Last week, the family headed out to The Resort at the Mountain for a bit of R & R and a review. The kind folks at Richmond Public Relations (The Resort's PR firm) offered us dinner and a room on what turned out to be the beginning of Portland's heat wave. Perfect timing, particularly since we don't have an air conditioner. Before I get too far into the story, I want to share the link to the photo album I created. I had way too many great shots to only share two or three. Check out the Resort at the Mountain photo album.
We headed out on the short hour and fifteen minute drive and decided to stop at Edgefield for lunch. I hadn't been there before and absolutely loved the grounds and my fave burger and tater tots. We ate at the Power Station Theater and bar, but there are like 6 restaurants on the grounds...Did I mention there is a spa? This most definitely requires further exploration in the future.
As the day started to warm up, we made a dash for the car and headed to the mountains. Only a short 45 minutes or so from Edgefield, The Resort was a welcome sight, as was the pool and air conditioned room.
The grounds were absolutely lovely, as was the room. After checking in, I was given a tour by the manager of sales, Ryan Daugherty. He took me through the recently remodeled main lobby, rooms and Altitude Restaurant, to the 27 hole golf course and surrounding area. There are rooms and a clubhouse with a pub in this area, too. Absolutely phenomenal views and at least 10 degrees cooler than Portland. Whew!
He also gave me a sneak preview of the spa the resort is adding. It's an absolutely gorgeous building and promises to be a full service spa, complete with a room for special scrubs and what I hope will be a vichy shower. This alone may be reason enough to come back...
While I was touring, the rest of the family took a swim in the pool and relaxed in the hot tub. I could see the pool from our second story patio...again, we had a great view of beautiful landscaping and the center of the complex. The room came equipped with a big flat screen tv and cold air conditioner, so I vegged out for an hour or so before getting ready for dinner.
At 6, we headed over for the Van Duzer Winemaker's Dinner, co-hosted by the Executive Chef of Altitudes Restaurant, Paul Bosch. I have to admit that the dinner was not all I had hoped it would be. The food was fair, though the flavors were perfect pairings for the wine selections. I particularly liked Van Duzer's Pinot Noir Rose and Dijon Blocks Pinot Noir...really amazing flavors, the Rose being particularly affordable.
Unfortunately, our table companions were fairly obnoxious in discussing their political views and thoughts about the greatness of Sarah Palin and the problem with "transvestites" (though I don't think the two were mentioned in conjunction). Clearly, they did not realize they were seated with a couple that truly embodies the "keep Portland weird" philosophy. Though this was no fault of the resort, it really made the dinner unpleasant. The waitstaff at dinner was fantastic, though, and our server Candy kept us well supplied with wine, food and sparkling conversation.
Afterward, my partner and I had coffee and dessert in the Altitudes Restaurant and Bar. Really nice staff and beautiful surroundings.The kids ordered room service and spent a couple of hours chowing down in bed while watching tv, which they loved. Trust e, they never get served meals in bed at home...
The following morning, we went for breakfast at the pub and were seated outdoors with a spectacular view of the golf course. It was their first day serving breakfast and we had a few glitches...ended up waiting an hour to be served...but all in all it was a positive experience. The waitstaff saved the day again with their sparkling personalities.
Overall, I would say the family enjoyed the experience...and this is definitely a family friendly environment. Other than the issue with the dinner, my only other complaint was that some staff was fantastic, others seemed disinterested and uninformed. We had a heck of a time getting a room service menu, as ours was missing from the room. Thankfully, Ryan found someone who could help...and ironically, copies were sitting at the front desk the whole time.
The Resort is about 30 minutes from Timberline and other major ski areas. Because it is at a lower altitude, The Resort gets less snow, which makes it easy to get to in winter months. You can then hop on a shuttle to three ski areas and leave the driving worries behind. We decided to take a drive up to Timberline after checking out...it was a gorgeous day and a wonderful drive. I would recommend trying the ski lift to go to the top of the mountain. FUN!
If you are looking for a fun and affordable stay-cation, The Resort is a self-contained destination with something for all members of the family. Even though it is a short drive from Portland, it feels miles (and degrees) away. In a year when we are all looking to maximize fun on a minimized budget, a trip to the Resort at the Mountain may be just what is needed.
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