Dunes Motel Hillsboro

The staff were amazing, and the rooms were a good size, clean, and quiet. We just needed an affordable place to sleep, and this was perfect for that. The only downside was the bed creaking whenever we rolled over, which woke the other person up.

The doors were locked at 11, and room keys were needed to get in, which made us feel a little safer. The individual room doors still had no deadbolts, though. The parking lot also had a lot of homeless people passing through and looking in the dumpster. Even with no-smoking signs everywhere, the place smelled strongly of cigarettes. Our room seemed nicer than the rest of the motel, but it still smelled and didn't feel very clean. It was okay for a night or two, but with kids along I would've chosen somewhere else.

The rooms are roomy, clean, have good Wi-Fi, and the fridge worked fine. The outside and lobby check-in have a 70s look, while the rooms feel more modern. There are Mexican restaurants, a supermarket, and a bakery all around the motel. It feels more like Tijuana than Oregon, but it's a good place to spend a night between Mt Hood and the coast.

I hadn't been back in about 10 years, but when I needed a motel I returned to my old go-to, the Dunes. The room had been renovated and updated, and it looked great. I still give it 5 stars, though the rate surprised me: it was about $20 higher than I expected, since prices used to be pretty reasonable. The price quoted online was also quite different, but it's not the end of the world. There's fast food, restaurants, and a store within walking distance, and downtown hillsboro is a nice walk too.