately a mile drive (or walk on a nice day) will get you to some surprisingly authentic Mexican food at Azteca Grill (
), or a stiff drink at the super fun Murray’s Saloon (
).
OKL is worth it a full price, but police and fire can reap a generous 40% discount off rates, and civilians can enjoy a 30% discount in the off season (
).