Looking for great hotel/lodge in Columbia River Gorge area for early June. Sold out of Columbia Gorge Hotel. Hood River Hotel available but sounds noisy next to train. Any ideas? We've got Vagabond Hotel but sounds fair accommodation and great view?

Change your date!! The Columbia Gorge Hotel is worth it, trust me. It's the FINEST!!

Peggy, a couple of possibilities - Skamania Lodge, in Stevenson WA, just across the Bridge of the Gods from Cascade Locks, is a newish lodge with a lot of amenities - golf course, etc. It was designed to attract conferences as well as families, pretty high level of finish, check out http://www.skamanialodge.citysearch.com/

Way more interesting IMO, but not for everyone, is McMenamin's Edgefield, located in Troutdale at the west end of the historic Columbia Gorge Highway. It's the former Multnomah County Poor Farm, converted into a B&B/hotel complex with on-site brewery and winery, formal gardens, several bars and lounges, including a darling little pub with weeds on the roof, next to a pond with a frog orchestra at night; the former power house for the farm has been converted to a bar/restaurant plus movie theater (bring in your beer, early kid-friendly movie, later more for adults), shops, amazing original art on all the walls and in the rooms - really a fun place. We just got back from an overnight there last night - a friend of ours, first time visitor from NYC, was knocked out by the Gorge and waterfalls, followed by this amazing place (it was a "Chamber of Commerce" day yesterday - temp. in the 70s, all the mountains and waterfalls in spring glory... http://www.mcmenamins.com/

We stayed at Skamania Lodge about 3 years ago. Very nice place with beautiful views and, believe it or not, the single best slab of salmon I've ever eaten (including Alaska). Rooms are business/basic, not Ritz-like, but nice enough. It's a good choice.

Hi Peggy. I stayed at the Vagabond twice and was very pleased. The rooms are sort of rustic. Ask for one of the rooms with a view of the river. That is the best part of this hotel. Also, it was very quiet.