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LODGINGS
Arrowhead Saddleback Inn / 1*
300 HWY 173, LAKE ARROWHEAD; 909/336-3571 OR 800/858-3334
Now totally renovated, the Saddleback began life in 1917 as the Raven
Hotel. Restoration and expansion have been tasteful, maintaining the ambience
of a small mountain cluster of peaked-roof cabins with stone foundations,
set in a grove of giant pines and shaggy cedars. Decor in the
cabins' small sitting rooms is a tasteful blend of Laura Ashley wallpaper
and fabrics, comfortable upholstered chairs and sofas, and framed vintage
prints, and every cabin has a fireplace. Unfortunately, Saddleback Inn
lies close to the main road, and some of the cabins are too near the parking
areas of a convenience store, but back in the grove you'll gain the mountain
feel you're seeking, especially if you request one of the cabins numbered
25 through 28. The Altitude restaurant and a full bar are adjacent to
the lobby of the main building, which also houses 10 guest rooms. $-$$
weekday, $$-$$$$ weekend; AE, DC, DIS, MC, V; checks 10 days in advance;
www.lakearrowhead.com/saddleback; at junction Hwy 189 and Hwy 173 near
Lake Arrowhead Village.
The Carriage House Bed & Breakfast / 2*
472 EMERALD DR, LAKE ARROWHEAD; 909/336-1400
One of the most meticulously maintained B&Bs in Southern California,
this small three-guest-room inn perches on a hillside in a quiet residential
neighborhood in the pines. It also offers an important unseen bonus: the
owners provide their guests with day passes to a Lake Arrowhead
beach club that has the area's only sandy beach for swimming and sun bathing.
(All of the lake shore is privately owned and otherwise hemmed in by docks
and speedboats.) Carriage House encourages guests to enjoy the outdoors
and lake views (mostly glimpses through the trees) from several comfortable
decks and patios under the pines or from a big hammock. The house's complete
remodel was done by owners Johan and Lee Karstens, who live in a separate
house next door. The best room is the Brougham: its king-size bed divides
the space like a mountain range of fine linens, and the claw-footed tub
in a rose-pink and white bathroom sits under a narrow skylight in a slanting
roof for cloud or moon viewing. The other two rooms are equally appealing—one
with a window seat, the other with a small deck facing the lake. Overall,
the decor scheme is country, with a goodly number of stuffed critters
and dolls, but the Carriage House's meticulous order and upkeep keep the
clutter at bay. At breakfast, the coffee is fresh-ground and strong, and
the meal's good enough to keep you going until well after lunch. $-$$;
AE, MC, V; checks OK; www.lakearrowhead.com/carriagehouse; from Lake Arrowhead
Village, drive counterclockwise around the lake 2.2 miles on Hwy 173 to
Emerald Dr and turn right.
Chateau Du Lac Bed and Breakfast / 1*
91 I HOSPITAL RD, LAKE ARROWHEAD; 909/337-6488 OR 800/601-8722
You won't find a more spectacular overlook of Lake Arrowhead than the
one from this inn's huge downstairs common rooms—or from the ultimate
suite, the Lakeview, at the very top of the house. Lakeview may well be
Arrowhead's most romantic place to spend the night, with Jacuzzi tub,
private entrance, fireplace, and balcony overlooking the lake. Almost
the equal of the Lakeview Suite, the Loft Suite lets you sleep under a
steeply peaked and dormer-windowed ceiling; its bathroom with Jacuzzi
tub is particularly spacious. The house's modern architectural style frames
views with tall expanses of glass, but wood-paneled interiors help it
feel warm (exterior upkeep is not immaculate here, but the interiors are
neat and beautifully furnished). Like many inns, Du Lac has been invaded
by teddy bears and dolls, but the house is big enough to keep the cuteness
in check (translation: husbands won't be put off). Innkeepers Jody and
Oscar Wilson serve not only a good breakfast (eggs or quiche, muffins,croissants,
fruit, and so on) but an afternoon tea as well. When the sun cooperates,
they serve breakfast on a deck just off the kitchen, part of which extends
into a hillside gazebo. $$-$$$$; AE, DC, DIS, MC, V;
checks OK; from Lake Arrowhead Village, go 3 miles on Hwy 173 to Hospital
Rd and turn right.
Rose Gables Victorian Bed & Breakfast / 2*
29024 MAMMOTH DR, LAKE ARROWHEAD; 909/336-9892
Leave it to the English to create the most pristine Victorian-themed
inn in Lake Arrowhead. In their "retirement," owners Meryl and
Don Jacks have created a four-room inn from a former single-family house
high on a hilltop overlooking the mountains and desert. Only half of this
duo— Meryl—is truly English, and Don is quick to give her
all the credit for Rose Gables' extraordinary decor of English antiques,
wallpaper, and plenty of creative touches that have guests asking "How'd
you do that?" The walls in the living room, for example, appear to
be papered, but the illusion was created by Meryl with a unique painting
technique. The top
room here is Pearls and Lace, with a step-up king bed, fireplace in both
bedroom and bathroom, big tub, and forest view. All rooms come with his-and-hers
cotton robes. Meryl's cooking is first-rate, and her hors d'oeuvres are
generous enough to make some guests decide to skip dinner in town. Breakfast
centers around her delicious waffles with fresh fruit, or omelets, or
fresh-baked quiche. Menu requests are welcome. The Jacks also have a unique
"return" policy: second-time guests are rewarded with a late-afternoon
cruise aboard the Jacks' "party barge" to
an island where all aboard enjoy an alfresco cocktail party. $$; MC, V;
checks OK; from Hivy 173 on northeast edge of the lake, turn right on
Yosemite Dr, right on Yellowstone Dr, right on Banff Dr, and right on
Mammoth Dr.
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