Red Lion Inn & Suites Deschutes River Bend

Breakfast was a highlight for me. I had eggs, sausage, and biscuits with gravy, and the food was good. The staff were kind, helpful, and quick to respond. When we needed to cancel one night, there was no hassle, and check-in went smoothly. My wife isn't much of a hotel person, but she found the room neat and very clean. The TV stopped working, so we told the desk. A maintenance guy showed up 15 minutes later and, despite our bet that he couldn't fix it, got it going in about 8 minutes with his "TV bag." I expected we'd have to change rooms. The heater worked well, the shower had strong pressure and a good range of temperatures, and it was quiet. We all slept well on the comfortable beds. Good value in Bend.

The breakfast was plentiful and good, easily the best part of my stay. I was just passing through for a night. The person at the counter seemed rather bland, and the room and bathroom felt worn and dated. There were dark stains about 6" up the walls. The lot was noisy, and the refrigerator made six loud clunks whenever it shut down, enough to wake me and make me think someone was trying to get into the room.

I barely slept because of barking dogs in rooms above and beside us. Hotels should do more to address that, since it's unfair to other guests, and I might stay again only if I complained about it. The fridge kept making noise, but I needed it plugged in, and the food was frozen by morning. That was annoying, though usually these mini-fridges don't get cold enough. The price was great, and I could stop driving and take a hot shower, so maybe I'd return. There were some good things: friendly staff, a clean smell when we entered, comfy bed and pillows, and a heater that worked well. The wooded area behind the hotel was pleasant for a leg stretch, with a couple walking paths. It's close to the highway and easy to reach, though not convenient for downtown. There was some noise from showers, the lot, and walkway, but road noise wasn't too bad. The room was scuffed and banged up, with a basic two-star feel.

The breakfast was free and full of options: eggs, sausage, toast, milk, OJ, three cereals, bagels, and plenty more. I ate a lot, then brought a plateful back for my dog. We paid about $90 for the two of us. The bed was huge, with a medium-firm mattress, nice sheets, and six of the best pillows I've tried, outside of My Pillow. There was a 65 inch 4k TV, fridge, and microwave, and the heater was quiet. Even between two busy roads, I couldn't hear traffic. I'll stay here whenever I'm in Bend.