On our recent road trip from Seattle to San Francisco, Chloe and I were traveling with our friend Chandler, a truly remarkable illustrator, who wanted to draw Mount Shasta, and neon signs in Dunsmuir and Redding, and the olive and almond trees in the Central Valley — so south we went on I-5 and Hwy. 99. We spent two nights on the road, in Ashland, OR and in Colusa, CA. Chandler found a lovely pet-friendly bungalow to stay in in Colusa (a town east of Williams and west of Yuba City), but in Ashland we chose to stay in the historic Ashland Springs Hotel. I should mention that I paid for this hotel stay — I’ll always let you know when something I’m reviewing has been paid for by someone else.

Called the Lithia Springs Hotel when it was built in 1925, the building has been a landmark ever since. The last time I was in Ashland, for the Shakespeare Festival, it was full, so my parents and I stayed elsewhere and gazed wistfully up the street. Rightly so — the Ashland Springs Hotel turns out to be comfortable, old-fashioned, and friendly, and not terribly expensive either. It’s located in the heart of Ashland’s adorable downtown, and no more than a block away from the theaters.

Here’s the lobby, furnished with comfortable armchairs, palms, and cabinets of antique natural specimens like shells and bird’s eggs:

Breakfast is served up on that balcony; some tables are over the front desk, but most are behind the tree branches, and have a view out the window.

And here is a panorama of my room, small but cozy, and with an updated (and spotlessly clean) bathroom:

The bathroom, behind that door on the right, is small but charming, and blessed with great water pressure.

Breakfast (essentially continental, with a few extras) is included, and is served on the mezzanine balcony over the lobby. The pet-friendly rooms are on the third floor, which has a convenient back entrance for quick bathroom runs. I felt perfectly welcome with leashed Chloe in the lobby, however — the front desk staff and the concierge all fell to pieces over her (and the concierge positively stuffed her with excellent organic jerky treats). The pet fee was $30 for the stay (the hotel accepts up to two pets per room). I’ll return happily, and the sooner the better.