If You Want To Stay In Paradise, Then Stay At The Paradise Inn

Let me begin by saying I love staying in historic lodges within national parks.  Usually, the lodges are constructed of log , wood plank and glass which more or less blends in with the natural surroundings.  Historic lodges always have interesting histories to go with the architecture, and publications may be found in local book stores, or online.

Back in October 2010, during a trip to Washington State, I traveled to Mt. Rainier National Park via Chinook Pass along Hwy 410.

My aim was to arrive at the park via the Paradise entrance,  drive up to the Paradise area, and stay a couple of nights at the Paradise Inn.

Paradise Inn is located just a parking lot away from the Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center.  The Inn is a lovely 2-story creation (which now has a large annex of rooms attached to the main lodge).  I wanted to stay in the main lodge and the reservationist obliged me.  FYI, if you plan on visiting this area, then make your room reservations here early; I made my reservations about 4-6 months ahead of time as the place fills up quickly.  In the photo above, my room was the 4th from the far left of the photo, on the upper level.

I chose a room with no bathroom.  There was a sink, but the toilets and showers were down the hall, in separate rooms.  That was OK, but if I ever stay at the Inn again (and I definitely want to do so), then I will try and reserve a room with the toilet/shower in the same room.

Paradise Inn is not the Hyatt Regency nor the Hilton Hotel; it’s not 5-star with all the amenities.  It’s a beautiful, rustic piece of architecture with history and charm.  As with most other park lodgings, it’s all about location, location, location.  My room was clean and basic, which is all I ever ask of any lodging; I’m spending the majority of my day outside anyway, so my main requirement is a bed.  I don’t need radio, television, or  internet.  The room came with a desk upon which I could place my laptop, portable hard drive, and memory card reader.

The main lobby, as well as the upper level right over the lobby, are the most picturesque portions.

The Lobby:

The upper level during the day:

The upper level at night:

As you can see from the photos, the furnishings are beautifully rustic.

There’s a large restaurant at one end of the Inn; my room was situated over the restaurant and I could hear the clinking of crockery below – a comforting sound to me, rather than an intrusive sound.  There’s also a small “deli” at the other end of the main lodge serving ice cream, bottled drinks, and quick foods like sandwiches, soup, and chili.  Of course there is a gift shop, and even a little mailbox into which you may drop your postcards purchased from said gift shop.  There is no lounge (aka bar aka saloon aka tavern), so if you want a beer or a glass of wine (not accompanied by your meal), you will need to purchase a six-pack or bottle of vino prior to your arrival at the Inn and save it for when you get back to your room.

Paradise Inn is a stone’s throw away from trails of varying lengths, paved and unpaved, all of which afford the visitor stunning views of Nisqually Glacier and The Mountain itself .

You can see all sorts of things in addition to The Mountain.

One of my goals was to photograph the Inn all lit up at night.

Oh yeah, I also made it a goal to get a photo of myself with the Paradise Inn (to prove I was there and….ok…..to use for bragging)

If you get a chance to stay at the Paradise Inn, you won’t be sorry.