Archive | January, 2012

Gorge Guide tallies votes for annual Best of the Gorge selections

31 Jan

If you’ve been to the Columbia River Gorge, or browsed the brochure rack near the front desk of the Hood River Hotel, you’ve probably picked up a copy of the Gorge Guide. For several years now, the editors there have asked visitors to vote for their favorite Gorge activities and establishments online at BestoftheGorge.com.

Well, the voting for 2011 is done (voting goes on all year, and ends Dec. 31), and the results are in.

“For 30 years we’ve been showcasing the Gorge for visitors and our second annual Best of the Gorge contest was extremely insightful. We asked visitors to tell us about their favorite experiences in the Gorge, and the voice of the visitor is what you’ll see here,” said Jeff Jones, editor of the Gorge Guide. The categories range from

Oh, BTW, advertising deadline for the 2012 Gorge Guide is Feb. 15. Contact Annisa Olsson Jones at 541-386-7440.

You can vote here for your “best” picks for 2012 at the magazine’s web site, or check out results from 2011.

For those of you who can’t wait for hyperlinks, here are the results:

2011 BEST OF THE GORGE WINNERS BY CATEGORY

Best Art Gallery: Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River, OR

Best Museum: Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum, Hood River, OR

Best Cruise or Excursion: Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler, Cascade Locks, OR

Best General Attraction: Multnomah Falls

Best Lake: Lost Lake, Hood River, OR

Best Park (tie): Marine Park, Cascade Locks, OR / Hood River Waterfront Park, Hood

River, OR

Best Tour: Martin’s Gorge Tour

Best Viewpoint: Rowena Crest

Best Scenic Drive: Historic Columbia River Highway

Best Waterfall: Tamanawas Falls

Best Rest Area: Starvation Creek

Best Fair or Festival: Hood River Hops Fest

Best Orchard, Farm or Fruit Stand: Cody Orchards, Hood River, OR

Best Band: Tony Smiley

Best Campground/RV Park: Timberlake Campground and RV Park, Home Valley, WA

Best Hotel: Inn of the White Salmon, White Salmon, WA

Best Bed & Breakfast: Carson Ridge Cabins, Carson, WA

Best Winery/Tasting Room: Marchesi Vineyards, Hood River, OR

Best Brewpub: Double Mountain Brewery, Hood River, OR

Best Coffee: 10 Speed Coffee, Hood River/Mosier, OR

Best Restaurant Atmosphere: The Glass Onion Restaurant & Gallery, Goldendale, WA

Best Restaurant Food: Nora’s Table, Hood River, OR

Best Brunch (tie): Bette’s Place, Hood River, OR Skamania Lodge, Stevenson, WA

Best Happy Hour: Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, OR

Best Pizza: Solstice Wood Fire Cafe, Bingen, WA

Best Restaurant Service: Brian’s Pourhouse, Hood River, OR

Best Wedding Venue: Cascade Locks Marine Park, Cascade Locks, OR

Best Salon: Salon Visio, Hood River, OR

Best Shopping (Clothing): The Trunk Show, Hood River, OR

Best Shopping (Gifts and Home): Twiggs, Hood River, OR

Best Shopping (Sporting Goods): 2nd Wind Sports, Hood River, OR

Best Kiteboarding School: Cascade Kiteboarding, Hood River, OR and Stevenson, WA

Best Kiteboarding Site: The Sandbar, Hood River, OR

Best Windsurfing School: Big Winds, Hood River, OR

Best Windsurfing Site: The Event Site, Hood River, OR

Best Rafting School: Wet Planet Whitewater, White Salmon, WA

Best Ski Resort: Mt. Hood Meadows, Mt. Hood, OR

Best Hiking Trail: Klickitat Trail, Lyle, WA

Best Mountain Biking Trail: Post Canyon, Hood River, OR

Best Fitness Facility: Crossfit, Hood River, OR

Best Golf Course: Hood River Golf Course

Best Free Family Activity: Hiking

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Our rates aren’t going up 1,759% for Super Bowl weekend

31 Jan

Oh, to NOT be in Indianapolis for Super Bowl weekend. You could come to Hood River (yes, the snow and ice are almost gone, and sun is shining as we write, and the forecast for the weekend is temps approaching the 50s) and stay at the Hood River Hotel for $99 (heck, we’re running a Super Bowl Sunday night special on a river view room for just $89).

Or, you could fly to Indianapolis for the Super Bowl, and pay $990 for a room that normally goes for $66 a night. Yep. According to a survey conducted for CheapHotels.org, you’re going to pay through the schnozz to stay in Indy this weekend.

The survey found that, at the America’s Best Value Inn in East Indianapolis, rates have … for some strange reason … inflated by 1,400%.

Could it have anything to do with the game, and dozens of fans wanting to be there, although from our perspective, they could see the game better on the big-screen TV in our lobby, and the beer is cheaper?

Naaahhh. The Best Value (ironic name, yes?) probably jacked the rates up because it got … new towels?

According to HotelNewsNow.com, the Knights Inn Indianapolis is boasting an even bigger increase of 1,759%. It’s near the Indianapolis airport, and will be charging $725 for a room that normally goes for (wait for it now) … $39.

Yikes. Aren’t you glad you can get to Hood River for the game?

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Enter Winter Getaway this week to win stay at Hood River Hotel, Nora’s dinner, Syncline wine tasting

26 Jan

Like Norma Desmond, we’re ready for our close-up.

That’s right, the Hood River Hotel is primed, primped and covered in lipstick this week as we take the spotlight in the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce’s Winter Getaway promotion.

Remember, you can enter at the Chamber web site, or at its Facebook page. Enter once, and you qualify for each of the weekly drawings that will continue through the end of February.

AND, you can use the prize pretty much any time during the year (always subject to availability).

This week’s Winter Getaway Package puts the focus on “relaxation”:

Here’s a brief video providing a glimpse of what’s in store.

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We were glad to be here for you after The Storm — sort of

26 Jan

You may have heard about The Storm of Jan. 17-19 – one to two feet of snow, followed by rain, followed by freezing rain – and the aftermath … downed trees, broken branches, busted power lines.

Ugh.

At the Hood River Hotel, we were lucky not to have lost power. For people who had been – and sometimes for several days — our dining room became an oasis on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 21. Also known in these parts as “a day that shall live in infamy.”

Imagine the mind meld. Dozens and dozens of people, all with the same thought, at roughly the same time: “Hot coffee? Hot food? Let me at it.”

The result? It’s like all the runoff and logs and boulders arriving downstream at the same time. Whooosh — SPLAT!

Packed dining room.

Packed mezzanine.

Packed lobby, full of people … eager for a table … eager to be warm … eager to eat something from a plate instead of a can … eager to chitchat with the staff while they waited for their table, a bit unaware that said staff was head down, butt up and rootin’, scootin’, running — literally — to stay just ahead of the lapping leading edge of the tsunami.

Our apologies if, to anyone, we seemed a little less than cordial. It’s the nightmare of food service — more customers than you have capacity to serve with time and grace.

It made us think of that famous scene from the old “I Love Lucy” episode. So, for your enjoyment, here’s a clip. Imagine the conveyor belt as our dining room, and the chocolates as our customers, and Lucy and Ethel as … well, our staff.

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Now serving: A dinner meeting space perfect for smaller groups

25 Jan

Hotel restaurants are a different slice of pie. They exist to serve the guests of the hotel. But the needs of those guests may be quite different than the needs of someone who isn’t staying at the hotel, but is looking for a good meal.

Looking to hold a party with bar service? Contact us to arrange a menu. The area around our bar can seat 30 people comfortably.

As a result, as this article in the Wall Street Journal details, hotels all over the country are changing how they position their dining rooms for the marketplace.

At the Hood River Hotel, we’re changing, too.

In response to public demand, we’ve taken on a two-pronged approach to use of our dining room. We continue to deliver delish breakfast and lunch menus from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. After that, our dining room is closed to walk-in diners — and wide open for groups wanting a place to hold an evening meeting, party or business dinner.

To make it worth our while, we require only that your group include at least 25 diners. To arrange a menu that fits your budget, simply contact general manager Cathy Butterfield or at 541-386-1900.

We have a couple of different seating options.

  1. Downstairs — The area off our lobby near the bar can comfortably seat 30 people.
  2. Mezzanine — Overlooking our lobby, this area also seats 30 people. It includes a wide-screen HD TV and a sofa, if you want to create a more casual, social event.
  3. Of course, you can combine both areas to serve up to 60 people.
  4. For groups larger than that, we can arrange service in our private Landmark Room, which seats up to 150 people.

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Another week, another Winter Getaway — if you enter, for FREE

10 Jan

Hood River is giving itself away.

Seriously. Every week through February, Hood River lodging, dining, wine and ski partners are joining hands to offer Winter Getaway packages.

This week, the community is giving away a Relaxation Package that includes two nights — one each at two different B&Bs — plus dinner for two at the Waucoma Club Bar and Grill, and wine tasting for two at The Pines 1852 tasting room in downtown Hood River.

You can learn more about the package in this YouTube video:

http://youtu.be/4550-h8DhmQ

Entry is FREE. You only have to enter once to remain qualified for selection to win future getaway offerings.

To enter, just go to the entry page at the site of the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce.

Or, you can enter at the Chamber’s Facebook page.

Imagine: Hood River … for FREE. Easy as you please-y. All partners have set expiration dates on their contributions, but most prize elements are good through the end of 2012. In other words, if you win, you don’t have to visit in the winter — but we would encourage it, because Hood River is awesome at this time of year. Try us and see.

For future reference, the Hood River Hotel has a contribution in the pipeline — the week of Jan. 30, we’re partnered up with Nora’s Table restaurant and Syncline Winery.

Tasty.

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Get on board the Winter Getaway express — to Hood River

3 Jan

 

Hood River is giving itself away. True. In concert with the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce, several Hood River lodging properties, restaurants and recreation providers are teaming up to offer tasty Winter Getaway packages as prizes. All you have to do is register for a chance to win.

The Chamber will be giving away an action or relaxation package EVERY WEEK during January and February. Multiple prizes, multiple chances to win. The Hood River Hotel will be part of a future package, but that’s no reason to wait — the Gorge has several great places to stay (including ours), dine and have fun. We want you here, period.

Action Package includes:

  • Two nights lodging
  • Two Mt Hood Meadows lift tickets
  • Wine-tasting for two

Relaxation Package includes

  • Two nights lodging
  • Dinner for two
  • Wine-tasting for two

You can register at the Chamber page, or at its Facebook page.

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