The boutique hotel in an historic building features cozy rooms, a rooftop bar, locally-focused dining, a subterranean spa and soaking pool
Hood River, Oregon (August 7, 2025) — After over three years of highly detailed and thoughtful historic restoration and construction, Lightwell Hotel & Spa is scheduled to open this fall in the original Waucoma Hotel building (c. 1904) at the center of downtown Hood River. Founded by world-traveling outdoor sportsmen who call the area home, the independent boutique hotel was built both with travelers and the local community in mind. With a commitment to stewardship of both the building and surrounding Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, they achieved both status on the National Register of Historic Places, and sustainability – no easy feat.
“Restoring this historic building wasn’t just about saving bricks and beams, it was about giving the community back a cornerstone of our downtown,” says Lach Litwer of Columbia Gorge Capital, one of Lightwell’s founders.
The central architectural feature and namesake of the project is a four-story light well that was formed in 1910 when the second owners of the building added onto the original with an L-shaped annex. This design increased the hotel’s capacity and provided a central shaft of natural light flowing in from a glass ceiling to interior windows and the ground floor. Fully uncovered and restored, it will bring sunlight into Viento, Lightwell’s locally-sourced Mediterranean restaurant, as well as the guestrooms surrounding it on all sides. The historic, rooftop veranda with its overhead wooden trellis has been recreated with custom woodwork to canopy Lightwell’s rooftop bar – Hood River’s first. The open-air space looks out over the stunning Columbia River and surrounding hills to the mountains beyond. Rooftop at Lightwell will be open year-round, with fireside seating and cover when needed.
The hotel features 69 modern guest rooms of varying sizes which existed in the original structure, and these accommodate a breadth of travelers, from compact queen rooms to king suites with panoramic views of the Columbia River Gorge. Each room features original artwork by local artists, and larger paintings and sculptures commissioned for the public spaces. From restoring the hotel’s original oak wood floors to line the restaurant, to installing virtually silent elevators, to solar panels on the roof, to repurposing boulders excavated from the underground spa into bespoke furniture, the entire building is filled with intentional design details. The old elevator cap found inside the building was reimagined into a large light fixture over the front desk.
The original hotel entrance was restored, and opens into a grand lobby with a large fireplace, surrounding lounge, and a historic baby grand piano that once belonged to Hood River’s first female hotelier Ola Bell, installed in partnership with the History Museum of Hood River County. The Lobby Bar features custom furniture such as a raw-edged walnut community table, and handmade wooden tabletops with inlaid chess boards. Off the lobby are the hotel’s signature food and drink outposts: Viento, a Pacific Northwest Mediterranean restaurant serving bold flavors and seasonal ingredients, and Basecamp, an all-day cafe and market to fuel days of adventure and exploration. Wellness was also a focus in designing The Lightwell’s guest experience, which is evident in fresh and healthful menus.
A White Oak staircase leads from the lobby to the subterranean spa, with treatment rooms for massage, a 10-person sauna, and a 20-person soaking pool – perfect for winding down after a day of hiking or kite surfing in the Gorge. The backdrop to the soaking pool is the hotel’s original basalt stone foundation, keeping the spa naturally cool. For travelers arriving to Hood River without local knowledge, First Nature Tours, a local outdoor tour company with over 20 years of experience and a focus on regenerative travel, will have an office on the ground floor staffed with an “Outdoor Concierge” to help guests plan the most memorable experiences in the incredible surrounding natural area.
Hood River itself is a mecca for outdoor recreation, long known as “the Windsurfing Capital of the World,” kite surfers, kayakers and paddleboarders all flock to the Columbia River Gorge for the wind and waterways. The surrounding mountains are home to stunning hikes and world-class mountain biking trails. The Hood River valley is dotted with wineries, breweries, and miles of orchards along the Hood River Fruit Loop. Mt. Hood’s summertime lakes and trails are a short drive away, as are its downhill and cross country ski resorts in the wintertime.
Lightwell Hotel & Spa Contact Info:
Address: 201 Cascade Ave., Hood River, Ore., 97031
URL: lightwellhotel.com
Social media: @lightwellhotel
About Lightwell’s Founders
The revitalization of the long-abandoned historic Waucoma Hotel building was spearheaded by Lach Litwer and Cal Blake of Columbia Gorge Capital. They partnered with Gabe Genauer and Carrington “Ceb” Barrs, whose construction and development company, GB Pacific Construction Inc., managed the Lightwell’s design and build out, being on site to attend to every detail. Genauer’s previous experience as a developer of the Society Hotels gave them insight into what it takes to create a memorable lodging property in an historic structure. Lightwell’s fifth partner is VIP Hospitality Group, a family-owned real estate development and hospitality management company founded by Managing Director John Lee. VIP’s team brings extensive background in providing a top-tier guest experience, and will manage Lightwell’s operations.
