Emma M.
Yelp
If it's your first time staying at Quinault Lake Lodge, you might want to know a few things.
As can be read on various informational signs around the building, their historic radiant heating system can get a little noisy. The first night I slept here, I was under the impression that someone's nine-year-old was standing right below my window kicking a metal storm drain. I was so convinced that I nearly got up to go downstairs to complain! The next morning, of course, I discovered that it was simply a feature of the radiators at work. Once I knew what it was, it wasn't too obtrusive, and Iwas able to sleep soundly on two separate occasions.
In terms of tech and internet access, expect less than you are promised. The TV and mini fridge that can be found in most hotel rooms are notably absent here. However, there is a TV in the lodge's public game room that you can use to watch any football games you can't afford to miss. In many ways, this adds to the lodge's atmosphere. The presence of a TV over the enormous picturesque fireplace that graces the main lobby would only spoil the charm, in my opinion.
Food at the lodge's Roosevelt Room is mostly delicious and decidedly overpriced. The cheesecake with fruit compote available at dinner is delectable -- light, fluffy, and luxurious without being overwhelmingly sugary. The logger's breakfast off their 7:30 breakfast menu was also a hit. The crispy fried potatoes and fluffy biscuit were profoundly satisfying on a cool, wet morning. The downside is the price -- my party of three spent over a hundred dollars on breakfast alone. Five dollar coffee is egregious, no matter how good.
Staff at the front desk was helpful, friendly, and well-informed. When we asked about visiting one of the local landmarks, the world's largest Sitka Spruce, we were given advice, instructions, and reports of a downed tree on the path to watch out for. The tree was, as promised, mind-bogglingly enormous.
The natural beauty of the area cannot be overstated. No matter the amenities, the lodge's true appeal lies in the well-marked hiking trails, serene lake views, and isolated locale. Though I appreciated the elegantly furnished and historic interior, the real focus is the environment and surrounding natural park, as evidenced by the numerous informational plaques and photographed landscapes that decorate the walls. In comparison to other, similar lodges I've visited, the ratio of hunting trophies on the walls was tasteful and free of obtrusive creep-factor. The absence of a mounted deer head above the bed was much appreciated.