According to a McMenamins spokesperson, the tallest of the four totem poles that flank the new hotel is “carved from a 700-year-old Western red cedar and stands 140 feet high—making it the largest one-piece totem in the world. They were meant to be displayed at the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair but not completed on time.”
2The Kalama Harbor Lodge opens on April 20
According to a McMenamins spokesperson, the tallest of the four totem poles that flank the new hotel is “carved from a 700-year-old Western red cedar and stands 140 feet high—making it the largest one-piece totem in the world. They were meant to be displayed at the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair but not completed on time.”
3The patio outside the lodge's main dining area
Inside, the Old ’97 will serve up burgers and cedar-plank salmon. Outside, fire pits and seating will ring the restaurant.
4The patio outside the lodge's main dining area
Inside, the Old ’97 will serve up burgers and cedar-plank salmon. Outside, fire pits and seating will ring the restaurant.
5Custom art in each room
The references in the painted headboard are echoed in each room’s themed artwork. (Headboards were designed and built by Bamboo Craftsman.)
6Custom art in each room
The references in the painted headboard are echoed in each room’s themed artwork. (Headboards were designed and built by Bamboo Craftsman.)
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9The Kalama Harbor Lodge brewhouse, viewable from the check-in desk
First brews on tap? A “Powahana” session gold ale, the “Milkshake” IPA (look for notes of pineapple and coconut), the 33rd State IPA, and, of course, the classic Ruby ale.
10The Kalama Harbor Lodge brewhouse, viewable from the check-in desk
First brews on tap? A “Powahana” session gold ale, the “Milkshake” IPA (look for notes of pineapple and coconut), the 33rd State IPA, and, of course, the classic Ruby ale.
11An artist's rendering of the historic Maui Pioneer Inn
12An artist's rendering of the historic Maui Pioneer Inn
13Another work references pre-Prohibition brew history in the upstart rail town.
14So much velveteen looking for a home…
Two weeks before opening day, armchairs wait to find their place inside.
15So much velveteen looking for a home…
Two weeks before opening day, armchairs wait to find their place inside.
16A guest room under construction
Distinctive custom bamboo headboards frame each room’s king-sized beds.
17A guest room under construction
Distinctive custom bamboo headboards frame each room’s king-sized beds.
18The view from a guest room balcony
Corner rooms feature wraparound porches and views of (future) fire pits.
19The view from a guest room balcony
Corner rooms feature wraparound porches and views of (future) fire pits.
20River views from the fourth-story rooftop Cloud Bar
The bar patio, still under construction in early April
21River views from the fourth-story rooftop Cloud Bar
The bar patio, still under construction in early April
22Ahles Point Cabin
The Lodge’s ancillary bar is a 10-minute stroll upriver.
23Ahles Point Cabin
The Lodge’s ancillary bar is a 10-minute stroll upriver.
24Ahles Point Cabin
25Ahles Point Cabin
26Another work references pre-Prohibition brew history in the upstart rail town.
The rail town of Kalama doesn’t get a lot of action. What it has—a working port, timber yards, and Twilight bragging rights (look for its high school parking lot in a few shots)—is supplemented by the city’s sweeping views of the Columbia River. It’s beautiful here. Picnickers watch ships go by from Marine Park. Strollers meander the riverwalk. And those looking for more excitement head 18 miles down the highway to the Cowlitz Tribe’s newly opened Ilani Casino.
Now, residents might party closer to home. On Friday, April 20, the latest location of the Pacific Northwest’s McMenamins chain of boozy adult amusement parks opens in Kalama, right on the river. Two years in the making, the 40-room Kalama Harbor Lodge effectively doubles the town’s restaurant offerings, with a main eatery on the ground floor, a private lounge tucked to the side, a rooftop bar, and the Ahles Point Cabin a short hike up the river.
If you’ve ever visited a McMenamins establishment—say, Edgefield, the Crystal Ballroom, or the Cornelius Pass Roadhouse—you know what to expect: quirky local art and artisan touches wedged into every conceivable corner; free-flowing McMenamins brews, wines, and spirits; a lot of Grateful Dead references; and, sometimes, secret passageways. (The Kalama Harbor Lodge has two.)
What’s unique about this location, in addition to its deep dive into Kalama history (historic photos and educational placards line the hallways), is the new hotel’s nod to another hotel: the Maui Pioneer Inn. Two weeks before opening, Mike McMenamin roamed the multi-story structure, navigating a hive of construction workers that, a guide said, would wrap up in time for opening day. (“They always do.”)
Pausing in a second-floor stairwell, Mike explains the Hawaiian connection is part historical reference (one version of city history attributes its name to John Kalama, a native of Maui), and part personal nostalgia. When he and his brother Brian stayed at the original Maui Pioneer Inn, the wraparound verandas stayed with them. Then the port sweetened the deal, agreeing to build the hotel’s shell and lease them the property long-term.
“We developed a relationship over the past 10 years with the port,” Mike grins. “Lanny, the [former] director, is a wino like me.”
Can McMenamins pull off the mix of longshoreman lore, small-town arcana, tropical nostalgia, and complex native history? As our guide assures me, “they always do.”
Ramona is the travel and research editor at Portland Monthly magazine. A resident since 2001, she adores Portland's urban nature, activism, and eastside dives.
