Lacey T.
Yelp
Bowline is one of my very favorite hotel stays. Ever.
We visited Astoria for a quick trip last fall. We looked at a couple different waterside lodging options, but everything just paled in comparison to Bowline. We stayed in the ice house, and if you can swing it, as much as I hate to share, it was definitely the best spot! We were on the top floor so it was the most private and had the best view, in my opinion, of anywhere you could stay in the hotel. No matter what, though, spend the extra for a river view room. While the decor is gorgeous and any suite will be comfortable, don't forget that's the real draw. From our room with its massive windows, it really felt like we were just sitting right on top of the Columbia (which you kind of are). It was such a calming joy to just lay in bed and stare out at the lapping water, watching giant ships as they floated by. You can even view the river from the lovely bathtub.
We also got to watch sea lions swim about, poking their heads above the water and just generally being adorable. Be forewarned, they are loud, but they are sharing their home with us! Bowline provides ear plugs, but I never travel without my white noise machine, and I am a very light sleeper. I slept fine with the machine on.
We did not eat at the restaurant, but we did get bread pudding delivered to our room one night and it was a solid 4 stars. They have indoor and outdoor (with a fire pit!) seating for the restaurant, so if you're curious about staying at the hotel, it's a fine way to dip your toes in and see how you like the setting. Service was stellar from check in (complimentary wine!) to check out and everything in between.
They have two steam saunas and provide robes and slippers in your room so you can comfortably venture to them. I did not realize how much we'd enjoy this but we ended up taking advantage of them three times during our fairly short stay. The saunas have large bubbles on the river facing end so you even get to enjoy the beautiful view from inside!
Astoria is one of the cutest little towns, and you can't really go wrong just wandering downtown and seeing what strikes your fancy. The Bowline is in a perfect walkable location, in fact the only negative I can give is that due to their enviable spot right along the river walkway, parking is extremely limited. Our visit was not at the busiest of times and we had to park further down the road. Let's put a positive spin on it, though, and just say you have easy access to all the goodness Astoria has to offer. For dinner I highly recommend Busu, for snacks, check out Frite & Scoop, and for shopping, Short Wave and the Sunday Farmer's Market. Don't miss exploring batteries and the Wreck of the Peter Iredale in Fort Steven's State Park, and honestly, take a little drive across the glorious Astoria-Megler bridge to Washington's Cape Disappointment, too!