Match your style with variety of lodging options
By Ossie Bladine
Comfort. Elegance. Americana. Funky.
Abundance is a term used widely in Oregon Wine Country, from the wine to the food to fresh produce and seemingly endless miles of serene landscape. The term also easily describes local lodging options, too. “There’s a world of offerings out there, and that’s what I always tell people,” said Leigh Wellikoff, who has been an innkeeper and in the Valley for many years.
The region has its own association for bed & breakfast inns and an ample supply of vacation rentals of all kinds. Wellikoff’s Arcadia House in downtown Newberg is among the options that blends the two, a private home but with a full-service experience including a massage therapist on call and wine tour offerings.
Her first advice to anyone coming to the Yamhill Valley for a stay is to “find out what you want.” If luxury living is your jam, the Atticus Hotel in McMinnville and Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg offer upscale hotel stays. Many B&Bs and rentals offer the same with a range of concierge and friendly hosts to help personalize your stay.
Anyone seeking more retro surroundings with a historic flair will find unique hotel rooms at McMenamins Hotel Oregon in downtown McMinnville and the boutique Wildwood Hotel in Willamina. There are plenty of options for RV campers — even if you didn’t bring your own. The Vintages is a spin-off of Willamette Wine Country RV Park near Dayton, featuring beautifully restored classic trailers: a 1959 Airstream, a 1958 Ideal and a spacious 1958 Anderson, among others.
Of course, it wouldn’t be wine country without bed and breakfast options to personalize your stay. When deciding on a B&B, opt for a historic home in town, with leisurely walks to shops, dining, wine tasting and nightlife, or choose a countryside setting with spectacular views to start and end the day. B&B lodgers have the advantage of on-site owners eager to guide your wine country experience.
Travelers may also select the “home away from home” option. Dozens of vacation rentals are available, great when traveling in large groups. Like the menu of B&Bs, a wide array of rentals in wine country allows travelers to match their style and preferences with their experience. Most are full homes, but there are also attached rooms or apartments, perfect for thrifty on-the-go couples. Downtown flats are also a popular options for their close proximity to downtown tasting rooms and restaurants.
Do you prefer to wake up with a view overlooking a vineyard, or have easy access to the burdening arts and culture scene? Want to eat out always, dine with in-house chefs, or hire a private chef to host a dinner at your rental?
Those are just a few questions Wellikoff recommends asking yourself while seeking a lodging style that matches your personality.
