European Elegance at Big Bear Prices

A press clipping from the hotel’s history archive — originally published in the Inland Empire Business Journal, “Restaurant Row” column, February 1992.

Before it was Chateau Big Bear Boutique Hotel, this hotel was known as the Big Bear Inn — and in February 1992, the Inland Empire Business Journal’s “Restaurant Row” column paid it a visit. The full text of that original review is preserved below.

This column is written for the business person who finds travel a necessity, as well as for those who believe that eating a fine meal with a very pleasant wine is a reward of travel and even life.

Each month we shall comment on different restaurants in the various cities that, I believe, are most often visited by business persons from the Inland Empire. These restaurants are chosen strictly on merit. All restaurants were personally visited. I plan to offer you brief surveys, in lieu of long reviews.

When one thinks of Big Bear, it is usually the rustic cabins, great ski slopes, or the quaint little gift shops that first pop into your mind; however, a stay at the Big Bear Inn will surely give you a new perspective of this lovely resort!

Located just below Bear Mountain Ski Lodge, and a snowball throw away from Snow Summit, the Big Bear Inn has established itself as the European Centre of California.

What sets this European Chateau apart from other first-class hotels are the rich European furnishings and appointments that adorn the entire hotel.

As you enter the Grand Foyer, you are greeted by original 17th and 18th Century etchings, along with two magnificent Satsuma vases from Japan that frame the massive fireplace. Behind the receptionist are Byzantine icons, which constitute one of the largest collections of Greek Orthodox and Russian religious icons and paintings outside of Greece. If those priceless antiques are not enough to wow you, a Renoir etching hangs nearby.

As impressive as the lobby is, the 75 guest rooms and three suites are fit for a King! All of the rooms are decorated with antique furnishings, brocades, gas-burning fireplaces, marble bathroom counters and floors, and even towel warmers in the bathrooms.

Although all of the rooms are special, it’s the 17 specialty themed rooms that really gives this inn that special ambiance.

Each distinctively unique, the rooms range in elegance from the “Don Giovanni Room” (which is richly decorated with tapestries and silks from Seville, Venetian antiques, and a room full of treasures which depict a Victoriana interpretation of Don Juan’s female conquests), to the charming “Contessa Room” which is dedicated to the Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and is a recreation of the stage set of Zaffirelli for the very first post-war Munich production.

The history behind each room is as rich as the furnishings, and although these rooms are higher priced, the intimate and romantic ambiance that is created is the ultimate get away for you and your loved one.

If you or your company are looking for the perfect setting for that special business meeting, workshop, banquet, or even a wedding, the Big Bear Inn has a variety of rooms that can accommodate up to 200 people, along with various services and a full catering department that can make your stay memorable.

The Executive Suite, which is approximately 3,000 sq. ft., features three massive rooms with one king bed, a sitting room, conference table, bar, exercise room, a large jacuzzi, sauna, and wet bar. Talk about the perfect hospitality or honeymoon suite!!

The restaurant Orpheus is a Venetian-chinoiserie fantasy, composed of Victorian tableware, Murano chandeliers, and oriental paintings, accented with damask and silks, offering a nice selection of gourmet Continental dishes.

After dinner, the Moonridge Lounge, which is dedicated to the Greek, Spanish, and French impressionists, features a full bar, live music, and a dance floor.

Owned by Paul Rizos, and managed by Sheila Moore, the Big Bear Inn is a delightful journey into European culture and elegance at affordable Big Bear prices!! For further information or for reservations, call 1-800-BEAR-INN.

— Inland Empire Business Journal, “Restaurant Row,” February 1992

From the Big Bear Inn to Chateau Big Bear

More than three decades later, the hotel Restaurant Row once called “the European Centre of California” is Chateau Big Bear Boutique Hotel. Orpheus is now Tiffany’s Bistro, still set beneath the same restored dome and still pouring wine in the same old-world spirit this 1992 review describes. You can read more of the hotel’s press history in Weekend Time Out (1993) and Spend the Night With the Masters, Orange Coast Magazine’s 1987 profile of the hotel’s art collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Chateau Big Bear called before it became Chateau Big Bear?

The hotel was originally known as the Big Bear Inn. This 1992 Inland Empire Business Journal feature, “European Elegance at Big Bear Prices,” profiled it as “the European Centre of California.”

What restaurant is described in this 1992 article?

The article describes Orpheus, the Big Bear Inn’s original restaurant — a “Venetian-chinoiserie fantasy” of Victorian tableware, Murano chandeliers, and oriental paintings. Orpheus’s space is now home to Tiffany’s Bistro.

What was the Moonridge Lounge?

The Moonridge Lounge was the Big Bear Inn’s original bar and dance venue, described in the article as dedicated to Greek, Spanish, and French impressionist art, with a full bar, live music, and a dance floor.

Who owned the Big Bear Inn in 1992?

The article names Paul Rizos as owner and Sheila Moore as manager of the Big Bear Inn at the time of publication.

Original Clipping