Southern California’s Snow Country

A press clipping from the hotel’s history archive — the “Big Bear Inn” sidebar from Snow Country magazine’s March 1989 regional ski guide, “Southern California’s Snow Country,” by Wendell Benedetti.

In March 1989, Snow Country magazine surveyed Southern California ski country — cross-country trails, snowboarding, rock climbing, windsurfing, and more across the San Bernardino Mountains. Tucked into that regional guide was a sidebar spotlighting one property: the newly opened Big Bear Inn, today’s Chateau Big Bear Boutique Hotel. Here’s that sidebar in full.

BIG BEAR INN

The illusion of sipping Dom Perignon in San Moritz or watching the Ionian sun warm the friendly boulders of Corfu is compelling. Everything about the new Big Bear Lake speaks of dreams and elegance, including the Alpine setting, the Syransky crystal and the art collection valued at more than $16 million.

The art collection includes a group of Salvador Dali paintings of horses; a stained-glass dome imported from a castle in England became the ceiling of the hotel’s disco; other stonework is imported from Greece, as are pieces in the sculpture garden.

The developer is Paul Rizos, a member of the family that owns Imperial Resorts with resorts in Corfu and St. Moritz and management interests in hotels in the Far East.

“Our concept is that a hotel is very much like theater,” said Rizos. “The atmosphere and ambience and the food make you forget and be relaxed.”

To set the stage, Rizos spent seven years searching Southern California before gambling $24 million on property at the east end of the Lake.

“I went from Santa Barbara all the way to San Diego,” he said, “and the beaches just didn’t have enough personality. I looked everywhere around Southern California and the only place that suited my idea of scenic beauty was Big Bear. We felt this place has enough natural beauty to give it a personality of its own.”

Except for the occasional Murder Mystery Weekend, offered as a special package, a night at the Big Bear Inn (no meals) is between $75 and $130. Suites are available for between $165 and $245. (714) 866-3471.

— Wendell Benedetti, “Southern California’s Snow Country,” Snow Country magazine, March 1989. Benedetti was a writer for the Los Angeles Daily News and president of the Southern California ski writers organization.

A note on the dome: This 1989 account describes the hotel’s stained-glass dome as “imported from a castle in England.” It was later determined that the dome actually originated from a Parisian tango house and brothel — the origin story Chateau Big Bear credits today, and the one told in Tiffany’s Bistro’s own history. We’re preserving the 1989 account here exactly as it was originally published.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Snow Country magazine say about the Big Bear Inn in 1989?

The magazine profiled the newly opened Big Bear Inn (now Chateau Big Bear) for its Alpine setting, its art collection valued at more than $16 million — including Salvador Dali paintings of horses — and its stained-glass domed ceiling.

Where did the hotel’s stained-glass dome originally come from?

Historical accounts differ. A 1989 Snow Country magazine feature describes the dome as imported from a castle in England. It was later determined that the dome actually originated from a Parisian tango house and brothel — the origin story Chateau Big Bear credits today.

Who developed the Big Bear Inn?

Paul Rizos, a member of the family behind Imperial Resorts (with properties in Corfu and St. Moritz), developed the hotel after a seven-year search across Southern California, purchasing the property for a reported $24 million.

What did a room at the Big Bear Inn cost in 1989?

Rooms ranged from $75 to $130 per night, with suites available from $165 to $245, according to the 1989 feature.

Original Clipping