Originally Posted by
bhrubin
I was surprised, too...until you realize that everything in/near Salem IS fully booked, leaving not a lot of other options. I don't want to even envision the nightmarish traffic from Portland on Aug. 21 into the total eclipse zone...

Well, as someone who was born and bred in Salem and the Willamette Valley, I think this is all for the best. I've been gone for many years, but my parents still live there and we visit occasionally and I can think of almost no hotel or restaurant that would likely meet your standards in Salem.
Regards
P.S. Oh, and by the way, my parents home does not have air conditioning

(common in most older Oregon homes)