Bear Mountain Lodge

Bear Mountain Lodge is the perfect way to round out a road trip through southern New Mexico or Arizona. The expansive property is scenic, tranquil, and "just remote enough" (town is only a short drive, but the lodge offers all you'll need to relax and feel a million miles away from it all). Our casita was spacious, well-appointed, and had an excellent sunset vantage, and the lodge itself is a delight, with for-sale local art featured in every room. It was a treat to enjoy breakfast and dinner on the shaded patio, and we spent the hours in between ambling around the property, including to the corral and along the nature trails (some dotted with art installations as well). You'll feel at home the minute you land and meet the gracious hosts and staff -- a stay at Bear Mountain Lodge is a true delight!

We enjoyed a really relaxing stay at Bear Mountain Lodge. Away from the busy part of Silver City, Bear Mountain Lodge was the perfect place to relax and unwind. Not only are the rooms spacious and comfortable, the whole lodge is decorated with original art from local artists. The walls are covered with paintings, weavings and multi-media artwork. Very friendly hosts!

As far as Bed and Breakfasts go this is a good one! The food is top notch - like the shining star of the experience. The servers are really nice people - friendly, kind, and hardworking - their attitude adds to the relaxed feeling and ambiance. I felt like I could just sit and eat and enjoy slowly which was delightful. There was continuous coffee, tea, and cookies available which was fun and delicious! Beautiful scenery and it's fascinating that it's not more than 10 minutes from town - you really are in the quiet of the country but within a few minutes you are back in town. We saw deer from the dining room. There were hiking trails that on a revisit I would check out. Some temperature issues at times where I felt like I was too hot in my room. At night my bed was really really warm - like the mattress felt like I was sleeping on a heating pad. Perhaps a box fan in the room would help. My other personal preference- there is lots of original artwork everywhere that has artist information and prices - which is super cool. However, my complaint is totally personal preference - I am not a huge fan of the mystic side of New Mexican artisans - I don't want to be judged so I wouldn't elaborate - I would prefer that to not be in the room I sleep. I should balance that by saying some of the artwork was so beautiful I literally considered a purchase. It was a good experience - I do recommend.

Full disclosure, was not a lodging guest. I visited the restaurant for the Christmas Day dinner.And it was SUPERB!!!Everything was wonderful. The servers were friendly, helpful, knowledgeable. They make you feel so welcome and just like family. The ambiance is warm and cozy. And the food was amazing.It is not exaggeration to say that its one of the best meals that I've ever had.On your visit to Silver City, make a point to at least visit the cafe when its open to the public. I know that on my next visit to Silver City, I am going not just eat there, I'm going to stay there!

We chose to stay in the Wren's Nest, a room not connected to any other. There is no WiFi in this room, which we knew from the get go, but it is available in their lobby. Also, no kitchen (not even a mini refrigerator or microwave), which we also figured out in advance. You should come up with your own creative options there (snacks, cooler--ice available in their kitchen, etc.) What you DO get is a gourmet breakfast fit for queens... every morning we had coffee, OJ, fresh fruit with yogurt and homemade granola, AND a main dish that varies every day. We've had a green chili omelette, potato pancakes, blueberry corn pancakes, zucchini pancakes, thick cut bacon, sausage... usually so much food that we didn't need to worry about lunch. We had dinner there one evening and felt like the most special guests. (You need to request this 24 hours in advance.) We also ordered a bottle of wine with dinner which we were allowed to finish later at our convenience, anywhere on their property. Oh, and I mentioned that I can't eat bell peppers once and they acknowledged and accommodated that every single meal, without my having to bring it up. Every single interaction with staff was incredible. All were friendly and eager to please. We felt like welcome guests. We loved walking around the grounds--so much art (inside, as well) and beauty. It is obvious that they take pride in their surroundings. They have a labyrinth nearby, which we used a few times. We took the Old Windmill Trail behind the lodge one day, and found it to be a bit longer than the 1.7 miles and struggled due to heat, humidity and altitude. (NOT because we were out of shape or anything, lol!) It was beautiful and worth it, but bring extra water just in case. You get to see the Million Bones project installation, as well as some beautiful vistas and a "contemplation point". We ventured into downtown Silver City (very short drive) on occasion and found it to be charming, but perhaps a bit floundering. Lots of lovely art for sale, and other random shops. Mostly we enjoyed the tranquility and permission to rest and relax as we took in the pleasant surroundings. We also took in many naps, as this was just the kind of place to let go and to just be in.

Silver City was a stop we planned for a road trip through the southwest. We chose this stop because of its proximity to many beautiful outdoor areas including the Gila Cliff Dwellings. Bear Mountain Lodge popped up in initial online searches for lodging and I read many positive reviews.Why I chose this accommodation: *looked like it was in a quiet area with beautiful surroundings*reviews noted cleanliness*breakfast included (which other reviews mentioned as stellar)What I thought stood out after my 2 night stay:*reviews were right! clean, beautiful property and AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS breakfast*we booked reservations 24 hours in advanced to eat dinner at the lodge. Also very yummy and I highly recommend. The desert was my favorite food item of the entire road trip (tres leches cake).*the property has fantastic bird watching (four types of jays and many more)*lodge is very cozy, staff will start up a warm fire in the common area for you*plenty and games and books available if you want to do something indoors (we played Scrabble both nights next to a roaring fire - romantic)*little details that go the extra mile like free lip balm in your roam for the dry weather and extra hats and umbrellas if you need for a hike*the art gallery has many beautiful items by local artisans. I purchased a pair of earrings and note cards.*self serve coffee, tea and cookies available all day in the dining area*our room and private bathroom were spacious and quiet.*livestock on the property. I love horses and getting to pet them and be around them brightened my day. We really enjoyed our stay. The owners and staff are friendly and accommodating. Booking was easy over the phone. Would stay again.

I don't know how you could improve on the Bear Mountain Lodge. I guess you could outfit the beds with 1500-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets or something, but it would be a mistake. No reason to mess with a small, quiet, warm, beautiful inn.The BML is managed by the owners, one of whom lives on-site. Owner Jeff is the perfect host and innkeeper. Owner John is a Jack of All Trades, a fun personality who pops up at random.We stayed in a room in Maya's Retreat, which has four guest rooms that open onto a comfortable common living room. In the evenings we would wander over to the main room of the lodge and enjoy a toddy in front of the fire. Our room was large, as was our well-appointed bath.We visited over Christmas and had the opportunity to enjoy the lodge's Christmas Eve Dinner (fabulous posole) and Christmas Day Supper (stuffed pork tenderloin). Breakfasts every day began with fruit, yogurt and granola, followed by a main dish that might be waffles, a quiche or a frittata, offered with bacon or sausage. Generally, the food is not gourmet-grade; it is extra-good, solid, creative, appetizing fare, prepared expertly and presented well. Meals tend to favor local ingredients and traditions. There is always a vegetarian option. The posole was the exception to the good-but-not-oh-my-God standard: prepared from dried posole/hominy (not canned), it was absolutely interplanetary.The staff is excellent, attentive and caring. The lodge is immaculate, beautifully designed and impeccably appointed. The entire property is one big art gallery, from the lobby to the dining room to guest rooms. We came away with some block-print napkins, two small paintings and a very odd terra cotta skull for Day of the Dead.The room prices are absurd. They are at least $40 low, prompting me to do something that I have never done before: I urged Jeff to raise the rates. Right after I checked out.If you want to complain about something, try this. The lodge does not have a bar, a swimming pool, tennis courts, a zip-line, a spa, or Wayne Newton singing in the lounge. It does not have televisions or phones (yay!), though it does have okay wi-fi. It is a place to stay while you enjoy all of the outdoor wonders that New Mexico has to offer. It is a comfortable, charming retreat.When we left, we gave Jeff big hugs and thanked him for his gracious hospitality.

We made a reservation 6 months in Advance for our 20th wedding anniversary. We asked for A Beef Rib Eye of Filet Mignon on the menu. We were assured all was good, including wedding cake and champagne.We called a couple of days before our anniversary dinner & all promises were out the window...serving Salmon which I already told her I was allergic to Salmon. So how rude mean and unprofessional after all the customers, meetings and dinners we had there when I was the Chamber of Commerce Director for 6 years. We went to Albertsons, bought a whole tenderloin from Angel, got our strawberries and Champagne there too. I'll never ever understand some business owners who play that Queen of Mean Card. Our kids spent a week there, as a gift from us....before we were treated so badly. So how mean. Don't trust her...to keep her word on your special occasion

My wife and I have stayed at Bear Mountain Lodge a handful of times and always enjoyed the ambiance and pastoral setting and meals. It is some of the most expensive lodging in the area and typically worth it. Not this time, unfortunately. We found the maintenance to be slipping. We were moved from our booked room to another room (a cabin) because of a leaking bathroom sink. The Wren's Nest is spacious and comfortable, but the heater was not working. Fortunately, a small stove kept us warm enough. The toilet seat in the bathroom was loose as was the sink faucet. At this price point, you don't expect that. We had dinner reservations for the 6:30 seating and showed on time. There were few others in the restaurant. The service was okay, but the pork loin and chicken dinners were subpar and looked like we were getting the last of the food. They were down to only one chocolate dessert with the lemon dessert a sad substitute. Breakfast the next morning wasn't much better. When we checked out, we were not asked how we enjoyed the stay or if we enjoyed our meals. When I emailed the owner several days later about our disappointing experience, we got no response. Not very hospitable. I certainly hope this was just an "off" weekend and Bear Mountain Lodge will regain its footing. For the cost of the accommodations and meals, one expects and deserves more.

Think of the restaurant, Cafe Oso Azul, when planning holiday meals. It offers take out and splendid menus. Our Thanksgiving meal was extraordinary, convenient and reasonably priced. Website has menus for Christmas and Christmas eve. And look for New Year's offerings. Maybe we will be able to dine in by then. Even more special in the lovely atmosphere of the dining room--