There is something special about staying in a National Park Lodge, especially when the lodge is grand like the Paradise Inn at Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State! This lodge is so grand that it has been designated as a National Historic Landmark and placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Here you are not going to find the typical luxuries of a chain brand hotel like USB plugins or even a bar/lounge for an evening cocktail. Instead, you will be staying 5400′ up on one of America’s Icons, Mount Rainier!
The Inn offers 121 guest rooms, a 200-seat dining room, a gift shop, the Tatoosh Café, and the magnificent lobby.
Paradise Inn
Contents
History of Paradise Inn
The Paradise Inn was built in 1916. It fits the National Parks Rustic Architecture and is one of the true great lodges of the West! Building materials were locally sourced like native rock, cedar shingles and timbers salvaged for the 1885 fire that blazed through 30 years earlier and had developed a silver sheen.
It was originally built as two rooms. The great room was 50′ by 112′ with a wrap-around mezzanine level and two impressive4′ by 6′ fireplaces, one on each side. They also added furniture in this room that was equally impressive! There was two 1500 lb. tables, a 14′ Grandfather clock and a rustic piano that President Harry S. Truman played during his visit to the Inn in 1945.
All of this grandeur makes for an entrance that will impress almost anyone. Any visitor to the Inn should plan on spending time in the impressive room and sit on the massive log furniture and feel its coziness.
The original rooms sat above the dining room and were a modest 8′ by 8′ room. Needless to say, there have been additions throughout the years and the Inn was eventually sold to the National Park Service.
The National Park Service thought about tearing down this historic lodge but there was such a public outcry they decided to restore the historic Inn and the operations were leased out.
In 1987, the Paradise Inn was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and forms an integral part of the Mount Rainier National Historic Landmark District.
Why stay at Paradise Inn
There are several great reasons to stay here. The first is the location! You are located on one of the most beautiful spots in all of Mount Rainier National Park! There is no traveling to get to the visitor center and the miles of hiking trails. Wildlife and wildflowers can easily be seen just outside the Inn.
We thoroughly enjoyed hanging out in the great room with a cup of coffee and there was even a Ranger program here in the evening!
You also get to experience an epic National Park Inn that is filled with history!
Guest Rooms
Lodge Rooms
The rooms are small and definitely not the king bed we have at home but then again all we did was store our stuff and slept in our room. Everything about this area draws you away from your room and to go outdoors!
Our room had a double bed, single chair, sink, mirror, small desk, and closet area. The bathroom was down the hall and shared with other rooms on our floor. The bed was not big and I did find myself with my feet hanging over the edge of it or in the sink depending on how I was lying on the bed. I am 6 foot 4 for reference.
Robes and slippers are provided in the room for walking to the bathroom and shower area.
Annex Rooms
To help accommodate additional guests and request for private bathrooms the Annex Rooms were built in 1920. These rooms are located behind the main lodge. These rooms are undergoing renovations and will be re-opening to guests during the 2019 season. There are four floors in the Annex that are accessed by stairs.
Rooms are available with a queen, double and twin beds with private bathrooms. There are also two-room Annex Rooms that share a private bathroom. One room has a double bed while the other room has two twin beds.
Annex Room Suites are available with a bedroom and a sitting room with a private bath. The bedroom has one queen bed while the sitting room has a futon.
ADA-Accessible Rooms
ADA Accessible Rooms are located on the main floor of the Paradise Inn. These rooms come with either a queen or a double bed.
ParkRangerJohn Pro Tip: Do not expect an epic sunrise here, you would need to go to the Sunrise visitor center which is a 1.5 hr. drive away! Instead, see if there is wind early in the morning and if not hurry up and get to the Reflection Lakes area! It is truly a memorable experience to see the reflection of the mountain on reflection Lake in the early morning light and will most likely be one of the few people there this early.
What I enjoyed most was the fact that it forced us to turn off electronics and enjoy the moment. Your cell phone is not going to work here, there is no WIFI to connect to and you are going to be hard-pressed to find an open outlet in your room to charge all of your electronics!
Forget about these things for one day and enjoy the company of who you are with, read a book & have a cup of coffee by the fireplace, grab a board game and play on the huge tables in the great room or take in the ranger program.
If you become bored go for a walk, smell the wildflowers, watch the hummingbirds bounce between flowers or just sit outside and smell the fresh mountain air! Remember the famous John Muir Quote “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks”‘
Don’t forget to check out my post on things to do at Mount Rainier National Park.
Paradise Inn Dining Room
Paradise Inn dining room is the perfect place to enjoy a great meal with an amazing atmosphere. You can start your day with breakfast in the dining room and then a short walk takes you right out to the amazing trails and views of Mt. Rainier.
The dining room is equally as impressive at 50′ by 105″ and has a 50′ stone fireplace! Huge windows let in all the natural light you need and give impressive views of the mountain. The restaurant serves traditional Northwest cuisine and you can expect dinner to be something like Pacific Northwest Salmon, Pacific Northwest Cherry Chicken, and Bourbon Bison Meatloaf. All I can say is YUM!
Make sure and look up while dining to see the original beams and pillars above you. Can you believe these Alaska Yellow Cedar logs were hand hoisted using ropes and pulleys? No power equipment or cranes were used during construction. Even the massive rock fireplace was done by hand.
Open daily from mid-May to early October
Breakfast: 7am–9:00am
Lunch: Noon–2:30pm
Dinner: 5:30pm–8pm
Paradise Inn Information
Season: Open seasonally from May 24-October 2, there are 121 rooms,
Check-In is 4 pm
Check-Out is 11 am
You will need a National Park Pass or have paid the entrance fee to get to the lodge.
Phone: (360)569-2275
Address: 52807 Paradise Rd. E. Ashford, Wa.98304
GPS Coordinates: 46′ 47’5.93″ North, 121’43’51” West
Make reservations for a room online
Parking Available, no additional fee.
No pets allowed except for service animals
There is no phone, T.V, air conditioning, or WIFI available
All Rooms and the lodge is designated non-smoking
Some rooms have a private bath while some rooms have a shared bathroom.
Toiletries are available in your room.
Cribs are available for $17 rental fee
There is a gift shop on site!
Cancellation policy states there is a $15 fee for cancellations with at least a seven-day notice. Cancellations with less than a seven-day notice will be charged for the first night including taxes.
Leave a Reply