Manzanita's Ocean Inn: Where Oregon Coast Oceanfront Meets Fun Details

Updated Periodically
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Manzanita, Oregon) – On the north Oregon coast, the tiny town of Manzanita has a way of sporting little surprises, often with big rewards. Ocean Inn is one of those pleasures: a hotel lodging with a wowing mix of great views, walking distance to everything beachy and civilized, and a smattering of fun history.

It all starts with a host of fun details in the amenities: coffee from Astoria Coffee Company, dark chocolates made for them by Bruce’s Candy Kitchen in Cannon Beach, and cookies by local legend Wanda’s Bakery & Café in Nehalem.

Ocean Inn is essentially a small number of buildings clustered together. They’re all located right on the beach, overlooking the strand at the bottom of Laneda Ave. It’s at the center of Manzanita, so it’s impossible to miss. Those calming waves – and the tempestuous ones of winter – are clearly visible from just about all rooms, along with the comforting, iconic and looming presence of Neahkahnie Mountain.

There are eight condo-like units and two with kitchenettes, and comely little carports beneath one set. Larger rooms have one bedroom, a full kitchen and wood stoves; and two of them come with ground floor decks facing the ocean. Others come with small balconies overlooking the ocean.

One room not only has an ocean view but a Jacuzzi. Another two have smaller views of the ocean. There is one room that is ADA compliant too.

Interiors often have magnificent wood walls, including one with a thick, knotted pine look that at once screams luxury and history. One oceanfront room sports a gleaming off-white color scheme with a vaulted ceiling and a mesmerizing half-circle skylight above the deck entrance.

Owner Janice Zagata said her husband Larry started the biz in the ‘90s and she joined on later, after marrying Larry. Originally, the beachfront building was vacation rentals.

There is some interesting history here at the Ocean Inn, she said.

“The beachfront building with four units was built in the very early 1940s,” Zagata said. “At that time it was apartments. There are still locals around who actually lived there as kids. I am not sure what it was before we purchased it.”

Larry started the whole operation of Ocean Inn originally with his sister, Penny Zagata-Erickson and her husband Steve Erickson.

“At that time Penny owned a rental business in town with many houses and rented our beachfront building with four units as vacation rentals,” she said. “In 1993 I joined in as a partner as well. In 1997 we tore down her office and built a building that has six rentals, four full apartment/condo-like units with full kitchens and two kitchenette units. Penny sold her vacation rental business at that time and we operated the main office for the hotel on the first floor of the newly-built building.”

This north Oregon coast beauty has had some brushes with celebrity as well, although Zagata couldn’t name all the names.

“There has been a fairly recent governor of Oregon who has stayed here, various newscasters and the entire Roloff family from the TV series, Little People Big World,” she said. “I believe that they were filming and vacationing here.”

You’ll find free wi-fi at the Ocean Inn, along with big screen TVs and a host of other distinctive amenities. Their website also has the only webcam for Manzanita, which is handy if you want to check out Oregon coast conditions before launching west from the valley. 2 Laneda Ave. Manzanita, Oregon. 503-368-7701. 866-368-7701. www.oceaninnatmanzanita.com.

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