Hidden Tips

Watch for Deer: Lakeview is well known for its "urban deer." Mule deer freely wandering through town streets and hotel parking lots. Drive slowly when approaching the hotel, particularly at dusk as they have no fear of vehicles.

A few minutes drive north of the hotel is Hunter's Hot Springs. The well-known geyser, "Old Perpetual" sometimes goes through dormant phases but it is worth seeing if it has woken up and is performing. If not, the nearby hot springs resort is a bit of history itself.

Fill the Tank: If you are heading east towards the Steens Mountain or Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge from the hotel, fill your gas tank in Lakeview. There are essentially no services for hundreds of miles once you leave town.

Stargazing: You are in the heart of the Oregon Outback Dark Sky Sanctuary. You don’t have to drive far­—just a few miles outside of town, park safely off the road and look up. The Milky Way is insanely bright here because there is no light pollution.

Office Hours: As is the case with many indie motels, someone might not always be at the front desk. If you’re arriving super late at night, call ahead and make sure they leave a key for you or give you the lockbox code.