Black Bear Lodge Motel

2.5 star property

Photo gallery for Black Bear Lodge Motel

Exterior
Room, 2 Double Beds | Porch
Exterior
Room, 2 Double Beds
Property entrance

Reviews

8.0 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Parking included
  • Air conditioning

Explore the area

View map
781 Natural Bridge Rd, Slade, KY, 40376
  • Natural Bridge State Park
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Kentucky Reptile Zoo
    ‪2 min drive‬
  • Red River Gorge
    ‪17 min drive‬

Room options

Room, 2 Double Beds

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(19 reviews)
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds

Room, 1 Queen Bed

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

Similar properties

About the area

Slade

When you stay at Black Bear Lodge Motel in Slade, you'll be in the mountains, just steps from Natural Bridge State Park and 3 minutes by foot from Osborne Bend Trail. .This motel is 9.4 mi (15.2 km) from Red River Gorge and 0.2 mi (0.3 km) from Fat Man's Misery.

What's nearby

  • Natural Bridge State Park - 1 min walk - 0.0 km
  • Fat Man's Misery - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Kentucky Reptile Zoo - 2 min drive - 2.1 km
  • Red River Gorge Geological Area - 6 min drive - 7.3 km
  • Red River Gorge - 17 min drive - 14.9 km

Getting around

  • Blue Grass Airport (LEX) - 64 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Miguel's Pizza - ‬11 min walk
  • ‪Toads Barn Grill - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Daniel Boone Coffee Shop - ‬11 min walk
  • ‪Callie's Lake and Campground In Red River Gorge - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Red River Rockhouse - ‬7 min drive

About this property

Black Bear Lodge Motel

Motel with free parking, steps from Natural Bridge State Park
Black Bear Lodge Motel offers 10 air-conditioned accommodations with coffee/tea makers and hair dryers. Refrigerators and microwaves are provided.

Bathrooms include shower/tub combinations. Televisions come with satellite channels. Housekeeping is provided weekly.

Make yourself at home in one of the 10 air-conditioned rooms featuring refrigerators and microwaves. Satellite television is provided for your entertainment. Bathrooms have shower/tub combinations and hair dryers. Conveniences include desks and coffee/tea makers, and housekeeping is provided weekly.
Make use of convenient amenities, which include a picnic area and barbecue grills.
Satisfy your appetite at the motel's coffee shop/cafe, or stop in at the grocery/convenience store.
The front desk is staffed during limited hours. Free self parking is available onsite.

Languages

English

Property amenities

Parking and transport

  • Free uncovered self parking on site

Food and drink

  • A coffee shop/cafe

Family friendly

  • Grocery/convenience store
  • In-room microwave
  • In-room refrigerator

Conveniences

  • ATM
  • Grocery/convenience store
  • Limited-hour front desk

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (weekly)

Outdoors

  • Barbecue grill
  • In the mountains
  • Picnic area

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only

More

  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Shower/bathtub combination
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • TV with satellite channels

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Desk

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9 PM
Contactless check-in available
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 21

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 9 AM - 7:00 PM
The check-in location differs from the property location; go to: [769 Natural Bridge Rd., Slade, KY 40376]
Guests will receive an email within 48 hours before arrival with check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
If you arrive at the property after hours, you'll need to check in at an alternate location: [769 Natural Bridge Rd., Slade, KY 40376]
If you are planning to arrive after 8:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation
Guests planning to arrive on the same day of booking must contact this property prior to 6 PM for check-in instructions.

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets not allowed (service animals welcome)

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Payment types

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
Cashless transactions are available
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms

Property is also known as

Black Bear Lodge Motel Slade
Black Bear Slade
Black Bear Lodge Motel Motel
Black Bear Lodge Motel Slade
Black Bear Lodge Motel Motel Slade

Black Bear Lodge Motel Reviews

Reviews

8.0

Very good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 236 out of 586 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 206 out of 586 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 76 out of 586 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 42 out of 586 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 26 out of 586 reviews

8.4/10

Cleanliness

8.2/10

Staff & service

7.2/10

Amenities

8.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service

3/5

Power went out and there was no backup power so we spent about 4-5 hours shortly after arrival with no lights, no air conditioning, no tv, and no hot water. Was hopeful that we would be contacted by management to offer an amendment to our reservation in exchange for the services we paid for but did not receive. Unfortunately did not hear from anyone. The next evening we came in to take a shower and there was again no hot water. Took a cold shower and it felt like there was cleaning product still in the bathtub. Very slick-slippery once water in the tub was turned on. Dropped my phone and had to retrieve it from under the bed and was met with what could only have been months of dirt and dust that clearly hadn’t been swept in some time. Beds were comfortable, and there are hangers for your clothes. Coffee is provided in the room as well as at the building for check in down the road. Location is great if you’re visiting any of the local parks areas. You must let the cashier know you are staying at the black bear lodge in order to get your free coffee at the check in building. All of the local shops close by 8-9 so make sure you check them out earlier in the day.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

8/10 Good

Luther

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Road from highway to bridge (very short distance) was very bumpy. Tiny bar of soap - bring your own. Heat and A/C worked well.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Ruth Ann

Stayed 1 night in May 2025

4/10 Poor

Mark

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
No top sheet on one bed. Linen questionable. Quite noisy at night.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

4/10 Poor

Joanna

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Annette

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service

Great central location in gorge

The location of this motel is ideal for spending days in and around the gorge. It is a no frills, few amenities motel. The bed was sleepable and the shower pressure and temperature where excellent. If you're going to be in and out of room to go hiking and climbing and just crash for evening it's perfect.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

8/10 Good

anne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Marian

It was a nice comfortable, homey stay in mountains. Cabin feel.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

8/10 Good

John

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location for hiking at Natural Bridge and Red River Gorge!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

6/10 Okay

Sinan

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

No wifi, mobil3 network spotty

No wifi or mobile network was a hug3 ket down
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

6/10 Okay

Mary

Travelled with family
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities
No WI-FI zero bars inside room and maybe 1/2 bar outside. Property needs to be updated.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2025

8/10 Good

Laurie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
If you want an "upnorth in the woods" experience, this is your place. It's cozy.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Harold

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
very pleasant stay and close to great restaurants and sites
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lawrence

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
very nice room and nice ckeck in
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Dylan

Stayed 1 night in May 2025

8/10 Good

Tracie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Unique motel, not a lodge. It is a basic no frills room. Linens and bathroom area was clean., which is most important. Floors could be cleaned bit better. Overall good for a short get away. Check in lady was super sweet.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

4/10 Poor

Robin, Hemphill

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities
No internet which I knew in advance. Looked cute on ad but when there a bit of a let down. Place was dusty, especially the air conditioning unit, behind bathroom door. Old dried up coffee filter left in coffee machine. Som kind of dead black bug on floor. Person that cleans doesn’t take pride the property
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tom

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Enjoy

We were so comfortable and slept like babies I
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

4/10 Poor

William

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
While the room was adequate, it was small. The a/c unit was noisy, and the spare blanket was dank and nasty (we didn’t use it). There was never any mention that there is no Wi-Fi, a pretty standard expectation. That would not have been an issue if there were cell service, but the hotel is in a dead zone: 150 ft away from the room and we’d get 2-3 bars. Finally, they say “no pets”, but the folks in the room next to ours had a little dog that yipped regularly. We spent more of our down time at the coffee shop down the road (a gem, btw!) than in our room. Not a great lodging experience, I am afraid!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brandy

Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It was quiet and clean, centrally located. Will definitely visit again.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

8/10 Good

Rob

Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

8/10 Good

Julie, Fredericksburg

Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

6/10 Okay

Kristin

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Good place to stay. However when we arrived it was after hours and everything was closed. We had no toilet paper and had to use old paper towels from my car. The property does not have wifi and service is spotty. They tell you that though but it made for a bit of an inconvenience while trying to see if places were open for toilet paper. The place was clean and everything worked.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Alexa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025