By Leah Hennen

It may be a quaint country inn, but you won’t spot any chintz or teddy bears at the Balch Hotel in rural Dufur, Ore. What you will find is simple, serene decor and an invitation to relax.

Built in 1907, the Balch Hotel reopened last July after a yearlong overhaul that included restoring woodwork and redecorating with understated but elegant antiques. Nestled in rolling alfalfa fields 98 miles east of Portland, the hotel attracts urbanites seeking sun and open country.

From the Balch, you can head out for a day of biking, snowmobiling, hiking, rafting, windsurfing, or fishing. Back at the hotel, soak in one of the shared bathrooms’ claw-foot tubs (private baths also available). Then take in the vista of Mount Hood or play croquet before retiring to the parlor for a glass of wine. Come morning, tuck into a breakfast of fruit cups with blackberry sauce, candied-pecan muffins, quiche tartlets, or fresh crepes. From $75, including breakfast. (541) 467-2277, www.balchhotel.com.