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LODGINGS
Idyllwild Inn / 1*
54300 VILLAGE CENTER DR, IDYLLWILD; 888/659-2552
Idyllwild Inn, family-owned since 1909, scatters its 15 cabins through
an open pine forest like a gracious little Tyrolean village. Families
love it here, and although the inn doesn't have a pool, the tots' playground
is a good substitute. Cabins are neat, with a simple mountain decor; each
has
a wood-burning fireplace, kitchen, and deck. Some were built as early
as 1909, others in the 1930s, and the newest—the duplexes—in
the 1980s, although it's obvious all have been constantly maintained and
upgraded. The bustle of Idyllwild is literally outside the front gate,
but once you're inside this compound you really feel you're in a mountain
town. At some point, asphalt drives were put in so you can drive right
to your cabin, and unfortunately they tend to dominate the setting a bit;
when you reserve, ask to be on the side farthest from the entrance. $-$$;
DIS, MC, V; checks OK; www.idyllwildinn.com; from Hwy 243, turn at Texaco
station on to Ridgeview Rd and go 2 blocks to Village Center.
Strawberry Creek Inn / 2*
26370 HWY 243, IDYLLWILD; 909/659-3202 OR 800/262-8969
One of the first bed-and-breakfast inns in the region and long one of
the best. Strawberry Creek has a location just far enough outside town
(about VA mile) to grant it the peace and quiet mountain visitors seek.
Yes, there is a Strawberry Creek, and a walking path leads along it all
the way into town. The inn was fashioned by owners Diana Dugan and Jim
Goff from a large, shingled cabin that was built in 1941. Five rooms in
the main cabin put you closest to the large living room/recreation room/library
downstairs—the true heart of the house and a great place
to gather around a fire on chilly days. Four rooms out back on the "courtyard"
are newer but feel a bit less cozy, and there's a small single cabin close
to the creek. Decor elements include a range of window seats, antique
bed frames, wood-burning fireplaces, and skylights; all rooms have private
baths. A full breakfast is served out on a big glassed-in porch. Smoking
is pro-hibited. $-$$; DIS, MC, V; checks OK; www.strawberrycreek.inn.com;
'/4 mile south of the village.
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