Painted Hills Vacation - Cottages & Retreat — Hotel in Mitchell

First you need to know this is the only the second review I’ve ever written and that I have high expectations. Painted Hills Vacation Rentals was hands down the best place to stay for our day trips to the various parts of the John Day Fossil Bed area. Charming doesn’t begin to capture this place. Hollyhock, where we stayed, and the rest of the buildings were bursting with color and joy, along with being well tended. The gardens around the grounds hold a number of delightful surprises, lots of artwork, many places to sit and relax and provide a cool escape from the warmth of the surrounding area. The inside of the cottage held more than we could have asked, lots of natural light, recommendations for places to visit, many videos, board games and a kitchen that was well stocked beyond imagine (3 different machines for making coffee and an electric tea kettle!). The wifi was nice to have, especially since there is essentially no cell service in the area. I know it’s weird to boast about but the tap water was delicious, saving us a search for bottled water for our long hot days in the high desert. While there we met Barbara, one of the owners, and I hope to have her energy and vision when I catch up to her age. She loves this place and her mark can be seen all over town once you start to look for it, from the colorful murals to the shelves of the general store, where you can find the high quality bath and kitchen products provided in the cottage. They provided a great deal of information before we visited and emailed to make sure to have the accommodations set up as we desired before we arrived. Any questions we had they were ready to answer. Wish I lived closer so I could...

My husband and I brought our daughter’s family with us on an adventure to share the wonders of the John Day Fossil Beds National Park with them! What a wonderful 70th birthday celebration for me to have the 2 and 6 year old grandsons marvel at finding and seeing amazing rocks. Finding the Painted Hills Cottages In Mitchell was a god-send. The Sunset Cottage was huge with lots of room for the 6 of us to spread out and other areas to gather for comfortable memories. It is well appointed with lots of cooking pots and pans (we did miss spatulas and loaf pans - but can’t have everything!). And there is plenty of dishes and silverware for a huge crowd. The brochure says room for 15 but I think it may be able to handle even more the way it is designed. The decor is comfortable, homey, and colorful. The artwork is fantastic and don’t miss the lovely garden across the street. It is located on the bluffs overlooking the creek and tiny town of Mitchell on a super quiet street with a restful, peaceful view. It is well fenced and comfortable for all ages. I recommend staying in the Painted Hills Cottages any time you want a get away together, or to enjoy the richness of the local landscape, or just...

I had high expectations based on previous reviews for my stay in May. Unfortunately, for the price per night charged, it was not worth it. The cleanliness of the place leaves a lot to be desired. The shower curtain was mildewed, and the towels weren't much better. The "shared" toiletries weren't cleaned from the last guests.

Nothing was prepared for us, me and my dog. The yard wasn't secured for my dog which caused major panic. The patio wasn't inviting. Literally, I swept and cleaned the patio before I could enjoy the space.

The owner, Barbara Jacobi, allowed her unleashed dog to jump up on my car, scratching the passenger side where MY dog was sitting, causing my dog to scramble at the window side which then damaged the interior of my new Subaru. OMG.

It seemed to me that I was supposed to love the place because it was so special. Well, it wasn't special. I will stay in John Day the next time I go to...