Freestone Inn & Cabins

We just spent three nights at the Freestone Inn and loved it!
Our corner, upstairs room was enormous and beautiful. My wife loved the huge jet tub. We also went into the resort’s hot tub a few times and it was great.
We were there for the nordic skiing and the snow and conditions were perfect.
We had breakfast and dinner. The food was great, service was friendly and helpful. It did take a loooooong time to get our dinner (an hour) and maybe 30 minutes for breakfast. I think they’re probably understaffed, but the staff they had were doing their best. In fact, all the staff we encountered were very nice (front desk fellow Luigi was very polite and helpful).
We couldn’t get the Seahawks game on our room TV (the reason we chose a lodge room not a cabin), but that’s probably an issue with Dish Network. They did have the game available at their Jack’s Hut recreation center nearby and that was fun watching it with a group of fans (lady with the 12^th man flag — lose it – you were blocking everybody’s view of the screen).
There is wifi, but it was very slow no matter where in the lodge I tried it. Again, probably an issue with dish network. Verizon data signal was much faster despite being in a valley surrounded by mountains as far away from town as you can get in the winter.
Overall, a great trip and a great place. Can’t wait to go there again.

The Freestone is under new management, and it couldn’t be in better hands. Chris and Jojo are wonderful additions to a Mazama gem that has not flourished under previous stewards. We had our wedding festivities there in June (sorry for the delay in posting!) and they went all out to make it a perfect occasion. They met with us on several occasions to plan a special event tailored to our every wish. The accommodations were perfect, the food was excellent (Chef Layne put together a fantastic menu, house made pâté, many local and organic ingredients), and Chris and Jojo took time to meet our families and friends and make them feel welcome. They also became friends to us, and we will always be grateful for the role they played in making our wedding a time we will treasure forever. The Inn itself and Mazama are incredible, a luxurious lodge with many amenities (pool, trails for cross-​country skiing in the winter and mountain biking in the summer, trout-​stocked pond) in a pristine wilderness setting. The Lodge rooms are luxuriously appointed, and several have full kitchens. The cabins are more spare, but still tastefully decorated. As long-​time visitors to the Methow, we are delighted to have Chris and Jojo restoring the quality of the Freestone!

This place was a winter paradise to us! We stayed 3 nights in a cabin with our two dogs and a warm fire. It was doggy heaven! The ability to snow shoe right out our door was phenomenal. We intend to make this an annual winter escape due to the beauty, scenery, accommodations, staff friendliness, and activities to do all around the area. I realize people’s expectations and experiences are different, but we also expect a lot from our vacations, and this met all of our expectations and more. The staff, the owners, and restaurant were all very good to us and extremely helpful with planning out our days and activities. Keep up the good work Kerry and thanks again! Kristen, Steve, Baker, and Joey! Seattle

We have not even left yet and I have to Unilocal about this place. I don’t know if the owner is in over his head or what, but this place has so much potential but the management is ruining it.
Example one: Dinner in the restaurant. I had a steak, it was great. My wife has a warm romaine salad but they were out of romaine so they used iceberg instead, didn’t heat it, poured some vinegar on it and charged her $ 9.00 for it. Then we complained, sent the dish back and the poor waitress smiled and nodded and proceeded to give us a bill for the entire meal. I complained and the owner actually came out to question me about what was wrong before agreeing to remove it from our check. How about the waitress, can she not vet out service issues and make decisions? Then she came back out to us and said that was the first time she has ever seen the owner refund a dish!!! Are you kidding me??? Is that not the easiest solution to poor service?
Example Two: We had DND hanging on the door and missed the room cleaning. A note said we can have it cleaned until 3pm. We told them at 130 we would like to have it cleaned. They came in and did a quick crappy cleaning leaving towels just sitting on the sink instead of hanging. The floor was absolutely atrocious with crap on it. I actually think they might have brought in garbage to dump on our floor. (kidding of course but DAMN, use a vacuum, we are paying a lot of money). Then I called to the front desk and no one answered to come a clean it.
Example Three: Went for a walk with my wife and we were walking across an icy lake which frozen about 12 inches thick. The staff came out and yelled across the lake at us as if we were 3 year olds. They told us ice was thin and we might break through. We said Ok and continued to walk towards the edge (we were about ¾ of the way across). The lady then came back out and said, «didn’t you hear me?»… I actually felt like I might get grounded. Did she expect us to levitate across the remainder of the lake?
Save your money! This place is so «dreamy» but the negative feel of management is depressing.

I really wanted to like the Freestone Inn. The cabin we stayed in was quite lovely, but the customer service was poor. The dining staff was rude, and the lodge’s amenities closed very early (4:30 pm front desk, 7:30 pm dining, 9 pm lodge and spa). If you want to enjoy the winter sports and activities in the area, don’t bother staying here. Everything will be closed, and the staff that is available will not be interested in doing anything to make your stay enjoyable.

Beautiful location. Friendly helpful courteous staff. The bike rentals were terrible.

I don’t know how a (once beautifully built) place can go so downhill so fast. It was a beautiful well run place years ago– owned by a different company. Our summer visit there this year was a shock. The new customer service and management was horrible. The hallway stunk. The lodge room had a number of functional things wrong with it. They had construction and tractors building or remodeling their condos — waking us up in the morning… VERY loud. Unbelievable, a most miserable experience. The pool was filthy.

Rooms are gorgeous and comfortable but for the price per night, this is not the type of Inn or resort you might think it is. The dining room is only open a handful of nights and the food is way overpriced for the service, comfort and ambience offered. Huge uncomfortable wood chairs that swallow you up and you have to sit on the edge of it to stay close to the table. For the price of dinners, they should have white table cloths, candles on each table, comfortable chairs and create an atmosphere that is quiet and not loud. We were next to a bunch of young people drinking and talking so loud and no one on staff ever said anything to them even though it was obvious to all the tables around them that they were being inconsiderate. One table even got up and left. The loud group were acting like they were in a bar, not in a place where my fish was $ 30. This was a huge disappointment. The dinner staff seemed uncomfortable in their skin. Odd remarks, awkward pauses, and a feel of uncertainty approaching us as patrons at a very expensive place. So this along with the loud table and a dinner that wasn’t really that great gave you a feel that this place just doesn’t have it together. They should start over and cut the menu prices in half, bring in a TV to the dining room and call it good. They just don’t know how to do upper class dinning and aren’t set up for it. It was a horrible feel. We also felt the Innkeepers like another reviewer said, had no sense of hospitality or customer service and again, these are things that when you pay such incredibly high prices, you go in thinking you will be treated with care and hospitality. Not here. So if you just want to stay here and don’t have a need to ask from the Innkeeper and don’t eat in the dining room, you will be fine. We will be going to Sun Mountain next time. Its a full fledge run resort, full staffed and has eating options on every night of the week, and the rooms are more affordable. Hope Freestone gets it together.

The rooms and setting are beautiful. However, the innkeepers have little sense of hospitality or responsibility. This place is pricey and upscale — but seemed okay to us in part because it claims to have a 3-​star restaurant on the property. The idea of not having to drive anywhere after a day of hiking was appealing. It turned out that the chef had had an accident and the diningroom was closed the whole time we were there. First, they did not have any serious backup plan — which they should. Second — since part of what we were paying for is the convenience of a restaurant on the premise, they at least should have given us a room reduction — $ 250+ a night for still having to drive 15 miles (!!!) for dinner is outrageous. But they would not (they offered a $ 20 rebate for the full 3 days — duh, no I don’t think so). Third, they did apparently put together some sort of minimal service the second night we were there, but no one told us about that. I called down to the front desk/​diningroom 3 times to see if there would be some accomodations, and no one answered, and when we went to the diningroom no one was there. They did not make any serious attempt to accomodate people, and no attempt to reduce their rates to what would be reasonable for any other lodge with no diningroom. Finally, the «continental breakfast» is embarassing– almost no choices– what one would expect in a downscale motel.
As I say, the place is beautiful. But the Innkeepers should understand that if they cannot deliver what they heavily advertise, they should make serious financial accomodations.

Just spent three nights at this resort with a big family group, 19 folks that ranged in are from 3 – 76. We rented 5 of the cabins in 3 different configurations, studio, 1 bedroom and 2 bedrooms. The cabins were spotless and were very roomy and it was nice that they came with cable T.V. so we could watch the Olympics. Great pool and a nice lake, this place really had lots to offer. We loved our stay and plan to go back next year. The only reason I didn’t give them a 5 Star rating was the kitchen only had a little dinky dorm room refrigerator.

Just spent three wonderful days and nights at the Freestone Inn. I was there for my brother’s wedding nearby, and stayed in the main house in room 9. The bed was amazingly plush and comfortable. And in the room, not a single detail was missed. The bathroom was well stocked and had a shower (plenty of water pressure, and no shortage of hot water) AND a bathtub, and there were plenty of towels. And yes, there was a big-​screen TV, which I did watch a little CNN on. The cell reception is spotty, at best. There’s a wi-​fi connection downstairs, but I was very happy to be off the grid for a few days.
Everything felt solid – not flimsy, like many hotels. My room looked out on the lake and surrounding grasslands. It had a coffee maker, and in the morning I donned a plush robe and had coffee out on my beautiful deck. Then I went downstairs to the dining room, and enjoyed hard boiled eggs and granola for breakfast. I get so tired of continental breakfasts that are all bread and gooey, sugary pastry!
The staff was wonderful. I left a couple of items in my room by mistake, and they packed them up and gave them to my brother. They even called me to make sure everything was in order!
Mazama is really a natural paradise. I was thrilled with the Freestone Inn, which complements its surroundings beautifully. It’s the perfect summer destination, and from the pictures I’ve seen, is probably gorgeous in the winter too.

We stayed in cabin 6 and thought it was pretty clean. The kitchen was small but was fine for our needs they also provided a BBQ grill. The only complaint about the room is that the TV cable reception was fuzzy a lot. The cabin has a little creek running in the back which was nice. The staff wasn’t overly friendly. We were told that the breakfast was included but when approaching the dining room the guy at the front desk didn’t seem friendly that we were there and asked if we were guests of the Inn. I responded we were a guest of the cabins and he said there would be a charge of $ 9.95 and we would have to let them know in advance if we were to have breakfast. I really didn’t understand why since the dining room was empty. The pool was freezing cold and the hot tub is pretty far from the cabins. I probably wouldn’t return to this Inn.

We stayed here last weekend for our 6^th wedding anniversary. Both my parents and in-​laws said we would just LOVE it and I’d say they were both right.
We stayed in Cabin 6 ($ 185, Studio) the first night and really enjoyed our stay. It was the perfect amount of space for two people and everything was updated and tastefully decorated. The back patio (which looked out onto a stream and the forest beyond) was a nice way to end and start our day. We sat out back playing cards, relaxing and enjoyed our morning breakfast out there as well. The bathroom in this cabin was spacious and the kitchenette area was the perfect size for a casual weekend away. The only negative part of the cabin was the cable reception and the Queen bed which wasn’t attached to the headboard.
The second night we stayed at the Inn (Room 1, $ 215 w/​breakfast) and the room was beautiful and the view was exceptional to say the least… probably the best in town! The King bed was much more lavish and comfortable than the cabin and the patio in this room looked out to the mountains and lake. The bathroom was huge due to the room being handicap accessible and everything from plush towels, extra pillows and robes were thought of and placed throughout.
The only negative thing about the Inn vs. the Cabins was the fact that we paid $ 30 more and the «continental breakfast» they kept advertising was VERY limited in my opinion. Hard boiled eggs, yogurt, breads, milk, OJ and granola were the only options. I understand not offering hot items but to not have toast or other cereals is just not what I am used to.
The pool was nice but very cold. It’s inside Jack’s hut and very quiet for a Saturday/​Sunday stay. Again, the view can’t be beat! Inside Jack’s hut there were snack’s offered (don’t buy unless you want to remortgage the house) but the guy working the counter was VERY helpful and suggested a great hike for my husband and I to cutthroat lake. Just beautiful and reasonably easy for our first ever hike.
It’s super quiet and if you are looking for some serious R&R this is the place to go. They don’t accept AAA and I felt the cabins were the better deal but both were very enjoyable.

I spent a few nights at Freestone late this winter. The cabin was cozy, and the food at the restaurant was good, but 3 things stood out as having room for improvement:
1) The hot tub and hot tub area could have been much more hospitable, the tub could have been cleaner (it was highly chlorinated and as a result had a tons of foam over the top), and more seating or benches, or even a wood «deck» or rubber mat over the stone would have made it much more comfortable to go in after a day on the ski trails. There was no place to change, and the cabins did not come with robes, so it was pretty awkward to use the hot tub.
2) The inn is pretty stingy with towels. Now I’m all for re-​using towels for a few nights, but it would have been great to have easy access to an extra towel or two for the hottub, we were able to get some at the front desk, but the attendent seemed to expect that we would re-​use the (now chlorine soaked) towels again.
3) Lastly, due to an impending snow storm, we decided to leave a night early, now I know that you often can’t cancel a reservation on the same day — which is what we wanted to do – but we were midweek (not a weekend nor a holiday) and the inn was unwilling to make any accommodations for our change in plans, no partial refund, or rain check or anything. Had they even offered a 10% discount on one night of a future stay, I wouldn’t be mentioning this.
I may return to freestone, but I also may consider other lodging options in the area to see if I am treated any better.

We stayed there for a few days and it was amazing. It was the most picturesque ‘Winter Wonderland’ lodge one could imagine. The entire property was beautiful. The décor had character without being unusual or weird. The rooms were spacious — each with a deck, large TV, large bed, large fireplace, soaking tub, and large bathroom. The deck had an amazing view of the lake. You could also open the blinds to watch the sun rise in the morning (around 8 in the winter). They served a nice breakfast (granola, yogurt, fruits, banana bread) that was surprisingly good and fresh. The hot tub was awesome. The entire place is so worth the cost, ~$ 225/​night.
There are some snowshoe and X-​country ski trails that start on the property. I also proposed on one of the snowshoe trails; there were hardly any people we saw all day and the views were amazing, so it was the perfect place.
It is a 5 min drive to Mazama (which has a store and a winter rental/​lesson store). 15 – 20 minute drive to Winthrop (have to go slow at night b/​c of deer) for more dining options.
This is a great place for a quiet romantic winter getaway.

Gorgeous setting, beautiful views, rustic and yet well kept lodge.
We also had a delicious meal starting with a crusted & baked goat herb cheese wedge, with sweet jam, drizzled in a balsamic reduction, served with crustini & arugula. Yumm! Following that, a very tasty rib eye & a succulent duck salad with candied pecans, cranberries and more goat cheese. Wow!
All thanks to the recommendations of our fabulous waiter Kevin!

The location is amazingly beautiful, the grounds well kept, the staff very friendly. The reason I give it only two stars is the mediocre meal at the touted restaurant and the price given the lodging. The stuffed chicken was not very tasty, but the restaurant staff were wonderful.
We stayed in a cabin which was in a lovely setting, but for the cost ($ 225 night) I would expect fewer ants in the kitchen area, a bathtub, and perhaps a reduced rate to use the ski and snow shoe trails. I would suggest that you bring your own water, the tap water had a very unpleasant taste, like old pipes. The location of the helipad which is close to the cabins created quite a bit of noise. An overall positive experience, but we’ve stayed across the country in many beautiful locations and for the price, we’ve had much better lodging and restaurant experiences.

The Blue Angels are making me crazy!
Mazama, take me away…
The first thing we noticed when we opened the door on our spacious room with a huge deck was the peaceful quiet — broken only by the bozos below us bellowing at each other the following morning. The uptight German woman in the room next door put a stop to their nonsense, though. Thank God for uptight German women.
The hotel sits on a pretty little lake. Great mountain bike riding right outside the door. Drive 15 miles to get into the town of Winthrop — which is a real old-​timey Western town — slightly refurbished with gift shops replacing the black smith and saddle shops. The first Western ever written took place in Winthrop — «The Virginian» — I haven’t actually read it, but the town boasts of it, so there’s at least a 40% chance that it’s true.
The usually wonderful hotel restaurant was closed for renovations. And our pool time was marred by the handy-​man choosing our peaceful moment to replace screens on the pool-​house windows. The gas fireplace didn’t work.
But none of that mattered. What did matter? There were no F-​14s strafing the roof.