Hotel Ruby Ponderay

Everything you always want your mega-chain motel to be, but never quite is: immaculate, unpretentious rooms with friendly, helpful home-grown hospitality. The facilities have been upgraded by Ruby hotels (a small Spokane chain) and come with access to the heated pool, two hot tubs, bocce balls, and a small fleet of loaner cruiser bikes. It's north of Sandpoint, near Schweitzer Mountain.