The Luxury Transformation Of Oregon's Classic Tu Tu' Tun Lodge
Gold Beach is more than 650 miles from Los Angeles. So the first stage of our trip was to visit Avenue of the Giants, the magnificent 31-mile drive through an ancient redwood forest. Later we drove to Redwood National Park and stopped in Crescent City, California, to learn more about the largest tsunami ever recorded in the U.S., which devastated the area in 1964.
The redwood forests were beautiful, but our pre-Tu Tun accommodations were certainly not. A 100-year-old inn in Eureka seemed deserted except for spooky painting of guests from its glory days, from Boris Karloff to Winston Churchill to Nancy Reagan. A bank of old phone booths await a call from beyond.
Across the Oregon border, the motel we stayed at was a 'honey, put the heaviest chair you can find under the door' nightmare.
As for much of the 'Lost Coast' cuisine, if you want something other than fish and chips or hamburgers, well, you can't eat scenery.
But along the Rogue River, Tu Tu' Tun Lodge stands as an island of relaxation and fine dining, an oasis of excellence in a desert of questionable accommodations and indifferent service.
When we arrived, it wasn't just the resort's pastoral beauty that impressed us. Staying at a professionally run resort actually focused on hospitality was a revelation. We stayed at six hotels on our ten-night trip. Hands down, Tu Tu' Tun Lodge was the finest hotel—and the best experience—on our trip.
Tu Tu' Tun Lodge, established in 1970, takes its name from the Tu Tu Tunne people, a band of Rogue River Native Americans who were the area's original inhabitants. 'Tu Tu' Tun' translates to 'people of the place by the water,' reflecting the deep connection of the tribe. Nestled along the Rogue River, the lodge has long been a refuge for travelers seeking tranquility, adventure, and the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Tu Tu' Tun was also a favorite of fishermen fishing on the Rogue or in the Pacific.
Since April 2024, Tu Tu' Tun has been undergoing a transformation, from rustic lodge to destination dining and first-class hotel. The lodge is also now operated by people with the skills, will, and financial backing to provide a true dining and hospitality experience.
Local fish and farm raised Wagyu beef were the among the highlights of the restaurant at Tu Tu' Tun. Chinook salmon from the Rogue River were pink and delicious, as was halibut caught off the Oregon coast.
The potato bread, made in house, is served piping hot. Other favorites were the spicy, savory and crunchy Shiseido peppers, nicely balance with a refreshing melon salad.
Dining was in the lovely dining room or outside under propane heaters with cozy Pendleton blankets.
Derek the outstanding chef, food and beverage supervisor and overall leader of the charge, came from Tao. He left Brazil at 14 to move to New Zealand and eventually New York.
A key part of his job is making local people with limited hospitality experience into sophisticated hoteliers. One was our 18-year-old waitress, from nearby Gold Beach. She had an infectious laugh as she explained that we had best talk to the 'som' about wine, as she wasn't old enough to drink.
Previously, the lodge had a family-style restaurant with Lazy Susans full of food on the table for guests to serve themselves. Derek didn't like the idea that 'You should force people to eat communally. Guests seemed to enjoy eating as couples or with friends.
Sourcing great food from the area was as difficult as finding great employees. Derek detailed his trials finding local fishermen to deliver quality fish, as well as vendors for vegetables and beef. I even met the rancher who supplied Wagyu and F1 beef to Tu Tun. F1 Wagyu refers to the first-generation crossbred cattle, typically 50% Wagyu and 50% of another breed, here Angus.
Derek doesn't plan on hoarding such sources; 'I want every local restaurant to be able to access these suppliers.'
In his informal 'academy,' Derek put together a mixture of locals and experienced professionals. It helps that, as I was told by an employee, that the new owners are focused on paying a living wage to the Tu Tu' Tun team, and to keeping the hotel open year-round rather than laying off 90% of employees after the season.
In 2024-2025 the lodge stayed open for the winter, doing events like winemaker dinners. 'Once people are here the lodge sells itself,' says Derek. 'The sauna and the fireplace are still hot in the winter.'
Adrian, the veteran bar manager and innovative drink maker, came from 18 years in Las Vegas. Now enjoying the quiet life in the woods, she brought her ability to make special drinks, like her black garlic Negroni and perfect martini.
Hannah, the ex-Navy general manager, waitress, bar tender and general factotum, was a can-do 'find.' She grew up in the area but had never worked in hospitality before she came to Tu Tu' Tun.
Grant, the personable and knowledgeable 'som,' or sommelier, worked in some of the finest restaurants in the Dallas Metroplex.
The face of the lodge has also been changing. The Tu Tu' Tun Lodge is an expansive property with about 30 rooms, including a couple of larger accomodations, the lodge, and new, mirrored glass cabins. It also boasts an idyllic view of the river, a new swimming pool and a very hot wood fired sauna for four. Mellow music played in the fireplace room filled with comfy couches and board games.
The first night we stayed in the River House, a magnificent 1500 square foot house with a beautiful garden. It has not one but two primary bedrooms.
Each bedroom has a beautiful bathroom and an adjoining private soaking tub. We chose the room with redwood deck with matching 6-foot redwood privacy wall, perfect for clothing-optional soaking under the stars.
The 'glass cabins' are much more intimate but perfect for a romantic experience. Our cabin lacked a TV or a desk but had a snazzy shower and a near-360-degree view of the woods, river or the night sky when the black-out curtains were opened. Located near a small pond, the cabins were created when an old trailer park was acquired and leveled.
A total of 16 'keys' or cabins were added. And the new Tu Tu' Tun has already had a wedding buyout for all 30 rooms.
At the resort, guests can sit outside and read or enjoy a view of the Rogue. A walk around the grounds brought us face-to-face with a pair of deer who frequent the property. The young groundskeeper fed them the sour apples they craved but could not reach.
The resort has kayaks and paddleboards for guests. Having never lived by a lake or gone to summer camp, I'm a bit shaky kayaking, especially when jet boats roared up the river and sent kayak-shaking waves. But even I got the hang of it after an hour.
After getting soaked, it was a pleasure to get steamed in the wood-fired sauna. A very hot pleasure, as even the floor was almost too overheated to touch with one's feet. But I felt cleansed and virtuous after surviving five minutes.
Some guests cooled off in the river, while others swam in the pool. Yoga classes have also been held on the grass by the river.
Tu Tu' Tun also has electric bicycles for guests. A four-mile ride along the river was exhilarating but a bit scary as trucks roared by. We rode along the edge of the two-lane road to the river bridges, sharing the road with another deer.
Ironically, the only time the area failed to deliver was on a fishing trip down the Rogue. We booked from a local guide, rather than from the hotel. Our guide and small boat joined 40 others circling near the river's mouth. State rules said we could not venture into the ocean.
Despite our flasher and anchovy bait, we were not alone in failing to catch the promised 10-to-15-pound fish. Occasionally a designated 'seal lion patrol' boat set off an M80 firecracker to dissuade hungry seals from stealing fish.
The foghorn blew every 30 seconds and pelicans sailed above, doing a quick half corkscrew turn before diving. After four hours we called it quits. I'd hoped Derek would cook my fish, but it was not to be.
I asked the owners what they were trying to achieve with the Tu Tu' Tun Lodge.
'For us, Tu Tu' Tun Lodge is a truly special place, and we want more people to be able to experience it while keeping its soul intact,' said one of the owners, Mimi Byers. 'With the modern glass cabins, along with a focus on elevating food and beverage into a signature wilderness-to-table experience and leaning into the incredible natural surroundings, the lodge now offers even more ways for guests to connect with its magic.'
Added co-owner Charles Banks, 'Our goals for the transformation of the lodge are to keep the soul and history intact while introducing a higher level of design, service and cuisine. No more chemicals and herbicides and pesticides -- a much more natural landscape and the low impact glass cabins are extremely sensitive to the riverfront environment.'
Banks added, 'We are trying to elevate the lodge to be among the best small resorts in the country.' Oregon's Tu Tu' Tun Lodge seems well on its way to accomplishing this challenging goal.
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