Reviews

maggie pantoni

1 star. I tested positive today for Covid, which is the day before my reservation. I canceled immediately, out of basic consideration for their staff and other guests. Instead of any compassion or flexibility, Fernwood Resort kept my deposit and hid behind a rigid 14-day cancellation policy, no exceptions, no matter the circumstances. Think about the incentive this creates: a guest who's contagious and doing the responsible thing by staying home gets penalized financially for it. A policy like that doesn't protect the resort, it just pressures sick guests to either eat the cost or show up anyway. Neither of those is good for staff or other guests staying there. After going back and forth, they still charged me $132.50, prioritizing money over public health. I tried to do the right thing by canceling my reservation and was met with a bill for it. There are plenty of other places in Big Sur that will treat you like a human being instead of a walking transaction. I won't be back, and I'd think twice before trusting this place with your money, especially if you ever get sick before a stay. Fernwood, do the right thing and be in touch about refunding my deposit.

Poi Li

We like to specially thank to the janitor group who cleans the bathroom/toilet opposite of site 66. They are very details and very good. It is a pity that some hooks in the shared bathroom are broken. The site is quite dusty even with folks come in spraying water twice a day. Otherwise, the campground is next to big sur river, making this campground is very nice place to visit.

DAVE H

This is my go to camping spot in Big Sur. The staff is friendly, restrooms are clean and it’s pet friendly. The river runs right through camp and is easy to access. There are also multiple different kinds of campsites. From tent sites, RV, canvas tent “cabins” to Cabins and even small “motel” style. They have a store nearby and even play live music at the restaurant if that is something you are into (always a good time)

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