It’s social hour at The Lodge at Columbia Point, and that means every guest of age receives a complimentary wine tasting. I’m happy to partake, after all, when in wine country, wine tasting is part of the experience, right?

Each night, the hotel holds a wine social from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tonight, the featured winery is Forgeron Cellars, whose French-born winemaker Marie-Eve Gilla was trained in Burgundy and has a double masters in viticulture and enology. She creates old world style wines and when she purchased her Walla Walla property it included a turn-of-the-century blacksmith shop, hence the name Forgeron Cellars.

Tasting wine at this luxury hotel in Washington state is just one of the wow moments I had during my hosted stay. It has plenty more.

Each night enjoy a complimentary wine tasting for guests. Photo by Lara Dunning

The Lodge at Columbia Point

Nestled along the Columbia River, The Lodge at Columbia Point showcases a scenic setting with marina views and an endless blue sky. This new 82-room luxury hotel is steps away from the Riverfront Trail and Columbia Point Marina Park and a short drive to nearby nature preserves.

The Lodge at Columbia Point has a stunning location along the river. Photo courtesy The Lodge at Columbia Point

First Impressions of The Lodge at Columbia Point

From the moment I entered the hotel, I felt welcomed. Its spacious living room library with many seating nooks and a gas fireplace encouraged guests to chat, read a book or enjoy a leisurely day next to the river.

The large and open lobby invites guests to socialize or enjoy one of their many books. Photo by Lara Dunning

While tempted to pick out a book and find a cozy spot, I headed up to my tastefully decorated room. It featured a plush king bed, gas fireplace, wet bar with wine glasses, a large bathroom with a soaking tub, a comfortable sitting area, and a private balcony with a river view.

Guests rooms are lavish and spacious with gas fireplaces and wet bars. Photo courtesy The Lodge at Columbia Point

Once settled, I spent some time on the outdoor balcony taking in the view. Being late fall, the marina was empty, but a heron pranced across the dock and moments later took flight.

Many guest rooms have private balconies and river views. Photo by Lara Dunning

In total there are seven different room types with either riverfront or mountain views, and the hotel offers add-on foodie packages like the Charcuterie & Cheese and Northwest Picnic Basket, and the Ultimate Escape, which includes massages, a dining credit, chocolates, wine, and flowers.

A Passion for Wine Country

Wine country is a huge part of the Tri-Cities experience, and the hotel pays homage to this in several ways. Each room is named after a local winery, the decor is wine-themed, and ice bins are wine barrels.

Throughout the property are wine decor accents, such as wine posters and wine barrel ice bins. Photo by Lara Dunning

More Wow Amenities

After a day of wining and dining, I decided the perfect way to wrap up my night was to soak in the outdoor hot tub. Guests may also enjoy the pool or cuddle up next to an outdoor fireplace. If you’d rather work out, the exercise room has a great view of the pool area. For some “me time” the Columbia Point Massage Studio offers facials, cupping, and massages.

The open-air pool also has a hot tub and patio seating with a fireplace. Photo courtesy The Lodge at Columbia Point

In the morning, a complimentary breakfast is provided for all guests in a room with views of the river. Breakfast includes fruits, pastries, juices, and hot items. New to the property is the restaurant Drumheller’s and their tasting room turned bar—Vine Wine and Craft Bar.

Guests receive a complimentary breakfast with hot items. Photo by Lara Dunning

Wine and Dine in the Tri-Cities

I had a jam-packed day of wine tasting and dining in the Tri-Cities area. First, on the list, Goose Ridge Estate Winery & Vineyard, followed by Kitzke Cellars, Badger Mountain Vineyard, Powers Winery, Barnard Griffin, and J. Bookwalter Winery. Each has something unique to offer, and I suggest allowing yourself enough time at each location to fully enjoy the wines and ambiance.

Located in the heart of 2,500 acres, Goose Ridge Vineyards is a scenic wine tasting stop. Photo by Lara Dunning

For happy hour, I had the pleasure of sampling several menu items paired with wines at The Kitchen at Barnard Griffin. The scallops with salmon roe turned out to be one of my favorites. The menu features fresh and local cuisine and the restaurant has regular live music.

Sea scallops from The Kitchen at Barnard Griffin. Photo by Lara Dunning

This winery also has an on-site glass studio, and throughout the property, you’ll see many artistic touches.

Glass accents are throughout the restaurant and tasting room at Barnard Griffin. Photo credit: Barnard Griffin

Nearby is J. Bookwalter Winery, a tasting room, and a full-service restaurant. All of their wines are literary-themed and have fun names like Novella, Foreshadow, and Suspense. Dishes are Northwest inspired with many locally sourced ingredients. To start, I had to try the deep fried avocado. Loved it!

Fried avocado makes for a tasty starter at J. Bookwalter Winery. Photo by Lara Dunning

For my main dish, I enjoyed the Snake River Wagyu short ribs with a bean puree, pickled peppadew pepper, and scallions. The ribs were delicious and the meat fell off the bone. Next time, I’d like to try the smoked gouda burger or Columbia River steelhead.

Fall-off-the-bone short ribs. Photo by Lara Dunning

More to Do in the Tri-Cities

My day was all about wine tasting in the Tri-Cities, but you’ll find there are plenty of outdoor activities, waters sports, and museums nearby. If you are looking for more wow wine moments there is a wine tasting horseback and wagon rides with Red Mountain Trails and a 3-hour wine tasting dinner cruise with Water2Wine Cruises.

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Stay at The Lodge at Columbia Point

For a lavish stay in the heart of wine country, The Lodge at Columbia Point features deluxe amenities for the traveler. With the newly opened wine bar and restaurant, it makes it even easier to enjoy the hotel property and take that evening stroll along the river.

To book a room at The Lodge at Columbia Point, visit their website. For more information about the area visit Tri-Cities Washington. For more things to do in see in Washington State, check out these articles by Wander writers.

Note: As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodations, meals and other compensation for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this review, the writer believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.