The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, May 2019 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has announced that Skamania Lodge, in Stevenson, Washington, has joined its expanding Benchmark Resorts & Hotels portfolio.
The 258-guest room Skamania Lodge is set on 175 densely forested acres overlooking the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, just 45 minutes from Portland, Oregon. The resort, owned by Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, is renowned for its Cascadian style architecture, natural woods, state-of-the-art conference center built to IACC standards, authentic Northwestern cuisine, and awe-inspiring, 360-degree Gorge views.
Besides its awe-inspiring beauty, the destination is also adventurous, combining both on-property and off property recreation. Guests can explore the area by hiking to the stunning Falls Creek Falls, a staff favorite, or visit a local microbrewery, a cidery and or a distillery to sample local craft beverages. They can focus on relaxation by lounging in an Adirondack chair on the resort’s patio, taking in the view highlighted by Wind and Dog Mountain while enjoying a Columbia Valley local wine or one of the many Gorge microbrews. Wind Mountain, a volcanic cinder cone, hosts a fun but challenging trail to hike, while Dog Mountain is the unofficial favorite Gorge trail with its abundance of wildflowers and amazing views. Guests like to end the day at Skamania Lodge around one of the resort’s several firepits and enjoy a glass of wine or S’mores while watching the sunset across the Gorge.
With 175 forested acres, Skamania has outdoor adventures that showcase the area’s natural wonders and encourage fitness. Guests can soar through the Douglas Firs as part of the Canopy Zip Line Tour. Challenging and thrilling, the exciting Aerial Park offers 19 platforms, over 22 elements and a climbing feature. For those guests who like to dial up the danger, axe throwing, the newest adventure, provides that pulse-raising, yet safe thrill. For fitness enthusiasts the recently refurbished Gorge Loop Fitness Trail, a moderate to difficult .9-mile loop with five stations featuring TimberForm fitness clusters and 17 activities, is perfect for the novice and expert alike. The resort includes an onsite immersion in nature with four miles of hiking and nature trails, bikes for guest use, as well as outdoor tennis, basketball and volleyball. Not to be forgotten are the miles of additional hiking trails nearby the resort, including the renowned Pacific Crest Trail, made internationally famous in the recent Reese Witherspoon film, Wild.
“We are thrilled to welcome Skamania Lodge to Benchmark,” says CEO Alex Cabañas. “Skamania is extraordinary in its hospitality, its remarkable beauty and its spectacular natural setting in the Columbia River Gorge. It is an iconic property that offers an immersive, authentic return-to-nature experience in an area showcasing some of the nation’s most spectacular natural beauty.”
Guest accommodations (258 rooms and suites), fresh from an $8 million renovation, were enhanced with new finishing touches both big and small. From Columbia River Gorge-inspired artwork to new chairs and sofas, the new rooms have a modern look and feel that echo the Pacific Northwest. Detailed, artful maps of the Gorge, as well as pictorials showcasing hikes in both Oregon and Washington make guests feel a part of the landscape that surrounds them. Also available are one-of-a-kind Tree House experiences, which enable guests to choose from four different 713 square foot luxury treehouses designed for the inner child in us all. The Tree Houses are the perfect escape, complete with expansive decks, (about 20 feet in the tree canopy), indoor/outdoor fireplaces, and outdoor firepits.
Skamania’s public areas are themed in concert with its authentic Cascadian architecture. The wood tones and stony textures give the leisure areas an upscale, residential feel, perfect for a relaxing close to an active day and ideal for a restful evening after a full day of meetings and events. A stroll through the resort envelopes guests in both the grandeur of nature and the comforts of home. From the lounging areas with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out to the vistas of the Columbia River Gorge to the comfortable furnishings accented by soft wood tones and the glow from the Gorge Room fireplace that elevate embers like a dance of native spirits. A carefully curated collection of original works by Native American and other regional artists is presented throughout the Lodge.
“Skamania” is the Chinook Indian word for “swift water”. Skamania Lodge, which overlooks the Columbia River is aptly named. Nearby are over 70 waterfalls, including the famous Multnomah Falls, which, at 620 feet, is the fifth highest waterfall in the United States.
The Skamania Lodge is a prominent resource for the Portland meetings market as well as for Washington State. Skamania Lodge’s 22,000 square feet of dedicated conference space includes 23 meeting rooms, exhibit and banquet facilities, which also features the warmth of burnished local woods and the comfort and style of Native American textiles and art. Conference space ranges from 250 square feet for more intimate gatherings, to a 7,000-square-foot ballroom hosting functions for up to 500 guests. Opening this month, the iconic Riverview Pavilion, with 2,500 square feet of covered outdoor space, will set the scene for destination weddings and events. The $1.6 million event location offers trademark expansive views of the Columbia River Gorge and the majestic mountains. Skamania’s exceptional recreational facilities provide limitless opportunities for team building.
Creature comforts at Skamania include dining on exceptional local food and wine offerings at the Cascade Dining Room where Executive Chef Matt Hale crafts farm to table menus featuring fresh meats and produce while he prepares memorable meals in a Hearth Oven.
The Cascade Dining Room serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and the Lodge’s legendary Sunday Brunch. The Dining Room brings the best of the Pacific Northwest to the table with authentic cuisine featuring Washington State beef, pork and chicken, salmon, steelhead freshly caught from the Columbia River and Dungeness Crab from the Pacific Ocean. The Dining Room also offers vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free options. The award-winning wine list caters to the best wines of the Columbia Valley.
For more casual fare, the rustic River Rock features wood-fired pizzas, salads, burgers and a robust selection of craft beers from the Pacific Northwest. Green Apron enables guests to take Skamania’s tasty dishes to go, carefully packaged to be enjoyed anywhere on or off property. Outdoor dining with views of the Red Bluff Mountain is a feature of the Greenside Grille, which is open for breakfast, lunch and afternoon beverages in the summer-perfect for post golf drinks.
Skamania Lodge’s challenging 18-hole, par-70 golf course is tucked in the midst of 175 wooded acres and offers some of the region’s best golf, complemented with stunning mountain views. The course includes a driving range, practice bunker, and chipping and putting greens. Also featured are a full-service golf shop, cart rentals and PGA Professionals to guide golfers to a better game.
The Waterleaf Spa & Fitness Center is a wellness retreat maximizing the serenity of the resort’s natural setting and featuring massages and nourishing organic face and body treatments. The wellness and fitness center enable guests to immerse themselves in rejuvenation with massages featuring warmed Columbia River rocks, hot tubs, saunas and Jacuzzis, or ramp up their exercise regime with state-of-the-art fitness facilities including Peloton bikes, top of the line Precor treadmills, elliptical equipment, free weights, and weight stations. The Waterleaf Spa also features trend-forward options for enhancing your treatments with CBD.
Skamania Lodge is an environmentally friendly and sustainable resort, offering charging stations, LED lighting and the other environmentally friendly upgrades made in keeping the resort within its heritage and respect for the Columbia River Gorge and the Native American history and art.
