Do you ever use Groupon? Or Living Social? Or any other internet coupon/discount service? I've gotten a number of deals through these services but the latest one I used was a real gift. I got a great bargain on a night's stay at
Skamania Lodge, nestled in the forest, high on a hill, across the river in Washington. There are great views of the Columbia River Gorge from their location.
I've been to the Lodge a number of times- they have some wonderful Christmas concerts- and this year I delivered wedding cakes there, but I have never had an opportunity to stay and enjoy the full range of comforts it offers. The lodge packages were always out of our budget so when the Groupon deal came along last October (while I was separated from my husband by thousands of miles) I jumped on it and bought the offer. We had to use our purchase this month before it expired despite the fact that December is a pretty difficult time to get away from the To Do list at home. It turned out to be well worth the effort.
The Lodge was beautifully adorned for the Christmas season.
My husband and I were tremendously impressed with every aspect of our stay: the atmosphere, the amenities, the service and the attention to detail. We've stayed in a number of places around the Northwest and this get away was by far the best.
The large community living room with the massive fire place and Christmas tree was the most popular spot of all. The comfortable seating and the freely available hot drinks worked to lend a relaxing atmosphere that was hard to resist. There was a library, gift shop and of course restaurants with fantastic menus. The golf course and spa ensure complete vacation opportunities. We thoroughly enjoyed the salt water lap pool and spa pools (four of them were available!) If you are ever in the Northwest, I highly recommend that you stop by the Skamania Lodge. We will definitely go back.
A little treat was a holiday cocktail demonstration. I got to learn how to make a Spanish Coffee and a White Chocolate Martini.
The Lodge was completely booked when we were there. Google was hosting their Christmas party at the lodge. Google has a new facility down the road in Oregon.
It was wonderful to see that the employees brought their families for the stay. The Lodge was full of babies, toddlers and children. What a special Christmas memory for those young families to stay altogether at this unique place.
We spent our time counting our many blessings and thanking God for every one. This short excursion provided another special memory for our already great year.
