Last Updated on May 13, 2026
Standing in the airy lobby of the historic Lightwell Hotel, I can’t help thinking about the Lewis and Clark Expedition camping nearby almost 100 years before the hotel was built. No doubt they would have preferred a fireplace with lounge-worthy, comfortable couches and plush beds draped in high-thread-count linens to camping in the Columbia River Gorge.
Built in 1904 as the Waucoma Hotel, today the newly restored Lightwell Hotel in Hood River, Oregon, boasts 69 luxurious rooms, a spa, coffee shop, lobby bar/restaurant, and a rooftop bar. The house restaurant, Alia, hadn’t opened yet when I visited, but promises a menu inspired by the Pacific Northwest and the Mediterranean.
Vintage details abound — beadboard wainscoting, wood floors (original, in some places), exposed brick, and historical photos of the area — setting the stage for contemporary, no-fuss wood furnishings. The result? Public and private spaces that feel grounded, luxurious, and distinctly Pacific Northwest.
Hood River is 60 miles east of Portland, and it’s a favorite destination for hikes, watersports, waterfalls, and the fresh fruit, wine, craft beverages, and other delectable goodies along the Fruit Loop. Located in the historic downtown, the Lightwell Hotel made a convenient basecamp for my explorations.
The Hotel Lobby
The first thing I noticed about the Lightwell’s lobby was the spacious, airy feel. Honey-toned wood floors and paneling create a warm Pacific Northwest welcome, while the hotel’s signature avocado green and black add depth and style. The front desk occupies a prominent position in the middle. On one side, a baby grand piano fills a corner by windows that reach almost floor to ceiling. A pair of plush couches invites guests to lounge in front of the fire roaring in the painted brick fireplace.
The Lobby Bar, separated from the lounge area by the elevators and a short hallway, fills the space on the other side of the front desk. The hotel doesn’t serve breakfast, but a self-serve coffee station appears at 6:30 a.m. on the bar.
Tip: If you’re bringing a roller bag or want a stair-free entrance, skip the main door on the corner of Second Street and Cascade Avenue. The hotel is handicap accessible, with a ramp on Cascade Street and a push-to-operate, stair-free door on Second Street.
The Rooms
The Lightwell Hotel offers 69 guest rooms and suites ranging from cozy to spacious. Exposed brick, wood floors and furniture, avocado-colored wainscoting, a pair of russet club chairs and local art made my king bedroom feel both charmingly vintage and sophisticated.
The adjustable bedside lamps made reading in bed easier, and the lamp bases feature charging ports. Instead of fumbling for the switch, I discovered the lamp can be controlled with just a touch on the base. The soft, high-thread-count linens made for a very restful sleep.
Room amenities include a smart TV, a workspace, an open wardrobe, earplugs, and Lather bath products. I especially liked the plush-lined waffle-weave robes, perfect for heading down to the spa’s soaking pool.
The Spa
The spa is a serene, phone-free oasis carved out of stone and wrapped in wood. Located on the hotel’s lowest level, the spa offers several soothing massages for recovery and wellness.
After a day of biking along the Historic Columbia Gorge Highway, I relished a relaxing dip in the hot soaking pool. I skipped the dry sauna. Both the sauna and the soaking pool are complimentary for guests.
The Adventure Concierge
I’d already made plans for e-biking and touring the Fruit Loop, but the Adventure Concierge can help guests arrange guided tours and experiences. The concierge operates out of a nook at Basecamp coffee shop. Want to try windsurfing or go wine tasting? The concierge can help with that, as well as mountain biking, kitesurfing, kayaking, fishing, foraging, skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, waterfalls, wellness experiences, cooking classes, and rafting.
Tours and experiences range from two or three hours to full-day trips.
Dining at the Lightwell
The Lobby Bar
After a day of outdoor pursuits, I found dinner at the Lobby Bar. A long, two-sided padded banquette with small tables separates the hotel portion of the first floor from the bar. Larger tables made from wood slabs encourage group interaction. Full of wood tones accented by black chairs, the bar bustles in the evenings, especially if live music is on the schedule.
Guests can tuck into juicy beef and lamb burgers, Hammersley oysters, kale and Bulgar wheat salads, or roast veggie wraps. The menu also offers sharables such as za’atar fries, lavash chips and hummus, marinated olives and pickles, and roasted cauliflower.
I paired my burger with a mocktail, but the bar also serves local beer, wine, and nonalcoholic options. The bar is open from midafternoon through dinner.
The Rooftop Bar
The Rooftop Bar is open seasonally. If closed, guests are welcome to take a beer or cocktail from the Lobby Bar up to the roof. It’s a great place to watch the sunset or grab a quiet moment.
The rooftop bar offers panoramic views of Hood River and the Columbia River.
Basecamp Coffee and Market
Drip coffee is available complimentary to guests starting at 6:30 a.m., but if you want espresso, head for Basecamp, the coffee shop and small market behind the Lobby Bar. It opens at 8 a.m. and offers espresso drinks, tea, baked goods, and a cooler full of kombucha, non-alcoholic beer and other drinks.
The market stocks an assortment of gourmet snacks, including mushroom jerky, chips, popcorn, tinned fish, and bags of granola. It also sells souvenirs and hotel swag.
Alia Restaurant
Alia restaurant wasn’t yet open when I visited, but promises a menu that embraces Pacific Northwest and Mediterranean flavors. I’m told that the Lobby Bar menu hints at the restaurant’s offerings. Alia is expected to open by summer 2026.
Playing in Hood River
Hood River boasts a walkable downtown full of art galleries, boutiques, and local restaurants. Several wineries host tasting rooms downtown, and you’ll find more around town and on the Fruit Loop, a 35-mile tour through the scenic Hood River Valley. Breweries, distilleries, and cideries are also nearby.
The Fruit Loop celebrates fruit in every form, from fresh off the tree to pie fillings, preserves, empanadas, salsas and much more. More than 30 stops entice visitors with farm stands, bakeries, wineries, u-cut flowers, u-pick fruit, farm stores, and much more.
The Columbia River Gorge offers outdoor adventures galore — hiking, biking, windsurfing, kiteboarding, and kayaking are just a few options. Hood River is also a basecamp for skiing on Mt. Hood.
My favorite outdoor pursuit is chasing waterfalls along the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway. Multnomah Falls is the highest in Oregon, but several others are within easy reach from the historic highway. From late May through September, you’ll need a timed permit to visit the cascade, unless you arrive via a paid shuttle service such as the Waterfall Trolley. The old highway offers limited parking at the waterfalls, and shuttles ease the congestion.
With the Lightwell Hotel as your basecamp, it’s easy to enjoy all that Hood River and the Columbia River Gorge have to offer.
