Angler’s Lodge from Hotel Hell is still operational for the most part as the episode highlighted how death can change the dynamics of a family business.
Hotel Hell is one of the memorable shows of the 2010s produced and fronted by Gordon Ramsay.
Each episode, similarly to the series that inspired it, Kitchen Nightmares, highlighted how most failing businesses are struggling because of the interpersonal conflict between owners or staff members, rather than external factors.
One of the episodes that highlighted this was part of the third season of the show that profiled Angler’s Lodge. This family-run lodge has a great story and history.
After the death of one of the owners’ children, the lodge started to fall apart as the owners attempted to deal with the loss individually. In the process, they lost interest and their passion for the lodge.
When was the Angler’s Lodge episode shot?
The Angler’s Lodge episode of Hotel Hell aired in May 2016 as the first episode of season three. However, the actual episode was reportedly filmed between October and November of 2015.
By the time the episode aired on FOX, the working and interpersonal relationship dynamics of the owners and its staff had changed.
As a result, it is believed that when the episode aired, the story and the changes made by the owners helped bring the lodge back to life.
Hotel Hell: What happened to Angler’s Lodge?
Angler’s Lodge, which was established in 1999, has a touching inception story. The family-owned and run business was started by married couple, Dave and Dede.
Dave found ideal land on which to build the lodge which was located next to a fly fishing site. Dave believed that he could fly fish and run the lodge successfully, fuelling two of his passions simultaneously.
Initially, the business boomed as it was fully booked and there was a waiting list to dine at the hotel’s restaurant. However, in the summer of 1999, the family was struck with the tragic loss of one of their sons, Dalton.
After his passing, Dede avoided the lodge and Dave immersed himself in work, albeit lethargically. As such, the business started reflecting this.
By the time Gordon Ramsay visited the lodge, Zach, their son, was the restaurant manager and Savannah, their daughter, was the lodge manager.
Despite the ideal location, the lodge and restaurant reflected the despondency of its owners. The rooms were glum and uninviting.
The kitchen was run by head chef, Gina and sous chef, Art, who did not communicate, which resulted in the worst food being served to customers.
Moreover, Zach did not intervene as most of his time was spent managing the bar, so he avoided confronting the tension in the kitchen.
Lastly, the locals stopped supporting the lodge as a whole because they felt that Dave was apathetic, despite their initial support during the family’s loss.
Gordon Ramsay’s intervention at Angler’s Lodge
There were two key changes Gordon Ramsay implemented with Angler’s Lodge.
Firstly, he gave the actual lodge a complete makeover and changed the dark and gloomy look of the rooms to a more rustic and light aesthetic in terms of its colour scheme, to feel more inviting.
Secondly, he fired Gina, who did not know what she was doing in the kitchen and was stand-offish. Art was promoted to head chef, and the rest of the staff was happy about that.
Moreover, Ramsay introduced the team to a consultant that taught Art how to run a kitchen and Zach to better manage the restaurant.
Gordon Ramsay’s reignites Dave and Dede’s passion
Because of their loss, Dave and Dede had been distanced with each other, despite still being married. Gordon Ramsay recognised that to ensure that the Angler’s Lodge recaptured the magic it lost, he would need to reignite the passion of the couple.
First, he had a touching heart-to-heart with Dave imploring him to let down his defences. Then, during the first dinner after the makeover, he arranged for the couple to have their first dinner together in a long time.
This was only the beginning of reigniting the passion the couple had for each other and the business, but it was a great start.
Is Angler’s Lodge still open?
As of July 2022, Angler’s Lodge is still operational with an official website for bookings. Moreover, since the intervention, the lodge has expanded.
The expansion includes cabins, which are available to be hired out for large families with five bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a fully-equipped kitchen. While the lodge’s reviews are not amazing, they are still complementary of the lodge and its restaurant.
So if you are in Idaho and you are looking for a place to visit, Angler’s Lodge is one to try out as rooms start at $100 per night, depending on the season, and a cabin averages $600 per night, depending on the season.
