Two families spent the morning taking in the dramatic views around Mount Rainier in Washington, expecting to return to their hotel for lunch — only to discover the property had been shut down while they were away.
Sarah Ruppenthal and Marilyn Mitchell were among the guests caught off guard on August 5, when the Gateway Inn in Ashford, Washington, was abruptly ordered to close, forcing visitors to quickly search for alternative lodging.
Ruppenthal, her husband and their two teenage sons had spent the morning exploring Mount Rainier National Park and planned to head back to the hotel to relax after their time outdoors.
Instead, when they arrived at about 1pm, they found the building roped off, utility crews outside and the hotel’s electricity being disconnected.
The family was allowed only a brief period to get inside, gather their belongings and leave the property.
‘We had to hurry and rinse off by phone light and pack up to leave,’ Ruppenthal told SFGATE on Friday.
They were eventually able to secure a room at the nearby Nisqually Lodge, though Ruppenthal said the new accommodation was more expensive than their original reservation.
Even after finding a place to stay, the ordeal was not fully resolved: more than two weeks later, Ruppenthal said she was still waiting to be refunded for the Gateway Inn booking.
Mount Rainer hotel guests returned from a hike on August 5 to find their hotel had suddenly shut down, as others only discovering the closure after a 13 hour journey
Sarah Ruppenthal, her husband and their son arrived back at the Gateway Inn near Ashforf Washington hoping to unwind after an enduring hike in the wilderness, only to be greeted by closure signs and roped off entrances.
However the situation that day was not the first occasion the residence has been under fire. In February, county officials ordered lodging units at the property closed because of safety concerns including dangerous electrical conditions, non-working smoke detectors, unsafe exits, chimney problems that created smoke and carbon-monoxide risks, and unpermitted construction
For the Mitchell family, the experience was even more brutal.
Marilyn Mitchell, her husband and their son had traveled for approximately 13 hours by plane and car to reach the area.
They were expecting the final part of their journey to be simple, arrive at the Gateway Inn, check in and finally relax.
Instead, they were greeted with locked doors and closure notices and crucially very little cellphone service with which to solve the problem.
The family then faced the difficult task of finding another room in an area where accommodation can be limited, particularly during the summer rush.
The family drove farther into the national park until they could find enough signal to start contacting hotels and searching for alternatives.
Most nearby properties were already full.
Eventually, they found a last-minute rental with enough beds for 14 people.
According to Pierce County spokesperson Christina Rohila, February’s violations have yet to be corrected
There was just one catch – only three people were staying there.
But after a 13-hour journey and the shock of arriving to find their hotel unavailable, having far too much space was hardly the biggest concern.
‘We are incredibly lucky’ Mitchell declared to the outlet, noting that other travelers might not have been able to find anything at all at such short notice.
The Gateway Inn’s closure was not the result of a minor problem.
Pierce County officials said the property had a series of unresolved safety violations dating months back including electrical concerns, chimney problems, malfunctioning smoke detectors and problems involving exits.
The hotel had already faced enforcement action earlier in the year.
In February, county officials ordered lodging units at the property closed because of safety concerns.
Authorities later said the hotel resumed accommodating guests despite outstanding violations.
Inspectors also discovered that enforcement notices posted at the property had been removed and had to be replaced.
The county has made clear that the Gateway Inn cannot simply reopen when it chooses.
The outstanding violations must first be corrected, required permits must be obtained and the property must pass inspection.
At the time SFGATE reported on the closure, the Gateway Inn’s website was still advertising rooms and directing visitors toward a booking system.
That meant some guests were continuing to travel toward Mount Rainier believing they had a bed waiting for them.
Others discovered the closure through online travel groups and social media rather than from the hotel itself.
And finding a replacement room around Mount Rainier in the middle of summer is no easy task.
The park attracted more than 2.4 million visitors in 2025, while this summer has already presented additional challenges, including road and area closures that have concentrated visitors in the park’s remaining accessible areas.
Despite the chaos, Mitchell’s family eventually managed to salvage their vacation.
They hiked around Paradise, took in the mountain views and later continued on to Olympic National Park.
But for visitors arriving at Mount Rainier this summer, the episode offers a stark warning: A dream national-park getaway can turn into a frantic hunt for a bed remarkably quickly.
Our News Outlet has reached out to the Gateway Inn for comment.
