Are you going to Bend and wondering where to stay? Based on my personal experience, I'm here to recommend a fantastic budget motel (and offer alternatives, too).
First, the best budget motel we encountered in a year and a half of traveling in the US was The Dunes Motel and it's in Bend, so I highly recommend it. But keep reading for the necessary caveats and some alternatives, too.
Bend is one of our favorite towns in the US and definitely one you should visit while in Oregon. There are plenty of things to do in Bend, good shopping opportunities, and a fun, great atmosphere.
And great value accommodation options. In fact, we stayed in a motel in Bend, Oregon, that was the best cheap motel we had ever stayed in.
Oh, she must be exaggerating, I hear you saying.
Well, this is based on my own experience. And believe me, having stayed in hundreds of motels and hotels in the US, I have quite a bit of experience in that area. Read on to see why that little Bend motel got me so excited.
Why stay in Bend, Oregon, anyway?
Bend is a perfect place to stay while exploring the Oregonian High Desert. It's that perfect size of US town, just like Bozeman, MT, where you get -
- Fantastic outdoors right around the corner (within one hour drive from town)
- Peace and tranquility, and yet...
- A commercial hub with every major store you can think of or need
My post about things to do in Bend is one of the most popular posts on the blog. I'm so happy to see that so many people are looking for information about the town and have come here to find it!
And I felt like I owed one more post to all the wonderful people searching for Bend travel information. One that will deal with accommodation in this splendid town.
Ok, let's get to business.
I will start by telling you about the best budget motel experience we've had in our year and a half of traveling in North America.
The Dunes Motel in Bend, Oregon
We stayed at the Dunes Motel while visiting Bend, and this was hands down the best value-for-money motel we have stayed in. Ever. across eight countries, 46 US states, and several Canadian provinces.
I'm being serious here.
We love traveling, and during the past decade, we have stayed in hundreds of hotels and motels. Most of them are in the USA. The Dunes Motel in Bend was one of the cheapest we've ever booked.
I was worried this might not be a good bet. We've had mixed experiences with cheap motels in the past. Most of them were extremely basic Motel 6 joints, which was fine. As long as they were clean, we weren't too fussy.
We've learned to ask for that fourth towel when checking in (Motel 6s always have three towels—even when you stay as a family of four). We've also learned to get our meager cup of coffee from the reception in the morning—and nothing else. It's fine; we're not very fussy about motels.
We also had a couple of bad experiences with cheap motels. I know that bed bugs can happen anywhere - even in fancy hotels. But I've only seen the darn things twice, and both were in no-name motels.
So, don't blame me for being a bit apprehensive when booking our room in The Dunes Motel in Bend, Oregon at a very cheap rate in September.
I was so pleasantly surprised, though!
The place was not only super clean but also had a pampering feel to it! This is definitely not what I expected from a motel this cheap.
I didn't have time to take fancy photos because my boys were making themselves at home and getting on the excellent Wi-Fi connection right away.
Now, don't get me wrong here.
This is not a luxurious resort. It's a motel, duh.
The decor, attention to detail, extra pillows, and fluffy towels were a delight to find at this price point.
Here are a few more things to know about The Dunes -
- Free parking (motel style and next to your room)
- Some bathrooms have bathtubs
- Flat-screen TV's in every room.
- They have a 24/7 desk with very friendly service.
Click to find out more about the Dunes and check for vacancy and pricing at Booking
The caveats
Look, this is a budget motel. It's not the Ritz or the Hilton. I mentioned the attention to detail in the decor and stood behind that.
That doesn't mean the style was exceptionally sleek or modern. It wasn't. It had that old-fashioned feel, which some may like and others won't.
Also, this place is right by the main road. Again, that's a pro and a con at the same time. On the positive side, you can find it very easily just by driving through Bend. Also, the stores are just a few minutes drive away.
On the less-than-positive aspect, you don't have any view to speak of, and you're close to the main road. And this is where I need to remind you one last time that this is a motel, not a fancy hotel or resort.
What other accommodation options are available in Bend?
And just in case The Dunes is full, I prepared a list of other super affordable motels in Bend for you.
As you'll see, there's no shortage of budget motels. Bend is just a very affordable kind of place, I think—a great base for a value vacation in one of the prettiest states in the USA.
Cascade Lodge
The Cascade Lodge is another pearl of a motel where you really get a lot of bang for your buck.
A hotel with a swimming pool, great reviews, and rates under $100 a night is a rare find. Bend can be very hot during summertime, and if you're traveling with kids and want a swimming pool, this one should be high on your list.
Check your dates and rates for the Cascade Lodge here
Bunk + Brew Historic Lucas House
It's not a motel but more like a hostel with a personal touch. If you want to get a feel for historic Oregon, the aptly named Bunk + Brew is an excellent choice, as you'll be staying in Bend's oldest brick building.
This is a guest house in the traditional sense of the word. This means that guests share the bathrooms and kitchen. You can choose between dormitory rooms or private ones.
If you're willing to share your room with friendly travelers, you can pay just over $40 and get breakfast in the deal!
Check out this great option for solo travelers here
Still haven't found what you're looking for?
Here's a link to the list of Bend hotels/motels at Booking.com
The above are affiliate links, meaning if you make your reservations after clicking them, I'll get a small commission at no added cost. If you do that, you'll support my blog and help me keep writing about the places we travel to, hopefully helping others.
And in case the "still haven't found what you're looking for" triggered an earworm for you, let me scratch that itch for you with the actual song:
I hope you found this post helpful and that you found what you were looking for.
If you have any questions about Bend or motels in the US in general, leave me a comment, and I promise to answer them as soon as I can.