On July 19, the Mount Lemmon Lodge celebrated one year in business in Summerhaven on Mount Lemmon.
The Tucson Metro Chamber held a ribbon cutting at the lodge to celebrate the milestone.
Architect and Owner Diana Osborne grew up regularly visiting Mount Lemmon and considers it home. She was determined to create a space for guests similar to what she had growing up.
“They were really places to gather for the community and so I thought it was time to bring back a lodge,” Osborne explained. “We haven’t had one in over 20 years since the last lodge burned down.”
Construction on the lodge began in 2021 and it officially opened last July.
“We started out very strong, because we were the new kid on the block and everybody was really curious about the lodge,” Osborne said.
She says business then slowed from January through early May.
Osborne said, “Our season is the opposite of Tucson. When it’s hot in Tucson, we’re busy up here and when the weather is lovely down there we are a little slower.”
The lodge features 16 rooms, a gift shop, large patio and a local staple – Beyond Bread .
The lodge is currently hosting performances by local Tucson-area bands each week for its series “Music on the Mountain.”
Osborne is looking forward to getting more settled this upcoming year, but still has numerous projects planned. She plans to extend the sidewalk near the lodge to help with safety and add a couple more parking spots for the public.
In the next couple months, she also plans to start working on gardens on the property next to the lodge. She said, “The gardens will be used for weddings for people who are staying at the lodge and booked the lodge for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays or just to go and enjoy their lunch and a cup of coffee in the morning where it’s a little bit more separated from the public.”
The lodge is located on N. Sabino Canyon Pkwy. just north of the Cookie Cabin.
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