Drink In Life

Hidden Luxury: Discovering The Lodge at St. Edward Park

Posted on July 21, 2026 by drinkinlife

The Lodge at St. Edwards Park

The Lodge itself has a remarkable story, and honestly, that’s one of the reasons I wanted to stay there. I’ve always been drawn to places with a history, especially when that history hasn’t been polished away in the name of luxury.

Completed in 1931, the beautiful Romanesque Revival building began life as Saint Edward Seminary, where it served as a Catholic seminary for more than four decades. Today, it’s difficult to imagine young seminarians once walked these same hallways, but reminders of that past are everywhere if you take the time to notice them.

Rather than allowing this historic landmark to fall into disrepair after the seminary closed, an extensive restoration transformed it into an elegant 84-room luxury hotel, reopening in 2021 as part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

What I love most is that the renovation didn’t erase the building’s history; it embraced it. The former seminary dining hall is now home to Cedar + Elm, where guests gather over beautifully prepared Pacific Northwest cuisine instead of communal meals. The original barber shop has been reimagined as the intimate Tonsorium Bar, while Father Mulligan’s Heritage Bar pays tribute to the seminary’s first president, Father Thomas Mulligan.

Add in a relaxing spa, rotating art galleries, miles of forest trails, and thoughtfully designed guest rooms, and you’ve got a hotel that somehow manages to feel both luxurious and deeply connected to its past.

Walking through the Lodge, I couldn’t help thinking that this building has simply entered another chapter of its story. I’m always drawn to hotels with a story, and this one has nearly a century’s worth of them.

Checking in came with one more pleasant surprise. Thanks to my Diamond status, our standard King room had been upgraded to a spacious Lodge King.

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to receive a room upgrade on nearly every Hilton stay. In fact, I can only remember one time it didn’t happen, and that hotel happened to be completely sold out. It’s easily one of my favorite Diamond benefits because you never quite know what awaits at check-in. Sometimes it’s a room on a higher floor or with a better view, and other times you’re unexpectedly settling into an Executive Suite. Either way, it’s a perk I never take for granted.

Our room was warm, comfortable, and thoughtfully designed, blending modern luxury with subtle nods to the building’s historic past. Looking out over the surrounding forest, it was hard to believe we were only a short drive from Seattle. Surrounded by 326 acres of Saint Edward State Park, The Lodge feels more like a secluded mountain retreat than a hotel tucked away in Kenmore, Washington.

An Evening at the Lodge

Good hotels have a way of encouraging you to slow down. Instead of rushing off to dinner, we spent a little time at the bar, enjoying our first chance to simply relax.

We settled into Father Mulligan’s Heritage Bar, ordered a couple of cocktails, and shared an appetizer. Before long, we found ourselves slowing down too. It wasn’t loud or hurried, just comfortable. The kind of place where your watch stops mattering because the conversation across the table matters more.

As we sat there, I found myself thinking about the history surrounding us. Nearly a century ago, this building was home to seminarians preparing for the priesthood. Today, guests gather in those same spaces for cocktails, dinner, and a weekend away. That’s one of the things I appreciate most about historic buildings that have been carefully restored. They don’t erase the past. They simply invite a new chapter while allowing the old one to remain.

We didn’t make it downstairs to The Tonsorium on this visit, but I did peek inside and immediately added it to my list for next time. Housed in the seminary’s former barber shop, it’s one of those details that makes exploring the Lodge so enjoyable. Around nearly every corner, there’s another small reminder of the building’s past.

One of the things that convinced me to book The Lodge wasn’t just the beautiful rooms or the historic setting. It was Cedar + Elm.

Before I book a hotel, I almost always look at the restaurant menu. Well…if I’m being completely honest, I usually check the wine list first. Old habits die hard.

If I’m going to splurge on a getaway, I want the dining experience to be every bit as memorable as the hotel itself. I was looking forward to seeing what Executive Chef Luke Kolpin had created.

Located in what was once the seminary’s dining hall, Cedar + Elm celebrates the best of the Pacific Northwest with a seasonal menu built around locally sourced ingredients, sustainable seafood, herbs harvested from the Lodge’s own gardens, and even honey from the property’s onsite beehives.

It’s a philosophy I appreciate because when you begin with exceptional ingredients, there’s no need to overcomplicate the rest. The thoughtfully curated wine list, featuring a strong selection of Washington wines alongside international favorites, made choosing dinner even more difficult—in the best possible way.

One thing my husband and I have done for years is share almost everything we order. It started because neither of us wanted to miss out on a dish the other had chosen, and somewhere along the way it simply became our tradition. Sharing means we both get to experience more of what the chef has created, and honestly, I can’t imagine dining any other way now. The seasonal menu, however, made our decisions anything but easy, but eventually we settled on three dishes to share.

The Rainbow Carrots with brown butter and pine nut cream immediately caught my eye. While the carrots were beautifully roasted, the real star of the dish was the pine nut sauce. Rich, silky, and full of nutty flavor, it tied everything together.

The Housemade Ricotta Gnudi with spring onions, sage, and butter was comfort food in its most elegant form. Pillowy, delicate, and surprisingly filling, it was one of those dishes that makes you slow down because you don’t want the last bite to arrive too quickly.

The Chicken Schnitzel was another standout and, honestly, one of my favorite dishes of the evening. Crisp, golden, and perfectly cooked, it was topped with chopped pickles and a bright herb sauce that completely changed how I think about schnitzel. I love pickles, but I never would have thought to pair them with this dish.

The combination worked so well that I found myself mentally adding it to the growing list of recipes I want to recreate at home. Whether mine will come anywhere close is another story.

To accompany dinner, I ordered a glass of the 2024 Franc Blanc from Gård Estate Wines in Royal Slope, Washington. It was my first time trying the wine, and I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction.

Bright and refreshing with lively acidity, it paired beautifully with everything we ordered and was a reminder of just how exciting Washington wines continue to be. One of my favorite parts of dining out is discovering a wine I’ve never had before. Even after years of studying and writing about wine, there are always new bottles waiting to surprise me.

To celebrate our anniversary, our server invited us to choose a complimentary dessert from the menu. We didn’t have to think about it for long. We both chose the chocolate torte, topped with toasted hazelnuts and served alongside a scoop of bright passion fruit sorbet. Rich without being overly sweet, it was the perfect way to end a memorable dinner.

After dinner, we wandered through the Lodge a little while longer, stopping to admire a few more pieces of artwork before heading back to our room. Waiting for us was a bottle of Champagne, chilled and ready to toast an anniversary we’d finally taken the time to celebrate.

This wasn’t just any bottle of Champagne. We had brought the 2013 Roger-Constant Lemaire “Les Hautes Prières” Premier Cru home from our visit to the Champagne region the previous fall after tasting it at the family’s small Champagne house in Villers-sous-Châtillon. Nearly a year later, opening it felt like revisiting that afternoon.

Made primarily from Pinot Meunier, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the Champagne had spent years aging on its lees before release, developing wonderful depth and complexity. Rich notes of baked apple, citrus, and brioche, paired with a fine, persistent mousse, made it the perfect bottle to toast both our anniversary and another memorable getaway.

Waking Up in the Park

An advantage to staying at The Lodge was waking up surrounded by Saint Edward State Park instead of downtown traffic. Rather than stepping outside to the sound of buses and construction, we were greeted by towering Douglas firs, birdsong, and trails winding toward Lake Washington. It’s easy to forget you’re only about thirty minutes from downtown Seattle. The property feels remarkably secluded, making it hard to believe one of the region’s largest metropolitan areas is just beyond the trees.

Breakfast was served at Cedar + Elm, and thanks to our dining credit, we were able to enjoy one last leisurely meal before checking out.

A Perfect Ending…or Beginning

When we first started talking about a belated anniversary getaway, attending the Western Washington All British Field Meet hadn’t crossed my mind. A couple of weeks earlier, a gentleman had stopped to admire our 1969 MG Midget while it was parked in our driveway. During the conversation, he mentioned the annual show at Saint Edward State Park.

My husband had already decided to attend, but it wasn’t until I found availability at The Lodge at St. Edward Park for my expiring Hilton Free Night Reward that we realized the hotel and the car show were in exactly the same place. What began as an anniversary getaway turned into the perfect excuse to enjoy both.

If you’ve ever been to a classic car show, you know the vehicles are only half the attraction. The real fun comes from the people who have spent years lovingly preserving them.

You can spend quiet a bit of time, wandering around admiring all of the beautifully restored MGs, Triumphs, Jaguars, Austin-Healeys, Minis, Rolls-Royces, Land Rovers, and motorcycles, stopping to chat with owners who were more than happy to share the stories behind their cars.

As if the cars weren’t enough, one owner had created the perfect picnic display beside their classic roadster, complete with wine, fresh bread, and a wicker basket that looked ready for an afternoon in the countryside. It made me laugh because it combined so many of my favorite things into one photograph. Apparently my interests overlap more than I realized.

By the time we left, we’d admired more British cars than I could possibly count, picked up a few stories from their owners, and added a few ideas for our own MG along the way. I’d call that a pretty successful morning.

A Weekend Well Spent

Over the years, I’ve come to enjoy finding ways to make travel work without spending more than I need to. There’s something satisfying about combining points, travel credits, loyalty perks, and the occasional free night into experiences we might have otherwise put off for “another time.”

This weekend was the perfect reminder of why. One expiring Hilton Free Night Reward became the nudge we needed to finally celebrate our anniversary. We enjoyed a memorable dinner, stayed in one of the Pacific Northwest’s most distinctive historic hotels, and spent the next morning admiring classic British cars at the Western Washington All British Field Meet, all because of one chance conversation in our driveway and a reservation we finally decided to make.

The best part of the weekend wasn’t the hotel, the dinner, or even the car show. It was finally making the time. It’s easy to keep saying, “We’ll do it another weekend.” Sometimes all it takes is one small reason to stop waiting.

The next time an opportunity comes along, I hope I’ll remember to simply say, “Let’s go.”

Thank you so much for reading. I hope this article inspires you to plan your own getaway to The Lodge at St. Edward Park, discover a few new travel perks, or simply explore a destination that’s been waiting a little closer to home than you realized.

If you have any questions about our stay, Hilton Diamond benefits, or anything I covered in this article, feel free to leave a comment below. I’m always happy to help.

Until next time…happy travels!

About Elaine

Elaine is an international award-winning travel writer, wine writer, photographer, and WSET Level 3 wine professional who believes every destination has a story worth telling. Through Drink In Life, she explores wine, travel, gardens, books, food, and the quiet moments that make a life well lived.

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This Isn’t a New Chapter. It’s a New Book.

Posted on July 14, 2026 by drinkinlife

The stories I collected while I wasn’t publishing.

It has been nine months since I last clicked Publish.

Looking back, nine months seems both incredibly long and surprisingly short. Gardens move through the seasons. Stories quietly take root. Families change. Most of all, life has a way of filling every corner before we realize how much time has passed.

What surprised me most was how much life continued to fill the pages, even though I wasn’t sharing them.

I never stopped collecting stories or chasing down the little details that so often reveal the heart of a place or the people who call it home. I continued photographing places that deserved to be remembered, editing images long after I returned home, and disappearing into historical rabbit holes simply because one question inevitably led to another.

Books continued to pile up beside my favorite chair, research folders multiplied on my computer, and my notebooks filled with observations that I wasn’t quite ready to turn into articles.

Perhaps more importantly, I never stopped paying attention.

Stepping away from publishing gave me the unexpected gift of observing life from a slightly different perspective. Instead of constantly asking myself what I should write next, I found myself asking what was worth noticing. I paid closer attention to conversations with family and friends, the books I was reading, the little moments that rarely make it into photographs, the way a place reveals itself when you aren’t rushing to meet a deadline, and the quiet stories that often hide inside ordinary days. Perhaps more than anything, I found myself listening to the echoes and rhythms of everyday life.

The curiosity never disappeared. Neither did the stories or the desire to keep learning. What quietly slipped away was the pace of sharing those discoveries. For a little while, I became content simply collecting them, trusting they would find their way to the page when the time was right.

At first I blamed being busy, which wasn’t entirely untrue. This year has been wonderfully full. Our son will be getting married in August, and anyone who has ever planned a wedding knows how quickly life becomes measured in guest lists, menu ideas, rehearsal dinners, and the hundreds of small decisions that somehow lead to one unforgettable day.

My desk has spent months buried beneath wedding notes, seed catalogs, recipes, and enough lists to convince a reasonable person that I am planning a royal banquet rather than a backyard rehearsal dinner with a wood-fired pizza oven.

Looking back, I wouldn’t change a single thing. Every unexpected detour, every postponed plan, and every shift in priorities has quietly led me here. I’m beginning to think the scenic route almost always offers the best stories… and a few surprises you never saw coming.

Somewhere between seed catalogs and packages, rehearsal dinner menus, and wondering whether the basil would cooperate, I realized another milestone had been quietly making its way toward me.

Later this year I’ll turn sixty.

My younger self would have been far more startled by that sentence than I am today.

A Wider Lens

Now that I’ve nearly reached this milestone, it has simply become part of my own story, and, strangely enough, I find myself looking forward to it. Age has a curious way of sharpening your focus. I’ve stopped worrying so much about writing what I think I should write and have become far more interested in writing what refuses to leave me alone: the stories that keep resurfacing, the questions that lead to another book, another journey, another rabbit hole of research, or another photograph that has been patiently waiting for me to notice it.

Looking back, I realized something else.

When I started Drink In Life eight years ago, I simply wanted a place to remember. It was part journal, part photo album, part travel notebook…a place to collect the places I explored, the wines I was studying, the books I was reading, the recipes I wanted to make again, and the little moments I hoped time wouldn’t erase.

An Album of my Life.

Over the years, that little journal slowly became something more. I discovered how much I loved researching a destination, interviewing the people behind a winery, uncovering the history of a small town, and writing stories that might inspire someone else’s journey. Somewhere along the way, though, I realized I had gradually stopped writing quite so much for myself.

There is nothing wrong with that. In many ways, it became exactly the career I had hoped to build.

Yet these past nine months reminded me how much I missed the balance.

I missed following my curiosity without wondering where it might lead. I missed photographing an old bookstore simply because it caught my eye. I missed writing down a recipe, a quote from a novel, or a garden observation without worrying whether it belonged in a travel article.

Then it finally occurred to me. Perhaps I never needed to choose. Drink In Life has always been big enough for both.

The Things I Forgot to Tell You

As a lifelong reader, I have often thought that novels give us a slightly misleading view of life. They celebrate beginnings and endings. They linger over departures, weddings, discoveries, and long-awaited arrivals because those moments neatly divide one chapter from the next. Yet the older I get, the more fascinated I become by everything that happens in between. The years spent building a life, tending a garden, sharing meals with family and friends, getting wonderfully lost on unfamiliar roads, changing your mind, discovering a new passion, or quietly becoming someone your younger self never imagined.

I have always been drawn to writers who understand that the most meaningful stories are rarely built around life’s biggest moments. Barbara Kingsolver and Wallace Stegner have both mastered the art of finding beauty in ordinary afternoons, familiar landscapes, shared meals, gardens, and the slow unfolding of a life. Their novels remind me that the chapters we remember most are often the ones where, at first glance, nothing extraordinary seemed to happen at all.

I think that’s one of the greatest gifts these past nine months have given me. Not a new direction, but a wider lens through which to see the stories that have been there all along.

Wine and travel will always remain at the heart of Drink In Life because they remain at the heart of my life. I’ll still be wandering through vineyards, exploring historic towns, discovering remarkable restaurants, and sharing the wines, destinations, and experiences that I think are worth seeking out. Those stories aren’t going anywhere.

Wandering the Vineyards of Abruzzo for my Article: Navigating Abruzzo’s Wine Regions

What you may begin seeing more often are the stories waiting at home between the journeys. The garden I’m forever convinced will produce just one more tomato. The stack of books beside my chair that somehow keeps getting taller. The novels that continue to take shape one chapter and one revision at a time. A favorite recipe, a quilt I just completed spread across the lawn, an afternoon spent chasing a bit of forgotten history simply because curiosity refused to let it go.

A Tour of La Vigna di Leonardo

Those parts of my life have always been here. I simply forgot to invite you into them.

Which brings me back to where this all began. This isn’t the beginning of a new chapter.

It’s the beginning of a new book.

If the last nine months taught me anything, it’s that the stories worth telling are often the ones we never planned to write. I have a feeling there are quite a few of those waiting just around the next bend and I’d love to share them with you.

Whether you’ve been reading Drink In Life since the beginning or you’ve only just found your way here, thank you for stopping by.

I hope you’ll turn the page with me.

Before you turn the page, I’d love to hear from you. What stories have been quietly unfolding in your own life these past few months? Tell me about a place you’ve discovered, a book you’ve loved, something you’ve grown, a recipe worth sharing, or simply a small moment that reminded you to slow down and drink in life.

About Elaine

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