The Best Inns and Bed & Breakfasts

The Best B&B's

Heron Haus (Portland; tel. 503/274-1846): Located in one of Portland's prettiest neighborhoods, this elegant old mansion is surrounded by lush grounds and has a view over the city. If you want to sample the epitome of bathroom luxury around 1920, ask for the room with the multiple-head shower.

Springbrook Hazelnut Farm (Newberg; tel. 800/793-8528 or 503/538-4606): Set in the midst of the Yamhill County wine country, this working hazelnut farm captures the essence of rural Oregon and distills it into a tranquil and restorative retreat. You can opt to stay in the carriage house or a cottage.

Black Walnut Inn (Dundee; tel. 866/429-4114 or 503/429-4114): Set high in the hills above Dundee, this inn is designed to resemble a Tuscan villa and is a luxurious retreat amid wine-country vineyards.

Willamette Gables Riverside Estate (Newberg; tel. 503/678-2195): Designed as a replica of a Natchez, Mississippi, plantation home, this modern B&B is set on the banks of the Willamette River and will have you dreaming of Scarlet O'Hara and Rhett Butler.

The Secret Garden (Eugene; tel. 888/484-6755 or 541/484-6755): Housed in what was once a sorority house and before that the home of one of Eugene's founding families, this very elegant inn is utterly tasteful. The garden has some very interesting secrets.

Arch Cape House (Cannon Beach; tel. 800/436-2848 or 503/436-2800): Patterned after a French château, this mansion-size B&B may seem oddly out of place on the Oregon coast, but no one staying here seems to mind. It could be the huge guest rooms and castlelike ambience, or it could be the abundance of European antiques and original art.

Channel House (Depoe Bay; tel. 800/447-2140 or 541/765-2140): Situated on the cliff above the narrow channel into tiny Depoe Bay, this B&B offers one of the most striking settings on the Oregon coast. The contemporary design includes guest rooms made for romance -- a hot tub on the balcony, a fireplace, and an unsurpassed view out the windows.

Newport Belle Bed & Breakfast (Newport; tel. 800/348-1922 or 541/867-6290): The rooms at this B&B may not be the most luxurious or the largest, but the fact that they are on a replica paddle wheeler moored in Yaquina Bay near the Oregon Coast Aquarium certainly makes them some of the most unusual.

Heceta Head Lightstation (Yachats; tel. 541/547-3696): Ever dreamed of staying at a lighthouse? Well, on the Oregon coast, your dream can come true at this former lighthouse keeper's home. The Victorian B&B, which claims one of the most spectacular locations on the entire coast, is set high on a hill above the crashing waves.

Chetco River Inn & Lavender Farm (Brookings; tel. 541/251-0087): Want to get away from it all without sacrificing luxury and great food? Book a room at this remote B&B on the crystal-clear Chetco River. The setting--in the middle of a national forest--is as tranquil as you could want.

The Best Small Inns

Cannery Pier Hotel (Astoria; tel. 888/325-4996 or 503/325-4996): Located on a pier 600 feet out in the Columbia River, this new luxury hotel fits in perfectly on the Astoria waterfront and looks as if it could have been a cannery at one time.

Stephanie Inn (Cannon Beach; tel. 800/633-3466 or 503/436-2221): Combining the look of a mountain lodge with a beachfront setting in Oregon's most artistic town, the Stephanie Inn is a romantic retreat that surrounds its guests with unpretentious luxury.

Coast Cabins (Manzanita; tel. 503/368-7113): Although not actually an inn or a lodge, this collection of five modern cottages is so thoroughly enchanting that I had to include it here. Beautiful perennial gardens surround the cottages.

Sylvia Beach Hotel (Newport; tel. 888/795-8422 or 541/265-5428): Taking literature as its theme and decorating its rooms to evoke authors -- from Edgar Allan Poe to Dr. Seuss -- the Sylvia Beach Hotel is the most original small inn in the Northwest. The fact that it's only a block from the beach is just icing on the cake.

Tu Tu Tun Lodge (Gold Beach; tel. 800/864-6357 or 541/247-6664): Though some might think of this as a fishing lodge, it's far too luxurious for anglers to keep to themselves. A secluded setting on the lower Rogue River guarantees tranquillity, and choice guest rooms provide the perfect setting for forgetting about your everyday stresses.

Steamboat Inn (Steamboat; tel. 800/840-8825 or 541/498-2230): Oregon's North Umpqua River is legendary for its steelhead fishing, and this is where you stay if you want to return to elegance and comfort after a day on the water. However, many guests show up with no intention of casting a fly into the river's waters.

The Winchester Inn (Ashland; tel. 800/972-4991 or 541/488-1113): Located only 2 blocks from the theaters of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, this place has the feel of a country inn although it's located right in town. Rooms are in three different buildings, including a modern Victorian cottage.

Pine Ridge Inn (Bend; tel. 800/600-4095 or 541/389-6137): This luxurious inn is located on the outskirts of Bend on a bluff overlooking the Deschutes River. With its spacious rooms and suites, antiques, and regional art, it provides both elegance and a Northwest flavor.