A 1940s-style oceanfront resort in Cannon Beach featuring massive Douglas fir beams, a two-story basalt fireplace, and private suites overlooking Haystack Rock.
The Ocean Lodge stands on the southern edge of Cannon Beach, positioned directly on the oceanfront with a clear view of Haystack Rock. The property occupies the former site of the Major Motel, a 1950s-era motor lodge owned by Jack and Mary Jane Swynenberg from 1980 until 2001. In March of that year, hospitality developers Mike Clark, Tom Drumheller, and Patrick Nofield of Escape Lodging purchased the motel with a vision to build a timeless coastal retreat. Ground broke in January 2002, and the lodge opened its doors in November of the same year. Designed by Seattle-based Abbott Architecture, led by architects Ed Abbott and Michael Skidmore alongside interior designer Gabriele Heys, the building mimics a classic 1940s-style beach resort. Its exterior features sloping rooflines, weathered cedar shakes, and wide wrap-around verandas that look out toward the Pacific Ocean.
Inside, the main lobby is defined by massive, rough-hewn Douglas fir columns and beams that support the soaring ceiling, set over reclaimed and repurposed hardwood floors. The central anchor of the space is a dramatic, two-story wood-burning fireplace, hand-built by local stonemasons using basalt rock gathered from the Columbia River. An open loft library overlooks the lobby from the second floor, complete with its own fireplace, cozy seating, and shelves stocked with classic literature, poetry, and regional coffee table books. Adjacent to the library is the breakfast room, which is illuminated by a custom, hand-blown glass chandelier crafted by regional artist Andy Nichols. At night, this colorful glass sculpture glows brightly through the lodge's large display windows, creating a warm, whimsical beacon visible from the exterior.
The lodge offers 45 guest accommodations, split between 37 oceanfront studios and suites in the main building and eight additional units located in companion bungalow buildings across the driveway. Every room is designed with rustic elegance, featuring gas fireplaces, kitchenettes or wet bars, and private balconies or patios that face the ocean. Select premium rooms include deep jacuzzi tubs and A-frame windows. The guest experience is defined by highly personalized touches: a welcome glass of wine at check-in, fresh-baked cookies and hot beverages available around the clock, a complimentary continental breakfast, and a daily selection of saltwater taffy. For excursions into the village of Cannon Beach, the lodge provides a unique local shuttle service in a vintage Cadillac, chauffeuring guests to nearby galleries and restaurants. Designated pet-friendly rooms are also available, complete with special amenities for travelers with dogs.
Ask the front desk for a ride into town in the lodge's vintage Cadillac shuttle, and grab a handful of the complimentary saltwater taffy and fresh-baked cookies in the lobby before you head out.
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