The next time I have visitors staying overnight in my area, I’m recommending they stay at the Valley River Inn.
Even though I live here in Eugene, I have stayed there before and eaten at the restaurant a few times. I enjoy the food very much and really like what they’ve done with the remodel on this hotel, which has been part of the community in Eugene for a long time.
The Valley River Inn in Eugene reopened last year after a really nice renovation, and their new poolside dining service makes it an even more ideal destination for visitors seeking both relaxation and adventure.
Valley River Inn holds the unique distinction of being one of Eugene’s only riverfront hotels. There are other hotels on the river, notably the ones along Franklin Boulevard near campus. Still, you don’t have a reason to be near campus, you might not necessarily want to choose those.
The Valley River Inn property sits directly on the beautiful Willamette River, with many rooms offering riverside views. They are particularly beautiful during the summer months when the sky is blue, the water is fresh and cold, and the trees are green.
As you’ll see in my previous account of my stay (linked above), the river is beautiful anytime. Winters in Eugene are often gray, so the water just looks especially beautiful in the summertime.
The hotel’s position along the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path System makes it perfect for people who want to bring their dogs and be able to easily take them for a walk — the hotel has dog-friendly rooms on the first floor. Go for a run, go for a bike ride, or bird watch along the trail right outside your door.
The hotel provides complimentary bicycles for guests to use for up to two hours at a time, making it easy to explore Eugene’s extensive network of bike paths with the kids. If the hotel doesn’t have bikes, another way you can experience the city or river trails by bike by using the bike share program sponsored by the local hospital, PeaceHealth. Look for the sky blue bikes — you download an app and pay as you go, only 19 cents a minute, and then leave the bike wherever you end up. On our day at the hotel, there were also a couple of hotel bikes and a couple of bike share bikes right there.
And here’s a bonus that busy parents will appreciate: The other reason that Valley River Inn is a cool choice is because it shares a parking lot with Valley River Center, a shopping destination that also has a huge arcade and movie theater. Your family will not be bored.
We loved the brick arches and river views.
Poolside Dining, With a Few Quirks
The reason I went back to the hotel is because we wanted to try the pool now that it was summertime, and we also got to order from the new poolside lunch menu from the on-site restaurant, Sweet Waters on the River.
With Eugene’s perfect pool weather — daily temperatures usually range between 80 and 90 degrees — families can spend entire afternoons lounging by the outdoor pool and order delicious Pacific Northwest cuisine brought right to you whenever you feel like it.
Highlights include fresh salads, bruschetta topped with Roma tomatoes and whipped ricotta, and a standout Sweet Waters burger with Tillamook extra sharp cheddar. We got the bruschetta and also upgraded our fries to garlic truffle fries, which were delicious. Kids will gravitate toward the crispy chicken tenders and a mac and cheese, with creamy fontina cheese and toasted breadcrumbs on the top, though parents will also enjoy these tasty delicacies.
Comfy seating areas and tasty eats!
Rather than poolside table service, guests order using QR codes that connect to an online ordering system. The pool menu didn’t have a drinks menu. We discovered that you can get drinks poolside, but you have to go in and order them from the restaurant or from the hotel lobby desk so they know to put the beverages in plastic cups, which is understandable for pool safety.
And all food – even the more elegant items like the crostini and the charcuterie and cheese plates — are delivered in takeout containers.
These service elements didn’t diminish the quality of the food or the overall experience for us, except that it would be nice to find a way to plate some items better so that the nicer items like the crostini and the charcuterie plate are presented a little less casually. The trade-off is reasonable pricing and the flexibility to enjoy quality restaurant food in a relaxed poolside setting.
Pool views at Valley River Inn
Beyond the Pool
We have really enjoyed the rooms we’ve stayed in. Every time we walk into the hotel, we both say how much we like the modern lodge look. There’s a whole wall of books to browse, a huge fireplace, and a large table for business work. You’ll also see a few nice and cozy seating areas where you can work, talk, or have a cup of coffee.
For families, the location offers the best of both worlds: a peaceful retreat setting surrounded by mature trees and lush landscaping, close enough to Eugene’s attractions and amenities to keep everyone entertained. The combination of its riverside location, convenient shopping and activities for families like the movie theater and the arcade, free bike rentals, the delicious on-site restaurant, and now poolside dining makes it the best hotel in town as far as I’m concerned.
After I was done at the pool, I went to the Sweet Waters on the River restaurant for a nightcap. I got the whiskey flight which is a sampling of four, half-ounce pours, and the strawberry butter bake dessert. The dessert is seriously the best restaurant dessert I’ve ever had. I don’t know exactly what a butter bake is, but it was dense but rich, packed with buttery flavor, sort of like a strawberry shortcake but more buttery.
I tried to find the recipe for my wife. I even asked at the hotel desk about it because it was so good, and they told me that it was the personal recipe of someone who works there. It’s definitely something we’ll return for.
Strawberry butter bake, plus a whiskey flight from Sweet Waters!
As I’ve mentioned before, it’s so relaxing to sit by the river to have a drink or a nice meal, especially because so there are so few restaurants where you can do that in Eugene. We really love the brick and arches of the Sweet Waters on the River restaurant and are so glad they preserved those cool features in the remodel.
The next morning I ordered breakfast and got avocado toast, bacon, eggs, potatoes, and some fruit. The bacon here is really good too.
I checked out the lobby options for things you can purchase which I hadn’t looked at the night before, and I was impressed that you could get some solid food for a low price. Since you have a microwave in your room, you could get something quick and easy like a microwave pasta meal or ice cream to take back to your room. They also had coffee, pastries, and some alcoholic beverages you could have in your room.
Valley River Inn: A Eugene Hospitality Standout
Valley River Inn represents what I think is the best kind of local renovation — they’ve updated everything that needed updating while keeping what made the place special in the first place. For families visiting Eugene, you really can’t do better than Valley River Inn. The kids will love the pool and the arcade next door, parents will appreciate the riverside views and quality food, and everyone will enjoy having Eugene’s best outdoor activities right at their doorstep.
It’s become my go-to recommendation, and after experiencing everything they have to offer, I’m confident your family will love it too.
And honestly? It’s the kind of place that makes you want to extend your stay an extra night. Especially if it means another chance at that strawberry butter bake dessert — seriously, if you stay here, don’t skip dessert at Sweet Waters. Trust me on this one.
