Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [132]
Prospect Historical Hotel and Motel
391 Mill Creek Dr. (P.O. Box 50), Prospect, OR 97536. ☎ 800/944-6490 or 541/560-3664. Fax 541/560-3825. www.prospecthotel.com. 24 units. May–Sept hotel $95 double, $145 suite; motel $65–$90 double. Oct–Apr hotel $85 double, $130 suite; motel $55–$80 double. Hotel rates include breakfast. DC, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted in motel rooms but not in hotel.
This hotel, in the tiny community of Prospect, 34 miles from Crater Lake's Rim Village, combines vintage and modern style. The old (1889) hotel is a big white building with a wraparound porch on which sit several bent-willow couches. The small rooms are furnished with antiques and have a country flair that gives them a bit of charm. The modern motel rooms have TVs, telephones, refrigerators, and microwaves, and some also have kitchenettes. All units are nonsmoking.
The elegant dining room, open in summer only, serves dinner only, with prices in the $18 to $22 range. Although the menu of innovative American and regional dishes changes periodically, it will likely include entrees such as slow-roasted prime rib, lemon dill roasted salmon, or a very special lasagna.
Steamboat Inn
42705 N. Umpqua Hwy., Steamboat, OR 97447-9703. ☎ 800/840-8825 or 541/498-2230. Fax 541/498-2411. www.thesteamboat inn.com. 19 units. Cabin $155 double; cottage or house $195–$200; suite $275. MC, V. Closed Jan–Feb.
Located roughly midway between Roseburg and Crater Lake, this inn is by far the finest lodging on the North Umpqua River. The beautiful gardens, luxurious guest rooms, and gourmet meals attract people looking for a quiet getaway in the forest and a base for hiking and biking. If you aren't springing for one of the suites, which have their own soaking tubs overlooking the river, your best bet is a stream-side room (one of the units the inn calls "cabins"). All are recently renovated, have gas fireplaces, and open onto a long deck that overlooks the river. The hideaway cottages are more spacious, but they don't have river views and are half a mile from the lodge (and the dining room). Dinners ($45) are elaborate multicourse affairs served in a cozy dining room. The innovative American cuisine features main courses of beef, fish, poultry, lamb, or pork. There's also a fly-fishing shop on the premises, and anglers congregate here in the fall. The inn is open daily spring through fall, weekends only in winter.
Union Creek Resort
56484 Ore. 62, Prospect, OR 97536. ☎ 866/ 560-3565 or 541/560-3565. Fax 541/560-3339. www.unioncreekoregon.com. 25 units. May–Sept lodge unit $45–$55; cabin for 2–4 $65–$100, cabin for 6–10 $105–$160. Oct–Apr lodge unit $40–$50, cabin $55–$140. MC, V.
Located almost across the road from the Rogue River Gorge, this rustic resort has been catering to Crater Lake visitors since the early 1900s; it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In our opinion, it's the best (as well as the closest) lodging option outside the west entrance to Crater Lake National Park. Tall trees shade the grounds of the resort, which is right on Ore. 62 about 23 miles from Rim Village. Accommodations include both lodge rooms, with a bit of historic charm, and very basic cabins (many of which have kitchenettes). Lodge units accommodate 2 to 4 people and share bathrooms; cabins sleep 2 to 10. Across the road is Beckie's Cafe, which serves home-style meals, including burgers, sandwiches, steaks, and chicken ($3.75–$14), and is best known for its homemade pies. Beckie's serves three meals daily in summer