Clark House Offers Comfort To The Weary B&Ber;

Sun., Feb. 12, 1995

Graham Vink Travel Editor

Drive along the narrow, winding road on the east shore of Hayden Lake and the Clark House looms out of the evening mist like a great white shark.

But there’s nothing hostile once you’re inside this 15,000-square-foot mansion, which was the most expensive private home in Idaho when it was built in 1910.

Overnight guests have five rooms from which to choose, all with private baths (huge bathtubs, too) and luxurious feather beds. Most room have fireplaces (logs provided) and views of Hayden Lake. Or you might see deer, elk or even a bear emerging from the woods behind the house.

The building has been lovingly restored with antique furniture, Oriental rugs, extensive artwork on the walls and a striking trompe l’oeil “skylight” in the sunny main dining room. There’s also a large, comfortable library with books to borrow and games ranging from Monopoly to Murder to Go.

Early risers will find fresh-brewed coffee and home-baked pastries in the second-floor kitchenette. A gourmet breakfast downstairs is served at the civilized hour of 8:30 a.m. (typical fare: yogurt with mandarin oranges, melon balls with a whisper of lime juice, pancakes topped with whipped cream and fresh bananas, and baby sausage links).

Off-season prices for a couple, including breakfast, range from $125 to $165 per night depending on the rooms, which deliberately have no phones or TV.

The Clark House also offers dinners, by reservation, five nights a week (typically $35 for a six-course dinner, not including beer or wine) and will resume serving formal afternoon tea at Easter.

Location: Hayden Lake, about 45 minutes from Spokane, 15 minutes from Coeur d’Alene.

Information and reservations: Clark House, E. 4550 South Hayden Lake Road, Hayden Lake, ID 83835; (800) 765-4593 or (208) 772-3470.

MEMO: Do you have a favorite hideaway around the Inland Northwest, a secluded place for a romantic retreat? We’d like to hear about it. Write to: Travel Editor, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. Or fax (509) 459-5098.

Do you have a favorite hideaway around the Inland Northwest, a secluded place for a romantic retreat? We’d like to hear about it. Write to: Travel Editor, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. Or fax (509) 459-5098.