Guest policies
Cancellations, check-in times, deposits, pets and the rest. Where the three properties differ, we say which is which.
Contents
These are the rules of a stay at Idyllwild Inn, Strawberry Creek Inn and Tahquitz Pines Retreat. The three properties are run and booked together, but they are three different properties, and a few policies differ between them. Where they differ, this page says which is which. Where a policy is the same at all three, it is stated once.
If a policy on this page conflicts with something you were told in writing by the property you booked, the written confirmation from that property governs.
1. Booking and payment
A booking is confirmed when you receive a confirmation email naming your property, your room and your dates. Rates are per night for the number of guests booked and do not include tax, which is shown before you pay.
| Property | Deposit taken at booking | Balance due | Accepted payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idyllwild Inn | First night's room and tax | At check-in | American Express, Visa, Mastercard, Discover and cash. Checks only if received at least 14 days before arrival |
| Strawberry Creek Inn | First night's room and tax | At check-in | Same |
| Tahquitz Pines Retreat | First night's room and tax | At check-in | Same |
A 10% transient occupancy tax is added to every stay and shown before you pay. There is no resort fee. A valid credit card must be on file for the stay; no separate damage deposit is taken.
2. Cancellations and changes
Cancel or change a booking by contacting the property you booked directly. The details are in section 13.
| Property | Cancel without charge | After that | Peak and holiday dates | No-show |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idyllwild Inn | Up to 24 hours before arrival | First night's room and tax | Same rules | First night's room and tax |
| Strawberry Creek Inn | Up to 24 hours before arrival | First night's room and tax | Same rules | First night's room and tax |
| Tahquitz Pines Retreat | Up to 24 hours before arrival | First night's room and tax | Same rules | First night's room and tax |
An early departure is not refunded. To change your dates, contact the property you booked.
Weddings, retreats, group bookings and full-property buyouts are not covered by the table above. They are contracted separately: see section 11.
3. Check-in and check-out
| Property | Check-in from | Check-out by | Arriving after the desk closes | Early check-in or late check-out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idyllwild Inn | 3:00pm | 11:00am | Your key is left out for you on the door | Late check-out may be available for a $25 fee; ask at the front desk |
| Strawberry Creek Inn | 3:00pm | 11:00am | Your key is left out for you on the door | Late check-out may be available for a $25 fee; ask at the front desk |
| Tahquitz Pines Retreat | 3:00pm | 11:00am | Register digitally before you arrive and use the coded entrance | Late check-out may be available for a $25 fee; ask at the front desk |
Bring photo identification matching the name on the booking, and the card you booked with. A valid card stays on file for the stay.
4. Minimum stays
Some dates carry a minimum stay. Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends carry one at all three properties. The minimum for your dates is applied when you search, so a room that does not appear may be unavailable only because your stay is shorter than the minimum.
5. Who can stay
The person booking must be at least 18 years old and must be staying in the room.
Every room and cabin has a maximum occupancy, and it is listed on the room's page. The maximum is a fire and safety limit, not a guideline, and it cannot be exceeded. There is no charge for extra guests within that maximum.
Day visitors who are not staying overnight are allowed on a seasonal basis; check with the property before you invite anyone, and ask about the pool and courts at Tahquitz Pines Retreat.
6. Pets
All three properties welcome dogs, in the rooms marked pet friendly on the rooms page. A room not marked pet friendly cannot take a dog.
| Property | Dogs accepted | Which rooms | Fee | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idyllwild Inn | Yes | The rooms marked pet friendly on the rooms page | None for the first two dogs, $25 for a third | Three dogs |
| Strawberry Creek Inn | Yes | The rooms marked pet friendly on the rooms page | None for the first two dogs, $25 for a third | Three dogs |
| Tahquitz Pines Retreat | Yes | Every room and cabin | None for the first two dogs, $25 for a third | Three dogs |
Dogs are leashed outside the room, are not left alone in the room, and any damage or extra cleaning is charged to the booking. Dogs are the only pets accepted. Service animals are welcome at all three properties regardless of the table above, as required by law.
7. Smoking, fire and the forest
All three properties are 100% non-smoking. Smoking, vaping and cannabis are not permitted inside any room, cabin or shared indoor space. Ask the front desk where smoking is permitted outdoors. A $250 cleaning charge applies to a room returned with evidence of smoking.
We are in the San Jacinto Mountains, in a forest, and fire restrictions change through the year. Open flame is limited to the fireplaces and fire pits provided, and only when they are open for use. You light them yourself; staff do not light fireplaces or fire pits for guests. Charcoal grills, fireworks and any other open flame are not permitted. During a red flag warning or a county fire restriction, fire pits close with no notice and that is a fire authority decision rather than ours.
8. Quiet hours, noise and gatherings
Quiet hours begin at 10:00pm at all three properties. Sound carries between cabins and across the properties, so please keep music and voices low outside at any hour.
Parties and events in guest rooms and cabins are not permitted. A gathering of any size belongs on the events side of the property: see section 11. Where noise or a gathering affects other guests you will get one warning; a second incident ends the booking without refund.
9. Parking, roads and weather
Parking is free at all three properties: one vehicle per standard room, and two for a cabin or suite with two or more bedrooms. Oversized vehicles, trailers and RVs cannot be accommodated at Idyllwild Inn or Strawberry Creek Inn. Tahquitz Pines Retreat has space for them, for registered guests only, and it must be arranged with the property before you arrive.
The mountain highways can require chains at short notice in winter, and they close occasionally. Those are Caltrans decisions and we have no control over them or advance notice of them. Check current road conditions before you travel and allow extra time. Where a road closure prevents you reaching us, contact the property you booked and we will work it out with you.
Power and water interruptions happen on the mountain. We will tell you what we know and help where we can.
10. Damage, loss and the condition of your room
You are responsible for damage to the room, its contents and the property caused during your stay by you or anyone in your party, beyond ordinary wear. No damage deposit is taken; we will contact you before charging, and charges go to the card on file.
Tell the front desk about anything broken or missing when you arrive, so it is not attributed to your stay. Lost property is held for 30 days and returned at your cost.
11. Weddings, retreats, group stays and buyouts
Events and group bookings are not covered by this page. They run on a separate signed agreement covering deposits, payment schedule, cancellation, insurance, vendors, capacity and timings. Start on the Weddings and groups pages and we will send the agreement that applies.
12. Accessibility
Accessible rooms are marked with the ADA accessible filter on the rooms page, and each property has accessible parking. The properties are on mountain terrain with paths, steps and slopes between buildings, so accessibility varies a great deal between rooms even at the same property. Call the property before booking and describe what you need, and we will tell you honestly whether the room works.
Our commitment on the website itself, and how to report a barrier, is in the accessibility statement.
13. Questions and how to reach us
Booking questions go to the property you booked, which is fastest.
| Property | Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| Idyllwild Inn | (951) 659-2552 | idyllwildinn@gmail.com |
| Strawberry Creek Inn | (951) 659-3202 | innkeeper@strawberrycreekinn.com |
| Tahquitz Pines Retreat | (951) 659-2934 | idytahquitzpines@gmail.com |
Anything else: use the contact form and we will come back within a day.
We may update these policies. The version on this page at the time you book is the one that applies to your stay, and the date at the top tells you when it last changed.