Every November a business meeting takes my husband and me to the Pacific Northwest and each visit…read morewe try to explore a new area. My daughter, who lives in Olympia, Washington, encouraged us to visit the San Juan Islands (and take her with us, of course) this year. I looked at several possibilities and settled on the San Juan Waterhouse because of its location to the ocean, its view of Canada, the fact it had Internet (I thought I might need to work) and its online reviews. We were lucky that our son was also able to join us, so we felt we needed three bedrooms. The San Juan Waterhouse sits on the edge of the Haro Straight. Its water facing wall is nothing but windows, so nearly every location in the house (including the master bathroom) provides an easy view of the water. The house has three bedrooms. The master bedroom is situated so you can see Canada from the comfortable king size bed. The second bedroom is in a room with three walls of windows. This bed is a Queen. The third bedroom has two twin beds and has high windows overlooking the sod roof of the house. The main room of the house has comfortable furniture surrounding a beautiful stonework fireplace (gas) and padded window seats with many pillows for reading and gazing at the water. The kitchen. Oh my goodness, the kitchen! It has everything you could possibly need for cooking (including basic spices) and an amazing Viking stove. I'd never used one of these before and now covet one for my own house. Because my family was not going to be together for Thanksgiving, we had a Thanksgiving celebration two weeks early and cooking the meal was a breeze (and fun) in that kitchen. The kitchen also holds the house's main heat source -- a gas powered iron stove. It really heats up the place -- even the master bedroom which is down a long windowed hallway. The house has two bathrooms. One, as previously mentioned, has views of the water through the windowed French doors. (they have curtains, so don't worry about privacy). This bathroom has a claw-foot bathtub and a separate shower. The second, smaller, bathroom holds a second claw-foot bathtub (no shower). While the house itself is amazing, the best part is the location. The architect took great pains to fit it in with the surroundings and Frank Lloyd Wright slopped ceilings guide your eyes to the beautiful landscape out the windows. The house is situated on a small cove. My son and daughter ventured out during a late-night very low tide and found some interesting sea life in the tide pools. We had one beautiful sunny day and one day with strong winds and violent waves. We saw many gulls, three eagles and two small deer. I am already plotting our return to this beautiful house -- hopefully in the summer next time.

From the owner: waterfront vacation home with spectacular whale watching. Privacy and uniquely beautiful propertyread more

Juniper was a delight, very friendly and accommodating. We stayed in the Regal Royal Room upstairs…read morethat was very comfortable with all the amenities we needed as well as quiet. The kitchen to make our coffee and Chai tea and to store our leftovers from dining out was well equipped and comfortable. Accommodations were only about 5 minutes from downtown restaurants and museums, We took the scenic bypass and stopped at all the attractions along the way around the Island. We had a wonderful time and look forward to visiting some of the other Islands in the area.

My partner booked this room because I mentioned it looked like it was made with a lot of love (and…read morelovely woodwork), and I wasn't wrong. The opposite of the greige AirSpace style that proliferates, this was colorful, textured coziness. Apart from aesthetics, it was just a great spot to spend an important birthday. While I always bring coffee making kit with me, I hadn't remembered tea. Turned out the kitchen was well-stocked with all the tea. Our host very kindly offered to pick up things for us when it snowed, but it's only about a mile walk into town, so we found it pretty easy to pick up provisions at the excellent Co-Op and Bakery San Juan. There are so many great hikes on the island, but having a day to watch the snow fall, read, and drink tea, was just what I needed--along with watching the bald eagles nesting. What a special place!

We had a really nice stay at Earthbox Inn and Spa. Right off the bat, they were very polite,…read morecourteous, and cordial via text to get all set up and pre-checked in so that we could go straight to our room when we arrived. I really appreciated that they had free EV chargers for guests, so we could plug in our car after a long day of driving and riding the ferry, at no additional charge. Spectacular. They are centrally located to everything you might want to do in Friday Harbor, so we only had to take our car once, when we went sightseeing around the island. Otherwise, it just stayed parked because we could walk everywhere, which was really nice. Everyone I interacted with during our stay was pleasant and professional. We had a maintenance issue in our room and they were quick to remedy it. I was a little disappointed that our room did not have some kind of fan to move air and the AC only went down to about 67 degrees and the furniture felt a bit...damp, so that is the reason for the 4 stars. I like my room to be cold, crisp, and clean and the one we stayed in just felt a bit...musty. Also, the local lavender farm is closed and the products are now sourced from Whidbey Island, but that was not disclosed to me until I asked, so I might suggest updating the information in the rooms. I was a bit disappointed we couldn't visit the lavender farm on island because it was permanently closed and so the sign in the bathroom kind of set me up for failure. All in all, it was a mostly pleasant stay and I would return the next time we want to visit Friday Harbor.

Not gonna lie -- Earthbox turned out to be a wonderfully refreshing change from a generic hotel…read morestay. The grounds -- consisting of about 4 or 5 separate buildings -- had a lovely chill vibe, lots of greenery around the compound, an indoor pool and sauna and a nice array of separate outdoor seating areas. The separate office/lobby was a large but cozy welcoming space with a fireplace, couches and coffee and a comfy spot to relax in. Also, not gonna lie -- accommodations are upscale Best Western level, which again, I have no problem with, but just so ya know, that's 300 greenbacks in high season. Hey, it's an island, I get it, there's not many options; Just throwing it out there. Our Queen Standard room was on the small side, but the bath/shower was perfectly adequate (if a bit dated), as was the A/C, and the bed and bedding was pretty comfortable. The staff too was awesome, cheery and happy to meet any need. We loved the pool and jacuzzi setup, and there's even a little exercise room in the same building. One thing I could have done without were the 5 or so emails I received before check-in, begging me to complete the online check-in form ahead of time, so I could just go right to the room without needing to stop at the office. Didn't work and I still had to physically check in. So yea, that was a pain. And yet? They still get 4 stars. Our one-night stay may have been expensive but it was very comfortable.

4.5 stars. Stayed here overnight last week during a business trip. Not a lot of options on the…read moreisland, especially ones that aren't old and/or haunted! I am so glad I found this place! Location cannot be beat. It is literally steps from the harbor, and you can step right off of your boat, the ferry or the seaplane. Check-in and quick and easy. I stayed in Sweet 1 which is the 1st room up the stairs. So convenient to going everywhere. Room is super spacious and everything was comfortable. Nice touch with the welcome fruit bowl. Bath was also spacious and toiletries were well-stocked and great quality (all Malin+Goetz!). Super close to restaurants, bars, and the town, where parking is difficult (so being able to walk was a big perk!). Only negatives (and they were very minor) were the missing water and coffeemaker in the room, and the difficulty in understanding the instructions for the shower head.

We stayed in penthouse seven, a perfect suite! Our one bedroom, two bath, full kitchen, living…read moreroom two patios... Was more than the two of us needed but we really enjoyed it all. The washer and dryer, steam shower, dishwasher, fireplace, plush robes, sub zero fridge & freezer, powerful a/c , full gas range, delicious coffee .... The island in anticipated anything we could possibly want to or need, it doesn't get any better

This place is incredible. We had a group of 7 stay in the Plum Tree Cottage at Bayside Cottages…read more Jim and Betsy (the owners) are very accommodating, laid back, and friendly. It felt like we were staying with family...not just a typical resort. The cottage itself was immaculate, spacious, comfortable, well maintained and only a few steps away from the beach. I look forward to staying with them again, and will definitely stay longer. Thanks so much for a wonderful time Jim and Betsy!

What a great lil retreat and perfect getaway weekend. Just what we were looking for to relax and…read morerecharge this is ideal for a completely secluded and private retreat-- away from all people, shops, hustle n bustle... If you want the shops and restaurants or grocery store, it's a 20 min drive. There are multiple cottages to choose from, but since it was just the two of us, we opted for the lummi cottage. Cute and cozy- complete w a super warm fire

Loved yurt #4 at the end of the trail, perfect for my solo sojourn. Although it doesn't have a full…read morekitchen there were enough tools and utensils to get by for four days (microwave, electric kettle, mini fridge, dishes). You can hear traffic from the main road but this is island traffic, not big city traffic. Didn't get to take advantage of the various activities, lawn games, and rentals, but the resort campground made for a nice morning walk. Desk staff was friendly and helpful. Thanks, I would come back!

The resort is about 10-15 minutes from the ferry dock and the main part of town. Check-in was all…read morecontactless and every information you need about your stay was emailed to you or could be found in your envelop. We stayed at the lodge. The room was large with a balcony looking out to the lake, mini fridge and a wet bar area. The view on the balcony was lovely but the walls that separate your balcony to your neighbors do not go all the way down. Because we stayed at the lodge, our stay came with breakfast. It was a continental style breakfast with freshly made omelet and potatoes. It was pretty good but the wait can be long. I recommend getting in as soon as they open. The stars from the breakfast were the pancakes and their in-house made granola. They had a pancake maker which made perfect little pancakes. And their granola! So delicious. Full of nuts and fruit pieces. They won't tell you the recipe but you can buy per pound to take home. Around the resort, there were lawn games you could play. Bikes, canoes, and pedal boats to borrow. There was a children's activity area and a general store which were closed when we went.

What a great location! This is right in the center of Friday harbor. There is a queen bed & a pull…read moreout couch. Very nice private room, more like an air Bnb rather than a hotel. The room came with free breakfast at either Cynthia's or Rocky Bay Cafe, both great spots. Everything was ready for us when we arrived & check out was easy. The room had a mini fridge & a microwave, as well as, plates, cups, and utensils. I would definitely stay here again.

We've gone to Friday Harbor two years in a row during the summer and both times we've stayed here…read more Very convenient location, David (owner) is super nice and easy to work with. I'm sure when/if we make the trip again next year, we will most likely continue to stay at The Hideaway Guest Suite.

We rented a cabin on Orcas Island, Washington, in October, 2021. The rental was made online from…read moreNorthwest Island Escapes through VRBO. The cabin was clean and well-maintained and general was as-advertised. However, the actual cost was a bait-and-switch. The cabin was advertised at $159 per night, or $477 for three nights, but they added $489 in fees - more than 100% - to the advertised rate. This included $315, or more than $100 per night, just for cleaning! This is unethical if not illegal.

Cancelled our booking 23 days before our vacation and then offered alternative stays at a higher…read morecost with less amenities. Their excuse was lack of availability. I get it that's why we booked 5 months ago.