Baker City Motel & RV Park — Hotel in Baker City

Ahh, the memories. This place is stitched right into the fabric of my childhood like a Kool-Aid mustache in a Polaroid photo.

Back in the 70s and 80s, the Baker City Motel & RV Park was our go-to stop when Mom needed her cigarettes. Right out front, tucked by the entrance, stood the holy grail of vending machines. You’d feed it a crisp dollar bill and pray it didn’t eat it like a hungry goat. If the machine was feeling generous, not only would it give you that soft-pack of Virginia Slims, it’d spit out a bit of change. That leftover change? Pure gold to a kid with a sugar agenda.

Because across town, in front of the school, there was a little store that made dreams come true. Penny candies lined up like colorful promises. Bazooka gum, wax bottles full of mystery juice, fireballs, and those weird little dots stuck to strips of paper that we all pretended were gourmet. One dollar went a long way. If you played your cards right, you could walk out of that store like a candy kingpin with sticky fingers and a wild grin.

But let’s talk about today. The Baker City Motel & RV Park has aged better than most of us. It’s clean, it’s friendly, and it’s got a kind of lived-in charm that makes you feel like you're part of something old and good. The cigarette machine is long gone, but the spirit of the place still lingers. Like a friendly ghost that minds its business and keeps the light on for you.

The rooms are tidy and well-kept, and the staff? Genuine. The kind of folks who smile at you without making it weird. It's the kind of place where you can breathe a little deeper, sleep a little easier, and maybe even feel a whisper of your past catching up with you in the best way.

It’s not just a motel. It’s a little time capsule sitting proudly in a world that’s forgotten how to slow down. And if you ever ran errands with a dollar bill and a dream, you’ll feel right at home here.

Five stars for the memories, four for the present, and one extra just for the penny candies...

We like to support local retro motels when on road trips so when looking for a place to stay along the way, we decided to book a room at the well-reviewed Baker City Motel. We booked over the phone directly and our reservation was accurate upon arrival. Check in was very efficient. This is a drive to your door type motel with off street free parking able to handle larger vehicles. It is on the south side of Baker City as you head out of town. Easy access to Hwy 84. It was a bit isolated though very quiet. Short drives will take you back into town to restaurants, shops and sites. There was easily accessible free internet. Our room had one queen bed with three pillows. The bed was unusual high off the ground. We liked the plank floors especially with our dog. The bathroom was a full bathroom with tub and shower. There was a table with two stools in a nook area near the bed. We had a Keurig, microwave and a larger mini-fridge with a large freezer section. There was a reliable ice machine kept in the office. The grounds were clean with two outside picnic tables. The pet fee was $25 and there was an added fee for processing charge cards. The hotel did not offer a breakfast. This town does have other local motel/hotel options some of which were not listed on some internet sites but if you just need a quiet clean place to stop for the night, Baker City Motel is a...

I had a great stay at Baker City Motel! It was super quiet and peaceful there; I could not hear anything from the rooms next to me, only occasional noise from outside. The room was clean, and the beds were comfortable. The staff were helpful and accommodating; they put me in a room where no pets had been, which was great since I’m allergic to cats. I enjoyed the plush thick towels they had. The room was equipped with a microwave, refrigerator, and a big mirror, which were all nice to have. One neat thing about this place was that I could park my car right outside the room; it was convenient to retrieve my things and felt secure that way too.

There were only a few downsides to this motel. One is that the WiFi connection was so poor that it didn’t work for me at all; I didn’t bother to troubleshoot since I didn’t really need it. Another is that the shower was very small — just big enough for a person to barely fit — and no bathtub; it was also not a problem for me. The last is that the heater works well but is very loud and drafty; I turned it off at night to avoid the noise and having air blowing on me.

Overall, my stay was excellent and I would recommend this motel to anyone...