9 Best Hotels in The Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

This retro motor lodge gone high design, with exterior-entry rooms and a '50s light-up motel sign that disguise a slick, boutique feel, commands a hilltop overlooking the Columbia River and Dalles Dam. Flat-screen TVs, pillow-top mattresses, and smart decorating come standard, and the outdoor pool and patio are mighty inviting during The Dalles' dry summers.

This elegant condo-style compound on a sheer cliff overlooking the Columbia River contains some of the plushest accommodations in the region—units have one to three bedrooms, fireplaces, terraces or patios, stone-and-tile bathrooms, and fine linens. Additional features found in the top-of-the-line suites are fully equipped gourmet kitchens, large sitting rooms, and deep soaking tubs in some. Although there's no gym, the hotel does access a pretty jogging trail along the riverfront.

Located on a 72-acre farm on the south side of town, this sumptuous Japanese-inspired B&B with five warm but sleekly furnished rooms offers magical panoramas of Mt. Hood and the inn's gorgeous gardens. Rooms are furnished with hand-hewn hickory- and cherrywood beds, tables, and chairs; all but one have good-size windows overlooking the mountain, while one room looks toward the still-majestic Hood River Valley. For a splurge, opt for the Mt. Hood or Orchard suite, each with private deck, fireplace, and deep soaking tub. Eggs from the farm and local preserves and jams are used in the hearty breakfasts. You can purchase craft drinks from a communal refrigerator stocked with products from the owners, who also operate Nashi pear and apple orchard.

A 20-minute drive south of The Dalles, this charming and distinctive redbrick 1907 inn offers a wealth of restorative activities, including spa treatments, art therapy sessions, yoga classes in the garden, and delicious breakfasts (included in the rates) and dinners in the easygoing bistro. Located on a country road just south of tiny downtown Dufur, the 20-room hotel offers spacious suites with king beds and sitting areas as well as cozy, economical rooms with queen beds and shared bathrooms. The hotel's friendly staff are happy to recommend things to do in the area.

The draw here is an enviable setting with great views of the Columbia River and Bridge of the Gods—many rooms, which are done in soft tans and grays and hung with framed black-and-white photos of the Gorge, overlook the river, as does a deck in back and the breakfast room. There's also an exercise room and indoor pool. Several shops and restaurants (including Bridgeside, next door) in tiny downtown Cascade Locks are within walking distance. This is a good base camp for hiking, biking, and boating on both the Oregon and Washington sides of the Gorge.

A low-slung, rambling hotel beside the Hood River Bridge this Best Western Plus offers some of the best river views of any hotel in the Gorge, and many units have private balconies or patios on the water; the deluxe accommodations have full kitchens, fireplaces, and Jacuzzi tubs. All rooms are clean, bright, and nicely maintained, with flat-screen TVs, irons and boards, coffee/tea service, refrigerators, and microwaves. On-site Cebu Lounge has live music many evenings, and the Riverside restaurant has a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the water.

The charming period-style rooms at this grande dame of Gorge hotels are fitted with plenty of wood, brass, and antiques and overlook the Gorge, impeccably landscaped formal gardens, or a 208-foot-high waterfall. The hotel's restaurant enjoys similarly dramatic views, although the food quality is inconsistent. Rates drop precipitously from fall through early spring.

In the heart of the lively downtown business district, steps from great restaurants and shops, this handsomely restored 1911 boutique hotel has a grand, Old West facade, behind which are simple but whimsically decorated rooms and a few larger suites that have kitchenettes and large sitting rooms. Within the hotel, there's also a dorm-style hostel, called the Bunkhouse, that's a great find for budget travelers. The trendy restaurant Broder Øst, at street level, serves delicious modern Scandinavian fare.

Set in 74 acres of gardens, murals, orchards, and vineyards, this Georgian Revival manor—once home to the county poor farm—is now an offbeat resort that offers intriguing amenities and large but basic rooms filled with vintage furnishings; some rooms are hostel-style and most have shared baths. There are three restaurants and several bars, with pool halls, distilleries, and tiny wine sheds tucked away in unexpected places. All guests have access to the outdoor soaking pool. Edgefield is an Oregon treasure with a mellow, bohemian vibe.