My Favorite Airbnb in California: A Romantic, Secluded Cabin Near Los Angeles

As my partner and I trekked up the San Bernardino Mountains in California last December, I saw the weather change from balmy and gray to freezing cold and stormy. We were told snow was coming so we pulled over and a local helped put snow chains on our tires. Needless to say we were far from the freeways in London where I live.

We soon arrived in the small town of Running Springs, passing a handful of stores along the way – I couldn’t believe we were only an hour and a half from Los Angeles. We followed the winding roads to the end of a small neighborhood and there, hidden among rows of pine trees, was Lightfoot Cabinthe Airbnb we booked for Christmas.

The Airbnb hosts had put on a warm welcome: a beautiful wreath hung over the front door and the fire roared inside the rather spectacular freestanding fireplace in the living room. When we walked in, it immediately warmed our freezing hands, though I was almost too preoccupied with the feeling that we had walked into a scene from a Hallmark movie to notice.

The cabin was even more captivating than the photos on the listing; hard to believe as those photos had stopped me in my tracks when planning this trip. I imagined us snuggling up in front of a fireplace and sipping mulled wine wrapped in blankets inside a private, cozy cabin – it was the most romantic way to spend Christmas, and Lightfoot Cabin had it all. Chimney mentioned above, to be checked. Cozy loft room, check. Adorable kitchen with all the tools to make endless hot drinks, check, check, check.

In person, everything about this place was special, from the beautiful dark exterior to the perfectly thought out little bench to leave your shoes on. The cabin was small, but spacious enough for two, and was packed with amenities like a hot tub and a large deck, with heaters for the winter. The interiors were designed with mid-century features, making the aesthetic modern and fresh, while the woodwork retained that traditional cabin feel. The mint Smeg fridge and kitchen breakfast bar provided everything needed for making coffee and pancakes (essential for a romantic getaway, if you ask me). The window above the sink overlooked the evergreen forest, which certainly made washing up less of a hassle. These views are, however, enhanced by the bedroom’s A-frame window, with a scene that makes you feel like you’re looking into a landscape painting.

Each day spent here was more idyllic than the next. We played Al Green on Airbnb’s record player, cooked fluffy scrambled eggs and pancakes for breakfast, and soaked our bones in the hot tub on the deck overlooking trees that looked like they’d been soaked in mud. Granulated sugar. When evening came, we settled into the secret movie theater downstairs – which isn’t among the Airbnb listing photos, it features a huge projector, popcorn machine and do-it-yourself candy jars- same.