TL;DR

Stylish motel: Renovated with bold colors and national park touches.
Relaxed vibe: Laid-back, social, and adventurous atmosphere.
Affordable base: A cool, comfy home for Pacific Northwest explorations.
Check prices here

At first glance, from the strip-mall road a bit outside Downtown Bend, this is your average roadside motel.

Sure, the office building has a little more zhuzh than we’d be used to. It isn’t until turning down the side street or into the parking lot that we notice the stylishness of the Campfire Hotel.

It’s a dark wood and bright orange color scheme with things like national park signages and vibrant colored umbrellas dotted around.

A central parking lot and lounge area surround a set of two-story motel buildings, recently renovated in a relaxed kind of charcoal blue, with bright yellow doors.

This laid-back place has the confidence of a much grander hotel, hinting at adventures to be had in the surrounding forests and mountains.

If you’re hoping to rub elbows with Bend High Society, this might not be your first choice. If you want a cool, comfy home base for some Pacific Northwest adventures, look no further.

What are the rooms like?

Number of rooms: 100 with a variety of layouts.
Choices: King Singles, Queen Doubles, Suites, and bunkbeds.
Design: Simple furnishings with bright accents and murals.
Extras: Guitars, pour-over coffee, Bluetooth radios, and more.
See each room in detail here

We’re looking at King Singles, Queen Doubles, and Suites. Specialized options include bunkbeds, bar access, and killer views.

Rooms are comfortable, casual spaces with simple furnishings set against bright accents and black-and-white printed murals.

We tend to be more charmed by clever use of color, eyes caught by the color-plane artwork and bright orange mini-duvets.

Whatever your taste, there’s no denying there’s personality to the decor, and it’s been well-thought-out.

Renovations on the rooms have been mostly interior, meaning the 70s-era low ceilings and hotel windows that don’t reach floor to ceiling can make the space feel a bit heavy at first glance.

Once you’re inside, however, with your in-room guitar, TV, plush linens, mini fridge, microwave, locally-roasted pour-over coffee and vintage-style Bluetooth radio, none of this will really matter.

It’s all an Easy Rider roadside fantasy that you can relax in as long as you like.

What are prices like?

Check prices here

And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?

Canteen bar: Snacks and cocktails in a social space.
Outdoor vibe: Fire pit, hot tub, and seasonal pool.
Clever design: Landscaped to feel secluded despite nearby parking lot.

The area by the office is called the Canteen, a gathering place perfect for a post-hike unwind or to meet fellow guests.

There’s no pressure to mingle, but it’s a relaxed space that makes for a social atmosphere that many hotels lack.

They’ve got a selection of snacks at the Canteen Bar, paired with delightful cocktails for all tastes.

The Hot Toddy is perfect for lounging by the fire pit after sundown, waiting for your turn in the hot tub.

The nice outdoor space that might surprise you, given the Safeway parking lot you can see from the other side of the Canteen.

Indeed, Campfire has made some clever landscaping decisions that form a nice little semi-secluded area by the hotel.

It includes a lovely yet seasonal heated pool and a lovely and non-seasonal hot tub.

How is the neighborhood? Anything interesting nearby?

Local eats: Fire on the Mountain wing joint and other restaurants nearby.
Convenient: Safeway across the street for quick supplies.
Downtown: Easy walk or 5-minute drive to shops and cafés.
Nature access: Badlands Wilderness 25 minutes, Bachelor Mountain 30 minutes.

For those with large appetites, the hotel recommends the famous local wing chain next door, Fire on the Mountain.

It’s part of a small collection of restaurants nearby, where you really can find whatever you need.

It’s not a ‘let’s go fly a kite’ atmosphere, but for the budget-conscious traveler, and even for the adventurer needing some hiking snacks, the Safeway across the road is super convenient.

Deep Downtown is an easy walk albeit with a slightly hairy underpass. By car, it’s less than 5 minutes to the center.

You’ll find cafés, restaurants, and small shops making up the center of the city.

It’s an outdoorsy town, we won’t lie, but there’s some culture to be had as well. The Tin Pan Theater is a small art house cinema, and the Tower Theater is a gorgeous landmark building with music and live shows.

Bend is split by the Deschutes River, surrounded near the center by Drake Park, a lovely place for a walk.

If you’d like to check out the west side of the city, there’s a neat wooden bridge that crosses the water.

You can find a cluster of cool cafés and restaurants near Newport Ave.

Really your location is perfect for outside-the-city fun. Easy hikes can be found about 25 minutes away in the Badlands Wilderness.

The local favorite Bachelor Mountain and the beautiful Deschutes National Forest surrounding it are closer to a half-hour drive, and good for a day hike.

And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?

Some things guests liked:

“So perfectly and thoroughly themed! Everything about this place (lobby, rooms, outdoor space, bar) was so cute and unique. Really sets it apart from any other motel. Rooms were super clean, wish we’d taken advantage of the heated pool…”

“Not your average hotel. It is charming and comfortable and a great value. Loved the campfire theme. Done well….”