Name: Channel House
Address: 35 Ellingson Street, Depoe Bay, Depoe Bay, Depoe Bay, OR 97341, United States of America
Rating: 9

Smoke-free property

Heating

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All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private)

Adults Only

No elevators

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Indoor Fireplace

Cable TV

DVD Player

Hairdryer

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Free Wi-Fi

Internet

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Free Parking on Premises

Parking

Pets Not Allowed

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Newport Municipal Airport

Channel House

Depoe Bay

Manager 'Cam', of Channel House and Whale Cove Inn, violated Oregon Law by cancelling our reservation, when we advised of having an Assistance (Service) dog in training in our possession. Long time volunteer with Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Assistance (Service) animal owners/trainers beware of potential   problems with these two businesses.

We wanted to try this place BC of location and reviews, The view is special--sitting right at the mouth of the smallest harbor in the world, facing the Pacific and as close to the ocean as one can get at that location. The room was clean and our interaction w/staff was pleasant and hospitable. We were in the Suite Salt Air--lowest level but still full view and actually more private, since their Breakfast Room is currently closed and there are no other rooms on that level. The deck is only feet from the water and it felt more private than I imagine the upper decks do. There is a Keurig and a wine-refrigerator, but no microwave. The gas stove heater was adequate for the weather (the only heating). The sitting area and bedroom area w/ensuite (shower only) are separated by a step up and sliding glass doors--I would advise pulling these at night, as the bed is very close to the step-down into the sitting area and one could fall when getting up in the dark if unaware. The king bed (only king in hotel) was quite comfortable. But the Channel House needs a lot of updating--it's that kind of shabby that "nicer" Inns back in the day that are still living on an old rep have. The upholstered furniture, though clean,  is saggy and uncomfortable. We also felt some safety issues--it's an older building and the step-ups/downs aren't obvious and could be a fall hazard, esp. in dim lighting.  The jacuzzi tub on the deck was old and had a leak around the fixtures--it worked, but is on the list for maintenance/replacement. Evidently we were directly below the laundry and it was pretty noisy when housekeeping was using it. And we couldn't ever figure our how to get the tv to access streaming (suggestion--add instructions in room!)

A nice little old Inn w/a wonderful view, but not quite the quality expected for hype and price.

Great view!

After being loyal patrons for decades, it pains me to share a recent disappointing experience at The Channel House. Our two-night stay was marred by an unfortunate incident where housekeeping entered our room without authorization, taking our champagne, candies, and money. To make matters worse, management appeared to endorse this unacceptable behavior.

Our attempts to address the situation with the front desk were met with a lack of professionalism. Katherine can be heard laughing on the phone as she is talking with her team to return the sparkling wine that was taken. We were taken to task for calling it champagne, when it was actually a sparkling wine. And, despite requesting a call from management, it took 48 hours and our own efforts to finally connect with someone. 

Having been frequent guests for over 20 years, The Channel House used to be our preferred getaway. However, this incident has shattered our sense of security and left us feeling unwelcome. The General Manager's response, suggesting that we never stay again, was disheartening, particularly given our lengthy history with the establishment.

It's essential to note that this is not an isolated incident, as Kam Mix, the GM has a track record of contentious responses to guest complaints on various platforms. Despite the breathtaking views and the nostalgia associated with two decades of cherished memories, we cannot overlook the negligence and lack of accountability displayed during this unfortunate experience.

Please take a moment to read another recent review from November 2023 that addresses even more safety concerns.

We reluctantly assign one star for the stunning view plus the enjoyable two decades of previous visits, and a second star for the refunded stay. However, it is crucial to emphasize that this unfortunate incident should never have occurred. We feel compelled to caution potential guests to exercise caution when considering a stay at The Channel House on their future trips.

After 30+ years of patronage, GM Kam Mix asked us to NEVER COME BACK!

I have been staying at the Channel House since the mid 1990s, and while it is still fantastic for its location and views, it could do with a little updating and resumption of its breakfast.  The staff is wonderful as always, and every room is situated to optimize the view. The rooms are starting to get a little shabby for the price.  The curtains were stained, the tub is looking worn (which is to be expected since it is outside) and it would be nice if the toilet paper was a higher quality.  In these times of electric cars, I kind of expected the channel house to be ahead of the game and have a vehicle charging station.  They used to provide higher quality binoculars, and if I am paying this much per night I am not going to steal the hangers!  The coffee maker and selection of coffee and accoutrements was very nice.  I will stay here again.

Still wonderful, time for updates


Review of Whale Watching Suite

My wife and I came here to celebrate my birthday in November. This is considered a 3-star hotel so any comparisons will be to other 3-star hotels in this area.

The first impression is that it is situated right over the ocean, which is a nice touch and parking was easy.  Checking in we discovered that some items were missing from our room.  The room is smaller than what appears in the photos.

5 Star Items

None - I know people are going to say the view, but read further why this isn't so.

4 Star Items

The view. The reason why this isn't a 5-star is that it is hard to see. You have to be standing at the glass door on the deck or in the bedroom.  The TV in the living area blocks part of the view when sitting on the couch. The suggestion is to move the TV above the fireplace.

Shower - Very nice for a 3-star hotel.  Little small. 

The bed was comfortable.

A lot of things in walking distance.

3 Star Items 

The cozy room with fireplace and other areas seemed clean.

1 Star Items

No microwave - the only thing I can figure out is that they don't want fish reheated for the smell.  But really on the coast and has no microwave doesn't make sense.

Cadet-style heaters were rusted and gross. 

The sink was plugged and hard to drain.

0 Star Items

Safety issues - Being from the fire service I found fire doors blocked open and our sliding doors would not latch.  

Hot Tub was dangerous it was collapsing, also it was dirty and uninviting. Suggestion fix the damage and get covers. 

So to end my review I would not suggest this location. Compared to the Inn at Spanish Head, where we have stayed numerous times and you can have an ocean view at around the same cost or cheaper I would suggest this. 

I am giving 2 stars because of the lack of detail and safety issues that we came up with.  If we paid a lot less the rating wouldn't have been better. 


Was $796.96, for a 2 Night Stay Worth It? No!  Read Why!

Came here for our 25th anniversary and it did not disappoint. We stayed on top floor Cuckoo's nest suite. It was everything we could have asked for. From the moment you step in you know you are going to not regret your decision to stay for a moment.

Close to all the best restaurants and shopping!

The windows are literally on 3 sides of your suite and the views are next to none. So many whales can be seen literally ALL the time, even from the bed they are visible.
The deck is very large and makes the view even better, we didn't use the jacuzzi tub but it would be lovely.
Furnishings were modern and looked new, bed was temperpedic and firm but not too firm, slept great!
The photos don't do this justice at all and it's much larger than we expected! They thought of everything you might need. 

We knew ahead of time they have no microwaves and it would have been nice to have it. Also the cleaning/air refresh chemical smell was way too strong and would have been a issue if we couldn't have aired the place out ALLOT. But those are the only things worth mentioning and they wouldn't deter us from coming back whenever we possibly can!

We love the intimacy of the bed and breakfast feel without the intrusiveness. Couldn't be happier with our stay, thank you enough for helping us celebrate our special day!

Our new favorite!

Channel House is a lovely small hotel. Our suite looked out over the ocean on two sides and included a balcony with 2 chairs and a small table as well as a hot tub. We didn't use the hot tub but enjoyed a glass of wine on the balcony. 

The suite is heated by a gas fireplace that is open to both the bedroom and living room. We didn't need it but it adds even more ambiance. This is a roomy suite, comfortably furnished with a nice kitchenette. A choice of 3 wines (2 local, one French sparkling) are available in the room. $30 per bottle will be added to your bill if you choose one. Comfortable beds and heavenly smelling soap and shampoo. It is so easy to sleep well when you can hear the waves crashing outside your room.

When we made our reservation weeks ahead, we had requested a specific suite. Closer to our arrival date, we were informed the exterior of the property was being painted the week we were to stay there, and there was a distinct possibility the suite we reserved wouldn't be available. Dan, the manager, worked very hard to ensure we would have the desired suite without drop cloths and plastic sheets covering the balcony. Dan went above and beyond to provide exceptional service.

Gorgeous view, exceptional service, lovely suites

We just got home from our stay at Channel House and had a really nice weekend there. But let's be honest...the views made the vacation memorable. The room itself is what you'd be perfectly fine staying in along a highway in anytown, USA. It was pretty clean for an ocean-facing room. The bed was crazy hard, the bed frame made a bunch of noise every time you rolled over, the sound of the people upstairs walking around at 1am and then getting in their jacuzzi tub was loud, the sound of their jacuzzi tub draining outside our room for 15 minutes at 2am was loud, the furniture is outdated, hard and very used. We also had a shower leak from the upstairs neighbor that would rain down in front of the front door if someone took a shower. We notified staff of this and it was a known problem. Just haven't had time to fix it. The room is not worth $400 a night. But the view might be? There aren't many places where you can lay in bed and watch whales outside. So that was the memorable part. Next time we will try a different hotel.

5 Stars for Nature, 2.5 for Accomodations

I stayed here back in the late 90s and enjoyed it immensely and we returned in June this year and it was just as pleasurable, even though there was some maintenance work going on during the day.  The jacuzzi on the balcony is lovely.   Sitting and watching the whales out in the bay is so serene and the fireplace in the room makes the whole experience very romantic.  I totally recommend staying here.

Second Time’s Just as Charming

My husband and I first visited The Channel House in 2007 for our honeymoon and just returned to celebrate our 15th anniversary. When I called to make our reservation I was taken aback by how unfriendly the man was who I spoke with on the phone… and after considering going elsewhere decided to give the place a chance, since our first visit was so amazing- and just made our reservation online. The building is getting a “face lift” so it was a bit loud as we checked in, but as we were escorted to our room, the noise was quickly forgotten as we were reminded just how breathtaking the views are from the rooms- and literally saw whales within seconds! The music playing in our room was an excellent touch and there was chilled wine in the fridge (although an extra charge- and we brought our own.) This time we stayed in the Cuckoo’s Nest which is quite a large room with two fireplaces, separate living room, large shower and a full length deck. The location is excellent and we did not start our vehicle again until we checked out, as there are multiple restaurants within walking distance. Our lady host that weekend provided excellent customer service, happily giving us dining recommendations, and was generous in making sure that as heavy coffee drinkers, we had extra coffee during our stay. Also included were robes and bath salts for the tub. We spent both evenings soaking in the tub on the deck, sipping wine and watching whales feed just off the rocks below…. Truly epic! I do wish I could have rated our stay with 5*, but….. 

With all the things we loved about our stay…. The bad. Which was the bed. For the reviewers who have talked about a comfortable bed, either they are insanely more comfortable in other rooms (I do remember a comfortable bed in the whale watching room- 15 years ago), or these folks would be comfortable sleeping on the floor. I have stayed in cheaper hotels with much nicer beds. We both tossed and turned all night, only to be literally sore once we got out of bed. The second night was so bad that we eventually gave up on the bed and migrated to the couch and recliner. It was BAD! What was supposed to be a romantic getaway to fully recharge… had us looking forward to getting a good nights’ sleep at home. Upon checking out, the nice lady asked how our stay was and I was honest; wonderful, but the bed was atrocious. She agreed, and said how they had an extra foam pad available…. Oh, how I wish we knew that before we were leaving!

Channel House

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