As a child in the 1920s and early ’30s, George William Hill spent his summers at a family cabin on the wilderness shores of Priest Lake, Idaho. At the foot of the Selkirk Mountains, George developed a love for the area and what it has to offer.
World War II found George serving in the U.S. Navy. Upon his return to Spokane, he decided that city life was not for him and he journeyed back to Priest Lake and began the Hill's Resort legacy. In 1954, George married a woman who loved Priest Lake as much as he did. Lois Montecucco and George developed a shared vision for a resort on Priest Lake and set to work to make it a reality.
Purchasing land, clearing building sites, constructing cabins, designing the lodge and developing a marina kept George and Lois busy. During the summers, they served vacationing families as resort hosts, cooks, boat hands and new-found friends. George and Lois' family began to grow and before long the children became part of the resort’s staff.
Hill’s Resort is now a year-round destination with lodging available 12 months a year. Our award-winning restaurant is open daily, mid-May through the first week of October, Christmas through New Year's Day, and weekends most other months of the year. New Year's Eve is always a big celebration at the Resort, as visitors love to welcome the New Year at this gorgeous, northern Idaho setting. The restaurant and lounge are closed March and April.
Family Circle Magazine recognized Hill's Resort as their “Family Resort of the Year” in 1991. And while we were honored by the recognition, decades of guests had already honored us by returning year-after-year to what they considered their own best “family resort.” Hill's has also received national recognition in Better Homes & Gardens, Pacific Northwest Magazine, and Parents Magazine. Our restaurant has gained national recognition for many of our recipes. Priest Lake huckleberries and morel mushrooms are local ingredients that just can't be found anywhere else.
In response to overwhelming requests for the Resort's sauces and preserves, Hill's now markets these products so guests can take home a jar of Hill's Homemade BBQ sauce or huckleberry preserves and relive vacation memories in their own backyards and dining rooms.
Generations of guests return to Hill’s Resort with their families each year, continuing the tradition of a vacation or event in this unique place we call home. Businesses also realize the benefits of hosting retreats, seminars and conventions on the shores of the lake. Whether fall, winter, spring or summer, Hill's Resort and Priest Lake is ready for you to start your own Idaho lake traditions.