Black Bear Inn in Lake Tahoe

Continuously lauded as one of the best B&Bs in California, the Black Bear Inn Bed and Breakfast is one of Lake Tahoe’s most picturesque small lodging establishments, favored by those who prefer to be removed from the crowds that are common at the casino hotels and other larger accommodations throughout the Lake Tahoe area.

Guests are greeted at the Black Bear with a rustic entranceway complete with stone front and big red double doors, reminiscent of a picturesque mountain getaway. Inside, the lodge’s Great Room is magnificent yet warm and welcoming, offering high ceilings, a tremendous stone fireplace, and comfortable furnishings, making it the ideal place to gather après ski for a warm cup of hot chocolate or alcoholic libation. It’s this cozy atmosphere that prompted Fodor’s to include the Black Bear Inn Bed and Breakfast on its list of Editor’s Top Picks list and for Ski Magazine to call it one of the most romantic accommodation options in Lake Tahoe.

Beyond this grand lobby, the guest rooms are equally as welcoming. Visitors can choose from five different guest rooms including the Sequoia Room, the largest room with high, vaulted ceiling, wet bar, and king bed; the Seneca Room, which includes two club chairs, a butcher-block table, ten-foot ceilings, and a large window for incredible views; the Fallen Leaf Room, with log beam ceilings and a sitting balcony (the only one at the inn); the Washoe Room, with rustic pine furniture including a hand-made headboard; and the Frontier Room, with a standing balcony and barn wood wall, giving it an especially rustic feel.

In addition, there are three cabins on the premises that include a total of five guest rooms and include breakfast delivered daily and maid service each day. The Bonanza Trail includes the Stagecoach and Black Bart rooms, identical 450 square-foot rooms with king beds, a river rock fireplace, TV, and kitchenette.  The Snowshoe Cabin includes one very romantic bedroom with three-sided rock fireplace, living room with vaulted ceiling, large bathroom with two sinks and two-person Jacuzzi, two TVs and VCRs, and a private patio. Finally, the Sutter Cabin also boasts two bedrooms, one bath, a kitchenette, and sizeable living area that includes a fireplace and room to enjoy a meal. Sutter Cabin is ideal for two couples traveling together, providing togetherness yet privacy when desired. There’s also a private patio at this cabin.

There are no amenities, like a pool, to speak of at the Black Bear Inn, but the facility is close to a variety of Lake Tahoe offerings including ski resorts and a host of winter activities as well as plenty of summertime pursuits. Typical of a Bed and Breakfast, the Black Bear does indeed offer a full, hot breakfast each morning of your visit, featuring a host of different entrees that are creative and delicious. And guests can take all the great recipes home with them by purchasing the inn’s cookbook before they leave. 

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