Looking for a family-friendly river lodge experience in Oregon’s Applegate Valley? The Lindsay Lodge & Restaurant near Jacksonville, Oregon is a family-owned resort in Southern Oregon. While you might not know Applegate, Oregon, the 3-acre riverfront lodge is situated between Grant’s Pass and Medford, near the historic town of Jacksonville.
My husband and I had come to Medford, Oregon to attend the Heart of the Rogue Festival. We had previously attended a food and wine event in Southern Oregon and stayed in a historic bed & breakfast. This time we wanted to stay overnight in Applegate Valley wine country.
The 7-room Lindsay Lodge & Restaurant had recently been purchased and rebranded from Applegate River Lodge. Two couples took over the 3-star hotel from the original owners and are adding personal touches and updates, one-room at a time.
Each of the 7 hotel rooms has a theme, such as sportsman, logging, cattleman or lavender. We stayed in the vineyard room with a private balcony and river view.
While the Vineyard room is often referred to as the honeymoon suite, it should be noted that all guest rooms feature spacious balconies and Applegate River views. The wood-paneled rooms feature hand skinned log poles of pine, fir and redwood, lovingly built by the previous owners.
We were staying in October and the rooms felt a little dark. Better lighting would help the bathroom, but the rooms were spacious, with large bathrooms, as well. If you prefer showers over bathtubs, you are out of luck. Personally, I loved the large Jacuzzi bathtub.
Gourmet dining at The Lindsay Lodge Restaurant
One of my favorite things about romantic Southern Oregon escapes is that I don’t have to cook breakfast or dinner! If you have the option of staying at The Lindsay Lodge in Applegate, Oregon on the weekend, be sure to make reservations for Sunday brunch and evening dinner. While a basic continental breakfast is included with your overnight stay, the weekend brunch is worth a splurge.
Chef John Blevins is at the helm of The Lindsay Lodge and Restaurant in Applegate, Oregon. With Applegate River views, as well as local meat and produce readily available, I can see what inspires Blevins. We began with a melt-in-your-mouth lamb shank starter. Dinner selections for us included the heritage pork chop and a huge plate of linguine with prawns. We also ordered the focaccia bread baked by Pastry Chef Katie Blevins.
There was a mixologist on-hand with plenty of cocktail options, including a thoughtful wine list and beer offerings. I was saving my calories for dessert and Chef Katie Blevins did not disappoint. It was October, so we tried the German Kutchen; a sweet butter shortbread with Sun Spirit Farms apple pears, raspberries and spiced sour cream.
Lindsay Lodge river views and Sunday brunch in Applegate, Oregon
I’m embarrassed to admit that my husband and I were greatly looking forward to our next meal at the lodge. Our brunch began with a Little Lindsay Honey Bun and orange juice. This was followed by a BLT Eggs Benedict with fired green tomatoes, brown sugar bacon and Yuzi hollandaise. I ordered a butter lettuce green goddess salad with pistachios and avocados. Truth be told, I would have purchased a pan of honey buns to take home if that was an option.
During the time of this hotel review, Lindsay Lodge and Restaurant was serving its last Sunday brunch before the chill of winter arrived in Applegate. The hotel makes use of its expansive wood decks with restaurant tables perched next to the Applegate River. Perhaps in the future the lodge will offer year round Sunday brunch? Until then, we’ll be counting the days until Spring brings the return of outdoor dining to Lindsay Lodge & Restaurant.
The Lindsay Lodge in Applegate, Oregon is pet-friendly. Currently The Lindsay Lodge charges $20 a night for dogs. There is no charge for WiFi or parking. Room rates start at $160 – $200 per night and are less expensive in the summer. You can also check Booking.com for rates and reserve your stay.
Review and photos by Oregon Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown who was hosted by The Lindsay Lodge & Restaurant in Applegate, Oregon. As always, all opinions are her own.