Ponderosa Lodge adds rooms

Construction is well underway on new motel suites. photo by Jeff McCaulou

Construction started in October on 28 high-end units and a laundry room facility at the Best Western Ponderosa Lodge at the west end of Sisters.

Permits were acquired and the site was surveyed over the summer, but construction was put off until the tourist season was over so as not to disturb guests in the existing rooms, according to owner Bill Reed.

"I drove myself crazy trying to design the perfect room," said Reed.

While Reed is the general contractor on the project, Steve Rodgers Construction is handling most of the sub-work with a six-man crew.

"They've only been on the job three weeks and they're already putting the second floor on," said Reed.

There will be 20 mini-suites and eight full-size suites. The rooms are 680 square feet. Each one will include a wet bar, Jacuzzi, fireplace, seating area with leather furniture, high-speed internet connections and the usual room amenities.

The rooms will have tile and carpet. Logs will accent the walls, railings, and ceilings. The second-floor rooms will have a spacious vaulted ceiling with log accents.

Tentatively, the rates for a mini-suite will be around $150 per night in the peak summer months. The rates for the full-size suites have yet to be determined.

"In our peak summer months many of our guests have requested suites," said Reed.

"We thought it was important to provide some rooms that were more along the lines of an extended-stay accommodation, because we're in a leisure market as opposed to a business traveling market."

Reed said that he and his wife Jan went on a tour of all the AAA motels in the Northwest that have the highest four-diamond rating to find exactly what they were looking for.

One feature, which they're going to include, was a Jacuzzi design that allowed for a view of the fireplace and the television from the tub.

"This is going to be a really unique feature," said Reed.

On the decks of the old units, log railings will replace the existing ones.

The current work is Phase III of the motel plan. The next phase involves a conference hall with meeting rooms.

Reed hopes "this will bolster the Sisters economy in the off season."

Eventually, Reed hopes to add a restaurant.