Even as a teenager I dreamed of becoming a writer. I had a particular idea of what that meant. I imagined myself in a lakeside room, a cedar fire crackling away as I pounded out breathtaking prose on the best typewriter money could buy. (It was the early '80s.) I envisioned rain lashing picture windows as a cool mist crept in betwixt evergreen treetops. I won't speak to the immortality of my grown-up sentences, but I can tell you I'm writing this from an easy chair facing a crackling cedar fire. Soft mist blankets the treetops as gentle rain disturbs the flat gray mirror of a Pacific Northwest lake. Some writers get all the tough assignments.

This isn't my everyday office, which boasts a less-than-inspiring view of a parking lot, and I don't own a home by the lake. What I can afford - most likely, you can, too - is a night at Lake Quinault Lodge in the Olympic National Forest. It's a beautiful place. Before you walk into the hotel, venture out back to enjoy the view from a deck chair. The light has a soft, flattering quality. The grounds enjoy the romantic advantage of being as enjoyable in the rain as they are in the sun.

Guests at the lodge may enjoy boating on the lake. Photo credit: Christian Carvajal
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Then there's the lodge itself. The spacious lobby offers the comforts of home around a welcoming stone fireplace. Take in the piano, leather easy chairs, and chessboard with oversize pieces. What you won't see, here or in your room, is a television. The only TV we found on the premises is in a game room beside the heated indoor pool. Each of the pool's gender-divided dressing rooms includes a dry sauna, perfect for after a refreshing dip. If you're an active servicemember, the lodge cuts a cool 25 percent off your room bill. Nice!

The hotel was built in 1926, and its rooms reflect their age in ways both charming and (let's say) idiosyncratic. A notice on the wall warns of noises from the radiator. In reality, that can mean a brief series of clangs. The walls are thin. Most rooms lack wi-fi. If you're looking for the high-dollar amenities of a Salish Lodge, you should probably look there instead. But if a comfortable bed with a view of the lake, a mere stroll away from some of the most majestic spruces and cedars in the world, sounds like heaven to you, then Lake Quinault Lodge is your dream destination. Roosevelt Restaurant, so named because it was visited by FDR, offers pricey but delectable fare with exceptional service. If you're a hiker, the kitchen will prepare you a box lunch to sustain you in the forest primeval.

When was the last time you awoke to the susurration of rain on a lake? How would your brain react to a night of relaxation with a good book, or a low-pressure chess game with a view of the fireplace? Seriously, how long has it been since you simply ... unplugged? That restorative reboot is exactly what Lake Quinault Lodge both promises and delivers. For this writer, in fact, it's a daydream come true.

LAKE QUINAULT LODGE, 345 S. Shore Rd., Quinault, $97-$400, 360.288.2900