Skamania Lodge

Client Description

Located 45 miles east of Portland, Ore., in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Skamania Lodge is an all-season 175-acre mountain resort and conference center featuring 254 guest rooms and nine treehouses. The resort is also home to 45 recreational options, including Waterleaf Spa, an indoor swimming pool, hot tubs, a fitness center, an 18-hole putting course, and premier nine-hole short golf course, Cascade Dining Room, and River Rock Lounge. The Cascadian-style lodge is situated in a Pacific Northwest playground with hiking and biking in the summer; skiing and snowshoeing in the winter; and golfing, fishing and whitewater rafting year-round. The property has won numerous awards, including the National Choice Award by Smart Meetings magazine, Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator, and the Gold Tier Green Star award from the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC).

Project Description

Skamania Lodge engaged A.wordsmith to reinvigorate its brand position, increase guest awareness and media exposure, expand its reach to Seattle travelers and other areas beyond the Portland-Vancouver metro area and uniquely differentiate itself from other resorts in the Pacific Northwest.

To be successful in driving consistent results, A.wordsmith pared a proactive and multi-faceted communications strategy (highly personalized and carefully fashioned narrative elements) with identification of feature, expert source and news-of-the-day storytelling opportunities; and influencer engagements.

By embracing a strategic, cohesive, ongoing and results-driven media and influencer relations campaign, A.wordsmith successfully elevated awareness of Skamania’s breathtaking scenery and activity-rich Gorge experience, leveraging the launches of the treehouses, glamping, and Moonlight Pavilion within the backdrop of the lodge’s 30th anniversary. Additionally, we highlighted seasonal escape packages, golfing, wine dinners, customized travel itineraries, corporate retreat offerings, and kid-friendly adventures.

Key Results

As a result, A.wordsmith secured 102 media placements and 17 media visits that ranged from social media influencers to local and industry publications. These pieces generated over 1.9 million estimated views and 1,500 thousand engagements from May 2022-May 2023.

Snapshot of coverage: