Standing tall, as an elegant landmark to Oregon's historic railroad era, Ashland's Peerless Rooms, the red brick boarding house let rooms to Southern Pacific railroad workers. Fourteen rooms each ten feet square. The one bathroom was shared.

From 1900 through the late 1920's, the railroad district of Ashland was a bustling commercial center. When Southern Pacific rerouted its main line track through Klamath Falls in the late 1920's it put an abrupt halt to railway travel along the Siskiyou line. Not only did the railroad district decline, so did the Peerless Rooms.

The boarding house went through many unproductive uses and sat vacant for the last 10 years before the current owner, Crissy Barnett, purchased the building. Acting as her own general contractor, she launched a massive two year restoration of the building, completing the project in June 1994.

Crissy knew that it was important to update the building with the conveniences that travelers expect in the 1990's. The restoration included a new foundation, seismic and structural reinforcement, new electrical system, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, just to name a few. Crissy carefully kept the new construction within the guidelines of the National register of Historic Places. She also renamed the building calling it The Peerless Hotel.

Also restored was the 12'X10' exterior Coca-Cola sign, painted circa 1915. This sign was known as a privilege panel. At a time when the railroad district and the Peerless Rooms were enjoying prosperity and a high level of commercial activity, the Coca-Cola company leased part of the south wall and painted "Coca-Cola" on the bottom ten feet and "Peerless Rooms" on the top two. When commercial activity declined, and Coca-Cola no longer leased the wall space, a coat of yellow paint went over the Coca-Cola sign leaving the "Peerless Rooms" untouched.

During restoration of the sign, the yellow paint was removed to a point where "Coca-Cola" was exposed. The sign was carefully repainted, brick by brick, with the existing "Peerless Rooms" used as the benchmark for authenticity.

The interiors of The Peerless Hotel are luxurious and distinctive. Antique furnishings were found from New Orleans to Hawaii. These pieces represent an eclectic mixture that the owner purchased for their uniqueness, and not because they fit into the rooms. In addition to the furnishings, there are different hand painted motifs done by a local artist on the walls and ceilings of each room throughout the hotel. The enclosed porch offers the guests a delightful room for the enjoyment of the garden or just relaxing.

To ensure that the hotel's guests feel pampered, each bathroom is uncommonly spacious, offering guests a choice between two-person Jacuzzi tubs, two-person shower or "his and hers" claw foot tubs. Fine bed linens made in Italy and a nightly turndown service, a 30 channel in room cable music system complete the luxurious ambiance.

Once inside, guests will feel that this is the hotel time forgot. The Peerless experience has been preserved and it is a time one will remember.