Manzanita's Spindrift Inn: Subtleties of Oregon Coast History Blend with the Modern

Published 04/10/2019 at 8:50 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Manzanita, Oregon) – Closing in on 75 years now, one little north Oregon coast motel has weathered the best and the worst of times in Manzanita. The Spindrift Inn has become a quiet little hotspot in the tiny town, a delightful mix of the modern and historic. Among the town’s more reasonably priced accommodations (and remarkably so), they offer up a generous amount of quaintness for a smaller-than-average price.

The past collides gracefully with post-millennial conveniences behind those ornate exterior walls. Colors that are subtle and yet startlingly beautiful adorn the interior architecture, adding to the time-tripping vibe as they simultaneously recall both days gone by and 21st century design.

It all started back in 1946, according to manager Kris Dhittle.

“It was originally called Gray Court Manzanita,” she said. “It was built to accommodate families right after World War II, to give them a place to stay and a respite after that war. It has always been a motel.”

Over the decades, it changed hands, changed names, and sometimes got a little worse for the wear. Around the turn of the 21st century, the lobby was a tad shabby and you sometimes smelled cat pee.

In the first few years of the century, local businessman Stewart Martin bought up the place and began turning it around, including briefly adding the Bistro Manzanita restaurant next door. Several years ago he in turn sold it to the Crimson Capital group (which also owns the Inn at Manzanita across the street as well as other lodgings around the Oregon coast). The building next door became the fabulous Mexican restaurant El Trio Loco, and the Spindrift forged ahead.

Dhittle said other remodels and redo’s put the tiny motel under the knife in recent years, as they updated furniture, carpeting, redid the kitchenettes in some units and other tweaks.

The Spindrift Inn sits only two blocks from the beach, so you can hear those waves breaking not far away. It’s about the most soothing and comforting sound you can fall asleep to that’s ever been invented.

Then there’s a cool secret behind the walls of the Oregon coast elder statesman: the inner garden. Most rooms open up to a garden on the inside of the building, with a few chairs and lots of flowers.

“You can hear the ocean from there,” Dhittle said.

Most of the rooms at Spindrift Inn are pet friendly. They come in a variety of sizes: from smaller to family size, and even some that feature full kitchens. 114 Laneda Avenue, Manzanita, Oregon. Toll-free (877) 368-1001. www.spindrift-inn.com. More photos of the Inn below:

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