Phone: 208-443-2426 E-mail: reservations@oldnortherninn.com. At the turn of the century, the area surrounding Priest Lake was a secluded land of tall forests and abundant wildlife. Priest Lake itself remained as a monument to the glacial action of the ice age: deep and crystal clear water teeming with native westslope cutthroat, whitefish and other fish species. In this idyllic setting, the Old Northern Railway Company built a state of the art hotel in 1890. Situated on a forested hillside above the growing village of Coolin on Priest Lake's southern shore, the Northern Hotel provided a panoramic vista of the lake and surrounding mountains. It served for many years as a warm, comfortable resort where travelers could relax beside the fire and dine at the area's finest lodging establishment. This great old building and its history of hospitality has been resurrected as the Priest Lake area's premier bed breakfast; The Old Northern Inn. With its steep roof, shaded verandah, original plank floors and cedar paneling, the Old Northern Inn provides a nostalgic return to the rustic country lodges of the 1890s. It is a perfect escape for those who seek the rhythm of a simpler time coupled with a warm, friendly atmosphere. The Inn is ideally situated, secluded by the surrounding forest, yet steps away up a wooded path from the private beach. The village of Coolin is a short walk away. The Old Northern Inn has been painstakingly restored to its original look, a classic two-story wooden hotel filled with antiques from the era, right down to the brass bath fixtures, checkerboards, and flour sack pillows. Each of the individual rooms and suites is named after a geographic feature of Priest Lake and all feature country furnishings, a goose down comforter, and beautiful handcrafted quilts. All accommodations have private baths. A spacious guest area includes a stone fireplace, comfortable armchairs and picture windows overlooking the lake and the forested Selkirk mountains. Delicious breakfasts of fresh fruit and homemade specialties are served in the Cedar Dining Room, which also looks out on the lake. Wine, cheese and fruit are served every afternoon. The Old Northern Inn has a small private marina where guests can moor their boats, sun and swim. The deck features umbrella-shaded tables and a stone hearth for summer evening fires. There is no television or radio for entertainment, but instead an eclectic book collection and a 1907 upright baby grand piano. The Priest Lake area looks much as it did at the last period of Alpine glaciation around 20,000 years ago, and much as it did when the first road survey was completed in 1865. It is likely to remain that way, thanks to the 1897 proclamation by President Grover Cleveland establishing the Priest River Forest Preserve. Relatively few visitors make their way to this secluded basin of the Selkirk Mountains, but the percentage of those who return generation after generation is very high. The new arrival will find that Priest Lake abounds in recreational opportunities. Rental watercraft are available in Coolin and guided fishing tours for the lake's trophy lake trout (Mackinaw) can be arranged. Fine dining establishments thrive on both sides of the lake. Detailed information on these attractions can be found on the. Priest Lake Chamber of Commerce web site. The Old Northern Inn is a 90 minute drive from Spokane and approximately the same distance from Coeur d'Alene. Directions to Coolin. The Inn opens on Memorial Day weekend and operates through mid-October. Map of Old Northern Inn Coolin, ID. Rates: $100 to $160, Including breakfast Children over 12 welcome No pets; Smoking outdoors only Visa/Mastercard. Old Northern Inn Bed Breakfast PO Box 177 Coolin (Priest Lake), ID 83821 (208) 443-2426 E-mail: web site updated: January 2008

The two guest suites and four guest rooms at the Old Northern Inn reflect historic authenticity coupled with attention to detail. The rich tones of the original cedar paneling and period antiques accent each room and create an atmosphere of elegant simplicity. The spirit of adventure, romance of the wilderness and tradition of rugged individualism that characterized the Pacific Northwest at the turn of the century is reflected by the architecture and furnishings throughout the Inn. A stay at the Old Northern Inn is likely to transpose your spirit back to that bygone era of simple pleasures and also create memories that will be cherished for a lifetime. A two-day minimum stay is requested for weekends in July and August. The Kalispell Suite is most conducive for a complete romantic getaway. In the morning, step out of the suite's private entrance onto the Inn's broad deck and immediately experience the compelling sight of Priest Lake. Take a moment to reflect on Mother Nature's grandeur and inhale the crisp mountain air of the Selkirks. The Inn borders on the Priest Lake State Forest. Listen closely and you may hear a rustling of the nearby bushes; a sign that a deer or other forest animal is about to pass you by on its morning trek. Before retiring for the evening, take time to enjoy the suite's cozy sitting room. As you make yourself comfortable on the couch, you will notice interesting antiques ranging from table lamps to the beautiful secretary desk. The suite is also decorated with handcrafted quilts which accent the warm glow of the original cedar paneling. Many couples are so taken by their first visit to the Kalispell Suite that they make an extended stay here an annual event. Nightly Rate: $160 double occupancy Up to two additional guests: $20/person on sofabed. The spacious Bartoo Suite occupies the entire west end of the Inn's second floor. A sitting room furnished with a couch, leather wing chair complete with ottoman, and several antiques complement the suite's handsome bedroom. Guests will note the rare antique shaving stand that decorates a corner of the sitting room as it would have in the late 1800s. Magnificent sunsets behind Outlet Mountain are framed by the sitting room window. The suite's bedroom is tucked in the back of the building and is equipped with an antique drop table desk and a small washbasin. The original bathroom, which once served the entire Inn, is now enclosed within the suite. It includes original brass shower fixtures and a freestanding tub. A stay of a few days in the Bartoo Suite will imbue guests with the nostalgic spirit and relaxing simplicity of a bygone era. Nightly Rate: $145 double occupancy Up to two additional guests: $20/person on sofabed. The delightful Papoose Room is a favorite of the many guests who have made a stay at the Inn a tradition. An attractive feature of the room is the small alcove situated to catch the morning sun. With a freshly brewed cup of coffee placed in the living room for early risers, it is an enchanting spot to begin the day. After you return to the Inn following a day of recreation on the lake or in the mountains, you may want to join your fellow guests at the stone fire pit located on the deck just outside the Inn's front door. Here, before a summer evening fire, lively conversation is the order of the day, along with establishing new friendships. Nightly Rate: $125 double occupancy. The Thorofare Room is a secluded retreat that occupies a corner of the Inn's ground floor and features a private outside entrance. The plush forest green carpet, two walls of pastel yellow and the remainder of the room in the rich wood tones of the original cedar paneling create a relaxing mood. The room is accented with touches of folk art including a mirror with a hand-painted border and lamps with a wilderness motif. As you step outside your room in the morning, you will be greeted by the refreshing aroma of the grand cedar tree situated immediately outside the door. Walk by the massive native stone chimney that extends the entire height of the Inn's exterior onto the deck and the surrounding trees will open to a spectacular view of Priest Lake. You may want to spend a few minutes to appreciate the moment before you partake in the hearty breakfasts prepared by the innkeepers. The Twin Island I II Rooms are similar in size and decor. Both rooms feature plush forest green carpet and, as with the other Old Northern Inn suites and rooms, rich cedar paneling. A handcrafted quilt wall hanging distinguishes each room. The antique floor lamps located at the head of the bed in each room are of particular interest as well as the ceiling light in Twin Island II. These lighting fixtures, the other antique furnishings and the lace curtains reflect the early days of the 20th century. As the sun sets behind Outlet Mountain and the cool stillness of the evening envelops the Inn, you may want to spend a few moments outside on the deck gazing towards the heavens. You will likely become spellbound by the magnificence of the pure black night sky that is characteristic of the Priest Lake area. Stars, constellations and galaxies sparkle with a brilliance seldom seen elsewhere;and the aurora borealis occasionally performs its magical light show. It is a fitting end to a relaxing day in Mother Nature's wonderland. Nightly Rate: $100 double occupancy

There were no flush toilets in 1890;or electric lights, but there were huckleberry pancakes;and there were cedar-paneled rooms filled with a delicious 19th-century commodity: silence. The very best part of staying in the Old Northern Inn is that, with the exception of a few modern luxuries, it takes you right back to 1890. That's the year that this old hotel was built. Now restored as a bed-and-breakfast, it offers not only a respite from the stress of life in these modern times, but also an escape from the entire 20th and 21st centuries. The Old Northern Inn opened in the summer of 1993 after standing vacant for most of the previous decade. Purchased and completely restored by Phil and Lorraine Battaglia, the venerable old building shed its earlier incarnations as Houdini's and Capt. Eddy's restaurants and returned to its original splendor when it first opened as the Northern Hotel. Back in those days of the late 1800s, miners, vacationers and honeymooners could take a train from Spokane to Priest River. From Priest River it was a three-hour (and often longer) stagecoach ride to Priest Lake. The journey is much faster, though perhaps less romantic, these days. Tourists now arrive from all parts of the nation, and often from foreign countries also. Many of those who honeymooned at the hotel in the 1940s '50s now return for a nostalgic stay to revisit fond memories. These couples marvel at the authentic restoration. Others have scheduled family or friendship reunions at the Inn and the increasing popularity of the Inn has made early reservations an everincreasing necessity. It is easy to see why word about the Inn has traveled fast. For one thing, the Inn is one of the few lodging establishments on Priest Lake that can accommodate overnight guests. Most resorts on the lake book only by the week during the high summer season. The Inn features a large living room, filled with books, antiques and a huge stone fireplace. The mahogany mantel is inscribed, Warm your hands and warm our hearts which truly describes the hospitality extended to the Inn's guests. The restoration work required matching original cedar paneling, adding additional doors and windows to bring in light, and scraping off no fewer than eleven coats of paint and varnish to reveal the original floor planks. The Inn accommodations consist of three rooms and a suite upstairs and an additional suite and room downstairs, both with a private entrance from the outside. Each of the suites and rooms is aptly named for a geographic feature of Priest Lake. All are decorated with handsome period antiques coupled with old lake cabin furnishings. Several pieces have been hand painted with scenes of fisherman, huckleberries, wildflowers, pine trees, etc. Numerous handcrafted quilts also accentuate the decor of the rooms. Outdoors, the Inn features a private dock where guests can swim and moor their boats. The large deck in front of the Inn overlooks the southern end of the lake and has shaded picnic tables, lounge chairs, and benches. A stone fire pit on the deck is a perfect place to relax and chat with fellow guests before a summer evening fire. Room rates include breakfast for two featuring huckleberry pancakes, fresh muffins and fruit, and freshly squeezed juice. In the afternoon, wine is served with fruit and cheese. The Old Northern Inn is the perfect place for sinking into a 19th-century reverie. The above content was extracted from an article written by Jaime Neely and published by the Spokesman-Review newspaper in their July 25, 1993 edition. The content of that article has been updated to reflect the year 2007.

 Luggage storage
 Credit cards accepted
 Facsimile services
 Heating
 Smoke-free guest rooms
 Parking lot
 Private park, garden, courtyard
 Quiet surroundings
 Private/Ensuite bathroom
 Phone at reception
 TV sets in rooms
 Common room with a TV set