Suncadia Resort and Spa, Cle Elum, WA - Review by Average Joe Reviews
My family and I living in the Seattle, WA area love to get away to the Cascade Mountains from time to time and Suncadia Resort and Spa just outside the small town of Cle Elum, WA (about an 1 1/2 hour drive from Seattle) is a great getaway. The resort has a main Lodge and an Inn as well as private homes and condos available for rent. Entering the Lodge, you are greeted with a breathtaking view looking out over a vast valley of forest. In the wintertime it is equally beautiful covered in tons and tons of snow.
Also, in the winter the resort constructs an outdoor skating rink and offers tubing and is wonderfully decorated for Christmas. As mentioned, Suncadia sits in the Cascade mountain range so it does tend to get quite a bit of snow, therefore it is advisable to travel in an all-wheel drive vehicle.
There is a great indoor pool area at their fitness facility. The upstairs of the fitness center is equipped with treadmills and other exercise equipment for guest and homeowners to get their workout on. Downstairs on the main floor is the indoor heated pool and adjacent to that is a very large hot tub and two indoor water slides for the kids, or in my case for the kid at heart.
The resort always offers kids activities from making stuffed animals to glow in the dark mini golf. During the holidays be sure and catch the carolers (yes, I had to check the spelling of that as well) in the grand entry hall of the main Lodge.
The restaurant, Portals located at the Lodge, is a pretty decent place to eat, especially when they have their famous mac n cheese. Overall though I find it to be a bit overpriced. There are other options for dinner, but you may need to shuttle or drive to them. One is Swiftwater Cellars, a very good meal was had here. Featuring an overall cabin atmosphere with a hint of opulence, it is worth getting away from the Lodge for a meal at Swiftwater Cellars. As like Portals, you want to call ahead for reservations. The other restaurant is the bar restaurant at the Inn (Canary Lounge), featuring primarily burgers and the like and you can easily walk here if you are staying at the Lodge.
As mentioned, Suncadia does feature a Spa located just steps from the main lodge offering massages, waxing, pedicures, etc. to pamper you while you are vacationing. My wife and daughter have been several times and enjoyed it very much (because I paid for it!), but as I'm a dude, this isn't really my cup of beer, err tea.
I have really enjoyed the golfing offered at Suncadia. The property features three golf courses, Prospector, Rope Rider and Tumble Creek. Suncadia is becoming a very popular destination so be sure and reserve a tee time as they go quickly.
The resort offers rentals of mopeds and bikes to traverse the vast trails located on the approximately 6,300 acre facility. Additionally, they rent kayaks to enjoy the little lake located by the fitness center. It is really meant for scooting along very calmly as it is a small lake so don't picture raging river scenes (you just did anyway didn't you). In the summer, the ice skating rink turns into a, well, normal skating rink.
They also feature outdoor music in the evenings by local artists and refreshments at the adjacent rental center. Steps away from the skating rink is the fitness center where there are two additional pools (well one is a hot tub the size of a pool, so we will call it a pool) open in the summer for your sunbathing and water sports fun. They even serve drinks and food by the pool during the day with a food truck (run by the resort) located within walking distance.
Do you like S'mores? Suncadia offers s'mores galore. The tiny coffee shop located inside the lodge offers s'more setups for sale as there are a couple of fire pits running at night. I would suggest you bring your own setup or touch base with the front desk as many nights they offer free s'mores.
If you enjoy horseback riding the concierge at the lodge can book a guided tour for you in the summer months and the horse facility is located just a few minutes from the entrance. The concierge can also set you up with snowmobiling tours as well. This isn't a timeshare so you won't be hassled with sales pitches, etc.
Nearby is Cle Elum Lake and you can get there in about 20 minutes if you wanted to let the kids enjoy playing in the sand and have an outdoor picnic. Also nearby is the quaint but rustic town of Roslyn, WA. Roslyn was the backdrop, if you don't already know, for the 90s television show Northern Exposure. See shameless plug below, but it was a pretty good show as I recall.
If you visit make sure you stop by the Brick Saloon, it's world famous. Whether visiting in winter or summer, Suncadia is a great place to vacation. It is becoming quite popular so be prepared for long check in/out lines. The rooms are well equipped and I would suggest you book a river view one or two bedroom as the view alone is worth the extra money. The one and two bedrooms are also equipped with kitchens, fireplaces and washer/dryers.
Overall: having stayed here at least 5 times, we would recommend Suncadia without reservation (no pun intended, get a reservation!) to folks with families. It may not necessarily be the destination you are searching for if you are looking for a romantic getaway.
Pros: lots of activities, indoor swimming pool and fitness center, three golf courses, fine dining.
Cons: expensive and crowded, many hidden fees so be sure to check your bill at checkout.