Bowline Hotel - Travel Oregon

Bowline Hotel is a boutique hotel located on the Columbia River in historic Astoria, Oregon. Once a fish cannery, this location has been transformed into a revitalized space, with 40 luxurious rooms and suites, an on-site cocktail bar and eatery, soaking bathtubs, bike rentals for guests and panoramic river and city views.

MIxed Bag

The room has a "Wow! factor upon entering. Very hip, modern, and different than the typical generic hotels of the 21st century. We stayed 3 nights. Loved sitting in the lobby with a complimentary glass of prosecco watching the freighters. and had the option of sitting near an outside propane firepit overlooking the water. Very nice, indeed. The restaurant and bar are pricey but the food is delicious. The ceilings in the room are very high with distressed paint to give an "industrial" feel to the room and the heating system is simple and delightful. Whenever you put the heat on, the fireplace starts so it's quite a cozy feel. The view of the water from the deck is quite special as there are hills in the distance. We very much enjoyed the view from the room and often went out to the deck to savor the ambiance. The bed linens are divine and the bed quite comfortable. But the rooms are not insulated for sound and we were awakened at 6:45 AM by a business call by the guy next door and had to listen to a couple's loud conversation last night. The details are muffled but the volume is not. We were shocked that the entertainment was limited to Spectrum Television. Best to bring a book! The electrical water kettle either had a short in it or needed instructions. We had to fuss with it each of the three mornings we were there. The instruction for the french press was to put 3 scoops of coffee but the scoop had two ends and they don't tell you which end to use or whether that is for a full pot or not so I never did manage a decent cup. Maid service was minimal the first day, however. We came back to the room after a long day to discover that the cups and coffee pot weren't washed, the bathtub wasn't cleaned, nor were the dirty towels taken away. The only thing we noticed was that the trash had been emptied, When we asked for those tasks to be done the following day, they brought a huge pile of towels (but no washcloths) and left them in front of the mirror. For a waterfront room that costs over $300 a night before Labor Day ... expect to pay luxury prices for a uniquely designed room but don't anticipate the perks or pampering of a luxury hotel.

Disappointed, insulted and angry

We’ve stayed at the Washington properties of this hotel chain on a number of occasions and for more than a year, I’ve been excited about staying at this new property in Astoria. Been following them on social media and looking forward to an opportunity to stay there. The opportunity arrived and I phoned to make a reservation. We travel with our well behaved non shedding poodle. To stay at this hotel, we would have to pay an additional $50. For one night. We’re heading home after a 5 month road trip and nowhere charged that much dog fee for a night. We’ve stayed in very nice places in California where no dog fee was charged at all. This is an outrageous cash grab. I feel personally insulted as a long time supporter of the Adrift chain and a responsible pet owner. There comes a point where you have to say “No! Enough! I’ve swallowed $25, even $30. But $50? For what? For the privilege of having my clean little pet sleep in a hotel room I’m already paying hundreds for? As a Canadian, that comes to over $70. There are whole hotel rooms in Astoria for $70. This is not a dog friendly hotel. No matter how dog friendly they pretend to be, any hotel that charges $50 or $70 Canadian is not dog friendly. Some hotels ask for a refundable deposit. I agree with that as no one would ever guess a dog had been in the room when we check out. I’m so disappointed that we will never stay at the Bowline in Astoria. The person on the desk when I called to reserve admitted the other hotels in the chain limit their cash grab to $30. I would have swallowed that but $50 US is over the top. If we accept this then they will go to $60, $70, even $100 for nothing.

Majestic!

From the moment we arrived we were treated with exceptional care. The room was beautiful overlooking the water. We were offered Prosecco at check in and could hear the seals swimming outside the hotel. The in room robes, fireplace and coffee station were a nice addition to the ambiance and comfort. To end our stay, we ate a delicious crepe for breakfast. We did not want to leave this majestic place!

Up-Sold

EAR PLUGS! LOL.......totally up-sold from the start. While checking in i was mysteriously told rooms on the river side of the hotel were available for $50 dollars more than the $208 with taxes i had already paid on a booking site...i said no thanks to the upgrade telling them it was just me and i needed a good sleep...The room sounded like the inside of a dog shelter as it seems sea lions live under the dock that non river view rooms face...i was like WTF? I walked out to the front desk and was told ear plugs and a sound machine were avaliable in the room...(remember this is a hotel not Seaworld) i was told i could move upstairs but I'd still be facing the sea lion side of the hotel...In my view the hotel should put a disclamer on the room before you book...maybe something like..."we are selling you a room you won't be able to sleep in but if you are willing to pay another 50 dollars you'll have half a chance at sleep...not that we care at the bowline as we sold you a room that is inherently loud plus you didn’t take the riverside view upsell".."Thanks from management " I was disgusted, sleepless and pissed ...I got up at 5 AM and left...I'm considering contacting whatever hotel board Oregon has and letting them know about the upsell and BS dog shelter like sounding rooms they sell...BTW the food in the restaurant in the lobby was only okay. You shouldn't be selling these rooms as accommodations without major sound proofing...or at least give riverside rooms when available without the addition fees... gross practices at the Bowline management and the owner should be embarrassed. BTW the up-selling from the first word at the front desk is an omission management knows a real problem exists.

Bowline is a great, comfortable place to stay along the river.

We loved this hotel on the Columbia River! The beds were incredibly comfortable and loved the decor. We also enjoyed the saunas looking out on the river. Right outside the hotel, is a great walkway between the shoreline industries. The Maritime Museum is a quick walk from the hotel. Planned to take bikes out for a ride which were also included in the stay…just didn’t have enough time. We are definitely coming back!