OYO Silver Spur: Your Highway 20 Oasis in Burns, Oregon!
OYO Silver Spur: My Highway 20 Oasis – A Review That’s Probably Too Honest (and Maybe a Little Bit Crazy)
Okay, alright, buckle up buttercups! I just rolled out of the OYO Silver Spur in Burns, Oregon, and frankly, I need to download this whole experience before I start hallucinating tumbleweeds. They're calling it an "Oasis," and honey, in the middle of damn-near-nothing, it kinda is. But let's break this bad boy down, because honestly, there's a LOT to unpack.
(SEO & Metadata Time! – I’m supposed to do this, right?)
Keywords: OYO Silver Spur, Burns Oregon, Highway 20, Hotel Review, Accessible Hotel, Pool, Free Wi-Fi, Cleanliness, Breakfast, Restaurant, Spa (Maybe!), Fitness Center, Non-Smoking Rooms, Pet-Friendly (sort of), Family-Friendly, Accessibility, Burns Attractions, Oregon Hotels.
Categories: Accommodation Review, Travel Blog, Hotel Review, Oregon Travel.
(The Unpacking Begins – Be Warned, It Gets Real)
First Impression:
Driving into Burns, you’re greeted by… well, a whole lotta nothing. Which makes the Silver Spur feel like a beacon of hope, a tiny glint of civilization. It's a classic motel setup – exterior corridors, a slightly faded sign, and the promise of air conditioning (a must in the Oregon desert!). The exterior corridor is a bit of a trip down memory lane, but hey, it's the kind of place where you can leave your door open and still maybe feel safe-ish.
Accessibility: A Mixed Bag, But Brave Attempts
Okay, here’s where things get interesting. "Facilities for disabled guests" is listed. And they do try. I’m not in a wheelchair myself, but I peeked into a room with ramps and wider doorways. The elevator is a godsend for those with mobility issues. The main challenge is the age of the place – navigating around the sometimes-tight hallways is a bit of a workout. Still, props for trying.
Cleanliness and Safety: Seriously Impressive (and Slightly Overwhelming)
This is where the Silver Spur shines. I mean, they were practically begging me to sanitize! Anti-viral cleaning products, daily disinfection in common areas, hand sanitizer EVERYWHERE. They're practically running a hazmat operation in there! My room? Oh, it was practically sterile. I swear they used professional-grade sanitizing services. They even give you that little "room sanitization opt-out" sticker, which is a nice touch (even if it feels like you're defying the apocalypse if you do opt out). They are serious about cleanliness. I think part of me wished I’d brought a gas mask, just to level the playing field.
The Room: A Confession and a Few Quirks
My room? It was… classic motel. Think a king-sized bed (thank the heavens for that), a small desk – perfect for my laptop (and those late-night existential crises). The essentials were there: air conditioning (praise be!), a mini-fridge, TV (with a good selection of channels – I’m a sucker for late-night infomercials), and… wait for it… a bathtub AND a separate shower! (Luxury is relative). The blackout curtains were a godsend, blocking out the relentless Oregon sun that seems to burn all day. But the real star was the Internet!
Internet Access: Glorious, Glorious Wi-Fi!
Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! They deliver on that promise! The signal was strong, reliable, and probably the fastest internet I've had in weeks. I binged a LOT of Netflix. It was glorious.
Amenities: The Promised Land…and the Reality
Now, this is where things get a little…quirky. The website listed a spa? A sauna? A pool with a view? (Hold my beer)…Well, let's just say the "spa" looked like a room with a massage table. The "sauna"? I'm guessing somewhere. The pool? YES! Actually, the swimming pool was open and it was a lifesaver. It might not be a tropical resort pool, but after a long day of driving, that icy dip was sheer bliss.
Food, Glorious (and Sometimes Questionable) Food!
Let’s talk chow – or, more accurately, the lack of it. The "restaurants" are…well, it depends. The buffet was pretty standard hotel fare – eggs, toast, and the usual suspects. The restaurant downstairs had a small menu. The options were limited, but the portions… well, let’s just say I didn’t need to eat again until the next morning. I went with the "Asian" breakfast…It was alright. The coffee was surprisingly good, though.
Services and Conveniences: Mostly Present, Sometimes Questionable
Daily housekeeping? Check! Laundry service? They had it! The staff…well, depends on who you talked to. Some were friendly; others…perhaps a little less invested in the "hospitality" aspect of things. Contactless check-in/out was available, which is a pandemic-era blessing. They have a convenience store too, which is handy when the nearest grocery store is miles away.
Things to Do, Ways to Relax: Beyond the Motel Walls
Burns is… understated, shall we say? Hiking is a must. If you're into wide-open spaces, you'll be thrilled. Also, the fact that the Silver Spur is one of the only places to stay in town means that you don't really have many choices… which, in a weird way, is an advantage. No decision fatigue!
For the Kids: Family-Friendly (to a Point)
Family-friendly? Sure. They have cribs (probably). But this isn’t a theme park. It’s a motel on Highway 20. Manage expectations, parents. But there is a swimming pool, which helps.
The Verdict: Is the Silver Spur an Oasis?
Look, it's not the Ritz. It's a solid motel. It's clean. It's got Wi-Fi. It has a pool in a town that could use a little bit more… well, entertainment. The staff is friendly, the rooms are decent, and for the price, you can't complain.
Would I stay again? Probably. Because sometimes, all you need is a clean bed, a hot shower, and a solid Wi-Fi connection in the middle of nowhere. And the Silver Spur delivers on that, bless its slightly faded heart. Just…don't expect a spa. Or a sauna. Or maybe even a whole lot of "happy hour." But hey, that pool is good. And that Wi-Fi? It's divine.
Escape to Paradise: Adults-Only Luxury at Blu Hotel Natura & Spa, Folgaria
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because this isn't your perfectly-curated travel brochure itinerary. This is real life, Burns, Oregon style, and it's gonna get a little…well, let's just say it won't be winning any awards for organizational prowess. Welcome to the chaotic symphony of me, versus Highway 20, and the majestic, slightly dusty charm of the OYO Silver Spur.
Day 1: Arrival in the Surprisingly Windy Wilderness (and a Near-Disaster with the Hotel Key)
- 1:00 PM - Drive-In of Despair (and Hope): Okay, first things first. The drive into Burns? Brutal. And by brutal, I mean…lots of nothing. Miles and miles of sagebrush, and tumbleweeds that threaten to stage a coup on your windshield. Seriously, I started hearing old cowboy ballads in my head. My inner monologue was screaming, "Are we there yet?" Then, finally, a sign! Burns. Civilization! And the promise of air conditioning in the OYO Silver Spur.
- 2:00 PM - Check-in and a Prayer: The OYO Silver Spur. It's…characterful. Let's go with that. The lobby smelled vaguely of cleaning products and hope (that's a good thing, right?). The guy at the front desk, Bless his heart, looked like he'd seen a few things, and I suddenly felt a kinship with him. Check-in was smooth enough, though I swore I saw a dust bunny the size of a small dog scuttle across the floor. No matter! Air conditioning!
- 2:15 PM - Room Reconnaissance and the Great Key Fiasco: Okay, here's where things got dicey. I got to my room, and the key card…didn't work. Twitch. Tried again. Nope. I started to panic. Was I doomed to spend the night in the parking lot, battling rogue tumbleweeds? Thankfully, after three trips back to the front desk and a near-breakdown, they finally got the card reprogrammed. Victory! I threw myself onto that bed like a victorious gladiator.
- 3:00 PM - Local Grub and Minor Panic Attacks: Time for food! I decided to be adventurous and try the "Rusty Spur." It's right down the road, and seemed promising. Okay, I ordered the burger; it was… a burger. The fries were surprisingly good. While I was eating, I was secretly terrified that I wouldn’t see any people. It’s a small town (obviously I knew that), but I kept imagining scenarios where the Internet service went out, and I’d be alone with my thoughts and a very lonely burger.
- 6:00 PM - Evening Stroll and a Revelation: I went for a walk around the hotel. The sky was HUGE. Like, unbelievably huge. The air was fresh, and the wind was, well, relentless. I’m not gonna lie; I felt a little bit…small. But in a good way. It was humbling. It grounded me. It was a moment of genuine, unexpected peace.
- 7:30 PM - Back to the Ranch (Which is the Hotel): Netflix and chill (alone) in my air-conditioned haven. It was perfect.
Day 2: The Wild West, Dust Bunnies, and the Allure of the Local Dive
- 8:00 AM - Breakfast…or the Lack Thereof: The OYO Silver Spur offered…a continental breakfast. Let's just say, the coffee was doing its best, the powdered donuts were…well, powdered, and I'm pretty sure the plastic-wrapped muffins had seen better days. I’d packed some granola bars. Crisis averted!
- 9:00 AM - Exploring (Sort Of): I decided I needed a bit of adventure. So, I did the most stereotypical tourist thing possible and drove around town. There’s a gorgeous town square! It's a very cute town with historical buildings. I didn't do much exploring. I’m not a huge explorer.
- 11:00 AM - The Hotel Room's Secret Life: Let's talk about details. The room was clean(ish), but every time the wind, and the wind never stops, it whistles through the windows. The TV has a weird, almost static-filled picture. And…did I mention the dust bunnies? They're multiplying! I think they're plotting something. I'm starting to see them.
- 12:00 PM - Lunch at the…Okay Place: My stomach was rumbling, so I went to Main Street. I grabbed a sandwich at a little place, “The Daily Grind" or something like that. It was…fine.
- 2:00 PM - The Long Drive! I considered getting out of town. But I’m really a homebody, and this place has grown on me. The solitude. The quiet. The wind. I settled on another show.
- 6:00 PM - The Dive Bar Experience (and a Confession): Tonight, I did it. I plunged into local culture. I hit up the "Silver Dollar Saloon." It might have been 70% regulars, 30% curious tourists (hello!). The music was, shall we say, spirited. I had a beer (or two), chatted with the bartender (a font of local knowledge), and generally felt like I was participating in the life of Burns. The best part? I discovered they had karaoke. I couldn't resist. So, I sang a VERY shaky rendition of "Man! I Feel Like a Woman." No regrets.
- 8:00 PM - Back to my dust bunny lair. I might have picked a few more dust bunnies for company. Then I curled up in bed happily drunk on the experience…. and the beer.
Day 3: Departure and the Unspoken Promise of "Someday"
- 8:00 AM - Continental Breakfast, Part Deux: Same as yesterday. I actually started to feel a weird fondness for those sad little muffins. Maybe, just maybe, they were growing on me.
- 9:00 AM - Last Hotel Room Glance: The dust bunnies are still there, plotting…I think.
- 9:30 AM - Goodbye, Burns! I checked out. The guy at the front desk gave me a friendly wave.
- 10 AM - THE DRIVE! (Again…) The drive out was… quieter. I found myself actually missing that endless expanse of sagebrush. Or maybe it was just the quiet after my karaoke performance.
- 1:00 PM - The Verdict? Burns, you were… unexpected. You were dusty, you were windy, you were a little bit rough around the edges, and you were completely captivating. This wasn’t a perfect vacation, but that’s okay. I think I'll be back someday, dust bunnies and all.
So… What *is* this whole FAQ thing about, anyway? My grandma asked, and honestly, I blanked.
Right?! Grandma's a legend, bless her heart. Okay, picture this: you're lost in a jungle of information, drowning in a sea of jargon. FAQs are like little life rafts, floating around, promising to answer your burning questions. "Frequently Asked Questions." Sounds official, right? But in reality, it's usually just a bunch of helpful souls – or sometimes, very opinionated ones (me, sometimes) – trying to untangle a specific topic. So, basically, it's a way to save yourself from endlessly Googling and potentially falling down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories. And if you're lucky, they'll actually *answer* your questions. (Spoiler alert: sometimes they don't.)
Why is this FAQ so… different? Like, it feels… real? Is that even allowed?
Hah! You noticed! Okay, the *official* rules of FAQ-ing mean a dry, factual presentation, like reading a tax form. But life ain't a tax form, is it? I'm breaking the rules because, frankly, I find the robotic, emotionless approach utterly *soul-crushing*. I'm here to connect, to share, to maybe make you chuckle a little (or cringe, happens!). So, yes, this FAQ is different. It's got opinions. It's got anecdotes. It's got the messy, imperfect truth. You know, like actual humans. And as for 'allowed', well… they can’t stop me! (Probably…)
Okay, okay, I’m on board. But what's the *actual* topic we're, you know, *faqing* about here? (Or is it all just meta-faq-ing?)
Good question! Look, I've got a serious case of "shiny object syndrome," so sticking to one single topic right now would be a struggle. Let's *say* this FAQ is... about FAQs themselves, or perhaps about the *process* of creating them. Essentially, we're diving into the weird and wonderful world of answering questions. About answering questions. See? Meta. It allows for the freedom to be slightly… off-kilter. And honestly? Isn't that more fun?
Are you making this up as you go? Because it feels like it.
Guilty as charged! It's partly planned, sure. I mean, I *did* think about some questions beforehand, like how to write a good query, and how to make sure people actually read this thing to the end (which, let's face it, is a real gamble). But the real magic, the juicy bits, come from the moment. From the messy, spontaneous flow of thoughts that I'm hoping makes this more interesting than the average FAQ. So, yes, a lot of it is made up ad-lib, a stream-of-consciousness that hopefully won't lead to a complete train wreck. Cross your fingers for me!
Alright, let's get practical. What makes a *good* FAQ, in YOUR absolutely-not-humble opinion?
Oh, this is where the snark comes out, baby! A good FAQ? First, it ACTUALLY answers the frequently asked questions! Seems obvious, but you'd be amazed. Avoid jargon like the plague. Write like you're talking to a person (a slightly sarcastic one, perhaps, but still a person). Use examples, because who doesn’t love an example? And, for the love of all that is holy, DO NOT be boring. If you’re boring, you’re dead to me. (Just kidding… mostly).
Help! I'm trying to write a FAQ, and I'm staring at a blank screen. What's the BEST way to start?
Okay, deep breaths. Blank screen anxiety is a *thing*, a real, terrifying creature that feeds on your self-doubt. My advice? Don't start with the perfect opening. Just vomit (metaphorically, please!) all your thoughts onto the page. Literally just answer the questions that pop into your head. Then, go back, edit, and refine. I often start by listing the questions FIRST. Then, I start writing the answers as if I’m explaining it to my slightly-clueless best friend. He *loves* to ask questions, and it helps keep the tone conversational. Seriously, just get *something* down. You can always polish it later.
Is it okay to have a little "personality" in my FAQ? Or should I stick to the dry, facts-only thing?
Personally? ABSOLUTELY YES! Unless you're writing about rocket science for NASA, maybe. But I'd inject some personality even there, if I could get away with it. The world is already drowning in boring content. The more you can inject your own unique voice and perspective into it, the better. Now, I'm not saying go wild and start dropping f-bombs. (Unless it feels *right*.) But a little snark, a little humor, a *human* touch can go a long way to making your FAQ engaging and memorable.
I wrote a FAQ, and nobody seems to be reading it. What gives? Did I do everything wrong?
First, breathe. It’s agonizing, I know. Secondly, a LOT of factors come into play outside of just the writing. But let’s assume the writing is good (you took my advice, right?). Are you *promoting* your FAQ? Did you tell anyone it existed? Is it easy to find (SEO!) Google? Are you sure you covered all the *right* questions? Are you *sure* you used enough witty remarks? It's also possible the topic is just… not that exciting. This is where you need to be honest with yourself. Maybe you need to revisit the content, the target audience, or even add a little more… flair. But don’t despair. SEO, promotion, and *patience* are often the keys. And maybe a little bit of dark humor. It's a long game!
Okay, I'm feeling brave. Is there something that just, flat-out, makes a FAQ bad? Like, a total, "delete it and start over" level mistake?
