Starfish Manor Oceanfront Hotel

The Starfish Manor Oceanfront Hotel is a quaint five-story building with a brown and stone exterior that doesn’t stand out from its sleepy Lincoln City beach surroundings. A black awning over a small doorway leads into the cozy lobby, where guest relations for the Starfish's multiple sister properties -- including three oceanfront apartment rentals -- are managed. A fireplace with a of couple chairs and a coffee buffet table sit beside the front desk, but otherwise the hotel doesn’t offer any common spaces for lounging. The Starfish Manor Oceanfront Hotel is especially tempting to couples who want a quiet beachfront vacation, as children under 12 aren’t allowed to stay here.

The Starfish is located in a cozy residential area of northern Lincoln City, right off the Oregon Coast Highway, where there are restaurants in walking distance (including the popular Blackfish Cafe). The hotel sits on a grassy ridge and thus doesn’t have direct beach access, but guests can access the sand via the sister hotel -- the Beachfront Manor Hotel -- which is about a block away and has a staircase to the shore. Hiking trails at Devil’s Lake State Park are a five-minute drive away and Cascade Head is 20 minutes away by car. It’s a 15-minute car trip to the North Lincoln County Historical Museum in the Taft District, where there are plenty of shops and restaurants. The Jennifer Sears Glass Art Studio and the nearby Siletz Bay Park are 15 minutes by car from the hotel. 

The Starfish offers 17 romantic and comfortably furnished rooms, all with oceanfront views from balconies, whirlpool tubs set against windows (or hot tubs on the balconies), and gas fireplaces. Rose petals can be sprinkled on the beds on request and chocolate-covered strawberries and champagne can be arranged. The interior designs are classic, with pale-green walls and leather furniture. Rooms have flat-screen TVs, DVD players, safes, irons/ironing boards, and hairdryers, and all have either kitchenettes with granite wet bars, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, and microwaves or kitchens with ovens/stoves, large refrigerators, and dishwashers. Rooms lack air-conditioning, but such a feature is rarely needed on the chilly Oregon coast.

Rooms come in either studio or two-bedroom configurations. Sunset Suites have studio layouts with kitchenettes, as do Nautica and Reef Suites, which also have sitting areas with bistro tables. Two-bedroom Pacific Suites have hot tubs on the balconies, living rooms, and full kitchens. The two-bedroom Bella Suite -- the hotel's penthouse -- has two bathrooms, two fireplaces, two flat-screen TVs, and a hot tub on the deck. Small, modern bathrooms have walk-in showers, some with two showerheads. Rubber duckies are cute touch. 

With stunning oceanfront views from balconies and whirlpool tubs in rooms, most guests stay in their rooms, so the lack of facilities and common areas isn’t a deal breaker for most. There is, however, a laundry room with a washing machine, a dryer, and a coin-operated soap dispenser, though this facility shared with a nearby sister hotel. Free parking is provided in an open lot at the building’s entrance. Gas barbecues can be checked out, if they’re available, for a fee, and the front desk offers DVD rentals, again for a fee (part of which is donated to a charity). There's no breakfast service, but tea and coffee are offered in the lobby and Wi-Fi is available throughout the property.