The Camas Hotel, located in the oldest commercial building in downtown Camas that was built in 1911, has been charming visitors with its historic details ever since it was founded. The hotel has been owned and operated by many people throughout its time, and when Dave and Terri Sauer purchased the hotel in 2016, the space had been recently completed and renovated to define it as a luxury boutique hotel.
The quaint hotel consists of 23 rooms, 15 of them with private bathrooms, and eight with shared European-style bathrooms. Because of the different types of rooms, there are various price points that attract people with a wide range of budgets. Currently, there are 10 employees on average that work at the hotel, and Terri said that the revenue growth has been pleasantly moderate, as downtown Camas becomes known as a destination location, both for locals and those that are passing through the area.
Terri explains that after commuting to Portland for 20 years, she was looking for a way to get involved in a more local business adventure. She said that the Camas Hotel grabbed her and her husband’s hearts right away.
“We both completely fell in love with the beauty, the history and the charisma of the Camas Hotel,” she said.
Terri goes on to explain that Camas has really started to grow and with that, so has the list of loyal hotel goers.
“The experience in Camas is becoming more of a destination for the arts, food, entertainment and tourism,” she said. “New restaurants, new retail and new pubs continue to open in downtown Camas with more live entertainment both on weekdays and weekends. The business community continues grow as well – more service and industrial businesses. The historic nature of the hotel attracts curious travelers and the uniqueness of the boutique hotel attracts trendy travelers. The Camas Hotel offers a unique and historic flavor that allows travelers to separate from the chain hotels.”
Because of its proximity to the majestic Columbia River Gorge and its convenient access just steps away from unique shops, the historic Liberty Theater, spas, salons and more, Terri believes that the hotel offers what people need to experience both nature and the city.
For people looking to know more about the history of the hotel, its founder Paul Hinz and Camas itself, there is a binder full of stories and pictures in the front lobby that give people a bit of insight into the hotel’s beginnings. And while the past plays a big part as to what the hotel is all about, Terri explains that the future is something that she and the staff are looking forward to.
“We are very excited about the future in Camas and in Clark County,” she said. “The new Vancouver Waterfront will attract more tourism and curious travelers to Southwest Washington, combined with Columbia River Gorge tourism. Camas continues to transition into a trendy and relaxing destination and is an excellent base to explore the region.”
The Camas Hotel is located at 405 NE 4th Ave., in Camas.
