Luxury Escape at Willows Lodge, WA

written by Lauren Kramer

If there’s one lodge that’s truly nailed the luxury Pacific North-west experience, it’s the Willows Lodge in Woodinville. Walk inside and you’re greeted by a massive fireplace in a honey-toned lobby with 30-foot ceilings and warm wood accents. Indigenous art adorns the walls, and a feeling of calm and serenity hangs sweetly over the lodge, echoed in its beautiful, manicured grounds. The lodge pays tribute to history in many places, but one of the most conspicuous is the cedar snag in the entry drive. This snag of a cedar tree, estimated to be some 1,500 years old, came here from the Olympic Peninsula. Its presence is a tangible reminder of the forests that flourished in Woodinville before they were logged over a century ago.

ACCOMMODATIONS

You wouldn’t expect an eighty-four room property to feel intimate, but Willows Lodge has maintained its boutique ambience, which is a big part of its charm. Rooms are spacious and thoughtfully laid out, all featuring decadently comfy beds, gas fireplaces with rock surrounds, flat-screen televisions and tea and coffee-making facilities. The deep soaker tubs and walk-in showers—with high-tech digital controls—sport Molton Brown bathing products, and plush robes and slippers are at the ready.

Modern hotel room with a cozy fireplace, large window with a view of greenery, stylish artwork, and comfortable king-sized bed, perfect for a relaxing stay. — The rooms are modern and comfortable. (photo: Travis Knoop/Willows Lodge)

FOOD

The Barking Frog is the culinary hub of the lodge, a sixty-eight-seat dining room with an elevated, well-rounded menu. Here, each dish is art-on-a-plate, a meticulous assembly of color, texture, flavor and design. Expect dinner courses interspersed with amuse-bouches and palate-cleansing sorbets, and an impressive wine list curated by sommelier Torrey Lewis. The Frog serves breakfast and lunch weekdays and brunch on weekends and is known for its beignets—light, donut-like treats served with huckleberry- or orange-flavored cream cheese. Dinner is served daily, and the Fireside Lounge, a vibey bar venue adjacent to the lobby, serves small plates and hosts local musicians five nights a week.

The lodge’s restaurant, Barking Frog, is art on a plate. (photo: Willows Lodge)

SPA

The Spa at Willows Lodge offers a large assortment of skin treatments, massages and body wraps, as well as an outdoor, secluded hydrotherapy pool and dry sauna. The hydrating facial, a sixty-minute exercise in hydration and replenishment, is highly recommended.

Visit the spa and its hydrotherapy pool. (photo: Willows Lodge)

ART

The lodge’s walls and gardens are a gallery-like tribute to Northwest Coast Native American art, with some exquisite pieces by Canadian artist Bill Reid, Coast Salish artist Susan Point, sculptor Joseph Kinnebrew and Lummi glass artist Dan Friday. An interpretive pamphlet guides visitors through the property, highlighting each individual piece. Together they form an impressive collection that honors indigenous artists’ skill and their ability to reflect the spiritual, animal and human worlds in their work.

The lodge is decorated throughout with remarkable art. (photo: Willows Lodge)

AMENITIES

The lodge has bikes and helmets for guests who want to pedal the Sammamish River Trail, accessible directly from the Willows. In the lobby, find complimentary tea, coffee and snacks in the mornings, hot cider or fruitinfused water and fruit in the afternoons, and complimentary glasses of bubbly for guests at check-in. A small fitness room is equipped with everything you need for a workout, EV and Tesla chargers are available for drivers of electric cars, and for guests who need a ride around Woodinville, the lodge offers a complimentary shuttle.

14580 NE 145TH ST.
WOODINVILLE
www.willowslodge.com