March 25, 2005

Night's Stay at Weasku Inn Completes Scenic Southern Oregon Tour

By DAN SHRYOCK
Oregon.com

A business trip this week sent me to Southern Oregon and the South Coast. It afforded me the chance to once again drive along the Umpqua River from Drain west to Reedsport, watching the river expand with each turn in the road.

I walked about Bandon's Old Town district, enjoying both the eclectic collection of shops and restaurants and the accessible waterfront area and its many improvements. I checked out the Cape Blanco lighthouse and savored the stunning coastal drive from Bandon to Crescent City, CA.

Finally, there was my visit to the majestic Redwoods through the Highway 199 corridor to Cave Junction.

My final night was spent at the Weasku Inn, located on the Rogue River Highway between Grants Pass and the city of Rogue River. I'd stayed at the Weasku before and looked forward to another night there.

The Weasku got its start in the 1920s as a Rogue River fishing campsite. Over the years, it evolved into a lodge and became an Oregon escape destination for Hollywood's rich and famous, including actor Clark Gable.

Today the lodge is not exclusively for those who like to fish. Anyone looking for a peaceful alternative to hotels and motels will find the Weasku Inn a great choice.

The amenities that made my first visit so enjoyable were still there. The big, soft bed and feather pillows helped make for a great night's sleep. The freshly baked continental breakfast the following morning was a delight.

Then there's the easy morning stroll along a trail that follows the river. With coffee cup in hand, I listened as birds sang to the sounds of the river rushing by.

Charmaine Brown, Weasku's operations manager, assigned me to Room No. 5 in the main lodge. No. 5 used to be a small room with a single queen bed. Now it's a two-room suite with vaulted ceilings that rivals the cabin accommodations nearer the water.

The exterior double doors on No. 5 open to a balcony and a clear view of a new pond. The eastern exposure lets the morning sun add a natural wakeup call, if you wish.

Across the pond is a new conference center, perhaps Weasku's most impressive improvement. The stand-alone building, which accommodates as many as 28 people, features vaulted ceilings, a fireplace, French doors opening to a surrounding deck and a portable bar. The center also is equipped with wireless Internet and a hard-wired high-speed connection for presentations.

Down below the lodge and the conference center is a new wooden bridge to the river and the hiking trail. It's new to the Weasku, but it's made from the remains of a larger nearby bridge.

There are other improvements:
- The parking lot was realigned to improve guest access.
- Lighting and landscaping were improved throughout the lodge grounds.
- A new, full-size kitchen was added to better serve breakfasts and BBQ fests.

Charmaine says these changes were important upgrades for this unique lodge.

"We wanted to give our guests expanded service and make the lodge more accommodating for all kinds of business and leisure," she says. "We're a full-blown lodge now. By adding the meeting room, we provide a place for family, friends or business associates to meet."

The meeting room's location on the north side of the property allows guests to physically separate work from pleasure "Without interfering with the integrity or the natural beauty of the Weasku," Charmaine says.

"Now it enhances the property but does not take away from what people love about the overall experience."

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