Reviews
Fernwood Resort Campground
Bran Magi
Booked 4 nights here. The first night we had a group of 12+ next to us. The second a birthday party of 40+. Both groups were either people who work here or their friends. When I complained to the woman at the check in she told me the large party was for the first birthday of the daughter of the family that lives on property and she had gotten multiple complaints already. She was very nice no complaints about her. She also said I needed to talk with a manager at the store. The “manager” tried telling me she had no idea about the party and sometimes people book multiple sites. She was clearly lying! And when I told her I already knew about the party she played ignorant! Very disappointing that the people who run this place have zero regard for their guests! Definitely do not recommend!
Anouk van Andel
We arrived to find our room still dirty from the previous guests. The bed was unmade, and it was clear the room hadn’t been cleaned. Mistakes happen, but the response from the reception was disappointing. We were simply told to wait, with no apology or gesture to make up for the inconvenience. For a hotel charging over $300 per night, we expected much better.
Ellen Wachtelaer
The rooms (2 rooms in 1) are basic and has everything you need. The area is perfect for exploring Big Sur as it’s very close by Pfeiffer and Andrew Molera state parks. Also close by some nice breakfast restaurants. The resort offers as well a ery nice restaurant, with small shop attached to it. The only point of attention is the lack of friendliness or genuine friendliness of the employees. Didn’t really feel welcome at all times.
Carlos E. Perez Alviarez
We rented a cottage in what seemed like a beautiful location… but the reality was a complete nightmare. The setting may have looked nice at first glance, yet the place itself was absolutely dreadful. Four people crammed into a space that felt suffocating, uncomfortable at every turn. We spent half the time itching, unable to relax for even a moment, constantly distracted by how unpleasant everything felt. And the mattress? Completely unbearable, one of the worst nights of sleep imaginable. Honestly, this is not a place I would ever recommend to anyone, especially not at the outrageous price of $400 for a single night. It simply isn’t worth it. The only redeeming aspects were the restaurant, which was decent, and the ladies at the office, who were genuinely kind and welcoming. But even their friendliness couldn’t make up for the overall experience. Save your money and your comfort, stay anywhere else.
Solomon Hughes
This place is absolutely majestic. But if yo are expecting peace and quiet while enjoying the sound of the river, you may be surprised. My one suggestion would be to have a campsite attendant on site until at least 10 PM. In our experience, several campers ignored quiet hours and general campsite etiquette, blasting music late into the night. The location itself is phenomenal, but without someone enforcing quiet hours it can be tough to fully enjoy.
Gabby J
The motel rooms are cozy and nice, the bed is comfy. However, the walls and windows are extremely thin. You can hear EVERYTHING- from cars driving outside to guests talking next door. We are not light sleepers but we could not sleep.
Larry Ovalle
Wonderful campground and hotel with direct access to hiking trails and the state Park. The restaurant is excellent, campsites clean, shaded and quiet. The store has anything you may need. Staff is very friendly. Make reservations in advance as it fills up.
Doug Thomas
Location is wonderful -- surrounded by sequoias, and right on the river. We stayed in the tent cabins. The prices are crazy high, but that's what the private campgrounds go for here. Definitely avoid staying in the motel on weekends, as they always have loud music till 1am then; but down by the river it was not too bad. Camp in a state park if you can, but if everything is full, this is not a bad option if you can drop $200 a night.
Erin Kantorski
We had a blast staying here! We brought our toddler and stayed in one of the cabins. The cabin was nice and clean and had all of the amenities we needed (except for a microwave). We liked that even though we stayed in a cabin, it still felt like we camped! This place has everything you need, from epic nature to a restaurant, tavern, camp store, laundry facilities, etc. There’s no need to even leave the campground lol. We recommend buying all of your groceries/spices/oil/etc in advance. The river is also very nice and relaxing. The prices are steep, however, but the experience is worth it.
Nicholas Sullivan
First of all: the staff were amazing. Friendly smiles and helpful at every turn. This is not a place for an escape from reality or any kind of peace and quiet. We didn’t realize before booking how close the sites were from each other; like a wooded parking lot. We had zero privacy whatsoever and could see and hear every other site in the campground from our site, and were about 5ft from our neighbors on every side. For the $155/night we paid for the site, I could not recommend this place to anyone. Campsites are hard to come by in Big Sur, which is how we ended up here by default. If you are a family looking for a place to bring your young kids for the first time, or if you’re brand new to camping, this place might still be for you. Otherwise, you might seek a better alternative. We hope for new management in the future 🤞
Kaitlyn Starke
Gone here for 10 years now and it has never disappointed!! The location is perfect for kids and adults. The service at the cafe/store is great, they are super nice and always have a good selection of stuff. The cabins seem really nice and so do the tent cabins if you have a few people but I have always tent camped and it is amazing. The bathroom are always clean and the free shower are nice. Overall this places is amazing and a great place to check out this summer!!!
Amber Foley
The rooms were a little small, but perfect for what we needed them for which was just a quick shower and sleep between our hikes. Loved having the tavern and live entertainment on weekends. Right along the river so was a nice experience. It was right next to the freeway, but with the exception of an ambulance driving by we didn't hear any traffic
Highway Hiking
I camped and a friend got a cabin so I've seen both. I loved my camp spot, and my friend enjoyed her cabin. We loved the tavern and music on Friday night. It's a little pricey for the camp site, but with available funds, I would stay here again.
Nanci Ryker-Judd
Stayed in a tent cabin in mid April. Cabin was great for my dog and me, but come nightfall it got really cold. Tent cabins are super close together so you hear everything, but the proximity to the river is awesome. Bathroom was very clean and well stocked. Little store was convenient, but I didn't try the restaurant.
Caroline Hernandez
I tend to stick with public campgrounds because the price is always right, but undoubtedly, the good ones are hard to come by, especially in Big Sur. If you wanna throw some cash at that problem and stay in an amazing location, Fernwood is your place. Pricey, but the tent and RV sites are right on the river in a well maintained property. Poison oak is well contained, they have flush toilets and shower facilities. I was excited by the dish washing station. Also cabin and glamp huts available as well. Although they def seemed to pack in the patrons, it didn't feel over crowded either. Would recommend and def would go back.