Sometimes working remotely means less video conferencing, Skyping and texting and more peace and quiet in secluded places. So Northwest Meetings + Events sought out our region’s most hidden venues. Some take some eff ort getting to; others are right around the corner but seemingly miles away from the hustle and bustle. Here are fi ve you should defi nitely consider when your group is looking for an extraordinary retreat.
STILLPOINT LODGE
Halibut Cove, Alaska
Unlike Rome, all roads don’t lead to Stillpoint Lodge—you need to take a boat or plane.
“Stillpoint Lodge is about 6 miles from the mainland. There are no roads to get there,” says General Manager Beka Thoning.
Located in Kachemak Bay and surrounded by Kachemak Bay State Park, Stillpoint Lodge is set within a very mountainous area. “It’s not connected to any road system. It’s a pretty unique spot,” Thoning says.
The lodge is open from mid-May to midSeptember. There are 10 cabins: four two-bedroom cabins and six one-bedroom options. The main lodge is a shared space with a dining room, an open kitchen and a lounge with a full bar and an intimate sitting area.
Meetings are held in an open space at the lodge. The entire lodge can accommodate up to 60 guests for a seated dinner and up to 100 for a cocktail party. And don’t worry about having to order delivery—catering is provided in-house.
CANADIAN WILDE RNESS ADVENTURES
Whistler, British Columbia
It may take you some time to get to these venues, but, oh, are you rewarded upon your arrival. Canadian Wilderness Adventures is one of the premier activity operators in Whistler and offers two mountaintop venues in the resort during the summer season: Sproatt Cabin and Crystal Hut. Crystal Hut is accessible only by ATV, four-wheel drive or helicopter, and Sproatt Cabin is accessible by ATV, off-road buggy or four-wheel drive. Guided tours are available for groups as small as 10 and as large as 400.
Three additional venues are available outside the village—The Barn, Choppers and The Caboose—and can be used for events for groups of 15-299. “To get to those three venues, transportation needs to be organized whether by small buses or shuttles. It takes about 25 minutes to get there [from Whistler Resort],” says Director of Sales and Marketing Kristal Taylor.
Team-building activities include ax throwing, air-gun shooting and archery. “We can also do a wilderness survival-type skills activity,” Taylor says.
REDFISH LAKE LODGE
Stanley, Idaho
The Sawtooth National Recreation Area, 60 miles from Sun Valley, is known worldwide for its backpacking and hiking, and Redfish Lake Lodge, 6 miles south of Stanley, is located right smack in the middle of it all. “Groups like that they’re completely separated from the normal societal day-in, day-out life. This is rustic, a getaway from it all, very authentic. It’s stunning,” says General Manager Jeff Clegg.
Open from the Friday before Memorial Day through the first week of October, Redfish Lake Lodge has eight guest rooms. An additional 32 units are a blend of private cabins, duplex-style suites and motel rooms. “We have many walking trails,” Clegg says. “There is also fishing, river rafting, horseback riding, swimming, sunset appetizer cruises and a tour of Redfish Lake.”
Two event spaces are available in the visitor’s center. One can accommodate up to 80 guests, the other up to 50. Meals, provided by an in-house caterer, are in the lodge, which can seat up to 120. For larger groups, an outside tent can accommodate 200 guests.
SILVER FALL S LODG E & CONFERENCE CENTER
Sublimity, Oregon
Groups that visit Silver Falls Lodge & Conference Center in Sublimity fall in love with its sublime setting. “They love being surrounded by woods and waterfalls,” says General Manager Adrienne Blomgren. “It’s pretty tough to beat. It’s a treat to be here.”
Located in Silver Falls State Park, Silver Falls is about 90 miles from Portland and 35 miles from Salem. “Those drives aren’t too far, but it feels totally different up here,” Blomgren says. “It’s a temperate rainforest and a different atmosphere.”
The conference center has four guest lodges, which can each sleep up to 12 guests. There are also 10 cabins and a cottage suite. The conference center has two meeting halls, the largest of which can accommodate up to 85 guests seated and up to 120 standing. The smaller space can host up to 35 guests seated.
Through Silver Falls Lodge, you can also reserve the Old Ranch and the New Ranch. Both of these rustic, dormitory-style lodgings (the Old Ranch was built in the 1880s as a sheep barn) can sleep about 75 guests.
TREEHOUSE POINT
Issaquah, Washington
Although it’s only 30 minutes from Seattle in Issaquah, TreeHouse Point, a private event center and overnight retreat, treats guests to a secluded escape. The property is on approximately four acres of forest along the Raging River and hidden from neighboring properties.
“Groups enjoy the Pond Room, the rentable event space, as it provides the opportunity to disengage from the business of day-to-day life and truly engage with nature,” says Bree Monahan, general manager. “The Pond Room is equipped to host off-site business meetings and is located centrally in the forest.”
Five treehouses sleep two guests each, and one treehouse sleeps four. Each has an electric teakettle and a mini hot beverage bar. The Pond Room can accommodate up to 40 guests seated and up to 80 standing.
