Oregon's
coastline is full of secrets: veiled
pleasures and surprises, clandestine,
deserted beaches and hidden gems
peppering the towns in the form of
lodgings or eateries.
But perhaps the most stunning secret
on all of Oregon's coast lies just
outside of the art and culture mecca
of Cannon Beach, on the north coast.
There's a castle a bit south of town,
hidden behind the walls of trees just
north of the Arch Cape Tunnel. You
can become king and queen here, at
this insanely romantic spot that smacks
of something between the Bavarian castle
that inspired Disneyland's signature
structure and the Oregon ski lodge
featured in "The Shining."
St. Bernard's Bed & Breakfast
is a remarkable and elegant construction
peppered with artistic details, containing
seven striking guestrooms filled with
antiques, beautiful furnishings and
a sense of the Victorian fused with
modern grace.
On one particular night in April,
I arrive at St. Bernard's close to
8:30 p.m., and it's pitch black. I've
been here before a few times and seen
bits of it, but for the first time
I park in back, spotting the charming
strings of lights in the garden and
on the walls, as well as the two deer
figures made of light bulbs. I stop
to stare and gawk at these, and at
the archway going through the building,
half expecting to see a member of some
royal family show up in a carriage
and be ushered out by some servant.
Inside the enormous front door, owner
Barbara Dau invites me in and up the
snaking, stone stairway into the living
room. Here, chandeliers and classy
furniture inhabit the area, with a
nifty little rounded nook in one corner
- obviously part of the "tower." In
the early evenings, Barbara hosts "social
hours" for the guests here, featuring
wine and camaraderie in front of the
fireplace.
I arrive too late for this, of course,
but Barbara tells me these can sometimes
be fun-packed and lively, while at
other times none of the guests show
up at all. It's a no-pressure event,
and with incredible beaches just a
block away - who can blame them? Just
across the street are the pristine,
immaculate sands of Arch Cape, a tiny
unincorporated community which contains
one store and a smattering of homes.
In front of it sits a gorgeous stretch
of beach that runs for miles to the
north, while immediately to the south
hovers a craggy basalt cliff, where
access to a wild and weird rocky cove
is occasionally granted by low tides.
The rooms at St. Bernard's Bed & Breakfast
are jaw dropping - at the very least.
The "Ginger" ($179) features
blue and white fabrics, oriental ginger
jars and a life seat, with a king size
bed from Austria. In "Gaugin" ($169)
there's a cozy window seat, a funky
bathtub, muted pastels of the artist
and a queen size bed. The stunning "Heather" ($189)
is on the top floor and features a
private deck, vaulted ceilings and
a sitting area with a life seat. The "Parisian" ($149)
comes with soothing, hand painted floral
wallpaper, a window seat, a wingback
chair, and has a Victorian vibe. The
gorgeous "Tower" is in the
tower and it's huge ($209), with a
sitting area, large soaking tub, various
antiques, and it's draped in dreamy
white lace. The "Provence" ($209)
is on the garden level and is sequestered
away from the rest of this small palace,
with terra cotta floors, Jacuzzi and
French doors opening into a private
patio.
My room was the "Tapestry" ($209),
with an incredible king size bed, engaging
tapestries on the wall and floor, a
big French armoire, and enormous soaking
tub that screams honeymoon hangout.
There's a curious little reading nook
with a stained glass ceiling, and the
TV comes encased in a cute replica
of a castle.
At night, the ocean was the only sound
you heard: soothing and cozy beyond
belief.
In the morning, I notice the window
(ironically) gazes straight out to
a view of Castle Rock - just offshore
from Arch Cape.
Morning also means a luscious, gourmet,
home cooked meal prepared by Dau herself.
Dau was a chemist in her former life
in Chicago, and joked that meal making
must be an extension of that part of
chemists that like to cook things.
(Given this castle vibe, I laugh to
myself and imagine her in a lab coat,
cackling sports ally as she whips up
a dish while lighting thunders all
around).
Guests sit together in the beautiful
atrium-like dining room, where they
chat and get to know each other. I
sat with a young couple from Portland
and another older couple from Michigan
who have been regulars since the place
started in 1995. In fact, they were
among the first guests in its first
two weeks.
Besides these numerous, memorable
amenities, St. Bernard's offers gift
certificates. Dau also offers wedding
packages that accommodate up to 60
people and her signature, wondrous
cooking.
Other irresistible elements of this
area include more secret beaches just
to the south and north. A few miles
north, you'll find the mesmerizing
Hug Point, which is stuffed with odd
and intriguing geologic formations
like funky sea caves, a waterfall and
various shapes and cracks in the cliffs.
Its most interesting landmark is a
chunk of road blasted out of a basalt
promontory - a remnant of when the
beaches were the only real highway
the coastal region had, back around
1910. You can even see the leftovers
of a traffic light embedded in the
rock. In Cannon Beach, you'll find
a huge array of upscale restaurants
that are legendary, as well as some
Lewis & Clark landmarks.
