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Get away to Heathman Lodge

A peaceful retreat in the city

The interior of the restaurant, Hudson’s, is warm and cozy place inside Heathman Lodge. Photo credit: Kristin Kendle

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The Northwest has a number of grand lodges tucked into even grander scenery, from the mountains to the Columbia River Gorge. However, while these lodges offer scenery, outdoorsy adventures and views, what they might lack is proximity to cities. While that's often the point, there is one unique lodge that combines a great location to nature and city with the feel of a grand lodge - Heathman Lodge in Vancouver, Washington.

Heathman Lodge strives in every way to offer the true lodge experience - walking into the lobby, you'll be greeted by peeled Douglas fir logs and a fireplace constructed of Columbia River basalt boulder slabs. The rooms and suites are decked out with alpine lodge appeal, and there's even piped-in bird tweets in the hallways.

But step outside the front door, and you're in the middle of a mid-sized city, with a major city just across the river.

The lodge has 20 suites and 182 guest rooms. All guest rooms come with either Tempurpedic or pillow-top mattresses, which help make the rooms perfect for a romantic local getaway (seriously, they're extremely comfortable). Pendleton blankets and leather furniture in some of the rooms and suites help up the ante on the lodge atmosphere. Suites are worth the splurge with extra space, gas fireplaces, jetted tubs and seating areas.

Just off the lobby is Hudson's Bar and Grill, a restaurant that offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and happy hour. The food is Northwest casual comfort food at its best, highlighted by plenty of fresh local produce and yummy Northwest seafood.

"We have very diverse clients from business travelers, group and meeting attendees, romantic weekend getaways, wedding guests, sports teams and government travelers," said Colleen Potter, director of Sales and Marketing at Heathman Lodge. "The businesses in the area and our meeting space make the Heathman Lodge a great place to do business, and our central location makes it perfect for people, such as car clubs, to use the lodge as home base while exploring the Pacific Northwest."

Indeed, there are few finer home bases in the area. Heathman Lodge is located just off of I-205 and Washington State Route 500. It's an easy drive to Portland (10-15 miles), Mt. St. Helens (23 miles), Mt. Hood (78 miles) or even the Oregon Coast (95 miles). Staying outside of Portland versus within the city limits means ample free parking and little traffic - a boon if you've ever stayed in the heart of Portland and have seen how much parking can add to your trip cost!

While Vancouver is not known for being a tourist hub, it's also worth checking out, especially if you don't have long for your getaway. Within a short drive of the lodge is Fort Vancouver, a 19th-century fur-trading outpost that also has a long military history. Even if fur-trading and military history aren't your thing, a stroll down Officer's Row is a worthy stroll - 22 Victorian mansions in stunningly beautiful condition line the leafy avenue. Some have museums or restaurants within their walls. The Waterfront Renaissance Trail along the Columbia River connects with Fort Vancouver and has five miles of trail along the river, dotted with green spaces, restaurants and sandy beaches. On a sunny day, there's no better place to be.

If you're out and about and aren't sure what to do, Heathman Lodge even has a text line that lets you text the desk staff questions about what's nearby (it's equally as useful to inquire if there's free coffee in the morning - and, yes, there is, in the lobby).

Heathman Lodge is located at 7801 NE Greenwood Drive, Vancouver, Wash. For more information, visit www.heathmanlodge.com or call 360.254.3100.

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