The Southern Oregon coast is known for its dramatic waves and rock formations. Often times the wind blows and the beach is shrouded in fog. But when the sun shines and its a warm summer day, the Oregon coast is a magical place. We experienced that summer sunshine in mid-July during a Pacific Northwest road trip. My husband and I drove from the San Francisco Bay Area, along with our dog, up Highway 101, with Pacific Reef Resort in Gold Beach as our late afternoon destination.
Pet-friendly rooms
If you plan to travel with a pet, and would like an ocean view room, you’ll want to make advance reservations, as Pacific Reef has a limited amount of dog-friendly hotel rooms. Divided into three sections, the beach-front hotel is made up of 45 rooms with several different price points. There are ocean view rooms with patios or balconies; some pet-friendly, as well as economy rooms and two family-friendly suites. In a separate building, on property, there is an indoor hot tub, as well as a conference room that serves double duty for on-site meetings or small family reunions and such.
Our ocean view king was a pet-friendly room, located on the first floor; ideal for hitting the trail to Gold Beach. We also had a perfect view to the Outdoor Adventure Theater. The Adventure Theater is unique to Pacific Reef Hotel and offers a family-friendly short movie, in addition to a brief overview of the Southern Oregon coast – with gorgeous scenery of Oregon’s rugged coastline.
The movie screen lights up when the sun goes down, so grab a blanket and drink and make yourself comfortable. Or, better yet, watch the movie from the comfort of your own room (ours was ocean view room 124.)
The hotel recently invested in new plush mattresses, with thick mattress toppers. A worthwhile investment if you ask me, as I slept well, as the ocean waves crashed in the distance. Our room was generous in size and offered a round table with two chairs, as well as a dresser. A mini fridge and coffee station/bar was immediately to the right of the front door and next to the bathroom. The non-descript bathroom had a combination tub/shower. Additionally, there was a small closet across from the coffee area.
Beyond the bedroom, a floor to ceiling sliding glass door opened to the small patio. All weather patio furniture, with a small table and two rocking chairs, stood ready on our first floor patio. This was an ideal location to enjoy a glass of wine and watch the sunset. A huge grassy area behind the hotel gently sloped toward the beach, making it an ideal natural playground for children and pets to explore.
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Chowder House restaurant
In the morning, guests present their room number to the counter person at the Chowder house and receive a $10 per room dining credit. While the dining credit doesn’t fully cover the cost of two breakfasts, it’s a much better idea than offering pastries and so-so coffee in the hotel lobby. The Chowder House also serves lunch and dinner. We didn’t eat there other than breakfast, but I confess that I bought more than one piece of fudge in the display case…it’s really good.
Hotel Rates
Depending on room type and time of year, rates range from $69 to $250. Summer rates for economy rooms start at $99 and up. In addition to beach walks and tide pooling, there is hiking, fishing and golf nearby. Check rates and make your reservation online at the hotel website, Expedia or Booking.com.
Hotel review by San Francisco-based travel and feature writer Nancy D. Brown. Photos © Nancy D. Brown. Pacific Reef Hotel hosted my stay for review purposes.
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Lonna – We have fixed the one typo that appeared in this review.