Inn at Bear Creak
101 Doe Mountain Lane
Macungie, PA 18062
866-SKI-AT-BC

Inn at Bear Creek Home Page

October 2008

Welcome to www.weloveourlife.com. This is our page dedicated to our experiences while staying at the Inn at Bear Creek in Macungie, PA.

Click here to see our 2006 visist to the Inn at Bear Creek.

	We booked a Deluxe King Suite with Fireplace and Jacuzzi. The layout on the website shows a corner Jacuzzi located in the bedroom. When we walked into our suite we discovered right away there was no Jacuzzi in the bedroom, but rather a single Jacuzzi in the bathroom. Lori immediately called the front desk and told them this and they explained we were in the “new wing” and the Jacuzzis were different but we were assured it was indeed a Jacuzzi for two. Lori retorted that the only way that Jacuzzi would fit two is if they are little people. She asked for the room type we had booked. Of course when they checked, all the corner Jacuzzis were booked. They did not offer us any sort of discount. We had no choice but to make due.
	That being said, the accommodation was very nice. The décor is Adirondack in nature with simple, clean lines and dark wood trim. The living area had a sofa and chairs, a gas fireplace, a flat screen TV.
	In addition, there was a kitchenette with a table and four chairs, and a wet bar – a sink with granite counter and cabinets below (one of which hid a refrigerator).
	There was a sliding door that opened to a Juliette balcony (only a few inches wide) that overlooked the ski slope.
	The bedroom had a comfortable king size bed, another flat screen TV, a stuffed chair, desk and chair, and even an iHome clock/radio to accommodate an iPod. The bathroom had the afore-mentioned single Jacuzzi with shutters that opened into the bedroom (although the shutters were high – it wasn’t as if you could sit in the tub and see into the bedroom). There was also a granite vanity, a closet, and a separate room that contained the toilet and shower.

Inn Amenities

This inn has a wide range of amenities. It bills itself as a resort and conference center. There is a fitness center with an extensive array of equipment. There is an indoor pool and hot tub, and an outdoor heated pool and two hot tubs outdoors (all slope-side). The pool was still open and heated (covered up at night) when we visited in mid-October; we don’t know if the outdoor pool is kept open year-round but the hot tubs are. The resort has 330 acres and they state that there are 6.5 miles of trail for biking and hiking. They also say they have a 3-acre pond for kayaking as well as catch-and-release (those poor fish). Of course, if you visit in the winter there is skiing and tubing on-site.

Note that this place is really focusing on the conference/event aspect of things. We were there on a beautiful fall day – the high that afternoon was in the 70s. It was a cloudless sky and the background of the fall foliage was breathtaking. There were also three weddings there. The place handled things well – we had to stop and talk to a parking attendant who told us where to park (he was communicating with fellow employees on walkie-talkies). But of course the place was overrun by wedding participants and attendees. We managed to snag one of the outdoor hot tubs for a couple hours by ourselves and drank some wine (we used plastic cups).

Inn Food

We had been to the inn once before and had a good dinner. It was even better this time. They seem to have upgraded their cuisine (not that it was bad before). The main restaurant is The Grille at Bear Creek. There is plenty of stone and wood in the restaurant and it is somewhat stunning visually. There is a wall of windows that overlooks the slope. We had made a reservation and were rewarded with a table by the windows. Keith had the beer and asiago cheese dip which had asparagus in it and was served with house baked beer bread. It was tremendous and he at all of it (Lori helped with the bread). It was a complex, rich mix of flavors. We were served warm rolls – pop-overs that were delicious accompanied by olive oil. Keith had a salad with a fabulous home-made Greek feta vinaigrette – so good we were dipping our bread in the salad dressing. Keith had shiraz by the glass and Lori went with a chardonnay. For his entrée, Keith had the beef brochettes – wonderfully tender filet medallions marinated in garlic and herb demi glace served with garlic potatoes and mixed vegetables. Lori went with two appetizers for her dinner. There were two broiled crab cakes served with a spicy citrus remoulade – really the size of an entrée. They were tasty and even though they were broiled managed to have somewhat of a crispy finish on the outside. She also had the pan seared scallops – four large sea scallops served with a spicy pancetta cream sauce and creamy pepper jack cheese grits. If all this sounds extremely tasty, that’s because it was. And the price was good too – we could have spent a lot more for the food we got. Our server was attentive and friendly. We will definitely go back to this place.

Inn Bar/Lounge

There are two bars that we are aware of, but there could be more – this is a big place. There is a very large bar that runs along the back wall of the main restaurant; it is separated from the dining area by a large stone fireplace. There was also a bar on the main floor of the wing we were staying in, adjacent to the outdoor pool. We didn’t end up at either of the bars as we brought our own beverages.

Inn People/Service

The people all seem focused on customer service and making sure everyone has a positive experience. We did have the snafu with our room but did not feel that was the front desk’s fault but rather a fault in the overall booking practice (Lori did send an email about it). There is nothing quite like this place in the area where they are – especially in combination with a ski slope. While the unique quality of the place will bring people in, only a good experience (which means good customer service) will provide return customers. They seem to get that.

Area/Attractions

The resort is located in the Lehigh Valley (Pennsylvania) near Allentown, PA (yes, the Allentown Billy Joel sang about). There are things to do nearby – some wineries, Hawk Mountain, Allentown attractions. But honestly, they continue to add to this place in the hopes of having everything people need for a great getaway on-site.

Dining

We ate dinner on-site – see above.

Nightlife

There are a couple bars here for night life – or go sit in one of the hot tubs – or hang out in your fabulous suite.

Weather

This is in the mid-Atlantic region. It’s a ski slope, so there is snow in the winter (or they make it). The ski slope generally opens sometime in December (depending on the weather) and stays open through the end of March. The day we visited – in mid-October – was unusually warm. In the fall one can generally expect highs in the 60s and low in the 50s or even 40s.

Tips and Suggestions

If you are set on a certain room type, you may not want to take the online reservation system for granted (as we did) and may want to call to confirm what you are getting. If you want some alcoholic beverages, you can save money by taking your own (although of course you cannot take it to the restaurants or bars). It’s a great place and it’s easy to think you are in upstate New York instead of Pennsylvania!