Approaching the building, ithas a distinct lodge feel. After checking in at the front desk, guests walkthrough a Great Room with extraordinary views of the surrounding CascadeMountains. The ambiance is very pleasant with a large fireplace and comfortableseating areas.Guest rooms at this hotelrange from deluxe guest rooms to a penthouse one bedroom. They come with manyof the amenities we expect today, including kitchen facilities. Many units havegas fireplaces, which are a very nice touch any time of year and are especiallycozy during the winter. Some units even include a washer and dryer, which areparticularly useful for those planning a more extended stay.
Most of the guest rooms at theLodge at Suncadia are privately owned, meaning there is some variation indécor. However, hotel personnel told meowners have a choice of only two design schemes, so the variation doesn’t covera broad range like the rooms at the Inn at Spanish Head in Lincoln City,Oregon, where I recommend guests look at the actual room they’re being offeredbefore accepting it to ensure it meets with their approval.
There are three restaurantsat the Lodge itself: a restaurant called Portals, a lounge called Fifty 6°, anda combination coffee shop/gift shop. Other nearby restaurants on the resortinclude the Canary Grill at the nearby Inn at Suncadia, and the Hoist HouseRestaurant at the on-property winery, Swiftwater Cellars.One of the bartenders atFifty 6° told me the kitchens at the Lodge and the winery are careful tocoordinate menus, so that each will be offering dishes unique to theirfacility.
There are numerousrecreational activities, many of which vary by the season. Horseback riding wasoffered nearby when I visited in June. Golf, skiing, snowmobiling, and othersofferings vary by the season. The spa is open year-round.
The drawbacks
Due to its remote location,many of the staff members are from the surrounding small towns, including manyyoung people who work at the resort during their summer breaks from college.Most of the staff members I encountered were polite and friendly, but have notyet developed the polish one would expect at a four-diamond property in a largercity. For example, they tend to say “no problem” instead of “my pleasure,” andaddress businessmen as “guys” instead of “gentlemen.”
In addition to staff polish,guest rooms are another area where Suncadia needs to pay closer attention todetail.
When I arrived, there wereno glasses in the bathroom. The workstation, while nicely equipped with a veryfast, wired Internet connection and a variety of AV inputs to the flat-screenTV, lacked a proper task chair, and the casual chair provided did not allow me towork comfortably. I’m tempted to saysomething flippant, like “maybe that’s the point,” but the resort doesactively seek convention and meeting business, so many guests expect to workwhile at the Lodge.
In-room light fixtures useold-school fluorescent bulbs that are not “instant-on”; they take quite sometime to warm up to full power and even then, look like bad office lighting. Itmakes sense to be energy-efficient, but there are better products that willyield the same energy savings.
Maintenance is another areathe property needs to improve. For example, the screen door on my room’sbalcony was off its track and propped against the fixed portion of the slidingglass door. It should have been put back on before the room was offeredto a guest. Finally, the airconditioning only went down to 68, while most go to 65 or lower. For those ofus who like it cool when we sleep, that could be an issue.
The restaurant, Portals,needs to step up its game. After ordering a simple breakfast of scrambled eggs,Canadian bacon, and toast, I waited 15 minutes in a fairly empty dining roomfor my meal to arrive. When it finally did, the eggs were cold and the Canadianbacon dry.
Several of my fellowconference-goers commented on the resort’s poor cell phone coverage. That couldbe presented as a plus, but again, the hotel does actively court businessmeetings and other gatherings where people expect to be able to use theirphones.
Resort-expensive prices
Standard checkout time is 11a.m., earlier than most upscale facilities, which offer a noon checkout. Latecheckouts are available up to 2 p.m., but the Lodge at Suncadia charges ½ theregular room rate for that additional three hours.
My breakfast, orderedà la carte because their signature offerings don’t include basic bacon andeggs, was $14 including coffee. A bottle of Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian WellsChardonnay, which my dinner companions and I had shared the night before, was$49. As I write this, the same wine is available at my neighborhood grocery for $14.99;average restaurant mark-up of 100% would have brought the price at the Lodgecloser to $29. A bottle of house white, which sells for $9 a glass at therestaurant and bar, was $38 a bottle in the gift shop. Based on the per-glass price, it should have been closer to $18 at retail.
With that in mind, if aluxurious lodge in a rustic mountain setting sounds like your idea of an ideallocation and if you’re willing to overlook some shortcomings, then the Lodge atSuncadia could fill the bill.
Photos by Carl DombekClick on photos to view larger images
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