Kiana Lodge puts itself at the high end of North Kitsap hospitality. Call it rustic elegance, with a Northwest spin.

How many Washington institutions — other than the Chateau Ste. Michelle winery — can boast its own wine label? How many employ four full-time gardeners to shape and lend toil to the soil of an award-winning landscape?

The Poulsbo shelter from the corporate storm is one of the largest privately owned retreat facilities on the Olympic Peninsula, able to hold up to 1,000 citizens.

That high number does not come often, said owner Robert Riebe who pronounces Kiana, “cayenne-a.” Six hundred is the high-water mark this year.

“Anytime you’re over 500 the logistics are pretty much the same,” he said.

Even though 1,000 people do not arrive often, employees are prepared when they do.

“That number would usually come by yacht or by charter boat,” Riebe said. “They come 20 minutes apart.”

And that number, or any group, would be greeted with clams and clam nectar on the lawn, or sushi, or oysters shucked on the spot, or anything else that’s been arranged.

That’s before sitting down in the garden atrium for the salmon dinner, ordered only days before to arrive fresh. Everything is served on breakable dishes and eaten with “shiny” cutlery.

“We’ve got it down so we can get 1,000 seated in 20, 22 minutes,” Riebe said. “There’s no better way to put it, we don’t do paper napkins, we don’t do anything plastic.”

Riebe and his staff are of the chosen few who can let the description of what a chafing dish is, trip off the tongue (A vessel with heating apparatus beneath it, for cooking or keeping food warm at the table).

Two hours of time are free with meals ordered.

Boeing, various divisions of Microsoft have held retreats at the lodge. Graduating classes from Bainbridge High School have also made a fashionable appearance.

Weddings, bar mitzvahs, anniversaries, class and Navy reunions and birthday parties are all welcome.

“We do hold some seminars,” Riebe said. “We have two separate buildings connected by an arbor walkway so it’s easy to split up into groups when desired.”

The Lodge is open during the summer months to take advantage of its rustic elegance. It is not open to the general public, but only by appointment for a tour or scheduling an event.

There is no smoking and no hard liquor is served.

“Because it is so beautiful here, people take care of us,” Riebe said. “We’ve never had a problem.”

Contact information
Web: www.kianalodge.com
Phone: 360-598-4311 (Poulsbo)
206-282-4633 (Seattle)

(Editor’s Note:Temple A. Stark is a free-lance writer living in Port Orchard. Reach him at writer@harbornet.com.).