To say that northern Idaho is beautiful is an understatement. It truly is one of the most beautiful areas I have ever visited. There is no better way to enjoy the natural beauty of this part of the country than to stay at a world class resort. My wife and I are avid motorcyclists and travel enthusiasts. In August while crossing the country on motorcycles, we had the opportunity to stay at the Coeur D’Alene Casino and Resort.
This is like no casino resort I have ever visited. Great care has been taken to fit the facility into the natural landscape. Circling Ravens golf course is a masterpiece of design and joy to play. The design and architecture of the resort facility is very pleasing. They have put a lot of thought into the details that set this resort apart from so many others. From the moment you drive (ride) into the entrance you are greeted by a stunning sign with sculpture, water features and gardens. You know you are entering someplace special.
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We stayed at the spa tower. When you drive up you are greeted by a friendly staff that offers valet parking if you are not on a motorcycle. The check in process was quick and efficient. After riding a couple of hundred miles that day we were happy to kick back in the beautiful deluxe room at the tower. We had a great view of the golf course out our window.
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Our room was not huge but very well designed. I have stayed in a lot of hotels all over the world in 35 years of flying for a living and this was one of the nicest rooms I have had the pleasure to stay in. We found the accommodations to be very comfortable.
After a short rest we were off to the Spa Ssakwa’q’n for a couples massage. In six days we had ridden over 1500 miles and we were ready for a little down time. The spa was beautiful with soaking pools and a very relaxing atmosphere. We changed into our robes and were met by our massage therapists. Off to the couples treatment room we went.
Nothing like a good massage to restore the body from the pounding it takes from riding a motorcycle for several days. We had ridden from Polson, MT earlier in the day. We got some bad directions on a short cut and rode a long way out of our way to get to Worley, ID. There was a little stress knowing we had appointments and not knowing exactly how long it would take to get to the Coeur D’Alene Casino and Resort after our unplanned detour. The massage was a great way to start the let down process. We would be spending two nights at the resort. The thought of not having to drag all the baggage we carry for a long trip for a whole day was awesome.
After our massage, we hung out in a relaxation room where ice water and teas and snacks were available. The staff made us feel very much at home and told us that we were welcome to spend as much time as we wished in the soaking pools.
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This was a busy day for us as we had a reservation at the Chinook Steak, Pasta and Spirits room for dinner. We showered, got dressed and headed back to our room. There was an hour of down time until our reservation. As we laid on the bed actually watching the news,(something we hadn’t had time for in a week) the full effect of the massage set in. We could hardly move……in a good way. Somehow we found the strength to get back up and head down for dinner.
We were greeted by the hostess who had a nice booth for two all set for us which had a great view of the landscaping outside the spa. A well mixed adult beverage later we were ready to order the main course. For this meal we chose the Chateaubriand for two. A great choice as it turned out, cooked to perfection with fingerling potatoes and asparagus.
During dinner we met Kurt Gomer, director of food and beverage at the resort. Quite a personable fellow and a hands on manager. In the two days we stayed at the Coeur D’Alene Resort we found the food to be excellent at all the venues we dined in. Kurt is in charge of them all, including the golf course and it shows. We really enjoyed chatting withKurt.. He’s a very interesting man.
After dinner we were off to the casino. The place was really hopping with lots of people trying their luck. We found a place to settle in at the no smoking section and tried several of the games of chance. I don’t think you could call us big winners but we didn’t leave the casino broke either. In any case it was great entertainment and we had a fun time.
Bed time – these old geezers had had enough. What a fun day.
I always wake up early….. except for day two. The massage and great meal set the stage for a much needed catchup sleep. We had to hustle a little for breakfast at the High Mountain Buffet as we had a tee time at 10am at the Circling Ravens Golf Course. Great buffet – in fact we liked it so much we had breakfast there both mornings of our stay.
We caught a ride on the resort shuttle to the clubhouse and checked in for our tee time at the beautiful clubhouse. To be honest, I play 9 holes of golf almost every year. This day I was about to play a two year quota of golf. We were paired up with a couple of men who obviously play more golf than I do. Oh well. I was really there for the beauty of northern Idaho and the great outdoors. Nothing like having the “rental club” excuse for a dismal performance.
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After warming up a little at the practice range, we headed for the first tee. I believe it is very important not to swing too much before it counts. It was time to tee off after a quick introduction to our tee time partners. I still am not sure how they were related as they both explained it differently. One was his partner’s cousin’s sister’s friend from a previous marriage or something. They were both decent players and graciously put up with my erratic golfing. Who cares about score anyway, this is one of the most beautiful courses in America. Check out the slideshow:
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I did make it all the way through 18 holes and it was really spectacular. This was a very beautiful and challenging course. Funny how as I get older the score doesn’t matter so much. We had a fun day with a couple of new friends. Unfortunately, I had to take out a home equity loan to pay for all the golf balls I lost.
For dinner the second night we really didn’t feel up to a big meal so we checked out the Red Tail Grill. My wife and I each had a great sandwich and called it a day. Sadly, we needed to leave in the morning. We still had a long ways to go on our journey to the west coast from our home in Minnesota.
The next morning checkout was fast and we were on our way to Yakima via the backroads. We did fuel the bikes at the gas station just off the resort property and had to double back by the entrance. As I passed the entrance sign again on the way out, I had to smile as the Coeur D’Alene Casino and Resort was so much more than I had expected. We really had a great time during our stay. We will definitely be back…someday.
Ready to visit? Here are some links for you: http://www.cdacasino.com/index.php, visit Idaho, Getting there.
Disclosure: some services and accommodations were comped during our stay. All opinions are 100% mine.
