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Reviews of Bears Lair Inn

2.5 out of 5
Bears Lair Inn
4583 Mountain Road, Stowe, VT

Reviews

6.8
Rating 10 - Excellent. 15 out of 59 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 15 out of 59 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 12 out of 59 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 10 out of 59 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 7 out of 59 reviews" "

7.4/10

Cleanliness

7.4/10

Staff & service

6.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Grounds not kept, check in guy snippy and never looked at me and kept his eyes on his desk in front of him. Website descriptions quite deceiving.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2018
Response from Bill on Aug 8, 2018
Thank you for your review we appreciate it Bill & Carolyn

10/10 Excellent

Kaye

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
I couldn't BEAR the thought of leaving a bad revie
The inn was clean and the owners were very friendly. It's perfect if you just want a clean, simple, comfortable place to stay. There's free wifi, a mini fridge in your room, and a tv downstairs if you need it. The bear decorations are excessive and adorably wholesome. They reminded me of when I used to stay at my grandma's as a kid (I mean that in the best way). Also, breakfast was AWESOME and made to order. Who doesn't love free pancakes and fresh coffee?! Definitely worth the money!
Stayed 1 night in May 2018
Response from Bill on Jun 22, 2018
Thank you so very much for your review. I love that you are creative. Bill and Carolyn

10/10 Excellent

Adventure101, Boston, MA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Enjoyable stay
This was my second stay at Bears Lair Inn. I stayed a few years ago, and when I was planning a trip to come back to Stowe, Bears Lair was my first choice for where to stay. The rooms are well-appointed and comfortable. The owners are welcoming, friendly, and knowledgeable about where to go to and ski conditions at the nearby ski areas. I have a number of dietary restrictions for which I need special, hard to find foods. They were accommodating by cooking up the special foods that I brought that needed to be cooked and by providing me with hot water to make my special instant oatmeal. I could not be happier with our stay.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2018
Response from Bill on Mar 27, 2018
Thank you for your review. It is always nice when we have return guests who are happy, and we try to accommodate dietary needs when possible. Bill & Carolyn

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2018
Response from Bill on Feb 23, 2018
Thank you for your review Bill The Bears Lair Inn

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Ski weekend
Easy checkin, clean room, very close to mountain - convenient stay for 2-day weekend trip to ski at Stratton
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2018
Response from Bill on Feb 23, 2018
Thank you for your review Bill The Bears lair Inn

6/10 Okay

Diana

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2017

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
NOT SO GOOD FOR NEW ENGLAND.
First the dirt drive and parking was muddy with pot holes and somewhat hidden concrete obstruction. Grass was not cut nor was the lawn maintained. Shower and sink did not drain well and the management had a tin ear. Food was good but the cleanliness was not what we would expect in New England. No place to hang clothing. Otherwise the staff was very friendly but a little passive. There was no comfortable seating in the room. The price was reasonable and that might make it so that you could overlook the mud and inside dust.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2017

10/10 Excellent

Laureen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Loved this place!
This is a quaint, clean, family owned business that caters to their customers. If you like comfort, cleanliness, and being treated like you were their only customer this is the place for you. Laid back, relaxing with all the comforts of home without having to lift a finger yourself. And let's not forget you get served an amazing, home cooked breakfast! Only downfall, no hair dryers in the rooms. Not the end of the world!!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2017

10/10 Excellent

Leonid

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Charming B&B very close to the mountains
This place is absolutely charming. We had the best sleep at that B&B during our short trip. We adored our room. It definitely has a character. We enjoyed the full breakfast. We liked the fact that the breakfast tables are shared with other guests, so that you could socialize with them. The location is great as well, Very close to Smugglers Notch and Von Trapp's Lodge - two landmarks not to be missed.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2017

8/10 Good

Donovan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
An older place run nicely. Our breakfast with other guests was fun. Not fancy but fine for simple tastes. No TV in our room a slight minus.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2017

2/10 Terrible

Marvin P

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2017

6/10 Okay

Matthew

Liked: Staff & service
average.
Not bad for a little place. A bit further away from Waterbury than we thought. Very friendly people. Bathroom was not good - everything clogged up as we first arrived.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2017
Matthew Thank you for your review, we are sorry you had issues with the bathroom, unfortunately if housekeeping or the guests don't tell us we can't fix the issue. We hope that we were able to fix that issue for you Carolyn & Bill

8/10 Good

Ryan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2017
Ryan Thank you for your review. We appreciate you staying with us at The Bears Lair Inn Carolyn & Bill

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

different
from the outside it looks different but then again its not a motel it turned out to be a pleasant experience the only issue is no tv in the room
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2017
Response from bear on Sep 4, 2017
Thank you for your review. The site Expedia made for us does not say we have tv's in the rooms, like many small Bed and Breakfasts. If this is important to you, may I suggest you check the amenities before booking, in the future, if it is not listed then it is not available. We are sorry if having a TV in the room was important to you and we do not have one in the room. Carolyn & Bill

10/10 Excellent

paolo, glastonbury, CT

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice inn close to the woods
The inn is like going back to the time No TV in the room . Everything is old style
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2017
Response from Bear on Sep 2, 2017
Thank you for your review. By old I hope you mean reading and spending quality time with the person you are travelling with. As all our rooms have been recently redecorated. Again thank you for your positive review. Carolyn & Bill

10/10 Excellent

Philip H.

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Pleasant Stay!
I enjoyed my stay very much. The host was friendly and served up an excellent home cooked breakfast!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2017
Philip Thank you so very much for your review, it is always nice to get positive reviews. Bill enjoyed speaking with you, I'm sorry I missed the opportunity to meet you as well. Carolyn & Bill

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2017
Thank you for your review

8/10 Good

Thomas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Don't judge by the cover.
From the outside, it's modest to say the least. Looks pretty run down. But inside - it's very quaint, clean, comfortable.The downstairs is like someone's house...which I guess it actually is being a bed and breakfast set up. Nice living room, sitting room. My room was clean, cozy quilted comfort, like a guest room. The WiFI worked. It was quiet even though it was sold out that night. Price was lower than most other hotels in the area, and it was just 2 minutes away from the the busier part of Mountain Road. They serve a nice breakfast off a menu, but I had to hurry so just had some cereal. Friendly people.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2017
Thank you Thomas. We appreciate the fact that you enjoyed your stay with us. We are disappointed you missed the full breakfast. Maybe next time. Thank you so much for staying with us Bill & Carolyn

6/10 Okay

Filomena

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Teddy bear fettish
Building is outdated, beds creaky, & decor is bizarre (1000 stuffed teddy bears). Innkeeper and breakfast server were very friendly, but next time in area, I'd prefer to spend more and be more comfortable.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2017
Thank you for your review. We are sorry you did not enjoy your stay. We are very small and try our best. The bears have been either sent to us after guests arrived back home, or hand delivered by guests. There are about 25 bears all over the inn, not thousands. Who would you like us to insult by taking there bears out of the Inn. We have received the bears from all over the world, the last one was sent all the way from Israel by guests when they returned home. Please let us know whose bears we should remove from the inn and insult the guests who sent them to us. Bill & Carolyn

4/10 Poor

BMW, Maryland

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Bait and switch lodging
If are staying in Stowe, VT, save your money and don't stay at this place. It was absolutely filthy (cobwebs hanging in the shower, layers of dust on the dishes). There is no hot tub. The driveway and parking lot has serious ruts. The best thing was the breakfast but even the eggs had shells in them. Save yourself the exasperation and don't stay here.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2017

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The property needs to be attended to and the inside is too clutter to move around in. The room was comfortable and clean but very dark with what lighting was in it. The owners were not available when quest showed up and were made to feel like it was an inconvenience that you did.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2017
We are sorry to hear you were not happy with your stay. Unfortunately you booked late and even though you just wanted 1 bed all we had available was a room with 2 beds. At check in you only had to wait 2 minutes as Bill was on the phone with another guest who called before your arrival. I have had to wait as much us an hour in line in large hotels to check in so we do not feel 2 minutes is excessive. Again we do apologize for any inconvenience you feel you had. Carolyn & Bill

10/10 Excellent

Ilse, Maine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Friendly, Warm, and Welcoming
We were very pleased with our stay. The owners were very helpful and friendly. Our room was clean and comfortable. We needed to leave early the following morning and they put out a cold breakfast for us even before the regular meal was to be served. We would definitely visit again.
Response from Carolyn & Bill on Jun 29, 2017
llse thank you so very much for your positive review. We were sorry we could not cook the full breakfast for you, but are happy you were satisfied with our efforts on your behalf

10/10 Excellent

Benjamin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
All the charm of a bed and breakfast
close to the ski slopes, quiet and clean. proprietors are friendly and the most helpful hosts I've ever had.
Response from General Manager on Mar 5, 2017
Thank you so very much for your review. We really appreciate positive feedback Bill

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Response from General Manager on Jan 27, 2017
Thank you so very much for your review. It is so very nice to have positive reviews. Bill, Trevor and Carolyn

10/10 Excellent

Boonnam

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice and clean with excellent services
This inn is great! Very quiet and peaceful. The room was super clean. The services were excellent. Only bad part is no WiFi.

8/10 Good

Barbara

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Our stay was comfortable. The room is cleanness. The breakfast was good!

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The "former owner" welcomed us to the Inn. The facility is old but still pleasant. Large room. Refrigerator in the open area. The breakfast was amazing and good, with several cooked choices. Good location on the Mountain Road. It was a Sunday morning and the beautiful historic white non-denominational church was just a few minutes away in Stowe. We really enjoyed attending the service. We were welcomed by the very friendly people of Stowe, Vermont!

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
Response from General Manager on Oct 7, 2016
Thank you for staying with us and for your review. We appreciate positive reviews Carolyn & Bill The Bears Lair Inn

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Loke9
Like Bates motel no handicaps no phones no micro no fridge no tv dim lights mud parking lot not worth more than 40 dollars shabby ,musty depressing never would have stayed if expedia info was complete never will use expedia again buyers and users beware!

6/10 Okay

Dawn, Melbourne

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Cute, but would not go back
Quaint but in bad need of paint and repair. Nice family feel was welcoming

2/10 Terrible

Pam, MD

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A Horrible Motel
We couldn't even stay there! The rooms we were shown were dark, dirty and moldy. The musty smell was unbearable and stayed on my friend's clothes even after we drove away. We are going to demand our money back. Expedia should inspect the properties it lists. I rate the place "0."

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Avoid at all costs
Disappointing experience. Management issues. I will never book a reservation here again.

4/10 Poor

Andrew

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Bears in Stowe
We could only stay one night, so really could not give a adequate rating. Decor was great, room was comfotable, and breakfast was great. Attendant had a good sense of humor .

8/10 Good

John, Monterey, VA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Waiting for a moose or bear
My first stay at an Inn so I have nothing to compare my stay. It was very quiet maybe because I was the only guest. It was the off season. The room was very clean. I was told what time breakfast was served and I explained I'd be gone before, so they left a cold breakfast for me, which was very good. Upon arrival the owner told me about a local attraction he thought I'd enjoy. I went that afternoon and arrive back at the Inn at dusk. Set outside listening to the nearby brook and was hoping to see a moose. In the morning however I did see a groundhog and two chipmunks. Maybe next time?

10/10 Excellent

Trystan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

eva, Sudbury Massachusettts

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Sweet location and large room
I have not been to Stowe in several years. I picked the Bears Lair Inn because of the awesome and delicious breakfast and the large clean room. The location is perfect next to the Matterhorn Bar for the Apres Bar Skiing and the restaurants nearby. I highly recommend this place.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
We enjoyed our stay.
We enjoyed our stay. We loved the choices for a full breakfast. the room was clean and comfortable. The hotel is near Mr. Mansfield so we were able to get to the mountain early!

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Great location, spruce up needed
Very close to Stowe ski area - so that's a big plus. But the overall appearance did not match photos online. Everything (including the voluminous numbers of stuffed bears in every corner) seemed a little worn and there were a few repairs that need doing in the room, including faucet that didn't drain directly into drain but spurted onto my clothes. There is also an unpleasant smell in the lobby and dining area, possibly related to the kitchen (our bedroom smelled fine). At breakfast, the smell put a damper on my appetite, despite the nice looking breakfast. Overall, decent prices and one of the best locations (only 5 min. drive to the mountain). But some sprucing up would make the place appear (and smell) fresher.

8/10 Good

Lorraine, Nashua NH

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Stowe was the destination!
Bicycling and dining did not disappoint. The Inn is dated but very comfortable. It was also clean. Breakfast offered a selection and was prepared hot upon serving. Bill, the hotelier, was only a phone call away and we exchanged pleasantries. We did miss not having the hot tub after hours of cycling. Dang! Location for us was perfect, close to all the attractions yet far enough away from the hubbub. Not sure what the weekend would have been like but that is another trip.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Cheap hotel in area
Was alright for the area considering it was affordable.

6/10 Okay

Misled, New England

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Overpriced. When I booked, the room was advertised as the only one left. In fact, I was the only guest. All other rooms were unsold.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Very Close to Stowe Mt
Good place to stay if you want to be close to Stowe Mt. It's just a few miles down the road from Mt. Mansfield. Very simple, older but clean B&B. No frills, No TV in rooms, No Wi-Fi. Breakfast was from 8-9:30am and was delicious.

10/10 Excellent

Nathan, NYC

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great clean place right next to Stowe Mountain
We were lucky enough to find a room available here while planning a very last-minute President's Day weekend trip. Based on some of the other reviews here, we didn't know what to expect. Once we arrived though, we quickly became glad we found this place. It may be "showing its age" a bit, but our room and all common areas were *immaculately* clean. Delicious filling breakfast was included. We stayed in the basic room (not a suite) and it was plenty comfortable. Staff were nice and helpful. Did I mention it's 1.2 miles from the Toll House chairlift? I will definitely stay here next time I want to ski at Stowe.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Nice place to stay close to everything
Great breakfast, friendly and helpful staff, comfy bed and close to everything. What else could you ask for?

6/10 Okay

Terry, Southern Vermont

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
rooms clean, comfortable, great breakfast, rate hi

2/10 Terrible

T D, Denton, TX

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service
Bad News Bear's Lair
If you are the type of person who likes bad surprises at 10:30pm this is the bed and breakfast for you. After spending a comfortable first night of a pre paid two night stay we arrived back to our room after spending the day at Shelburne Farms and enjoying 9pm dinner reservations. Bill saw us go up to our room hoping that we were not the people whose room he had resold since we had taken our belongings with us in preparation for hiking, boating and dinner. I was not aware that one was required to leave ones belongings in a pre paid room. We did not check out. We had pre paid for the room. Upon coming back downstairs Bills' comments were not of apology but "You have to make money when you can in this business." and "You took all of your belongings (I actually had left a few toiletry items in the bathroom that he bragged about throwing away.) How was I supposed to know you were coming back." "I don't HAVE to do anything for you" When he did find us another room an hour later he shook the envelope that held the $ to pay for it in his hand and said "I don't want to hear about this again!" What I do know is that he felt zero responsibility about finding us another room on the busiest weekend in Stowe VT. He had absolutely zero remorse for what he did and he will do it again if the opportunity arises.

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Worn out.
Old, musty, need if simple repairs and routine upkeep.