Stephanie Posada

We had such a nice family getaway here at Bear Mountain. The grounds, being in the Bear Mountain State Park, have so many activities for all to enjoy. We walked about five miles a day on the beautiful trails around the lake, into the zoo, to the carousel etc. Great view of mountain and lake. Pedal Boat rentals were a family favorite. This location was so easy to get to from NYC. We will be back.

Abiola Isaacs

I stayed in many places around the world. But Bear Mountain Inn is by far one of best places I have stayed in. Everything was exceptional. I attended a training conference with several of my colleagues. The Staff is friendly and professional.The Room is nice ,spacious ,clean and the Bed is comfortable. Its over looking a lake. Lots of activities for the entire family with a beautiful pool. Will definitely be coming back with my family.

Beneath the BearMountain Inn, across RT 9W, is the CSX freightline. We were up close and personal with a 350 car train going 55 mph. Each car makes its own unique sound. STOP, LOOK and LISTEN!

smidge

The main inn itself is pretty nice. Cafe, gift shop, rooftop bar, restaurant and spa. The cafe was okay, basically expensive cafeteria food but got the job done. The 1915 restaurant was much nicer. The spa was the best part, everyone was so professional and kind and the massages were incredible. Overall it’s a pretty cool place, however the booking failed to explain the difference between the stone cottages vs other areas. We booked a stone cottage thinking we’d have the whole cottage to ourselves but it’s a cramped building with 6ish guest rooms and a shared living area with very thin walls and the cottages are separated from the main inn, it was really inconvenient having to drive back to the main inn every single time. Kinda defeats the purpose. If you’re looking to come here, I think the only way for a seamless enjoyable stay is to make sure you book a room IN the bear mountain inn, NOT the stone cottages or overlook lodge. The zoo was a cool idea but all the animals either “on winter vacation”, sleeping or not there, or the exhibit was under construction. Walked in the cold for an hour only to see a bobcat. :( Bring some bears back!!

+3

Lisa Sela

Ate at the restaurant for the tea 🍵 lunch it was the 3rd one I've done. The scones were excellent, finger sandwiches okay, dessert not that great. We also ordered the quiche to share that was excellent. Our waitress was great and was the only one working as it was lunch time she did a great job.!

+1

Jodi C

We stayed in the Overlook Lodge because it was pet friendly. The grounds are beautiful and there are many hiking options. The walkway all around Hessian Lake was wonderful and the Zoo was fun. We had a great stay with our Golden Retriever although $60 a day is a bit steep. We would definitely stay here again though!

With the location and ambiance this venue has, you would hope the food and service would be comensurate, but alas, you would be mistaken. The food was passable but the attentiveness of the wait staff is lacking. Anything we asked for, had to be requested 3 or 4 times. Water, ketchup, tartar sauce, second cocktails all were requested multiple times. The staff was focused on turning the dining room from lunch to dinner service, but out of the 20 or so tables in the restaurant, only 4 were occupied.

Came here for afternoon tea. The atmosphere is great and the service as well. I have been to better places for afternoon tea in terms of variety and size of the bite size sandwiches. It’s nice for the area. We enjoyed a nice walk around the lake afterwards.

As a NYC foodie, the food at this restaurant was underwhelming. My partner and I attended breakfast and dinner service. Breakfast service was a disaster because they were understaffed and mismanaged. The sole waiter was really given a run for his money and he did fairly well. Breakfast itself was not great (pictures not shown). The home fries could have been crispier, the egg portions could have been smaller and the bagel should've been sourced from a better bagel place. We had the All American and the cream cheese and smoked salmon on a bagel breakfasts. Dinner service was better but again the food could have been improved. The beet salad had more grapefruit than beets although the goat cheese was satisfyingly smooth. The pistachios and grapefruit felt out of place in the salad. The Báhn Mì Burger was cooked well instead of medium well. The burger sandwich lacked a bit of flavour. The vegetables in the Báhn Mì were not pickled and needed some extra acidity to make it an enjoyable burger. Service was sub par as the burger was cooked well instead medium well and the waitress sent out the wrong beer. I had expected a crispy set of fries and was disappointed. I understand that the restaurant has a small monopoly in the area but they are expected to provide the best for their guests.

The staff was wonderful, the Inn is beautiful, the scones were delicious but the sandwiches very disappointing. They all tasted like just bread. Not much filling. There was 5 of us and we thoroughly enjoyed spending time together.

Gary Dangelo

Quick much needed weekend getaway to bear mountain. Area was beautiful. But would not recommend staying at the Bear Mountain Inn Lodges. You hear everything from all the rooms, and i mean everything but worse then that is you can’t control the heat in your own room and it must have been 95 or 100. Instant sweating as soon as you walked in. I love my saunas but this was worse.

Jay B

I paid 10.00 cash to park my car to attend a wedding. A gentleman asked my wife because he was curious and he agreed it was insane to pay. Outside of that, great service and it’s a beautiful place . Food was good and kid friendly. We didn’t stay over .

Abby Fox

Nice place for a weekend getaway but wish there were better food options. Hikers Cafe is very basic and we waited 30+ mins for a pretzel that ended up being burnt. Then waited almost 2 hours for food at Restaurant 1915 and then left and ordered pizza delivery instead. Brunch was fine but overpriced. If the food places onsite were better, we would’ve had a much better overall stay.

Service and waiters were great and very friendly but the food? Mediocre at best and not worth $40 (you read that right) for a buffet. I, unfortunately, originally assumed it was $20, which I thought pricey but when we got the bill it was a total shock. The offerings were more like the meager continental breakfasts offered at your local Holiday Inn (which are usually complementary, right?) with a few more “German” sausages and packaged sauerkraut.

What a lovely location and building but seriously let down by the management and service. I booked via Open Table for 7pm, we love that you accept this service. I waited for 12 minutes at the Host Stand after asking twice to be seated to be told that only the host could seat us. When she did and I complained about the wait she said that she was short on staff. The dining room is beautiful and centered around a huge fire place, but, no fire. Why? Because she had no wood. Clearly we are in a State Park and so wood comes from a sustainable source but seriously, how embarrassing. Megan our server was great, prompt and food was lovely. She was very embarrassed about the fire place. Your family bathroom should be closed until you complete the construction work in there. Halfway through our meal Megan came to ask us what we would like for dessert as the kitchen was closing. Wow, it couldn’t wait until we were done? Not Megan’s fault but clearly not great service. Overall, we won’t go back or recommend it, clearly the management of this restaurant have not dined in it for some time and are letting bad practice go on.

Atmosphere and decor were great but that was the highlight of the night as it seemed everyone who worked there seemed like they never worked at a restaurant before and today was their first day. They said they were understaffed but there were 5 waitresses for maybe 10 occupied tables. Reservation or not seems like everyone had to wait at least 10 minutes to be seated even though there were 20 empty tables. Had to ask multiple times to receive drinks and silverware. Food was mediocre for the price of the meal. Heard 4 people ask for wood to be added to the fire since it’s February and the air conditioning was on, however although the waitresses and what seemed to be the manager said “Sure no problem” no one even went near the fire place in the 90 mins we were there. 7pm dinner on a holiday weekend and 40 mins into our dinner they informed us they ran out of mashed potatoes, which was the side for multiple dishes as well as the special. The only person who seemed to actually be aware that there were issues was the teenage bus boy who was constantly apologizing to all the tables for the food taking so long and just trying his best. The whole experience was comical, we seemed to have the best service in the restaurant and might’ve been the only table not to send items back. It was an unintentional dinner and a show.

My party ordered two burgers: one medium rare and one medium doneness. We placed our order at 4 pm when they had just started serving dinner. It took an hour for us to receive the burgers which were well done and not great. We pointed this out to our server who agreed that they were quite well done. We were told we would have to wait another twenty minutes if we wanted another burger. We were not compensated in anyway for the error by the kitchen. After hiking on the mountain, we were looking forward to our dinner and were sorely disappointed.

Abby

The area surrounding the Inn is great. It’s absolutely beautiful and would be great for hiking. However the Inn itself (we stayed in a lodge queen room) was horrible for the price we paid. The room was tiny, especially the bathroom. You couldn’t open the door all the way because it would hit the sink and my husband (6ft 2in tall) had a hard time. His knees hit the wall when using the toilet. The room was clean but beat up. Do not eat at 19/15 restaurant. The service was horrible as was the food. A couple who ordered before us never got their food after 2 hours. We told them it was for the better because the food was lukewarm and tasteless. If you like risking food poisoning, spending a lot of money, and wasting time, you’ll love the restaurant. I do not suggest this Inn or restaurant. I’d fine somewhere else to stay.

Rude employees and terrible management. Was told the wait would be 15 to 20 minutes, even though the dining room was mostly empty! There were easily 15 empty tables the three of us could have sat at! We waited 40 mins and gave up. The excuse was that there weren't enough waiters, well I'd been hiking all morning, I was hungry and thirsty and I promise you I would have rather sat at a table waiting for a waiter then pacing around the hall! it's memorial day weekend did they expect it to be empty? How incompetent are the people who run this place? The Cafe on the first floor was good.

When you see beautiful building, you expect to see something special inside. But what we saw today in restaurant just very poor service. 1) They don’t provide you with password to wi-fi. ( Because it’s only for guests who live there). 2) When you order tea, you expect to have regular tea cup.( but they give you a cup which is for espresso. 3) They don’t provide you with forks and no napkins at all. 4) And also when you go to restrooms, you will not see there toilet paper and hand towels. I don’t recommend this place.

+2

Appetizers, salad, soup and entrees all served together. I did not think I should have to ask to be served my appetizer first then my salad and last my entree in such a high caliber advertised restaurant with a repeatable chef. Manager said for us to enjoy the meal and he would take care of our bill. We wanted the entrees returned and cooked fresh but since he said he would take care of our tab and he owned it we agreed. We got the bill he only took off the one appetizer. Very disappointed to say the least. Very unprofessional establishment.

They ran out of Steak and Srimp before we even got seated the waitress ignored us and we had to get and go over to her and asked for sevice a still wait a long time. I do not recommend this place for anyone looking to have a good mother's day meal. They included a $71.00 tip for her sevice bull.

Here now for breakfast with Santa. I had fairly low expectations but couldn’t imagine it would be this bad. First ‘greeting’ was the masks are required. Ok, I guess I missed this sign and don’t have an issue with it, but a ‘good morning’ first would’ve gone a long way. Egg bites were pucks with no flavor. Quiche was raw as was bacon. Had to search for waitstaff to take our drink order. After 15 min waiting in line, they were out of French toast. I should’ve known. Never again. If you want to spend $150 for five people to see Santa, come here. Otherwise, try your local fire department breakfast with Santa. I guarantee it will be better than this.

The Bear Mountain Cafe was rustic and charming. Unfortunately the food was awful. We sat outside on the upper level and had a lovely view of the lake. We were a party of three and we all ordered salads which were so skimpy and dry. They barely put any dressing on the salads and they were mainly all lettuce with hardly anything else. It looked like just a half a cup of mixed greens. We also ordered vegetable flatbread which was totally tasteless. I wish the food had matched the lovely setting.

This review is for the cafe shop that sells cafe, finger food and prepackaged salads. Paid $9 for some Romain greens and veggies. Packaging says ‘blue cheese and hard boiled eggs’, none of those were in the salad. When I asked the cashier for help, she said she can’t do anything because she is closing and turned her back.

The price did not bother me until I received my food. What we received was not worth half of what we paid. I ordered the open face steak sandwich and it was cold. Perhaps it was supposed to come cold, but it was quite surprising. Also, the bread was so hard I couldn't saw my way through it. I understand that the bread should be a bit crispy so it doesn't turn to mush, but it was way too hard. Like I said, I couldn't cut through it. It was rock solid even with the au jus. My husband had the angus beef burger, which was more like a school cafeteria patty on a white Ball Park bun. The fries were good, but overall the meal was surprisingly bad. We ordered the cheese and charcuterie board because we were still hungry after our meals. I wish we just ordered that without the burger or sandwich. I would recommend just stopping here for drinks and the cheese board. The bartender was friendly. I wouldn't come back here to eat.

Karen Templeton

It appeared there were very few guests in the Lodge based on 5 cars in the parking lot. We arrived a little after 8:30 and heard doors slamming until almost midnight that made our stay extremely stressful. When this information was provided to the front desk clerk, his only response was "sorry about that". The room was very clean however the king mattress was hard and the only chair in the room was uncomfortable. If you are seeking a restful, comfortable place to stay I would suggest looking elsewhere.

-o- -o-

I booked a one-night stay at Bear Mountain Inn near Highland Falls, and the entire experience was a complete disaster from start to finish. The check-in process looks slick online, but it’s incredibly intrusive — they collect your email, credit card, and even take a photo of your driver’s license — yet they never send any confirmation email, check-in instructions, or even the address of where you’re actually supposed to go. When I arrived, Apple Maps took me to the entrance of some lodges that were dark, unmarked, and completely deserted. There was no lighting, no signage, and not a single staff member around to guide guests. A small sign pointed straight ahead, so I followed it — only to find myself literally driving through the middle of a nature reserve with Hessian Lake on my left. The area was pitch dark, narrow, and unnerving. It felt like I had completely missed civilization. After realizing something was very wrong, I turned around and got back on Route 202, thinking that might lead me to the main reception. Still nothing. I finally called the hotel and was placed on hold for nearly ten minutes before someone picked up and gave me directions. When I finally reached the main lodge, I was told that my room wasn’t even there — it was back at the first location I had tried to check in at! So I had to reload all my luggage and drive back in the dark to the original building. The room itself was small but fine, but the experience didn’t improve. There was no coffee in the room, no common area with any refreshments, and no nearby coffee shop or breakfast option within walking distance. To get a simple cup of coffee, you have to drive all the way back to the reception building. Absolutely ridiculous!. When morning came, I just wanted to leave. There were no checkout instructions anywhere — no note, no signage, nothing on the door or key card. I called the front desk again, waited on hold for fifteen minutes, and finally gave up. I just left. For a place that markets itself as a peaceful mountain retreat, the Bear Mountain Inn offered one of the most frustrating and poorly organized hotel experiences I’ve ever had. Between the lack of communication, confusing layout, nonexistent signage, and total absence of basic hospitality, I can confidently say I will never return — and I’d strongly caution anyone considering staying here to think twice.

Danielle

I had my wedding here recently. The wedding itself was perfect — but the venue was not. Everything felt disorganized, and we were treated more like we were on a conveyor belt than a couple on our wedding day. From the start, I was told there was no bridal suite, which I appreciated being upfront about, but I was also told they’d try to get me in by 1 PM, so I booked a room for the night before. After that, I heard nothing and ended up paying for both late check-out and early check-in. It was a huge headache, and the accommodations that were promised never materialized. We had our rehearsal dinner at the venue. Two months out, we confirmed the date and time with no issue. Four days before, we were told there were too many events that day and the chef would be “overwhelmed,” suggesting we move the time or find another place. With such short notice, we pushed the time back. Even then, we waited nearly three hours to be served, and when the food arrived, the steaks were so tough that guests couldn’t cut them. One guest was completely forgotten and only served after she asked — they said they “miscounted.” We were also told a staff member would save us some cocktail hour food while we took photos and could escort us to the carousel for pictures if it was locked. Neither happened. We never saw a bite of our cocktail hour food, were told the carousel was locked and unavailable, and the staff member who promised all this was nowhere to be found. During the reception, I was approached about issues that were specifically assigned to my bridesmaids — something a professional venue should know not to do. Multiple guests also commented that the steaks at the reception were just as tough as at the rehearsal dinner, though the other dishes were good. At the end of the night, less than five minutes after the reception ended, while we were still saying goodbye to guests, a staff member named Ruth approached me and said, “This needs to be cleaned up right away. We have an event tomorrow.” I was never told cleanup was our responsibility, and I have no idea why this was brought to me. When I pointed that out, Ruth said, “I don’t know who your bridesmaids are.” Guests wore black, bridesmaids wore red — it couldn’t have been clearer. Because of this unnecessary rush, my family, bridal party, several guests, and even my husband and I had to help clean up, causing us to miss a significant portion of the after-party we paid for. Ironically, when we stopped by around 1 PM the next day, the reception room was empty, with some of our decorations still out and no event in sight. The next morning, when we asked for our cake, staff first said they couldn’t find it, then later claimed it had all been served. We don’t believe that and suspect it was thrown out. Any experienced venue should know that the top tier of the cake is traditionally saved for the couple’s first anniversary. Instead, we were told to “go to the bakery and buy more.” After our honeymoon, we found we’d been given only two small slices, which had spoiled while we were away. Because we were rushed out, we hadn’t realized we even had them — and clearly, neither did the venue. Even setup was an issue. We were told a specific spot for the photo booth, then the venue pushed for a different location. When our coordinator requested the original spot, staff claimed I had asked for the change — which was completely untrue. Ultimately, the venue is beautiful, but that’s the only positive thing I can say. Thankfully, our incredible vendors, bridal party, family, friends, and, of course, marrying my husband made the day perfect in spite of the venue. To future brides and grooms: please look elsewhere. Your wedding should be joyful and stress-free. This venue only adds stress. It’s not worth it.

Caryn Tinelli

The Personnel at this hotel probably has the WORST manners I have ever witnessed in Hospitality. I’ve been going to this hotel for 30 years and simply needed the Restroom. They yelled at me in an inappropriate tone and pointed towards the carousel across the meadow. If they only want hotel guests to use the facilities, explain the situation in a respectful, more hospitable tone. My friends, family and my husband chose Mohonk Mt. Same money, nicer more professional staff. Plus, there is much more to do there than just hiking. I won’t be hiking there anymore either! I’m So Disgusted with the Way We Were Treated!!!!!!