I've stayed at many cabins in Big Bear, but none as nice as this one. It's definitely been upgraded with newer appliances/furnishings and the majority of utensils/cookware/etc. seemed hardly used at all.
Additionally, while we were there a brand new hot tub was installed! While we didn't get to use it, I can verify that it's brand spanking new and looked amazing.
The size of the living area is a bit small compared to how the photos look. While the post says "sleeps 8" the outside has a sign from Big Bear Code Enforcement which reads "Maximum Occupancy 5." While the cabin does have enough to sleep 8, that many people in the living area would be a bit much. We had 6 for the first two days and we were definitely on top of each other. There is no separation between the living/dining room and kitchen; it's essentially an open floor plan. This is great if you want to keep an eye on your kids, but makes this difficult when you all want to watch something on TV.
The back is massive and flat (which is rare for Big Bear) and boasts a really nice deck, the aforementioned hot tub, a gas fire pit, a nice gas grill and even a small Traeger BBQ.
Garage access is always nice and communication with the host was always readily accessible.
If you do plan on watching any local sports or news be sure to bring your login for your streaming app. The Samsung TV in the living room is big and beautiful with many available apps; however this was the only drawback as we went up to watch the UCLA game and at the time of this review there were no local channels available. It took a minute to get my HULU logged in and then I was stressed about forgetting to logout before checking out (one more thing to remember).
The only other downside (and not that big of an issue) were the curtains in the rooms. They are really sheer and let in a ton of light and don't exactly cover the windows 100%. I could see being annoyed at that if I wanted to sleep in and/or if your changing in the master while people are in the backyard. Honestly though, it's not that big of an issue and could be easily fixed.
Overall a really great cabin and host! I would definitely consider staying here again, especially in the summer when my children could take full advantage of the back yard!
Thanks again!