When Pennie Farrington talks about the people she’s served at the Santiam River Resort, a smile breaks on her lips and her face glows with pride.
She and her husband Chuck have spent the last 15 years restoring and adding to the two-story stucco lodge.
March 6, their mission completed, the Farringtons will see their handiwork sold to the highest bidder with no reserve by the National Auction Group Inc. Although it is valued at approximately $1.7 million, the no reserve means it will be sold without a floor price. Bidders must have $25,000 in certified funds the day of the sale and pay 10% on auction day.
“We’re moving to an apartment in Eugene for a few months and then, who knows?” Chuck Farrington, a former automotive service writer, said. “We saw an ad for the lodge when we were traveling through here on our way to Canada in 1989. We bought it within three hours of seeing it. Now, it’s time for something new.”
His wife, a former nurse, said the couple has poured themselves into the property that sits adjacent to the Santiam River at the east edge of Sweet Home.
“We’ve loved it, it’s definitely one of the bright spots of our lives,” Penny said.
Although they’ve owned the property for 14 years, Santiam River Resort has been opened as a bed and breakfast only five year.
In that time, the resort has attracted guests from across the country including many from the eastern seaboard states as well as New Zealand.
“About 35% of our guests have been from the Lebanon and Sweet Home areas,” Penny said.
Service has been the couple’s trademark.
For example, so no guest would be inconvenienced while Chuck drove to town to rent a movie, he developed a DVD collection that featured 780 titles.
“We ask our guests to let us know what their favorite foods, snacks and beverages are and we stocked up for them,” Chuck said. “If they wanted movies, I had them fill out a list and I would fill the DVD player for them. Our goal was to make their lives stress free during the time they were with us.”
“I guess doing for others comes from my being a nurse,” Penny added.
Penny cooked breakfasts to order, the earliest coming at 2:30 a.m. even though the guest didn’t want to infringe on her hospitality.
“August was our busiest month, we were booked 38 days straight, all three rooms,” Chuck said.
Guests could enjoy some world class salmon fishing from the resorts property line on the Santiam River, take a dip in the heated pool, enjoy a drink at the brass railed bar or be chauffeured around the area on sight seeing or antique shopping trips by the Farringtons.
“If guests wanted something, we would try to go get it for them,” Chuck said.
Penny said the recreation room, that featured a juke box, pinball machine, and more, was well utilized around the clock.
“Some guests really touched me,” Penny said. “I’d leave rose petals on the bed covers and things like that. At holidays, we’d give presents.”
But, now it’s time for the Farringtons to experience some leisure. The bed and breakfast, while personally rewarding, also put the couple on call 24 hours per day.
“It was a hard decision but I have high blood pressure and we want to spend some time traveling and seeing things,” Penny said.
Others appreciated the Farringtons’ attention to detail. Santiam River Resort was named one of the top 25 bed and breakfast hunting and fishing lodges in North America last year.
The Farringtons said many couples are repeat visitors.
“One couple told us it was ‘good to be home’ when they arrived,” Penny said. “That’s what we wanted to achieve. We’ve actually stayed in touch with many of our guests.”
Perhaps the way the couple selected refrigerators for each guest room is indicative of their devotion of customer service. The couple had spent a night in a lodge in which the refrigerator was obnoxiously noisy.
“So, when it came time to buy fridges for our rooms, we tried out nine of them to get three that were quiet,” Chuck said.
Although the resort is extensive, Chuck said the couple designed the property to entail as little maintenance as possible.
“Our only rule was for everyone to have a good time,” Penny said.
The property will be open for inspection by appointment beginning Feb. 27, daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 367-8006 to schedule an appointment.
The property will be sold in two parcels. The main lodge and 8.5 acres and a caretaker’s cottage on 5 acres. $10,000 in certified funds is required to bid on the caretaker’s cottage.
Registration on March 6 begins at 11 a.m. The auction will begin at 1 p.m.
Information from Marshall and Associates describes the properties:
Located in Sweet Home, in the heart of Oregon’s quaint and picturesque covered bridge country, the resort consists of an historic main lodge, a cottage and a river house, all enjoying mesmerizing panoramic views of the mountains, the meadows and the Santiam River. In 2001, the South Santiam River experienced the largest migration of Chinook salmon since 1929 when records were originally kept. Summer steelhead fishing is equally noteworthy.
The two-story stucco lodge, which was named one of the top 25 inns in America for hunting and fishing, is set on more than 8.5-plus acres overlooking the Santiam River. It was originally built in 1936 but has been refurbished three times, most recently in 2000. The attention to detail is evident the moment guests enter the entry foyer that is embellished with quartersawn red oak hardwood floors, as is most of the lodge. The adjacent and very spacious living room features walls and ceiling of V groove tight-grain fir and a brick floor-to-ceiling gas log fireplace with a raised hearth.
The lounge also has hardwood floors and is highlighted by a full size bar with heavy brass boot railing around its entire length. Behind the bar is a large smoked mirror as well as sink and other functional features. Beveled glass light fixtures add to the beauty of the room as do the views of the river and the swimming pool. The elegant entertainment room is blessed with a host of delightful architectural features including etched glass French doors with custom lockwork, a hand etched frosted and pained glasswork door on the stereo cabinet, two computerized ceiling fans, two skylights and custom crystal light fixtures.
The large, open and airy kitchen was remodeled from top to bottom in 1997 and features state-of-the-art appliances, including a Kitchen-aid double convection oven with quartz cook top and stainless steel back splash, a SubZero refrigerator and freezer and a stainless steel dishwasher. Like all rooms in the house, except for the Western bedroom, the adjacent dining room affords beautiful river views and is highlighted by can lights with dimmers, built-in shelving and built-in buffet.
The warm, cozy and very large master suite also incorporates the beautiful red oak hardwood flooring as well as clear vertical tight grain fir walls. Beveled glass French doors open to the pool and another set of doors leads to the riverside patio. Special features include a gas log fireplace with brick mantle, a built-in oak wet bar and circa 1930 light fixtures. The master bath is made even more comfortable thanks to its heated tile floor. All three of the guest bedrooms have their own bath as well as special design features and soothing views of the outdoors.
A popular feature of the lodge is the custom tile and plaster swimming pool that includes a wading pool for younger children, a large spa, two waterfalls and an automatic cover. It is surrounded by a large deck and includes a brick and imported tile bar with adjacent full kitchen. The gas pool heater was replaced in 1999 and keeps the water at a delightful temperature year ’round. Polk audio speakers are wired in the house stereo system. The lodge also includes a six-car garage, a pair of storage buildings (one 20 X 20, the other 20 X 12), a brick gated entrance and a security system. Other special features are an intercom system to all rooms, a Norstar Meridian digital phone system that includes digital and analog jacks in all bedrooms and a high speed DSL internet system.
The cottage also dates back to 1926 and was created as a caretaker’s residence for the lodge. All of the wiring and plumbing have been updated and the exterior is in excellent condition. The home includes a living room with brick fireplace, a kitchen with tile countertops, and a self-cleaning electric oven and a master bedroom with wall-to-wall carpet and beautiful views of the river.