Balch Hotel

This place is amazing! I made reservations for me and my sister, who I haven’t seen in seven years. I asked for the celebration package to surprise my sister and I ended up being surprised as well! When our room was ready, we were not only impressed with our accommodations, more beauty and comfort, but with our surprise package as well. We found a bouquet of fresh flowers along with gift bags, a bottle of wine, chocolates, fresh fruit, and the most thoughtful note written by the staff member who set up our room. My sister and I were both happy weepy after reading it!
The hotel itself is a charming relic from the past that offers both a beautiful and comfortable setting. It is surrounded by an immaculate yard complete with gardens, a pond, yard art, and lovely grass to lie upon. The bistro served delicious food, including the most perfect breakfast. More importantly, the staff was extremely friendly, welcoming, and always at the ready to make our visit as perfect as possible. The town of Dufur was charming as well and I definitely recommend a stop at the market.
I cannot say enough good things about our stay at The Balch Hotel. Upon our arrival, I immediately felt that I had entered a happy, comfy, and calm state of being that I look forward to repeating with a return visit. This is a hotel not to be missed!

From the moment we drove up and parked,we were warmly greeted and welcomed. The ambience of this grand historic hotel is comfort and delight. Our room was well appointed and the bed so cozy. It all harkens back to the days of luxury and beauty. The grounds are lovely and we enjoyed every moment! We will be returning!

The Balch is a gem in a beautiful part of Oregon. My wife and I stay there in the spring to do some bike riding around the area. There are so many spots to relax both inside and outside the hotel. The staff is very friendly and responsive. Lots of great books about the history of the area in their library. If you just want a place to chill out for a couple of days in a serene setting, give it a try. Dufur is also a sweet town.

What I love about the Balch Hotel is the relaxed pride that the proprietors and staff have for this treasure of an inn. They keep the place beautiful and clean at all times with warm smiles and homey politeness. Although a 15 minute drive away from the Historic Columbia River Gorge, this restored historic hotel is a great place to land for quiet, restful, and friendly nights when taking in the beauties of the Gorge. Between outings for site seeing, the hotel is a place to read or write, enjoy a fire or a meal. It’s a cozy comfy home away from home.

At the Balch Hotel, we soaked in a claw foot bath tub with healing aromatic bath salts, AHHHH! And in the sunny spacious dining room, we enjoyed the locally sourced healthy cuisine for breakfast and dinner, and met fellow travellers who were happy to share recommendations about their favorite drives, sites, and places to listen for birds.

We love The Balch! Very accommodating and cozy. Feels like stepping back in time in all the right ways. The property is clean and well kept, staff is friendly & helpful, an overall wonderful experience every time we stay.

Such a charming old hotel! The downstairs large room had books, games, comfortable chairs and a great playlist for hanging out. The rooms are cozy and clean, and the outdoor fireplaces looked like fun (unfortunately raining the night I was there). Be advised to call ahead for the restaurant, as they will only open the kitchen if they know people are going to be eating there (or if there are a lot of people staying there). The food was delicious and the service was above and beyond! So friendly and accommodating, I had to leave before 7 am and they set up the coffee and a breakfast for me so I could help myself in the morning before the kitchen opened. Hope to stay there again!

A true gem - restful, charming and the owners and all who work at the Balch Hotel are a delight.

In an age of chain hotels, the opportunity to step away from electronics and enjoy conversation, hiking, biking, wine tasting or simply to crack open a good book is a treasure.

Absolutely love this place.

Charming hotel off the beaten path. Very friendly, welcoming, helpful staff. Comfortable rooms. Everything clean and well cared for. Nice grounds for a stroll.

This hotel is in a very remote but spectacular location. The view is breathtaking. My visit was a little over a week long. I was in the area for work and plan to revisit again one day with my spouse.

We really enjoyed our stay here over this last weekend. Love the historical aspect and keeping things simple. They added a nice touch for a request for my boyfriends birthday. Highly recommend if you're wanting to get away and spend some quiet time together.

I love staying at this hotel! Small town charm, the hotel cat even took us for a walk along the street, and the patio is so beautiful at night! We love exploring the gorge and coming back to enjoy our wines with dinner and a relaxed adult environment. We will be repeat customers for years to come!

Charming and comfortable hotel, in a beautiful location. Attentive and gracious hosts. Highly recommend for a special occasion or just a weekend getaway.

We had great time.. wedding anniversary..beautiful property with charming friendly staff… I’d requestEd a flower arrangement.. as a surprise for Joan… and it was beautiful… flowers balloons nice card and small gift .. so thoughtful.. we also enjoyed dufer.. eastern view of hood fantastic… a town that maybe time forgot, but is obviously beginning to remember…Joan and jer

We stayed at the Balch on a bike tour of the area - we were blown away by the gracious hospitality of the staff. They called us to make sure they had dinner ready for us when we finished biking for the day and it was such a delicious meal! The hotel and town have such rich history that you feel immersed in. Would love to stay again!

We just had dinner here so I can't speak to the rooms. The location is off the beaten path which is what we usually look for. The service was outstanding! So helpful and friendly!! The food was just as good too!! So take the road less traveled and stay or just have a delicious meal at the historic Blach hotel!!

This is a lovely historic inn. It is close to the MaryHill museum and wineries. Guests should know it is not ADA compatible, but other than that it is a charming place to stay. If you get a room in the front the view towards the mountains is spectacular.

The Halloween Haunted House was very fun and well done. The staff accommodating and breakfast delicious. The little town is rich in pioneering history. Amazing market with fresh natural products.

This was our 53rd - replay of 50th dimmed by covid - anniversary. We were looking for exceptional and unique ambiance and service. At our age we were concerned about how many times we could make it to the 3rd floor but based on a recommendation by a friend we took the chance. When we arrived Lizzy cheerfully grabbed all of our bags and equipment and hoofed it to our room. At breakfast it was offered to deliver but we opted to eat out in the beautiful shade covered garden with cheerful bird song and delicate warm breeze. We had intended to spend the day reading in our delightful and cozy room but it was so comfortable and cheery outside that we read and talked and remembered in the garden. Well-done Balch crew on making another fond memory.

In July 2016 we held a large wedding at the Historic Balch Hotel. Our family and friends (many of which were guests staying at the Hotel) were blown away by the timeless beauty of the venue, relaxed atmosphere, and outstanding customer service provided by the Balch team. My experience planning and teaming with Josiah and Claire was wonderful. They were organized, considerate and generous throughout our discussions and collaborations. The compliments we received after the wedding regarding the venue have been endless and we could not be happier with our wedding celebration. The Balch Hotel is a true gem in the Columbia River Gorge. Thank you, thank you for all you did to make our celebration so wonderful!

We loved the Balch hotel. It is perfect with simple old rooms and antiques throughout. The downstairs common areas are comfortable, beautifully decorated, and include a small library. The restaurant is excellent--delicious! The grounds are delightful. The staff was very helpful and friendly. It is NOT a modern hotel: bathroom down the hall, no closet, no TV, no elevator, old windows that are hard to open and only have screens if you ask the management for them. It is located on the edge of an old town near farm fields. If you want character and history, this is the place. The town has few services (a tavern, a small cafe, and a gas station), but we loved the open air museum with old farm equipment. We took drives to White River Falls & Mt. Hood National Forest.