A Big Bear Getaway: Nature, Luxury, and Restoration.

Sessions Retreat and The Burgundy Inn are rewriting mountain hospitality. Fireplaces, soulful hosts, and the kind of stillness that actually restores you. Big Bear represents “the new luxury” that travelers are booking in 2026 .

Imagine this:

The weekend is here, you have no plans, and Big Bear is calling. A winter wonderland just a few hours from your front door. Right now, Big Bear Lake is ringed by snow-dusted peaks, its pines catching the longer, late-winter light, with the lake glittering at the edges. It it is the kind of place that makes you wonder why you don’t come more often!

So grab your besties for a snowy weekend getaway, bring the family, or drive up for a solo weekend reset that city life simply cannot provide. Big Bear is the perfect destination for active adventures and ski days, yes, but also the deep-exhale restoration that busy, overscheduled people are increasingly seeking.

As the season shifts from deep winter into early spring, Big Bear is at one of its quietest, most beautiful moments of the year. The frenetic energy of peak ski season has softened. The trails are waking up and the mountain feels unhurried. It is, in the very best sense, the perfect time to go.

As you drive up, you will notice the city noise falling away behind you, and then Big Bear Lake appears through the pines like something from a storybook; frozen at the edges, glittering in the winter sun, ringed by peaks that look like they’ve been dusted by hand.

The Big Bear Transformation & Two Epic Properties:

Many travelers see Big Bear as a simple mountain getaway, but they could not be more wrong. Big Bear has matured into California’s newest wellness pinnacle. It offers a stunning beauty that rivals Ojai or Malibu, but with a sharper, more electric alpine edge. At 6,750 feet, the air acts as a natural training tool for athletes and a cognitive reset for the weary. It is a place where “forest bathing” isn’t a performance, it’s just the reality of waking up among towering pines.

Checking in.

While Big Bear is emerging as the ultimate alpine hideaway for a total reset, Sessions Retreat & Hotel and The Burgundy Inn are two reason why. These are two extraordinary properties that are quietly rewriting what mountain hospitality can look like.

Whatever your reason for coming to Big Bear, the accommodations you choose changes everything. Land at the right address, with hosts who see you, an atmosphere that holds you, and space to actually breathe, and you will leave restored in ways you didn’t know you needed.

Sessions Retreat: A Portal Between Realities.

Sessions Retreat, previously Wolf Creek Resort, completely reimagined, describes itself as “a portal between realities, a funky art playground that connects the modern explorer” to Big Bear’s natural magic. I’d say that’s exactly right. This boutique property is centered around art, wellness, and nature, and from the moment you walk in, you realize that this place has an attitude, and it wears it perfectly. Art installations are tucked between the pines, and Ram Dass’s “Be Here Now” appears in rooms not as décor but as a quiet suggestion. Spaces have been designed for the kind of genuine connection and deep rest that’s become its own form of luxury.

The Accommodation:

The Lodge has 10 private, pet-free rooms with ensuite bathrooms, walk-in closets, smart TV, and high-speed Wi-Fi. Perfect for solo travelers who want community energy around them, or groups booking out the entire building.

The Chalet has one-bedroom studio suites with a full queen bed, private bathroom, full kitchen, pull-out queen couch, dining area, smart TV, and, crucially, a fireplace.

Sessions also has full wedding capabilities, mountain biking and skiing group programs, and corporate retreat packages designed to inspire rather than exhaust. Book Sessions Retreat → Sessions Retreat and Hotel

EVENTS Pricing Pamphlet – Sessions Retreat & Hotel Download

The Burgundy Inn: Retro Warmth, Genuine Soul.

The Burgundy Inn is pure, unrestrained joy. Inspired by the carefree spirit of 70s summer camps and reimagined as genuine alpine luxury, The Burgundy Inn describes itself as “your funktastic escape to a playful yesterday” and I couldn’t agree more. Dark wood paneling, brass accents, and corduroy textures with warm amber light are absolutely stunning. The aesthetic is mid-century warmth done completely right: nostalgic without kitsch, retro without dated, cozy without frumpy.

Tucked among soaring pines and a short walk from the lake, The Burgundy sits in a rare sweet spot between personality and comfort. You arrive and immediately understand: this place knows what it is, and it leans into it with complete confidence.

Winter at the Burgundy Inn is magical. The lobby has become the gathering place where strangers trade stories and become friends over the course of an evening. Snow falls outside but inside, everything is cozy and exactly what you needed.

The rooms and suites are individually crafted. Each one a small discovery, reflecting genuine thought and care. The Burgundy Inn is still being renovated, with Frank and his team valuing quality over speed. This evolution gives the property something manufactured perfection can’t buy: genuine character being written in real time.

The Accommodation:

The Burgundy Inn offers a mix of cozy studios, cabin-style suites, and spacious lofts, so you can match your stay to your group. Think everything from simple king and double-queen rooms to apartment-style cabins with full kitchens and fireplaces, plus larger lofts that sleep a crowd without feeling cramped. It’s the kind of place where couples, families, and friend groups can all find a room that actually fits how they travel, instead of squeezing into a one-size-fits-all layout.

For large celebrations The Burgundy joins forces with their sister hotel, Sessions Retreat & Hotel, which offers a full-service bar, spacious event hall, and added amenities so large groups can gather with ease.

Both properties are also pet-friendly, which for a meaningful percentage of guests immediately makes it the right choice. Book The Burgundy Inn →The Burgundy Inn

These properties provide exactly what the new luxury means in 2026: not ostentation, but substance and connection. Not just a beautiful space, but time… unhurried, unscheduled, and utterly yours.

The Hosts Who Make It All Different: Frank & Syd.

Frank and Syd own and run both properties, and in an era of automated check-ins, absentee landlords, and algorithmic hospitality, they are a revelation. Frank greets guests personally and gives impromptu property tours, shares Big Bear’s best-kept secrets, shows up by the fire pit and joins the conversation. He makes introductions between strangers who become friends by the end of their stay. Syd’s presence lives in every detail. The curated art, the Ram Dass books, the sense that every corner of both properties has been genuinely considered.

They remember names and they celebrate milestones with returning guests. This isn’t hospitality as transaction; it’s hospitality as relationship. Guests don’t check out and disappear; they return, refer friends, and stay in touch.

Their philosophy is values-driven in the most practical sense: always welcoming, environmentally conscious (partnering with Care for Big Bear, using largely thrifted décor to reduce waste), and deeply community-focused. Booking here means your dollars support an independent mountain business with real roots, not a faceless corporation. Their dogs Tootsie and Pepper are “co-owners” and will probably be a highlight of your trip.

The Glorious Dilemma: Stay In or Go Play?

Whatever you reason for driving up to Big Bear, whether chasing the slopes, craving the stillness, or simply needing a weekend that belongs entirely to you, Big Bear has more to offer than most people expect.

Go play…

Bear Mountain and Snow Summit are two distinct ski experiences just minutes apart. Think rails, jumps, and features for skiers and snowboarders who want to play at bear Mountain, and Snow Summit is the classic: consistent groomed runs, panoramic lake views from the top, and the kind of all-day skiing that families and intermediate riders live for. Between the two, every level from first-timer to seasoned shredder is just about covered.

Beyond the ski resorts, the mountain itself is your playground. Snowshoeing trails wind through silent pine forests where your footsteps are the only sound. Tubing parks deliver pure, shrieking joy for anyone who’s forgotten how to play. And for the adventurous, guided snowmobile tours take you into Big Bear terrain that many visitors never see.

Or stay In…

And then there is the other path, which I will be completely honest about: for the overscheduled, the overextended, the quietly depleted; the most restorative thing Big Bear offers has nothing to do with activity. It is the elegant, almost countercultural act of stopping.

A fire going, a warm beverage and a book that has been sitting on your nightstand untouched for three months. The kind of vast, velvet quiet that Big Bear Lake specialize in. An unobstructed Milky Way waiting for you when you step outside after dinner.

This is luxury in its most evolved form. Both Sessions Retreat and The Burgundy Inn are designed for exactly this kind of day. Spaces that hold stillness rather than disrupting it, where the entire atmosphere quietly insists that whatever felt urgent this morning can wait until Monday.

The Full Experience: VIP Add-Ons Worth Knowing About.

For the Foodie: Private chef experiences and mountain-to-table dining delivered directly to your property.
For the Restorative: Mobile spa services, including massage and recovery, or sound bath practitioners for your group retreat.
For the Athlete: Personal training sessions at the High Altitude Training Center and private trail guides who know the hidden terrain.
For the Senior & Family: Door-to-door ski equipment delivery and pickup, ensuring you never have to haul heavy gear through the snow.

What Restoration and Values Aligned Travel Actually Looks Like.

Wellness isn’t a buzzword when it’s this specific. It’s a tangible result you will carry home in your bones. Let them know what you’re dreaming about and they will build the itinerary.

Perhaps most importantly, choosing these properties represents a value-aligned decision. They support local community rather than faceless corporations. They offer meaningful experiences in an authentic destination rather than generic luxury in an interchangeable resort. It isn’t marketing or a mission statement. It’s how they live.

Contact me today to craft your personalized experience. With exclusive local partnerships, insider itineraries, and seamless logistics, I’ll transform your destination into your next unforgettable reality. Reach out to me at the email below. Alternatively, complete the form with your dates and interests for your (and or your loved one’s) upcoming trip. These memories will warm your heart for years to come.

Complete the form below for more information about booking your trip, or email me at Contact@luxetravelpartner.com. You can also find more information about my agency at www.luxetravelpartner.com.

← Back