04 Sep Western Landmark: Northwest Treasure

Midway between the shores of Puget Sound and the Great Cascade Mountains in Washington lies a precipice where the meandering Snoqualmie River drops a staggering 268 feet. This spectacular waterfall, more than 100 feet higher than Niagara Falls in New York, has been at the heart of the Snoqualmie Tribe for generations.

In 2018, a $12 million renovation expanded the hotel to 86 guest rooms with gas fireplaces, Pacific Northwest-inspired furniture, premium bedding, and other amenities.

The waterfall is also the primary focus of the Salish Lodge & Spa, a getaway established in 1916 in the Cascade foothills, 30 minutes from Seattle. The resort is perched alongside the falls, and began as an eight-room hotel. Over time, it evolved into an 86-room resort that draws an international clientele, thanks in part to its ownership by the Snoqualmie Tribe, which acquired the lodge in 2019 as part of the Snoqualmie Tribe Ancestral Lands Movement to raise awareness about their history within the region.

The newly reimagined Restaurant & Terrace Bar features regional fare and local ingredients.

“Over 2 million people travel from all over the world to visit our sacred site each year,” said Robert de los Angeles, chairman of the Snoqualmie Tribe. “While they are here, we want to make sure they are aware of how important and sacred this site is to the Snoqualmie people, how we have cared for it since time immemorial, and the need to protect it from continued desecration.”

Club 268 Lounge, exclusively for Club 268 guests, offers complimentary food and drinks throughout the day.

As part of this effort, the Snoqualmie Falls sdukwalbixw Gift Shop and Visitor Center, an on-site facility featuring curated artisan goods, also shares the significance of these lands with visitors and educates others on how to help respect, restore, and protect them.

Visitors can enjoy observation decks overlooking the falls, hike trails, or walk to the nearby Snoqualmie Falls sdukwalbixw (Snoqualmie Tribe) Gift Shop and Visitor Center. Photos courtesy of the Salish Lodge & Spa

Managed by Columbia Hospitality, the Salish Lodge & Spa offers visitors a sense of renewal in nature. The mists rising from the falls in the early morning, along with the roar of falling water, are a balm for the turbulence of modern life.

For outdoor enthusiasts, the surrounding area offers excellent hiking opportunities and access to the fifth-highest mountain in Washington for technical climbers. But most visitors gather at the Salish Lodge & Spa to relax and savor the ambiance created by a sophisticated mix of natural materials and inviting contemporary furnishings.

The lounge in the main lobby is clad in local fir and cedar wood, serving as an ideal gathering space with its double-sided wood-burning fireplace. Guests enjoy coffee and libations throughout the day and into the evening within this cozy setting.

Individual rooms and suites offer pampered comfort, complete with spa-like bathrooms and a range of amenities. Guests can even select from a pillow menu with six options. The lodge is pet-friendly to dogs, and clients with canines are booked in main-floor rooms with walkout patios. Pups receive customized dog tags, water bowls, and biscuits for their stay.

Reservations range from accessible to luxurious, depending on the room, and extended stays are welcome. A recent addition, Club 268 (referring to the height of the falls), offers an enticing selection of customized perks to sweeten the experience for a nominal surcharge.

The award-winning spa features two private therapeutic soaking pools and a popular steam room and sauna.

The Restaurant & Terrace Bar offers gourmet meals throughout the day, featuring refined yet rustic dining options, including dry-aged beef, regional fish and seafood, vegetarian options, and chef-inspired specialties. The restaurant’s new outdoor seating area, which opened in 2025, offers a full view of the waterfall, with seats to savor original cocktails or desserts such as traditional cherry pie and flourless chocolate cake.

Spa services incorporate Pacific Northwest ingredients such as honey from the onsite apiary and include a seaweed salt glow, coffee exfoliation, massages, facials, and wraps. Photos courtesy of the Salish Lodge & Spa

Above all, the Salish Lodge & Spa is a place to indulge in sybaritic healing, offering a range of spa services. With soaking pools, a steam sauna, massage, and a wide selection of facials, it’s no wonder the resort was named one of the top 50 hotel spas in the U.S. by Travel and Leisure in 2025, adding to its hard-won Best Resort in the West designation in 2024 by the same publication.

Award-winning Colorado journalist and author Corinne Joy Brown has traveled the world seeking great hotel experiences, preferring historic properties surrounded by nature.