Inn at Otter Crest

Happy valentines day… Not.
The morning of our stay was so bad that what would have been a 4 star rating is now a 1. After a morning walk on the beach we got back to our room to spend the two hours before check out relaxing in our final moments of a much needed getaway (and valentines romance), we came back to pounding of hammers from the unit above us, LOUD MEGA ANNOYING CONSTRUCTION! It was unbearable. After calling the front desk wondering if they realized they still had PAYING guest below, they just said we will see if they can be more quite. Well they were NOT more quite. We showered, packed up and checked out early. On our way out we mentioned the noise and the lady at the desk just laughed about it. VERY RUDE, disrespectful, inconsiderate, unprofessional, careless treatent. We will NEVER come back. It’s a shame, great view, neat location and decent restaurant. We rarely get away and the last thing I want to be in is construction.
When we checked in the women who helped us was very kind, I wish she would have been there at check out. She would have at least apologized for the horribly unpleasant morning. To have someone laugh about it was like rubbing salt in a wound. I paid extra for the panoramic view, for an extra special night and that treatment was unacceptable.

Great place to stay anytime of the year. I suggest the mini suites for couples. Small and quaint rooms make the best adult getaways from the kids. Every time we stay here it’s a new experience since each room is privately owned. Winery and restaurant on the premises. We were a little disappointed that the restaurant is closed during off season though, but fully understand there isn’t a high demand in January. Almost exclusive beach access via stairs. Great outdoor pool and sunbathing deck. Can’t wait to come back again. Ask the front desk for special deals prior to booking as there are great insider savings.

I have had the pleasure of staying at the Inn four times now. The feature I love about it the most is its whimsy — to me, there is something magical about the landscape. I love the paths that take you through the property, with the immaculate mostly native landscaping, the lights along the paths at night, the funny tram you can ride up and down the levels — I love it. It has a feel of days past.
The rooms I stayed in were mostly great. One I stayed in was quite dated, but you can ask for one that has been updated. There are two kinds of rooms, but I have only stayed in the condo style ones with full kitchen. There was an ocean view, large balcony, fireplace, full kitchen, dining area, living room, and an upstairs with a full bath, half bath down. From what I have seen, each room is different — the last one I stayed in was completely newly remodeled and had a large smart TV with Netflix access, along with other things. The last one I was in had one bed upstairs and no sleeper sofa, and the others I have stayed in had two beds upstairs and a sleeper down. But I like that each room has a different set up. I have to say the only thing that bothers me is the wifi — I have never had good wifi reception in any room. For me that is a bit of a problem, since I am in school and have to access the web, but you can sit in the office.
There is a restaurant on site, but I have never been. There is a small playground, a pool, and a hot tub. Laundry room — $ 1 for the wash, same for the dry. Beach access is 83 steps down and is often barely populated when I have been. Lots of things to see and do nearby. I have always found the staff friendly and helpful.

This place is amazing. We have visited there twice now and would definitely go back. Especially on the off-​season when their prices go down. The condos have full kitchens in a lot of them and half of the condos have a full coast /​ocean view ! The staff is also great and accommodating.
The only thing I will say is the walls are paper thin. So a lot like apartment living, when someone is next door, especially when you’re only separated by a door or wall; you’re going to hear almost everything that goes on.
This can make for an annoying night at times. But this only affected us once when we were woken up at 2am by a demon baby screaming at the top of its lungs.
But the lack of insulation is the only downfall. This place makes up for that in other ways. Great place to go and get away on the coast!

What a treat! My husband and I booked a Mini Suite for a weekend getaway and were so impressed by the Inn at Otter Crest, we are already planning our next trip back!
Our room was in building L in an upstairs room overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean. We had a covered balcony that allowed me to sit outside as much as I wanted, even if it was sprinkling. Prior to going to the Inn, I read reviews online and was a bit nervous we would end up in a room with kitschy décor or no updates. We were very lucky that our room had recently been remodeled. All of the furniture was brand new and nice, we had a 42 inch flat screen TV on the wall, nice new plush carpet, and a large bathroom with a new shower, sink, and toilet. It was very nice!
The Mini Suite is divided into three rooms — the bedroom, the bathroom, and the living room. The living room is small-​ish, but there was plenty of room for the two of us. Below the wall-​mounted TV there was a cabinet that held the mini-​fridge/​freezer, coffee maker, and microwave.
The grounds were beautiful and well manicured. I was worried being at the bottom of the hill would mean a long steep walk back up to our car, but I was impressed that it was not steep and it was just a short 3 – 5 minute walk.
On Sunday we explored the tidepools at low tide. There are steps leading down to the beach and then lots of rocks to climb around to look at the tidepools. We got about 50 yards away from some seals sunning on a rock during low tide, which was really neat to observe.
Our trip was wonderful and we will definitely be coming back. The only downside we experienced was the WiFi connection. We had such a horrible connection to the WiFi inside our room that we couldn’t use it, but the connection was fine when we were on our front patio or balcony. Since I spent so much time on the balcony, I didn’t mind the shoddy connection inside as much. Still, I think the Inn at Otter Crest needs to invest in better WiFi or not list it as an amenity at all.

I stayed at the Inn at Otter Crest for a wedding last weekend. Here are some of my observations:
Location: The Inn at Otter Crest is in a fantastic location — off the highway enough that you don’t hear any traffic noise with access to the beach right on the property. Its close to the Devil’s Punch Bowl and Beverly Beach. You can access both by a nature path that cuts through the property. We also saw whales from the bluff on the property several times.
Service: The front desk and bell staff were very friendly and helpful. I preferred walking to and from my room from the car and around the property but the bell service was always kind enough to ask if I needed a golf cart ride if they saw me walking (cars are not allowed beyond the parking lot).
Room: The room was super clean and tidy. The décor was not my style. Let’s call it kitschy– a little bit of this and a little bit of that. The bathroom was newer and nice and clean. There was a small fridge, microwave and set of dishes in the closet so I was able to prepare my own breakfast (the restaurant on site is only open in the evening). The view from my deck was excellent. The seating on the deck could have been a little more comfy. The one complaint I had about my room was the squeaky floor of the room above me. I could hear every footstep and squeak of the bed. Not great for sleeping in on a relaxing vacation.
Amenities: There is a pool and gym which I did not see. There is also a restaurant/​bar/​reception hall on site. I ate in the restaurant one night during my stay. The food was just okay. One evening our large wedding party came to the restaurant a little before closing which I understand can be annoying for the service staff but it would have been good business to stay open a little longer to make the place a little extra money as it was fairly empty.
Overall I had a good experience and felt that I got an excellent deal for what I paid with ocean views and immediate beach access.

I give this a big zero review…
The inn used to be a wonderful place to stay but since manager Melissa took over the place has taken a nose dive. She has no idea of how to manage a wet paper bag much less an inn.
Overbooking rooms and trying to pass off dirty rooms with no plumbing… are you serious ?
I even witnessed her degrading employees that are doing a fine job trying to fix her mistakes…
I will never recommend my friends or family ever again !!!

LOVED our stay at the inn. Such a great retreat for our mother/​daughter weekend.
Beautiful grounds, breathtaking views, and easy access to the beach. Highly recommend for families and couples — we will be back! Make sure and check out the tide pools!

We’ve been coming to Inn at Otter Crest almost annually for 6 or so years. We’ve had the opportunity to experience the Inn for romantic weekend getaways and as larger family vacations. We’ve stayed in their lofts, their individual rooms and a studio. We’ve always had a partial or full view of the ocean which has proven to be worth it each time. We have been most impressed with the lofts and the studio. The lofts served our large groups well with plenty of space for 5 adults, 1 – 2 kids/​toddler. All rooms, especially the studio, felt warm and homey; the décor was clearly unique to the owner.
The beach access and short walk to Devil’s Punchbowl/​Flying Dutchman Winery has always added to the appeal of Otter Crest. Also, if you’re a Geocaher, there are a couple caches around the resort itself.
Other amenities that we have enjoyed are the movie rentals – they do have «newer» movies for all ages; although $ 4 for 1 movie is a tad steep – the nearest Redbox is in Newport which is not completely convenient… this may be why they can get away with a $ 4 fee (no wonder Blockbuster went out of business). We haven’t used the pool in a while but apparently it’s kept relatively warm as the weather cools down. The playground and large grassy view point also add to the list of things to do.
Overall the nostalgia of Inn at Otter Crest keeps bringing us back. The grounds are beautiful and the atmosphere is consistently relaxing. Until next time.

We loved the views from our room at the top of the hill. My family enjoyed the creepy ride down the weird elevator thingy. Beautiful beach and ocean views when the fog cleared. Friendly staff. Cool golf-​cart ride from the parking lot to our room. Nice menu at the onsite restaurant though we went into town to eat.

A must stay when on the coast. Beautiful views from every location. We prefer rooms 416 and 417. I believe they are recently remodeled! Easy access to the beach and tide pools.

We are staying at the Inn at Otter Crest. My dad traded for it through his timeshares. We have a view of the ocean and are near the swimming pool. It’s a «two bedroom» unit. I use the quotations because the second bedroom is in the loft, so there’s no wall between the second bedroom and the top of the living room. As such there is no privacy. And the walls that they do have are quite thin. Other than that, it is a nice unit. The kitchen is a decent size and well equipped with plenty of plates, silverware, pots, pans, etc. The furnishings are nice. There is a balcony with four chairs overlooking the ocean.
There are a couple of duck pairs that live at the resort. They are very friendly and cute.
There is a fire pit overlooking the ocean, a heated pool, and tennis courts. Unfortunately the restaurant is no longer open.
Otter Rock is roughly halfway between Newport and Lincoln City, so it’s a good location close to a number of attractions.
There is a path through the woods to Devil’s Punch Bowl.
The internet connection is very, very spotty. However, there’s decent connection in the lobby if you need to check your email or whatnot.
Overall, I’m quite pleased with our stay.

I had never heard of the Inn at Otter Crest and have been going to the Oregon Coast my entire life. My 1^st visit I was completely floored of how cool of a place it is and how I wish I had started coming when I was a child (envisioning the multiple adventures that were possible)! The beach access is amazing, with the tide pools offering access to all forms of sea life and the possibility of finding that one shell you’ve always been looking for. The grounds are magical… from the beautiful rhodendrons, bunnies, ducks, forest trails (1 of which leads to Mo’s for a seafood snack with a side of Rogue Hefeweizen, YUM!) to all of the readily accessible views & sounds of the ocean that should be a part of your trip to the coast.
Then theres the tram (who else has a tram!?!), the game room (Pinball, Pacman), the outdoor pool that is heated!!, hot tub and available selection of DVDs to rent (for when your all tuckered out from night swimming). The staff was not only friendly, but totally went out of their way to be accomodating, Upon check in, they made sure that we had a map of the grounds, a current tide table calender and offered personal recommendations for local eateries and entertainment.
While the actual lodging may not glitzy, the room was clean, decorated nicely and had a fireplace, oceanview, full kitchen and stocked with the fundamentals that allowed us the ability to choose «staying in» and cooking our own meal (wine bottle opener included) which is very conveniant and added an element of warmth to the stay. If you are looking for a spa stay, this is not your place. If you are looking for a easily affordable romantic spot or to impress your kids, then I would highly recommend checking this place out!

My family stays at this inn a lot. They always rave about it. So I was excited to get the chance to see it when we went up for a day visit. The room was nice and had an amazing view. The ocean there is beautiful and there are seals lounging all over the rocks. We had dinner in the restaurant. The food wasn’t knock your socks off amazing but I was blown away by the service. They were so attentive and so willing to go out of their way for us. They brought out extra food and fruit for us without us even asking. Went over the top to make sure any request was filled and were so pleasant and nice the entire time. I was amazed. I am guessing it is pretty difficult to keep a restaurant open in that location and in this economy but they are clearly doing everything they can to help make sure that when you visit, you want to come back.

This used to be my favorite place to stay on the Oregon Coast. The location is unparalleled, the rooms were swanky but affordable, and the restaurant was amazing.
A few years ago, it all went to hell. The restaurant closed, all the units were sold as condos, but rented by a management company who nearly ran the place into the ground, and I no longer felt comfortable taking out of town guests there, because it had become so unpredictable.
On a whim, I thought maybe I’d check the website and see if there were signs of improvement. There were, so we booked a mini suite for a couple of nights over New Year’s Eve weekend. The location, of course, is still the best on the Oregon Coast. The restaurant supposedly had opened, but is now closed again, a true disappointment. The tram is once again broken, but it’s only worked one time in the 20+ years I’ve been coming here. The service had definitely improved, as had the reservation process. The price wasn’t bad for a holiday weekend, and the mini suite was in good repair. We couldn’t hear our neighbors, even with people staying up late and partying on NYE, and we woke to a pile of sea lions on the beach below.
This place would’ve been five stars (or more if permitted) a decade ago, though… and only one star two years ago. I have hope that things will continue to turn around for the Inn at Otter Crest. I think the conversion to condos really hurt them… people with timeshares won’t support a restaurant, and it’s too far out of town for non-​guests to make the trek. There were some other guests when we were checking out who were decidedly unhappy, though… they had to move to three separate rooms because of various issues (some timeshare owners apparently don’t keep up their units), and they still couldn’t sleep in the final unit. But since our stay was fine, I still gave them three stars.

I am so very sad to give this place 2 stars because i am sure it is because of the economy that it has fallen into such bad shape.
I used to be a tour manager and at the end of every tour the Inn at Otter Crest was my GO-​TO place to chill out and relax.
I was very much looking forward to bringing my youngest son and showing him the tide pools, flying a kite with him and then just sitting with a nice glass of wine at the restaurant watching the sun set.
I called days in advance to make sure they had wifi and was assured that it was available in all rooms.
Imagine my surprise when i got there to find out the restaurant was closed, they had discontinued the shuttle service to the winery and the wifi only worked in the main building. i should have just not checked in but we were weary from our drive up from California and soldiered on.
The room was just tired. Plastic furniture on the porch and limited view even if the hotel was only about ½ full on a mid weekday. There was a smell in the room, like being at my grams basement.
With no shuttle service, no restaurant open we were forced to order in pizza from a local place that could only deliver it after 7pm when they closed to go home.
The chick at the front desk was even less helpful when she suggest that we walk the ½ mile though the woods to the winery which normally for my NYer self wouldn’t have been a problem but schleping the ½ back after dark would have been.
IF we go back to the central coast again, I think we’ll look for other accommodations and I’ll just keep my memories of when the Inn was vibrant, alive and beautiful.

The Inn at Otter Crest is very much improved from my last visit 2 years ago.
My family and I used to come to the IAOC pretty often, but finally after years of decline, we decided it was time to stay elsewhere for our visits to the coast. Although the site is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and secluded on the Oregon coast, the buildings were decaying, the service was declining, the rooms were becoming more worn and dingy, there were always mistakes with our reservations, and we finally had had enough.
But we recently learned that the Inn is now operating under new management, so we decided to give it another chance. I was surprised to arrive and find everthing new and fresh-​looking, the buildings re-​sided and painted, and even the entrance drive re-​painted. We had a room that we have stayed in before, but all the furniture, carpets, even the kitchen appliances were new and very nicely done. It was like a completely different place. If our room was representative of the rooms in general, someone has invested a significant amount in restoring and refurbishing this place. We had a great time and enjoyed the pool, the beach and tide pools within easy walking distance, and the ocean view from our balcony.
The Inn still has a couple of limitations. The floors and walls are very thin, and sound-​proofing is pretty much non-​existant. We could often hear the people above us. The restaurant is now closed, but it was so bad on our last visit that it is not much of a loss. There is nowhere to buy any supplies if you run low — you’ll have to drive a few miles to the nearest store.
Overall, this seems to be once again a great place to stay at the Oregon coast.

I’ve been renting rooms here for a little while, so here are some fun facts I learned recently.
This «Inn» is really a bunch of condos. One can buy a «condo» unit here and rent it out. This means that most of the units are owned by someone and decorated by them. If you stay in a room and hate it, ask to move. They will happily show you what else is open, and all of their rooms are listed online with photos. Find a room online that you think you’ll like, and ask to take a gander. They will golf-​cart you up there to check out the room; really quite handy.
It took me a while to find some rooms that I really liked, but after trial and error I’ve got a cheap place to stay at the shore that is clean and conveniently located.
Also, for the record, this is really a family orientated place. If you’re looking for a quiet getaway spot, try not to go here on a holiday. It just might be mobbed with children.

My family has a timeshare here and I’ve been coming here for over twenty years (god that makes me feel old – I’m not, I swear).
There have been a lot of changes that Otter Crest has undergone during that time. It definitely was feeling/​looking neglected for a while, but there have been numerous renovations and changes over the last few years, most if not all for the better.
I’ve only stayed here once as a hotel (as opposed to a timeshare), so in the interest of full disclosure, this will be based nearly wholly on timeshare experience.
First of all, the setting: the Inn, as mentioned by others, is a collection of separate condo-​type buildings. Each one has about ten or twelve rooms. The upstairs units have a loft and can be connected to an adjoining room as well. Consequently, our place happens to sleep ten, which is pretty awesome when you want to invite a bunch of friends and/​or family, which often happens with me.
The lowest units are located on a small point about 100 feet above the ocean. Then the rest of them continue a few hundred feet up the hillside. The views are amazing between Cape Foulweather, Seal Rock, and the Devil’s Punchbowl, there is a lot of beautiful scenery going on.
The parking lot is removed from the units, so there are golf carts available to haul you and your luggage to your place.
There is a pool with two hot tubs and a deck with chairs for those few glorious days you get on the Oregon Coast when you have a chance to lay out and absorb some sun. There is a restaurant on site, which has perfectly decent food.
Then there are stairs down to what essentially is a private beach. Although technically anyone can park in the parking lot and walk down to the beach from there, unless you know about it, and are willing to drive well off the beaten path (a couple miles off 101?), then it is pretty much just guests that are down on the beach.
It’s amazing how much a beach can change in two decades. What used to be a complete sand beach has transformed into a sand on the high ground, while the sand has been washed away from rock beds down by the water line. There are some great tide pools at low tide and if you walk around the point (to the north), you can almost always see a huge herd (?) of seals sunning themselves on the rocks.
You should definitely head south at low tide as well to explore the Devil’s Punchbowl. You can walk right into it if the tide is low enough, and it’s pretty cool when the waves start coming back in.
The rooms themselves are decent. Most have either kitchenettes or full kitchens. As pointed out by other reviewers, each owner can choose what s/​he wants as far as design and flooring, appliances, etc., so each one will be slightly difference.
Otter Crest *is* secluded/​remote, so you do have about a 20 minute drive into Newport for groceries if/​when needed.
But the beauty, serenity and peacefulness of Otter Crest is something that is very dear to my heart. I’ve had a lot of really amazing memories there and look forward to many more.

This was once our favorite place to stay on the coast. The setting — within a mature forest on cliffs overlooking the Pacific — is lovely bordering on spectacular. The prices once were low compared to other upscale but mundane hotel properties within the various coastal towns. The rooms, while not always kept up to date, were always clean, neat and freshly painted, with plenty of good, thick towels in the bathrooms. There was a decent albeit pretentious restaurant on the property, so you did not have to drive into town for a restaurant meal. Finally, the services were good.
What we didn’t know is that The Inn At Otter Crest is no longer managed by anyone directly concerned with its success. Instead, it is now managed by a property management company. Those of you have dealt with such companies know what that usually means, and it appeared to us that the current «managers» are typical of the breed, intent on making substantial profits for themselves by wasting both the asset and the customer goodwill that was once associated with it.
The first hint of bad news came after I reserved a room: I received, via Email, not just a confirmation but a three-​page contract. As a retired attorney, I ignored it because I knew it was unenforceable: I had not even been informed of it, much less had I agreed to it; but it was irritating. Far more irritating was the written list of demands we received at check-​in, advising us of all the things that customers should do for management (for example, remove our shoes when entering the room) and that management would not do for customers (for example, early check in and late check out). In addition, the list advised us of the fact that check in was five PM and check out was noon, which means that a day at The Inn now lasts for nineteen hours.
Happily, we discovered that, just as management’s «contract» was unenforceable, its demands were unenforced. The personnel at the desk were polite and helpful and happy to allow us an early check in to a room that, judging from its condition, had not been occupied for a month or more.
The room was the smallest we’re ever rented at The Inn and one of the most expensive. Except for double-​glazed windows, it obviously had not updated, much less renovated, since the property was built some forty years ago; and that includes not only fixtures but expendables, such as the rug, which was dirty, and the bedding, which was clean but, like the rug, long overdue for retirement. Trim was missing from the sink faucet. The sliding patio curtains were both stuck on and falling off their track.
The room had not been heated prior to our arrival. It was cold and damp. That led me to think of something warm to drink. However, the coffee maker stank of stale coffee. The coffee was in pre-​measured pouches from the Pretend Gourmet Coffee Company. Brewed, it looked like tea and tasted awful. Three of four artificial creamer pouches had been in the room so long — probably for years — that the «cream» had congealed into a paste.
There were still lots of towels, but they were the thin, Cheap Motel grade. The microwave and mini-​fridge were there, as advertised, but there was no hair dryer, no iron and no extra pillows for the bed, which was too hard. There was an obsolete CRT TV and VHS player, for which you could rent, in the lobby, a DVD. At least the cable worked.
We learned, while there, that the restaurant had closed about a year ago, but that the current management was seeking someone would lease it and operate it. In our view, anyone smart enough to operate a restaurant would be smart enough to stay out of this deteriorating property.
In sum, we paid for a night at what was once an upscale resort, but what we got was a cheap motel room where the clueless management happily publishes its plans to give a whole new meaning to «customer service.»