The View Point Inn
From the hotel:
The View Point Inn is just 22 miles from downtown Portland, Oregon, near Crown Point, nestled high on a one acre bluff, with a panoramic view of the entire Columbia River Gorge, the city lights of Portland, and Vancouver.
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Hotel Coverage: The View Point Inn
'Twilight' Fans, Look Away Now as The View Point Inn Goes Up in Flames
What you are seeing is the burning roof of the View Point Inn, the Portland, OR hotel where Twilight once filmed Bella and Edward's Monte Carlo prom scene. The 87-year-old year old "world class" hotel has notoriously suffered from leaky ceilings and a crumbling chimneys—though that is all, by now,...
July 12, 2011
Attend Edward and Bella's Prom at The View Point Inn
Yesterday we told you about hotels where Twilight the book was set and how they're smartly stealing the money from crazed fans. Today we bring to you news about the where the Twilight movie was filmed. We know all you crazed fans already saw the movie at midnight last...
November 21, 2008
Partner Reviews: The View Point Inn
Re-Opened and Better than Ever
I was privileged enough to get reservations for the re opening of the View Point Inn on Valentines Day. All I can say is WOW! This place has always been an experience to remember but is now absolutely magical. Not only is the view incredible & the service is 5 star but the food is something I can't stop thinking about since I left. I was told that they searched high and low for a new Chef and boy did they succeed at finding one. I was worried that the food would change but this change has prooven to be very very good. We had prix fixed menu which started with a burst of goodness in the goat cheese and grape truffles. If you were a fan of the Saffron Soup then you will die for the Carrot Citrus soup. Oh and the roasted Asian Pear salad. I don't know what that dressing was but I'd buy it by the bottle if I could. Our entrees were beautiful, delicious and perfectly cooked but the cherry on top was the Trio of Chocolate dessert with Chocolate Port de Crème, chocolate cake and a small martini glass of pure liquid chocolate. I was excited to see the Blue cheese cake on the menu which was even better than I remembered. I live in Beaverton which makes this restaurant hard to get to but it is worth the drive. I'm supposed to have a business lunch meeting tomorrow for one of my biggest clients and I think I might make the trek. I am very excited to try some of the other new menu items. I have a feeling that I will be making that drive much more frequently now. Congratulations to the owners on the successful re opening of their restaurant and finding such a talented chef.
Best day ever
We just recently had our wedding at the VPI and it was nothing but magical. The owners and staff were amazing, making sure our day was special. We had the entire inn to ourselves and were able to decorate it however we wanted. The owners Geoff and Angelo were so gracious and made our entire day fantastic. Christine was the event coordinator and she was fantastic. She paid attention to every detail and made sure everything was in place. The ambiance, food and music were great. We have had many people say it is the best wedding they have ever been to. After all of the stress of planning the wedding, the View Point Inn made the day come together perfectly. My husband and I will be back for dinner soon. It is a perfect setting for a romantic dinner or an overnight stay. I cannot say enough about how wonderful our experience was. The VPI truly made our wedding day something that we will never forget.
Horrible place...
Ok so I worked here for about 5 months... and I just want everyone to know that the only reason this place has "5 stars" on Citysearch is be/c the owners made the office manager call Citysearch and demand that all the bad reviews be taken off of the website... and Citysearch DID IT!! SHAME on Citysearch for removing reviews that people took their time to write be/c they felt strongly enough that the Inn was a bad place to visit... which is completely is! (and btw, like 80% of the good reviews are from either staff, or people that the owners bullied into writing something nice.... good reviews should be earned, not forced! and they definitely should not be completely fake!!) Owners are horrible people who take advantage of everyone who works for them, it's that simple. They hire based on appearences (owner has been quoted as saying "i want good looking"). Who is that stupid to say that out loud? They don't pay employees, they don't allow any time off, they yell, they scream, they don't know what they are doing so they are constantly change their demands, they steal, they lie, they cheat, they fight.... the list goes on and on. They are two guys who just want to be famous, but yet have no talent, knowledge, class, etc. They are the Heidi and Spencer of the restaurant industry!!!! Owner 1 LOVES to compare himself to Meryl Streep in the movie, The Devil Wears Prada (I guess this is how he justifies being such a prick to everyone he meets??) But in reality, the reason that Meryl Streep's character, Anna Wintour, actually gets away with treating people the way she does, is be/c people RESPECT her be/c she KNOWS what she's doing and people LEARN from her. Which is why she produces the most successful and respected fashion magazine in history, and Owner 1, by comparison, has a revolving door of employees and an unsuccessful restaurant that recently closed it's doors be/c he can't pay his bills and is bankrupt himself! SO PLEASE STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO ANNA WINTOUR!!! You are a joke among jokes who acts like a 2-year-old day in and day out.... and while I'm at it, SHAME ON THE OWNERS for spending the staff's salary on their tanning packages, and trips to LA, and flowers, and extra car payments, and teeth whitening, and your own personal medicine and drugs... is that any way to treat your staff??? I'm pretty sure I got paid late about 75% of the time I worked there, and after September, no one even got paid at all and BOLI had to pay them out!! How do you live with yourself, Owner 2 (be/c I know you are reading this...)???? We have a nickname for these owners: "Straight to H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks" Men. Be/c you guessed it: these men are going straight to H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks!! Don't bring bad karma to yourself by associating yourself with this place... the views aren't worth it!! These are not people you want in your life, period! Citysearch, are you going to let this one stay on your wbesite??? Ya know, be/c of the whole free speech thing? And I didn't use any names......
Horrible place...
Ok so I worked here for about 5 months... and I just want everyone to know that the only reason this place has "5 stars" on Citysearch is be/c the owners made the office manager call Citysearch and demand that all the bad reviews be taken off of the website... and Citysearch DID IT!! SHAME on Citysearch for removing reviews that people took their time to write be/c they felt strongly enough that the Inn was a bad place to visit... which is completely is! (and btw, like 80% of the good reviews are from either staff, or people that the owners bullied into writing something nice.... good reviews should be earned, not forced! and they definitely should not be completely fake!!) Owners are horrible people who take advantage of everyone who works for them, it's that simple. They hire based on appearences (owner has been quoted as saying "i want good looking"). Who is that stupid to say that out loud? They don't pay employees, they don't allow any time off, they yell, they scream, they don't know what they are doing so they are constantly change their demands, they steal, they lie, they cheat, they fight.... the list goes on and on. They are two guys who just want to be famous, but yet have no talent, knowledge, class, etc. They are the Heidi and Spencer of the restaurant industry!!!! Owner 1 LOVES to compare himself to Meryl Streep in the movie, The Devil Wears Prada (I guess this is how he justifies being such a prick to everyone he meets??) But in reality, the reason that Meryl Streep's character, Anna Wintour, actually gets away with treating people the way she does, is be/c people RESPECT her be/c she KNOWS what she's doing and people LEARN from her. Which is why she produces the most successful and respected fashion magazine in history, and Owner 1, by comparison, has a revolving door of employees and an unsuccessful restaurant that recently closed it's doors be/c he can't pay his bills and is bankrupt himself! SO PLEASE STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO ANNA WINTOUR!!! You are a joke among jokes who acts like a 2-year-old day in and day out.... and while I'm at it, SHAME ON THE OWNERS for spending the staff's salary on their tanning packages, and trips to LA, and flowers, and extra car payments, and teeth whitening, and your own personal medicine and drugs... is that any way to treat your staff??? I'm pretty sure I got paid late about 75% of the time I worked there, and after September, no one even got paid at all and BOLI had to pay them out!! How do you live with yourself, Owner 2 (be/c I know you are reading this...)???? We have a nickname for these owners: "Straight to H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks" Men. Be/c you guessed it: these men are going straight to H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks!! Don't bring bad karma to yourself by associating yourself with this place... the views aren't worth it!! These are not people you want in your life, period! Citysearch, are you going to let this one stay on your wbesite??? Ya know, be/c of the whole free speech thing? And I didn't use any names......
Zero customer service, zero class.
I purchased a gift certificate and the recipients made a reservation to stay at the inn. They were called 3 days before their reserved date to say that their reservation was being cancelled. They were given no apology or reassurance that good customer service would be shown to them in the future. I called several times to try to resolve the issue (my hope was to get my money back). Not only did I not get my money back, but everyone I spoke with was completely disrespectful. It's not even about the cancelled reservation and the no-money-back policy, but it is about the anxiety they caused every time I had to speak to someone there. They are rude and sarcastic. If I spoke to customers that way in my place of work, I would be fired. Shame on the View Point Inn.
Our stay at The View Point Inn on November 14th, 2009 was no
Our stay at The View Point Inn on November 14th, 2009 was nothing less than perfect. I was planning to propose to my long-time girlfriend, but there was a twist that I never saw coming. When we arrived, we were greeted by the wait staff immediately upon entering the building, and promptly given the key to the Roosevelt Room, which had been reserved several weeks earlier. We then went upstairs to our room to drop off our luggage and change for dinner. While my girlfriend was in the other room preparing for the evening ahead, I fumbled through my luggage to retrieve the tiny black box and get it into my jacket pocket before she could see it. I was successful, although incredibly nervous. As we were walking downstairs to enter the dining area, my girlfriend asked if we could go for a quick walk outside. It was dusk and as we walked down the path towards the fountain, I noticed a small lit candle and wild flowers lying next to an engraved brick in the pathway. We approached the brick and I was able to read the engraving asking me to marry my girlfriend. I looked at her, and she said, with tears in her eyes, “Will you marry me?” My only reaction was to pull the ring I had for her from my pocket and say “Only if you will marry me”. We each said yes! I believe the staff watched the entire event through the large windows of the Inn, and at just the right moment promptly brought two glasses of Champaign, congratulated us, and disappeared back inside. We sat on the steps, finished our celebratory drinks, all the while reliving the precious moments that had led us there. Once finished we walked inside to warm up next to the magnificent fireplace in the sitting area. While sitting on the sofa next to the fireplace, several friends arrived to join us in our celebratory dinner. We all took our seats at the table, and were treated to fine dining and excellent service from each of the staff members, including the Chef for the evening. The night was truly amazing. In the morning we caught up with Nathan, the event coordinator at the Inn, who had coordinated the brick, candle and flowers with my now Fiancé. He told us the story of how he watched the whole event the night before from an upstairs window, and how happy he was for both of us. As we were checking out, we were approached by one of the two owners of the Inn. He was a wonderful host, who took a lot of pride in making sure visitors of the Inn knew the only thing that mattered at that moment was their happiness. He expressed his delight in our engagement, and offered his best wishes for our future. The View Point Inn is one of the most beautiful historic places in the Pacific Northwest. The views of the Columbia River Gorge and the Portland / Vancouver area cannot be matched anywhere else in Washington or Oregon. The staff is professional and cordial with a strong attention to the details that make your time spent there seem magical. I would recommend that anyone visiting the Portland / Vancouver area to take the short drive to experience the enchantment of The View Point Inn for themselves.
Beautiful, Unforgetable Experience in Dining
We visited the Inn in the summer and then in the fall for my grandson's wedding. It was a wonderful place for this event and will be one of my fondest memories. The staff was very friendly and the food was delious.
Amazing.
I really was debating whether or not to come here because of all the bad reviews and comments about the managers and wedding scams, but I thought I'd give it a try because I love the gorge. My boyfriend and I went here on weekend night for dinner and it was amazing. The service was super friendly. It's very fancy and romantic. I had the salmon and he had the new york strip and I was surprised that the portions were actually huge and not dinky. The soup was not all that great, though. Overall it was a memorable night and this a unique and beautiful place to have dinner! Glad I gave it a try
Great Vacation
My wife and I loved the View point Inn. The Inn was very clean and the surroundings were beautiful and breathtaking. We enjoyed our food and wine and the customer sevice was fantastic. Overall it was a great vacation. We actually have friends going because of our experience. I would recommend it to everyone.
Fabulous Romantic View; Sophisticated Food
Excellent selection of up & coming wines, recommended by a knowledgeable wine steward. The chef is creative and sophisticated with lots of choices. The salads were really very large with local fresh produce. For entrees, fresh sea bass with a "white butter" sauce was quite good. The homemade lasagne fresh, though a bit too much cheese for our taste. We'll go back for special occasions and when we bring friends to PDX to show off the gorge
What a wonderful experience
We have just returned home to Australia after spending five weeks travelling Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and the Canadian Rockies. On Monday 20 July 2009 we were travelling the Columbia River Gorge Highway, and looking for somewhere to have lunch followed the signs off the highway to the View Point Inn. It was an absolutely wonderful and unexpected highlight of our trip. The location, the view, the inn itself and its history, the food, and the staff were all highlights. We would like to pass on a special thanks to 'Blueberry' who served us in a friendly and professional way including tips for local attracions we hadn't planned. We followed his advice and were delighted. It added value to an already excellent experience. We have spoken about the lunch at the VPI as one the unexpected highlights of our trip. Please pass our thanks to him and that we followed his tip. Thanks again and please pass on our thanks to your staff and to Blueberry who may remember David and Tricia from Brisbane, Australia.
A perfect place!
I have to say that eating and staying at the View Point Inn was truly a great experience! The food was perfect and not to mention beautiful! The staff was amazing! They made sure that you always had everything you needed and right away! The location and the view were breath taking! My friend had her wedding there and I am still in awe at the wonderful set up they had! Everything was perfect! I dont think a bride could ask for more! I have read some of the other reviews and I cant say I feel the same way. I had a great time and experience there. I would recommend it to anyone and hope to visit again next summer.
A perfect place!
I have to say that eating and staying at the View Point Inn was truly a great experience! The food was perfect and not to mention beautiful! The staff was amazing! They made sure that you always had everything you needed and right away! The location and the view were breath taking! My friend had her wedding there and I am still in awe at the wonderful set up they had! Everything was perfect! I dont think a bride could ask for more! I have read some of the other reviews and I cant say I feel the same way. I had a great time and experience there. I would recommend it to anyone and hope to visit again next summer.
Good view bad food
I had never heard of The View Point Inn before. i recived a promotional mailer and thought we would check it out. I ordered the Pot Pie. It was awful! the crust was burnt and the filling was extremly bland. seriously, i have had better from a microwave. The View Point Inn is not worth the drive and not worth the price.
Good view bad food
I had never heard of The View Point Inn before. i recived a promotional mailer and thought we would check it out. I ordered the Pot Pie. It was awful! the crust was burnt and the filling was extremly bland. seriously, i have had better from a microwave. The View Point Inn is not worth the drive and not worth the price.
A reality check about the VPI
I have been working at the VPI since July. So I do know what has happened since then and what is happening now. The Inn is going through a "good" growing stage. We have cleaned out all of the "cry-baby" front of the house employees and now have a "Professional" Wait staff. Our Chef is excellent and is training/teaching his kitchen staff to cook at a high level of professionalism. Geoff Thompson is a "character". So is just about every owner of every restaurant I have ever worked for. He gives me the tools to give excellent service to our guests. I can't tell any of you what the Inn was like before I started working there. But the past is the past. I can say with great confindence that the VPI will be a wonderful experience for anyone who dines with us. As for all the "bad" reviews, there could be some true comments sprinkeled in with the outright lies. But the real question is who are these reviewers? Former employees who couldn't perform at the "professional" level and were let go, or just quit because Geoff was to tough for them to deal with. Whatever their reasons they need to "grow up" and get a life! Who am I? My name is Dennis and I am proud to work at the VPI
A reality check about the VPI
I have been working at the VPI since July. So I do know what has happened since then and what is happening now. The Inn is going through a "good" growing stage. We have cleaned out all of the "cry-baby" front of the house employees and now have a "Professional" Wait staff. Our Chef is excellent and is training/teaching his kitchen staff to cook at a high level of professionalism. Geoff Thompson is a "character". So is just about every owner of every restaurant I have ever worked for. He gives me the tools to give excellent service to our guests. I can't tell any of you what the Inn was like before I started working there. But the past is the past. I can say with great confindence that the VPI will be a wonderful experience for anyone who dines with us. As for all the "bad" reviews, there could be some true comments sprinkeled in with the outright lies. But the real question is who are these reviewers? Former employees who couldn't perform at the "professional" level and were let go, or just quit because Geoff was to tough for them to deal with. Whatever their reasons they need to "grow up" and get a life! Who am I? My name is Dennis and I am proud to work at the VPI
romantic dinner for two
My husband and I recently enjoyed a romantic dinner at The View Point Inn. Everything was just perfect.... the food was delicious and so well presented. The dining room was lovely. The wait staff was attentive to our every need and very friendly. We even had a visit from the chef who prepared our meal. To top it all off, the view as we walked outside the Inn was breathtaking! I personally am recommending The View Point Inn to all my friends and family... and we will be returning, soon for a getaway weekend for our 25th wedding anniversary.
Great Wedding/Food @ The View Point Inn
My brother's youngest daughter got married at the View Point this past summer. It goes without saying the view and sunset are super, but it was by far the best food I've ever had at a wedding in my life. Wedding food can be notoriously mediocre, but I had a great piece of beef tenderloin that melted in my mouth---seriously. My brother agrees with me that the place put on a great wedding. Even my niece was happy and she is one picky, spoiled young woman. I'm actually writing this because I had dinner there recently with my wife and, once again, had a great meal. I had a New York and it was right up there with the best steaks I've ever had and I am a steak guy. The wife had salmon and loved it. Dessert was good too --- chocolate ganache covered cake with coffee. I loved the coffee--- I was told it was Cafe Umbria (?)---never heard of it but it was really full bodied coffee like I like. After dinner we sat on the couches by their big, stone fireplace and one of the owners stoked it up real good. We were cozy , warm, relaxed and had a mocktail (They have a nice list of non-alcoholic drinks---maybe the choice was not the most romantic after dinner drink, but we'd already had a very nice bottle of Oregon pinot---I liked their wine list favoring Oregon and Washington strongly.) We thought about staying overnight---next time---the upstairs is very nice---just four or five rooms, but really old fashioned. I'm into history, which is why I think I particularly loved the place---built in the 1920's. It was a fun, unique experience at both the wedding and dinner and I would recommend it---highly.--------------I noticed a comment by one of the owners below. Ironically I own a small business and had a very similar experience with a series of angry employees I had to let go. They went ballistic and mental about me and my second in command online (even my wife!)---trashed us---the business. My advice to him is to just relax and forget about it. Most people are smart enough to read between the lines of crazy sounding, slanderous comments. Opinions are like you know what and everybody has one. Don't waste your time or money on getting legal, just keep up the great weddings and great food & Hang in there---you've got a great place and judging from the crowd that was there when we were, you have decent business. My wife and I are fans and will be back. Oh, and we loved our waiter---Dennis I think---very efficient, funny and knowledgable about wine.
Co-owner of The View Point Inn
“Open your ears, for which of you will stop the vent of hearing when loud Rumor speaks?!”---William Shakespeare. I read an article in the newspaper recently titled: “Doctors fret about online reviews”---“The free flow of information made possible by the Internet---good information and information of the not so-reliable kind---has finally come to medicine in the form of Websites where patients can post their impression of their doctors. Jeffrey Segal, the physician founder and president of North Carolina based Medical Justice Services Inc., which provides legal services to doctors, says physicians don’t have a fair fight when it comes to patients posts.” You have sites where people pose as patients---disgruntled employees or ex-spouses---and with lightening speed on the internet are able to even the score,” Segal says. The View Point Inn and the owners, like doctors and everyone and everything else, are also subjected to the wild, wild West of the Internet. Segal, as well as other personal attorney recommendations, suggests filing a suit and getting a court order to obtain IP addresses to identify the individual/s committing the online vilification. The View Point Inn has references available upon request. We are willing to give any in person request the ability to contact regular satisfied customers or wedding couples married at The View Point Inn. I know we have many satisfied customers because I see and speak to them on a daily basis. I am grateful for our growing regular customer base. Rumors, allegations and character assassinations have become common place on the wild West of the Internet. As Dr. Segal states”…with lightning speed on the internet [people, disgruntled employees] are able to even the score.” Any other business owner or individual plagued with online fraud, slander and vilification, take heart, there is a solution. Libel is prosecutable. This is not anonymous. My name is Angelo Simione aka Donn Simione and I am a co-owner of The View Point Inn. You can reach me at (503) 695-5811 or stop by the Inn for lunch, dinner or Sunday brunch. Visit our website for pictures, reviews, information about upcoming events and our historic preservation program. "The only thing we overlook is the Columbia River." www.theviewpointinn
August 16th Wedding
We picked the View Point Inn as the Venue for our daughter's wedding for it's location and beautiful view of the Columbia River. We VERY happy with the overall experience. The staff was professional and very accomodating. Geoff and Angelo have trained their staff to pay attention to every detail to provide an excellent experience. The Hotel and restaurant are decorated with a unique elegance. The ambiance is romantic and perfect for a wedding. Ann (the wedding co ordinator) was very organized and oversaw every aspect of the event from the rehearsal to the clean up The food was excellent. We had 75 guests ( including 2 executive chefs from 2 high end resturants ) each meal was served hot and tastey in a timely manner. We continue to get comments on how good the meals were. When ever anyone asks me about how the wedding went ,....my comment is " Perfection" As the store manager of a internationally know luxury brand retailer, I have extremely high standards and expect other buisnesses to have high standards as well. Usually I am dissapointed, but I was impressed with the View Point Inn. I would recommend them whole heartedly. Thanks again for the wonderful experience
Fun wedding- for once
I just attended a friend's wedding last month at The View Point Inn. My date and I had a great time. The food was awesome. And I've eaten a lot of wedding food. They had great appetizers and wine as well. No one danced though, because everyone was enamored with the great view and the gorgeous sunset. I think the staff was great and we will definitely be back for dinner!
A perfect wedding day
Everything about the wedding was exceptional, from the beautiful view during the wedding, to the Mimosas we were presented as we exited to the brunch, to the food.
Great WEDDING!
recently got married at The View Point Inn in July, and we had a fabulous time!!! I had read a lot of reviews online and was a little scared, but my communication with our Event Coordinator was so good before the wedding, she really put my mind at ease. The ceremony was great. We used an iPod which was an added bonuse because it saved us money on a DJ, and no one noticed we didn't even have one! Then everything went so smoothly inside... food came out on time and was great, we did our champagne toast, cake cutting, first dance, then hung out in their great bar. The bartender Ben was awesome. The staff waited on me and Alex and our parents all night. We never needed anything. Stayed in their Roosevelt Suite that night and had a great bfast the next morning. And our photos are MAGNIFICENT!!!!! Definitely would recommend it again, and we are looking forward to going back on our anniversary!
wedding was wonderful
I recently was married at The View Point Inn. My wife and I, along with every single one of our guests, had a great time! We had worked with Jennie to begin with, then moved onto Ann. Everything turned out great... the food was fabulous, the service was amazing (Anne waited on us hand and foot), the music was great (and I say music even though we had an iPod, it saved us a lot of money and no one knew the difference), they accomodated us when my we brought in a last-minute slide show on his laptop, and they even let us hang out in the bar for a while after the designated 10pm shut down time. All in all, everything ran in on track and it couldn't have gone better. I would get married there again in a heartbeat, and no one should have any qualms about having their wedding there. Not to mention when I got back from my honeymoon, it seemed like every single one of our guests flooded my inbox with so many compliments and rave reviews about the wedding. I would be remiss if I didn't go online and help them out... every one of their staff members did a great job, and I hope that all the future brides have just as great as an experience as I did.
beautiful
My brother and his now-wife recently got married at The View Point Inn, and we had a great time. The place is absolutely gorgeous and all their pictures turned out great. I had to admit, being a dork myself I've read all the reviews online, so we didn't know what to expect. But my brother was happily surprised by how well everything turned out... not to mention, the wedding food was! Defintely not your typical wedding food. The bartender was awesome, didn't catch his name, but he did a great job. It's a beautiful place to spend an evening, and I know my bro and sis in law will come back on their anniversarys and have dinner.
It transported me to Europe!
My husband and I took our 10-year-old granddaughter to the View Point Inn because we had heard it was used as a filming location for the "Twilight" movie. Not only was she mesmerized -- WE were mesmerized! This beautiful little inn with a wonderful Oregon heritage dating back to 1925 has been lovingly restored and is thankfully being run by people who appreciate its history, its architectural significance and the importance of putting together a great dining room and unbelievably charming guest rooms. The setting is absolutely serene. We had a marvelous meal that intrigued us so that we will undoubtedly be back many more times.
Yummy Food, Super Friendly Staff, Great Chef,Friendly Owners
I wrote a great review on the Inn as a hotel because it was great, but I also ate dinner there and WOW, yum! The atmosphere was amazing, the inside room with a fireplace was great. I stayed at the inn so in the morning they give you a nice continental breakfast with amazing local fruits, and unlimited coffee! I laugh at the reviews about the cleanliness of the kitchen because one morning I wanted to say goodbye to my waitress (because she was super helpful!) so I knocked on the kitchen door. The chef welcomed me in, so nice, but the kitchen was GORGEOUS! It could be on a TV show it was so clean, and huge, so I can't believe these reviews about the upkeep and whatnot, sounds like some resentment if you ask me... So in addition to the great inside dining area inside, they have these three cabana areas outside that look like they could seat about 8 people, huge! If you can, ask to sit there because it’s so intimate! Sitting outside facing the river gorge, wow. As for the food, besides the fact the chef was such a sweetheart, he certainly can cook! We had a salad with yummy nuts and gorgonzola cheese for starters, and then as an entrée I had Pacific Northwest Salmon with grilled asparagus and my fiancée had Pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon with polenta. Then we got some yummy glazed carrots to split. Salmon from the Pacific Northwest is the crème de la crème, but in addition it was cooked to perfection. I don’t like my salmon rare in the middle like it is commonly cooked so I asked Johnny, my awesome waiter, if it could be cooked through and it came out PERFECT. Not dry, and not orange in the middle, and seasoned amazingly. The pork, wrapped in bacon, it sounds amazing right? IT WAS!!! For dessert, Eternal Love, a twilight inspired dessert with rich chocolate and raspberry inside, mouthwatering just remembering it! As I mentioned in the review about the Inn, my fiancée proposed to me that night at dinner, and he had the whole staff in on the proposal, and they loved it! Everyone came by to congratulate us. I was chatting with a table of twilight fans in the cabana next to me the whole time. The owners were having dinner there that night and were so excited for us. By the end of the dinner I was smiling ear to ear with the great food, friendly people, and an overall amazing night.
Truth: hospitality & kindness still resides @ Viewpoin Inn
To: The View Point Inn As a well deserved graduation gift to my daughter, I offered to take her on a “Twilight” tour of the Northwest seeking out sights of the book and movie of the same name. We began our journey in Seattle traveling thru Washington State and Oregon ending in San fransico where we traveled home to Michigan. I offered this gift to recognize her diligent efforts in high school, and had no expectations of the trip for myself. Having said that, as we drove up the winding hill to the View Point Inn I had just set it aside as another stop on the: “Twilight” tour. When you least expect it, little miracles fall into your life. It’s rare that I enter a place where I feel as spiritually at home as I did at the Viewpoint Inn. Knowing a little bit of its story, I believe it to exemplify the perfect marriage of love and science. Like this took love, passion, careful thought, and WORK to hurdle the obstacles before it, and the result is a thing of beauty. Everything is right here, and it steams of its author’s passion and taste. Now it’s possible to take a place of such grandiose charm and ruin it with people, but that is not the “View Point”, in fact, its people and kind culture is the heartbeat of the place. What I am trying to say is: there is a place in this world where kindness, charm, and grace meet on your behalf, and it’s called the Viewpoint Inn. I hope this place can be successful and prosper as it should, but part of me would like to keep it a secret as it will always stand in my mind as one of the most precious places I have visited. Thank you sincerely Viewpoint Inn for sharing just a little bit of your magic Sincerely Robert F. Webster
Panoramic Paradise
July 4th weekend was my first time visiting the Pacific Northwest, much less Portland, and fortunately for me my girlfriend booked us for an evening at the View Point Inn. As a west coast “newbie” my preconceived notions of Portland were very much limited to what you might read in tourist pamphlets—a big city with small town charm, an amalgam of coffee shops and hipster lifestyle. But what I was most impressed with is Portland’s surrounding countryside. It is its natural resources that provide Portland with its greatest appeal, and the View Point Inn captures this with comfort and class. Located approximately 20 miles east of the city, on interstate 84, it is a quick jaunt from the city, and easily accessible. We spent the day about half an hour east enjoying the handful of wineries overlooking Mt. Hood, and concluded our outing at the View Point Inn. There are four rooms, three of which share a bathroom, and although I was reticent about sharing a bathroom, it is not as inconvenient as you might think. It is very private, and the facilities are everything that you would expect from an upscale Inn. I am less than knowledgeable regarding personal care, but my girlfriend assures me that their L’Occitane products are top notch. We stayed in the “Le Petite Alcove” room that although small, is incredibly charming, and costs around $125 per night. The Roosevelt Suite, which overlooks the Columbia River Gorge is about $350 per night, and has its own private bathroom. The view alone is worth it. The service at View Point is impeccable. If you need anything, all you have to do is ask, and you will be accommodated. They are thorough, but not intrusive, and incredibly cordial. Upon arrival we were given complementary beverages from their unique cocktail list. I chose the “New Fashioned” a concoction slightly altered from its “Old Fashioned” counterpart. Bourbon and Ginger with muddled lemons and cherries, it was strong and refreshing. If bourbon is not your choice drink, there are a plethora of other cocktails, all of which are good (we pretty much tried all of them). In the evening, you can relax at the bar, which is a converted garage (and very tastefully done) or you can mingle on the patio or deck, all of which have vibrant panoramic views of the Columbia River. You can pick your spot for dinner. If the weather is rainy, you can eat inside. The weather was gorgeous during our stay so we chose to dine on the manicured lawn—a front row seat for a dynamic and brilliant Portland sunset. Our meal was excellent. It is curious that they serve Wild ATLANTIC Salmon as I was looking for some left coast flavor, but it was exceptional. Pan Seared to perfection and a hearty helping, I was completely satisfied. The roasted fingerling potatoes were a wonderful complement, along with the grilled asparagus that comes with the entrée. Small, quaint, comfortable, gorgeous, relaxing—these words do View Point minimal justice. You have to experience it to truly get it. And even if you don’t want to spring for a room, a dinner reservation is all that you need to enjoy the ambiance, service, and relaxing vistas that the View Point has to offer. Many of the patrons were there just to enjoy an evening of tranquility. It is conveniently close to the city, and based on the July 4th attendance, is one of the best-kept secrets in Portland.
A Simply Wonderful Dining Experience!
My husband and I were visiting relatives recently in the Portland area (we live in Maryland) and decided to have dinner at The View Point Inn after hearing a lot about it's beautiful location, breathtaking vistas and delicious food. We took as our guests my sister and brother-in-law (who despite being native Oregonians had never been there before). Guess what? All the accolades we had heard about were true. From the moment we pulled onto the property and saw the charming little home situated on a hilltop with the most glorious views to our after-dinner coffee, it was total perfection! The staff couldn't have been more welcoming or accommodating; the wait staff was courteous and extremely knowledgeable; my cocktail was mixed with obvious expertise and everything from our cheese course to our crab appetizer to our salads to our entrees were not only beautifully presented but absolutely delectable. Nirvana! We were lucky enough to meet the Head Chef, Nick, and it was great to be able to tell him in person how much we enjoyed his luscious creations. I am somewhat of a cook myself and not easily impressed...but Nick's got it down! We arrived around 5pm and the sun was just at that perfect spot in the sky casting the most glorious hues across the lawn. It made the whole experience picture perfect. So do yourself a favor...don't wait for a special occasion. Dining at the View Point Inn will be special enough!
Worth the ride
I heard about the View point inn from a friend, and I tell ya what, I think I was more impressed then he was.... My wife and I went up for a night out, and got a lot more than we expected. We started the night with champagne and the cheese board, it seemed expensive but that’s one of the things we always have when we go out... and unbelievable it was totally worth the money. Great cheese, and it looked beautiful... bread and grapes and these long cracker things.. That are apparently pie dough with chives cooked into it, I love it when a chef goes the extra mile... Then we had a glass of chardonnay and the crab cake entree...which reminded me of when I was a kid and vacationed on the east coast... what a treat.... Besides the food..... The view was AMAZING...we got to sit outside and watch the sunset over the gorge. And the attention from our server was perfect... I digress.. Our third course was pesto filled tortellini... handmade pasta.. Served with lemon and roasted garlic.. It was perfect... Now our third glass of wine.. Pinot.. And lamb with cassoulet... What a night... the lamb was perfect and when we finished our entree we got a hot towel service which is something I had never experienced before and kind of caught me off guard... nice touch.. For dessert we had the flourless chocolate tort... and a glass of port... Best tort I ever had... Tort and Port huh.. That rhymes.. They should use that.. LOL I digress.. We had a great night .. The best night out we have had in a while.. And we are hoping to stay the night there sometime this summer.. "Hoping" I would suggest the viewpoint inn for anyone who wants a nice relaxed evening… Great food.. Great Service.. Amazing property
Super fun wedding
I was the maid of honor for a recent wedding there and we had such a great time!
A Blessing for the Sophisticated Palate
This place is amazing. The food even better! I had the salmon with roasted potatoes which, in the vernacular of the East Coast, "was to die for!" Their specialty cheesecake alone was worth the trip! And when's the last time you had a hot hand towel served after dinner? It's on my list to repeat, or in this case, to have another phenomenal "re-eating" experience!
Great Food and Service
"The View Point Inn is a fabulous bed and breakfast. The food was terrific and the service was excellent. There is a beautiful view of the city lights and the Columbia River. The setting is beautiful, even on a less than perfect weather day. We spent a lot of time in the common room upstairs and in front of the fireplace in the restraunt. It was great for a group, but it would also be a romantic spot for two. We had a group of 8 that had the Inn to ourselves and it felt like home only much better. I highly recommend the Viewpoint as a Bed and Breakfast, but also as a day trip for an excellent meal and interesting trip up the gorge
Perfect Wedding
I had a perfect wedding at the View Point Inn. I wouldn't have changed a single thing. My guests were all raving about this as a perfect venue. We were warm and cozy in the elegant setting while it stormed outside and then opened up for a beautiful sunset. The food was absolutely delicious - definitely not your usual wedding fare. And most of all the service was impeccable. They had a large staff there to take care of all of our needs and make sure that everything went smoothly. From the person outside helping people in during the pouring rain to the staff who stayed late to serve us more drinks -- they certainly went above and beyond my expectations. We had a few stumbles along the way as they dealt with some changes in their staff, but they more than made up for this in making sure that absolutely everything was perfect and just as I wanted it on my wedding day. There are some rules that go along with this place - must end at 10pm, no outside noise, etc but they were completely up front with this and there were no surprises along the way. I personally loved that we could head upstairs after the ceremony and continue the celebration with our closest friends. And there were such nice little touches -- baskets in each of our rooms, plush robes, and fruit plates to go along with our post-party drinks. You hardly need to do any flowers (just something for the tables) because they have the Inn so beautifully decorated. I read about some of the financial issues in other reviews, but I paid everything by credit card (which was great) and they kept my deposit separate and promptly returned it after the event. I also interacted with the owner, and he was very comforting during the rehearsal and the wedding day to make sure everything was going to go the way I wanted it. I would not have the slightest hesitation in recommending this location for a wedding. All of my friends and family were impressed and kept repeating what a perfect venue it was for the type of wedding we wanted -- elegant, intimate, and personable. And as the bride I couldn't have been more happy.
perfect in every way
My sister was married this weekend at the Inn, and it was WONDERFUL. From the view to the owners to the food to the staff, I was impressed. We were treated with such hospitality. Everyone was willing and accomodating with our every move. They were helpful and friendly, and most of all concerned with our happiness. I can't thank the Inn enough for making my sisters' day so perfect and special!!
Best place in the Gorge!!!!
We went for desert and got so much more! We showed up to get desert and decided to try each desert they have. WHAT A GREAT IDEA!!!! i really recommend this for anyone, anytime! The place was almost to ourselves (which is a shame for the owners but great for the patrons!) and the staff was so friendly and nice! The food was simply delicious as well! So good if fact, we haven't stopped talking about it and look forward to trying everything else! If you try this fantastic little get away, you wont be sorry! The new owner have really done something with this place!!!
Epicurean bounty and Heavenly view
The question City Search asked was "What made it so unique and special?" Well, I proposed to my girlfriend at Vista House and the same day we happened upon this place and had dinner. She fell in love with the inn, I fell in love with the food and we had our wedding there. The Roosevelt Suite has very happy memories as we had an intimate wine paired dinner in the sitting room for our one year anniversary. That proposal was in 2007 and we've been back many times since. It's not the fusion cuisine of one of the earlier chef's there, but more of a classic cuisine with a contemporary flair and sizable portions. I'm a self described foodie snob that likes alot of food on my plate, not frou frou piled up to the sky in the middle. For starters we shared the Dungeness Crab Cakes and Ricotta and Pesto Stuffed Tortellini -- both had great taste, the crab cakes were loaded
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For scenic views of the Columbia River Gorge, visit this hotel and restaurant located in a beautiful setting outside of Portland.
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