VERDICT: We gave 2 out of 5 tickets and here’s why!
This guide forms part of our complete USA Travel Guide, featuring scenic road trips, iconic destinations, practical travel advice and honest first-hand travel experiences from across the United States.
This article is part of our 🚗 5-Day Pacific Northwest USA Road Trip series, exploring Washington and Oregon. Beginning at the Sumas border crossing in British Columbia, our 1,397-kilometre adventure takes us through historic coastal towns, spectacular beaches, iconic cities and one of America’s most famous volcanoes.. Read the complete itinerary here.
Day 1: Historic Bridges, Sea Lions & Astoria’s Waterfront ✅
Day 2: Haystack Rock, Puffins & Oregon’s Most Beautiful Beach ✅
Day 3: Shipwrecks, Cheese & Portland’s Weird Side ✅
Day 4: Volcanoes, Forests & The Mountain That Changed America ✅
Day 5: Small-Town Charm, Ferries & The Journey Home ✅
Fire destroyed much of Downtown in 1922
Historic charm, a fantastic location and quirky touches couldn’t fully outweigh noise, parking challenges and a few comfort issues during our one-night stay in Astoria.
Astoria was the first American settlement on the Pacific Coast. Its past is thick with gamblers, bootleggers, knife-fighting fur traders, temperance crusaders, socialist dockworkers, the lost, the crazed, and much more. After a fire destroyed much of the city in 1922, the downtown section of Astoria was rebuilt entirely & remains much as it looked in 1926.
Astoria is a living, breathing place where buildings on the National Register of Historic Places house decades-old businesses alongside new concepts in brewing, food & entertainment, amongst many cool antique-type businesses.
The Lewis Building, which hosts the Commodore Hotel, was built in May 1925 by architect John E. Wicks.
“…the Commodore was originally a travelers’ hotel for passengers waiting to board the ferries that crossed the Columbia River to Washington state. In 1965, the owner unexpectedly boarded up the building and walked away. Forty years later, Paul Caruana, Brian Faherty, and Lance Marrs took over the dormant establishment and gave it a new lease on life. When the three developers unlocked the door in 2007, they found themselves stepping back into a bygone era.” (dwell.com Charlotte West)
We stayed one night at this historic 1925 hotel that blends antique with modernity, reflecting the property’s historic roots. The hotel is about a block away from the shore & just minutes from popular hiking trails, a maritime museum, and a famous 125-foot-tall monument on Coxcomb Hill, commemorating the region’s history with a unique spiral mural depicting events from Native American heritage to the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The Commodore is central enough to connect with the outdoors & the vibrant town.
Our room had a view of a few unique small businesses on 14th Street: Purple Cow Toys(est 1995), a long-standing, independent toy store known for its wide selection of unique & classic toys for all ages, educational toys, games & fidgets. Also, Gimre’s Shoes, the oldest family-owned shoe store in the Western US, operating since 1892! They specialize in personalized fittings & top comfort brands(Birkenstock, Hoka, Dansko etc). Fort to Port was an interesting stop as they offer curated small batch goods & PNW inspired outdoor gear celebrating the adventurous spirit of the Pacific Northwest. Their wares are by local makers & are sustainable goods.
On the other side of the hotel, on Commercial Street, was The Naked Lemon (est 2016), a popular bakery & coffee bar known for its handcrafted, small-batch baked goods like cakes, cupcakes, and other specialties like raspberry lemon macarons & cranberry scones. Many items were gluten-free & vegan-friendly.
Back to the hotel: luckily our room (2nd Floor) had windows (with screens that would open) & a ceiling fan as we discovered on this hot day, there was no AC. We did have a breeze & kept the curtains drawn so that kept the room fairly cool, but in a hotter day, it wouldn’t be a very comfortable sleep.
The room was spacious & clean, had a small closet, a table with two chairs, mini fridge, microwave, queen size bed with night stands & a good sized washroom. We noticed a sound machine (& earplugs) next to the bed & discovered why you might need them… as you’re downtown it does get quite raucous at night(we did stay on a Friday) and went on until the wee hours. Despite this, the linens were clean & the bed comfortable, we did get some sleep.
A couple of features that showed the historical side of the building were the charming radiators, the creaky wood floors & staircases(yes, there’s also an elevator), and the tub (with shower) that was very functional but extremely low on the floor. Take note: some budget-friendly rooms do have shared bathrooms. (There isn’t much in the way of soundproofing, so as I was writing this at 5:30am, we could clearly hear the other guests moving about, going up & down the halls to the washrooms & packing).
There were the original wooden doors to each room (even still with their glass transoms), but to enter, you don’t need a key, as they’re fitted with modern push codes, a great feature that must save the hotel so much money from lost keys. We noted the funky addition of an antique wall mount pencil sharpener by the door.
There is an on-site cocktail lounge/restaurant called Stranded, where we enjoyed dessert, drinks & live entertainment. They also serve breakfast every day at 8am (except Wednesdays) & offer Happy Hour from 5-6pm Friday to Sunday with 20% off all drinks.
Other cool features are a community guitar (just pick it up & play!), bike rentals, local info guides, a DVD collection, a boutique vintage clothing rack by Smidge Vintage, even a chess board. Do keep in mind that there is often no one at reception, so you may have to wait to check in or out. In our case nobody was there initially at check in and no sign of a receptionist at check out.
A really classy feature was the library lounge, right in the lobby, with its decor of antique maps, luggage, books, antique maritime memorabilia, two couches and 2 table & chair sets.
Another tricky thing to note – parking. Although there is parking right outside of the hotel, it’s only 2 hours at a time between the hours of 9 and 6. There are free parking lots further away if you wanted to stop in the 15 minute drop off spot, take up your luggage, then go find parking. Make sure to check the timing on each place you park, they’re not all the same. After moving our vehicle twice, we lucked out at 6pm with a space right below our hotel room window that we could then have until 9am.
Overall, we would say if you’re looking for central, an antique vibe with some quirks & you can sleep through anything… you’ll like your stay at the Commodore. If you’re a light sleeper, we wouldn’t recommend it.
2 Alternative Hotels in Astoria
- Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa: Luxury waterfront boutique hotel built on historic pilings with panoramic Columbia River views, balconies, fire pits, and a complimentary vintage car service for around town shuttling
- Hotel Elliott: Elegant boutique hotel in a restored 1924 building with rooftop terrace views, cozy fireplaces, modern amenities, and a central downtown location, quiet charm without some of the noise issues (?)
More to explore in and around Astoria:
- Bowpicker Fish and Chips (Unique Experience)
- Astoria-Megler Truss Bridge
- Nordic Park and Hidden Trolls
Plan your next trip:
Nearby Attractions:
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