Midwest hotel franchise GrandStay to build in Sisters

A Midwest-based hotel franchise is choosing Central Oregon for its first location in the West. A 39-room GrandStay hotel is coming to Sisters.

The city has already approved the site plan, and Deschutes County is now reviewing the building plans. Construction is expected to begin in the spring on a parcel of land near Ray’s Food Place on Highway 20 at West Rail Way.

There are more than 30 GrandStay hotels, but right now, the farthest west you’ll find one is in South Dakota.

“We’re excited we’re the first hotel they’re building out here in the Pacific Northwest,” Sisters Community Development Director Patrick Davenport said Tuesday. “So we’re very happy they chose Sisters for their first location out here.”

Many people in town were not aware a new hotel was on the way.

Julie Seay said she has a friend visiting over the weekend who’s having trouble finding open accommodations, so more lodging would be a good addition.

“If it’s kept within the beauty of small-town Sisters, we could use that, because there are very little options here for people that want to enjoy Hoodoo, go to the great breweries and just go shopping downtown,” Seay said. “So it would be nice to have something that accommodates more people.”

In addition to the hotel, an area will be set aside for a future restaurant. The city has approved what’s known as a ‘formula foods’ establishment, which would allow a franchise. Only six formula foods restaurants are allowed in this part of town.

“So it could be something like a Black Bear Diner, or an IHOP, or it could just be a locally owned custom restaurant as well,” Davenport said.

The restaurant is not part of the hotel building project, and will be constructed at another time.