McMenamins Gearhart Hotel

That pizza after the round caught me off guard in the best way. It had a good crust, Chinese mustard for the base, and Chinese pork on top. Definitely not a traditional combination, but I loved having something different after all the chicken strips I've eaten. We also had elk sausage for lunch, a great evening meal, and a fantastic round of golf. It's one of the oldest courses east of the Mississippi, so get out there and hang on.

The coffee delivery each morning at 6 was a nice perk. A very kind, outgoing Hawaiian woman brought it to each of the two sections. The setting is beautiful, and the rooms are cool, though they aren't really designed for hanging out: there's a bed and small, uncomfortable chairs. The bathroom was clean but small. No fridge, microwave, or minibar in the room, and the faucet water smelled so strongly of chemicals that even taking vitamins with it was hard. The walls are very thin, so you'll hear your neighbors. Food is decent, though never great; maybe people mostly come for the beer. It's fine, just not the sort of meal I'd post about for someone back home.

Our room was dog friendly and didn't smell like a dog. They even provided food and water bowls. We had dinner at the restaurant first, where the food and drinks were great, though drinks took a while to arrive. Later we went downstairs to the bar and had the best espresso martinis we've ever tried. We'll be back.

I knew what to expect from McMenamins, and that made the little treats stand out. The front desk gave me a cool present for my milestone birthday, and they had the tater tots we've come to know and love. My room key didn't work at first, but they fixed it. The coffee was terrible, the food mediocre, and the ketchup was the kind I never like, all pretty par for the course. For a McMenamins, the room and atmosphere were awesome. It's not a five-star hotel, but with the right expectations and small delights along the way, I'm happy to give it five stars.