Bonneville Hot Springs vs. Skamania Lodge
Betsy has a planning a getaway, and wants you to weigh in on your thoughts about an overnight destination sans kids. She asks:
I can't think of a better forum to help me with this 'nice to have' problem... We have a trusted friend babysitting OVERNIGHT for us in July. This will be our first night away in 3.5 years and two kids. We want to have a quick getaway and our thoughts turn to Skamania Lodge or Bonneville Hot Springs. The web reviews are so varied on the two places that it has scared me out of making a decision. Our requirements are low travel time, nice room, golf nearby (urbanpapa), spa (urbanmama), TV in the room, reasonably good food, and not too noisy. Where would you go for ONE night? Or do you have another idea? Thanks for your help.
How about the Oregon coast?
The Stephanie Inn in Cannon Beach is only about a 15 minute drive from the golf course in Gearhart:
http://www.stephanie-inn.com/pkgpromos.asp
http://www.gearhartgolflinks.com/html/course.html
Posted by: Stephanie | June 21, 2007 at 09:41 AM
I second the coast idea. (I've been to Skamania Lodge, the view is gorgeous but the rest of the hotel just felt ... corporate or stuffy, or something. It didn't feel like a cozy, intimate place for a special occasion like this!) Of course, I don't know of any golf courses near the coast, but for a lovely room and a nice spa treatment, try the Inn at Cape Kiwanda! Our room had a gas fireplace, a big jacuzzi tub, you have Pelican Brewery across the street, a couple of cute little galleries and coffee shop - a short drive to a "locals only" type breakfast diner, a fabulous beach ... I had a really nice massage there. I'm sure there are some nearby hikes if your urbanpapa would consider that as an alternative to golf. Enjoy your time away! http://www.innatcapekiwanda.com/
Posted by: Amy | June 21, 2007 at 10:28 AM
Have you thought about heading to the coast? The Salishan Lodge is a great place to go. Check it out on the web.
Posted by: nicole | June 21, 2007 at 01:28 PM
My husband and I luuurrve Bonneville Hot Springs, but not in summer. Best time to go is in winter when its not very full and rooms go for cheaper.
Haven't been to Skamania for overnight, but I agree that it does feel like more of a corporate retreat place.
Posted by: lydia | June 21, 2007 at 01:33 PM
Salishan is nice, but my husband and I really loved Skamania Lodge (have never been to Bonneville Hot Springs). When we went there a couple of years ago (before kids) we got a package that included dinner...I think they also had a package that included a massage. Have fun!
Posted by: Kristin | June 21, 2007 at 01:35 PM
Definitely choose SKAMANIA over Bonneville. It is *much* nicer (better location, view of the river, rooms, spa/pool, food, etc) Bonneville is sort of cheesey trying-to-be-nice but not really and feels like a motel. Its in a weird residential neighborhood and no view. The only thing that is nicer about Bonneville is the water in the spa treatments and the pool, it is natural mineral spring water. Have fun!
Posted by: Lori | June 21, 2007 at 02:05 PM
My husband and I have done kid free nights at Cape Kiwanda and Bonneville Hotsprings. I liked the pools at Bonneville, had a great massage and a wonderful dinner there. It felt like getting away to a secluded spa in a wooded setting, partially because it has never been very crowded when we've stayed there. When whe went to Cape Kiwanda, all we wanted to do was explore the beach and go hiking, so very different trips. One drawback in my opinion about the Inn at Cape Kiwanda though is that it is on a main highway, right across the street from a very busy parking lot--not all that peaceful. One thing about Skamania Lodge, besides its more corporate feel, is its spectacular Sunday Brunch--oh my!
Posted by: andrea | June 21, 2007 at 02:19 PM
Inn at Manzanita or Charter House in Depoe Bay, both are romantic and relaxing.
Posted by: ruby | June 21, 2007 at 03:16 PM
I haven't stayed at either but some friends who stayed at Bonneville Hot Springs said it wasn't very quiet, they could hear people talking in adjacent rooms. For our couple of overnight getaways we've stayed in nice hotels downtown--luxurious, many have spas in the hotel or nearby, tons of great restaurants to chose from, and you're close to home which is reassuring in case there is a problem. Have fun!
Posted by: Emily | June 21, 2007 at 08:13 PM
We really liked Skamania. I think I may prefer the bar to the restaurant, if it's nice outside you can sit outside and enjoy the view. Lots of areas to walk on the grounds. Obviously, has golf & spa amenities! Nice rooms too.
I guess it's not real quiet, but personally, we LOVE McMennamins Edgefield. It's literally up the street from where we live. Numerous places to eat onsite, a wine bar (live music almost every night), a pool hall, concerts on the lawn. We just love roaming the grounds. A very low key golf course. I think there is spa treatments there as well.
Have fun!
Posted by: PDX Mama | June 21, 2007 at 09:10 PM
I have stayed at both and greatly preferred Bonneville Hot Springs in every aspect but the restaurant. The food at Skamania is vastly superior, and their Sunday brunch is incredible. Also just across the river and down the road is Hood River, which has such lovely offerings as the 6th Street Bistro! Bonneville Hot Springs is delightful because you can soak in mineral water in the privacy of your own balcony, or go down to their impressive pool room. I am so chlorine-sensitive, and my water experience there was so refreshing. Their spa is lovely too, see Springwater for a massage!
Posted by: Staci | June 21, 2007 at 11:11 PM
Our famiy went to Skamania a year ago for my husband's board retreat. So, yes, the conference facility there does make it attractive for corporate or organization events. But, the whole other side of the resort was really great for us. There are toys and games outside for the kids to play on this vast lawn overlooking the gorge. There are tons of adirondak chairs and more for us to lounge on and you can even pick up the free wifi signal from the lodge. On nice days, it's fun to lounge out outside. On greyer days, it's awesome to lounge out inside near the fire. There is a library upstairs stocked with books and board games and the girls love to hang out there too. Finally, the pool and outdoor soaking pool really make us feel like we're on a little vacation. My husband has golfed there and really loves it. I have not visited the spa there, except to pass thru to get to the pool. The spa area also has a great dedicated hot tub overlook the gorge as well as its own sauna. We love Skamania and are thinking of maybe skipping over there next weekend for a mini-getaway.
Posted by: olivia | June 22, 2007 at 07:45 AM
Our family has also recently been to Salishan and Skamania for work-related events and they are both wonderful. I think this time of year it would be lovely to be on the beach at Salishan .. and the spa looked awesome though I didn't make it over there (and it would be a splurge). Skamania, on the other hand, is a shorter trip, has incredible food, and those adirondack chairs Olivia mentioned are pure heaven (overlooking one of the most beautiful view I've ever seen). Both places had nice quiet rooms - I have also heard Bonneville is noisy and more of a motel than hotel (maybe better for girl's night away?).
Have fun!
Posted by: lapeche | June 22, 2007 at 09:00 AM
We went to Bonneville for a night away last winter. The reason it was great was that we both had massages, spa wraps, and a private hot tub on our private patio. It was cold and stormy out and we felt very pampered. Everyone walks around in their spa robes and it was fun to be all nakey under that and walking through the hotel. Cheap thrills!
If we went and did NOT have all the spa goodness, it would have seemed more like just another hotel. Although on the plus side the swimming pool is really awesome and there are indoor and outdoor public hot tubs too, all with mineral waters.
The dinner there was AWFUL. Do not eat there. And I agree that it is definitely more of a winter retreat.
Posted by: anne | June 22, 2007 at 02:10 PM
This is great info. Thanks for posting the question, Betsy. I'd love to hear what you decide and how your get-away was.
We'll be going to the coast the 1st week of October and I'm wondering...have any of you stayed at The Ocean Lodge in Cannon Beach? We love that little town but haven't yet stayed overnight there so any recommendations and "avoidations" will be appreciated.
Posted by: ne_mama | June 22, 2007 at 03:35 PM
The previous poster asked about The Ocean Lodge in Cannon Beach, and I just had to respond...
Our family has stayed there several times, and we just love it! Our beds were always super comfy, and we loved being right on the ocean where we could hear the waves crash on the shore at night (it really lulled the kids to sleep!). The property is fairly private; the Stephanie Inn is located next door, and their guests are a quiet, adult-only crowd. :-) The beach never seemed overly populated or busy like it is near some of the hotels in the middle of Cannon Beach, near the main strip.
The service seemed very personal--the staff new our names the first night of our stay, and they made a point to help us with various things, including everything from restaurant recommendations to gathering supplies for a campfire on the beach. Also, small touches, like fresh cookies and treats in the lobby, always made my kids super happy. :-)
The main lodge lobby area felt like a homey place to return to after a day of playing outside. It just had that lodgy feeling, but it wasn't "old." The rooms seemed updated and fresh, with lots of natural stone and wood materials used in the decor. Also, our bathrooms seemed much larger than normal hotel rooms---not sure if all the rooms are like that or not--but it was a nice. I took a long bubble bath in the big tub one night, and it was heavenly.
Wish we could go again soon, but the price is a bit of a stretch for our normal budget--around $200/night if I recall. We usually try to watch for low-season rates when we can.
Anyway, hope this info helps! :-) Good luck with your plans!
Posted by: Suburban Sister :-) | June 22, 2007 at 09:42 PM
Check out Kahneetah (spelling??) too, they have golf, swimming, a little night blub, horsebackriding...etc, the stargazing is amazing. My husband and I went there a few months after we started dating and stopped to make out under the beautiful Warm springs sky before we got there...it is a lovely place.
Posted by: Aisha | June 25, 2007 at 09:21 AM
Ocean Lodge - we loved it too. It was so perfect for us to travel with a 7-month-old. An extensive breakfast is included and they serve it in this spot that has a dining room and a more lounge-type room with couches and fireplace. It allowed us to be around people but keep the baby separate from the main dining room, because he could barely sit up and just wanted to crawl. The place was super clean and nice, we had a great room with a balcony right above the water, and we were able to walk all over the place with our Chariot. Fun!
Posted by: larissa | June 25, 2007 at 06:44 PM
Hmmm, maybe he was some-other-months-old. Seems like he should have been sitting up at 7! But in any case, a very baby friendly hotel. :-)
Posted by: larissa | June 25, 2007 at 06:44 PM
All this talk about a getaway has prompted our family to book an impromptu/last-minute night's stay at Skamania for today. We are looking forward to hours in the pool, in the soaking tub outside overlooking the gorge, hitting tennis balls back and forth, sitting by the fireplace reading or playing board games .....
Posted by: olivia | June 30, 2007 at 09:07 AM