McMenamin's Kalama Harbor Lodge

Over Spring Break this year Daniel and I went on a little getaway to the new McMenamins hotel, the Kalama Harbor Lodge. Just 40 minutes north of Portland, Kalama is a tiny and historical town and McMenamins found a gem for one of their overnight locations. 

Exterior 

Many of McMenamins hotels are renovated historical buildings, and Kalama Lodge is the first that McMenamins built from the ground up. It has a very northwest craftsman style, with classic McMenamins quirks.

There's a wide porch around the lodge, which contains many cozy outdoor places to sit. The lodge sits right on the river and the view is lovely. A path winds along the riverfront and goes right by the lodge, which is nice for a little stroll. 

 Rooms

We've visited a few McMenamins hotels, these most closely resembled the rooms at St. Francis Hotel in Bend. The walls were in a gorgeous wood, and the room was decorated with a mix of rustic and tropical style. We commented that this was an unexpected combination, but totally worked. 

The room had a nice private bathroom, unlike Edgefield where guests share bathrooms. 

Each room has a balcony with comfortable chairs, with most rooms facing towards the river. I would suggest requesting a river-facing room. 

The room had the usual amenities of a tv, towels, extra blankets, and so on, along with mugs that can be filled with complimentary coffee. 

 Bars and Restaurants

Of course a highlight of visiting a McMenamins hotel is exploring all the bars. I can't even pick a favorite because we really enjoyed them all. The first one we visited was the Cloud Bar, which is a near-roof top bar. It has a panoramic view of the Columbia River. We enjoyed some Scooby snacks (mini corn dogs) and sampled some beers with a flight, including a special edition Ruby Ale. Along with appetizers and drinks, the Cloud Bar also serves main courses. 

Ahles Point Cabin is a standout from other McMenamins small bars, because it is a good walk away from the main lodge. We were pleased to take a sunny stroll down the river to find a cozy cabin with a fire burning inside. The cabin serves drinks and specialty pizzas. 

We grabbed a beer and sat outside in the sunshine, enjoying the view as afternoon slowly turned to evening.

 We were lucky to have really beautiful weather, but for less nice days the indoor Harbor Lounge. I can imagine watching a stormy river from their plush couches and overstuffed armchairs.

The main restaurant is right in the heart of the first floor and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I can't believe I took only 1 food picture! This crunchy french toast was oh so delightful, and the burger I had the night before was fantastic as always.

If you Visit

If you do visit Kalama Harbor Lodge, know that it's a very relaxing atmosphere.  Unlike other McMenamins locations, it doesn't have a theater, soaking pools, or an arcade. Daniel and I spent most of our time sitting in rocking chairs, looking at the river and chatting with a good drink in hand. It's the ideal place to just relax, unwind, and connect with a loved one. If it isn't nice weather, maybe consider bringing some board games or cozying up in bed with a movie or good book. 

The city of Kalama is definitely worth a wander around. There's a few sweet antique shops and home decor boutiques. I would say don't expect to spend more than a couple hours downtown.

If you have a McMenamins passport, definitely bring it and enjoy getting stamps at all the bars. McMenamins passports are really fun and you can earn prizes at different locations for getting stamps. A frequent misunderstanding is that you have to complete the passport in one year, but there's actually no time limit. Passport or not, make sure to find the secret rooms! Kalama Lodge has two.

McMenamins hotels are always a fun adventure and Kalama Harbor Lodge proved to be so relaxing. Bring your appetite and passport and go check out this gem! 

If you're curious about more McMenamin's hotels, check out my Edgefield post from last fall.