Salish Lodge—Take the Plunge
By Kathie Farnell

Just 30 minutes east of Seattle in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, historic Salish Lodge and Spa perches on the edge of a spectacular waterfall. The Snoqualmie Falls—at 268 feet, higher than Niagara—provides a stunning backdrop to the Lodge’s romantic rooms, full-service spa and what may be the world’s finest cheese cart.

Consistently ranked among the world’s best small hotels, the 91-room Salish Lodge was originally built in 1916 as a wayside inn serving travelers en route to Seattle via the Snoqualmie Pass. A renovation in 1988 expanded the hotel -–a AAA Four Diamond facility--and meeting space to 66,000 square feet. If the Lodge looks familiar, it may be because it served as the inspiration for the cult tv series Twin Peaks; may of the exterior shots used in the show were filmed in the area around the Falls. Romance as well as mystery is in the air; last year the Lodge played host to 125 weddings, 500 honeymoons and 1500 anniversary celebrations.

All guest rooms feature a wood-burning fireplace, two-person whirlpool tub, and feather bed with a “pillow menu.” Guests can choose from a variety of pillows, available by picking up the phone. I chose the daintily-scented lavender pillow, but was also tempted by the thought of the Swedish Foam Pillow, which is touted as being constructed from a space-age material which “molds to your head.”

The Lodge’s sophisticated dining room offers a sweeping view to the distant mountains and features an extensive wine list including many offerings from Pacific Northwest wineries. Entrees here include venison, Muscovy duck and wild salmon. My main interest, however, was the award-winning cheese trolley.

All of the cheeses offered—seventeen on my visit-- are from farmhouses and made according to traditional methods. Two I particularly fancied were the mellow four year extra aged Gouda and the Cone de Port Aubry from the Loire Region of France. The cheese menu describes this entry, rather alarmingly, as “unctuous and goaty;” it was robust and delicious. The cone shape is the farmer’s invention—in the absence of a cheese mold, he impetuously snared his wife’s brassiere from the clothesline. We are spared the details of the no doubt gripping scene that eventually ensued.

Breakfast options in the Dining Room include hot chocolate prepared tableside. I fortified myself with a wild mushroom frittata and set off to have a look at the Falls. Two observation overlooks give a spectacular view of the hotel and the twin waterfalls. A hiking trail leads to the base of the Falls via a wooden footbridge along the Snoqualmie River. The nature trail which winds through the Lodge’s wooded grounds is another popular outdoorsy option. The Adventure Center located at the Lodge provides complimentary trail maps for area hikes and can organize guided expeditions as well as renting mountain bikes and coordinating whitewater rafting, kayaking and fishing trips.

If your tastes run more to being pampered in the great indoors, visit the Lodge’s Spa. Open since 1996, the Spa is the Pacific Northwest’s only mountain retreat and full-service spa. The wood-paneled facility, located on the Lodge’s top floor, offers a Northwest menu of massages and treatments for body, mind and spirit. An extra hour is built into each appointment to allow guests to enjoy the soaking pools with their floor-to-ceiling vistas of nearby Mount Si, or to relax by the fire in the Spa sitting room.

The Spa’s staff can arrange a pre-wedding spa party for a little pre-nuptial female bonding, or honeymooners can opt for a couples’massage. In addition to facials and massages, the Spa offers combination packages of services. The most elaborate is the Cascade Escape, a full day of indulgence, including lunch next door in the Lodge’s Attic restaurant (which offers a view of the Falls as well as a dynamite salmon chowder).

I decided on a Heated River Rock Massage. In this 50-minute treatment, smooth river stones are heated and placed on your body’s energy centers—just the thing after a long plane trip.

Weddings at the Lodge take place outside on the Falls Terrace or the Centennial Green, or inside; the Salish Ballroom, at 2052 square feet, can accommodate a large party. More intimate functions are held in the Atrium, which features floor-to-ceiling windows and a fireplace. Joan O'Hara of the Lodge’s catering department provides information on wedding options at 1-800-2SALISH, or check the wedding website at www.salishweddings.com. For information about room reservations at the Lodge, check the general website at www.salishlodge.com

Kathie Farnell and Jack Purser are based in Alabama and have been doing travel writing and photography since the early 90s. Their favorite topics include nature travel, romantic destinations, weekend getaways and offbeat topics. They both come from a legal background; Jack was an attorney for the US Department of Agriculture, and Kathie founded Farnell Legal Research. Kathie also produces programming for public television and radio. kfarnel@gulftel.com, www.artemismedia.org