This was supposed to be a getaway weekend for my husband and I, but things got off track and our daughter ended up having to come with us. Not at all the weekend I was hoping for, but a wonderful place to stay none the less. Thankfully I'd reserved one of their larger rooms with a private bedroom. The beautiful leather couch was a pull out bed for our 11 yo. She had a tv with a dvd player so she could watch her own movie at night. There was also a tv in our room. I don't know if all the rooms and bathrooms are as nice as ours, but the towels were wonderful and the robes very comfy (my husband thought a bit small for a unisex robe though). They warn you with a little sign that the water takes a bit to warm up. It took several minutes for the water in the sink to get hot when we first used it, but didn't seem to take all that long the rest of the stay. We didn't eat at the restaurant downstairs, but did visit the bar during Happy Hour ( 4-6 pm and 8-10pm) after we got back from dinner. Did not end up partaking of Happy Hour but enjoyed their desserts and a glass of wine. Parking is provided under the hotel and internet was free, both a plus. It was not a cheap stay though and have a hard time imagine staying there during the "On Season". read more

Well, you can tell right off the bat that this place is pretty swanky...the name just sounds fancy. Anytime you say the word "hotel" before the actual name, you know it's gonna be nice...and expensive. the Hotel Bellwether is both. Situated on Bellingham Bay (almost literally) the Bellwether is a classic luxury hotel in every way. With grand rooms, an outstanding restaurant, the popular Harborside Bistro (whose talented young chef happens to be a close friend) and a location that defines the word "exceptional", the Hotel Bellwether is the kind of place you'll want to include in your boring family slide-shows for years to come. Stay there for the weekend...remember it for a lifetime. read more

Hotel Bellwether - Hotels Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

This was a last minute booking for us, and our first time staying at the Hotel Bellwether so we were pretty excited to experience something new! As they say in every service industry, first impressions are everything. And good thing for the friendly, professional service from the two at the front desk. My first impression of the entry and lobby was that it was rather dated, not what I was expecting from a pricey hotel such as this one (not sure how the earlier reviewer got the price of $130/night as that was not near what we paid). The lobby kind of looked like my grandmother's living room. It didn't match at all the interior of the guest rooms, which were actually very updated and classy. Two things stood out with our stay at the Bellwether, the mini bar prices were surprisingly comparable to what you'd pay at the bars ($4 beers), and the rooms were very, very nice, comparable to what you'd find at the Salish Lodge at Snoqualmie Falls, one of our favorite hotels. I would suggest this hotel for a nice getaway with your significant other. Take advantage of the rooms as they're very nice, and the location on the water. Overall, the place was very nice, a little pricey, but would stay here again for a special occassion! The hotel staff was friendly and parking was easy. We wanted to try the restaurant at the hotel, but ended up at Chuckanut Manor instead - very yummy restaurant with a great view! (see my review) read more

This hotel is amazing! I love staying here when I come to Bellingham for work. The rooms are spacious with a deck, fireplace, and a giant jetted tub. The views of the sailboats and water are breathtaking. The Harborside restaurant in the hotel is fabulous with great service and daily specials. There is also a sushi, italian, and two Anthony's restaurants within walking distance. This place almost makes me forget that I am there for work! read more

We stayed in the lighthouse suite. The room was pretty cool, though the coffee machine does not work. The nice kid at the desk warned us, and it seemed odd at the time when he said that the coffee available in the lobby was a lot stronger than the coffee in the room. That's because the machine in the room doesn't work...now I get it. It was very pleasant to be at this hotel and the room was great. Nice bed and spacious. Bathroom was good. We had four of us and one kid slept on a couch. Two TVs in the place, and the one in the master bedroom was large. Would recommend to others, though we didn't interact with the rest of the hotel that much. read more

Hotel was great and *almost* earned 5 stars. There were just a few tiny details that kept it from 5 IMO. The room was great and had a gorgeous view. It was clean and well laid out. The literature talked about a mini-bar, but I did not find one in the room. Not really a problem for me, but if someone was looking forward to drinking alone in their room, they would have been disappointed. Hotel staff was friendly and helpful (even playing nice with my baby girl). The bistro food was quite good and again, the staff was helpful and knowledgable. Farm fresh eggs are available! The towels, while washed had some dark stains, so I was weirded out by that. Also, they were just barely off white, so I couldn't tell if they used to be white and were no longer or if they were actually cream colored. Still a great place to stay and the price was not outrageous for the amazing view and ambience. read more

Lovely hotel to spend the night. Kept our balcony doors open just so we could hear the sound of the trains in the distance. Definitely would recommend a room with a water view. The rooms overlook a lovely terrace, park and harbor. The sunset was spectacular and it was peaceful sitting on our balcony, watching boats go in & out of the harbor. Plenty of places to walk or jog. Good variety of local restaurants in the area, if you don't want to eat at hotel. Though we already planned to meet friends in town, the hotel menu looked great. Reasonably stocked bar & snacks in room, though a bit too pricey. Room rate was reasonable for what we got. Highly recommend using the large jacuzzi tub to relax before bed. read more

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I chose the Hotel Bellwether for my daughter's bridal breakfast on the morning of her wedding day to celebrate together with family. I wanted a beautiful setting in an upscale venue that would feel special and befitting of the occasion. Unfortunately, they were completely unprepared (apparently they forgot) for our arrival and rather than a beautiful and welcoming experience the room was empty and a sign outside the door was to welcome someone's 50th anniversary. To top it off, the staff had a super negative and snarky attitude. I would not recommend trusting any special events to this venue - it put a huge damper on the start of an important day! This is a memory we hope to forget but can't erase. Thumbs down. read more

This hotel is charming and close enough to Seattle be a perfect place for a last minute romantic getaway. The lobby is cozy with a big grandfather clock and a fireplace. These rooms have fantastic bathtubs with jets and a heater to keep the water warm. The front desk sells bath bombs that are locally made and highly recommend. The wall between the bathtub and bedroom folds open so you can watch the in room fireplace or the ocean just out the balcony from the bathtub. The reason this hotel didn't get a 5 star rating is because the hotel has extremely limited food options. In the parking lot is a very fancy restaurant, a sushi place, and a subway. Sushi and subway close by like 9 so you are left to drive a few miles or walk 20 minutes to get to food. There IS a company that delivers takeout through the night. We used them and were happy with the service. read more

This was a fantastic place to stay at! The boyfriend and I wanted a staycation here in Bellingham and we settled on the Hotel Bellweather. Definitely a good choice. The room had a great view of the marina and Bellingham Bay. The room was really warm and comfortably in a luxurious way. The sheets and robes were so nice to lounge around in. I don't think I've ever been so excited to take a bath as when we were here and got a nice hot bath with bubbles going. Oh and the jets.... the jets. So nice. The staff was also really friendly and fielded all the questions I had for them. The place is definitely pricier but certainly worth it. If you're looking for a nice place to relax for an evening or two, this is a great splurge. read more

Thank you for making our stay with our VAQ-138 family so awesome! Such an accommodating and helpful staff your friendliness was beyond comparison. Also, thank you for making our 4-legged husky baby feel so welcome as well!! We LOVED your hotel. Thank you! #dogfriendlyhotel read more

Hotel Bellwether - Thank you for making our 4-legged baby feel so at home!! We love hotels that accommodate pups!! - Hotels Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Eek! Me thinks not. Attended a wedding at the Bellweather this past weekend and will likely never return. Although the ceremony was lovely and exactly what the bride wanted, overall the Bellweather provided careless service to the bridal party and guests. The set up of the event was disorganized and haphazard. The food was terrible. The staff showed no sense of urgency. And although the rooms were clean, as expected for $160, the continental breakfast was an additional charge. What, really in Bellingham?! Brides, spend your money elsewhere. read more

We split the lobster for two special and absolutely loved the ocean views. Server seemed to have forgotten us although it wasn't busy. We had to remind him of silverware needed, butter for the bread, and couldn't find him for our check ... read more

We stayed one night at the Bellwether as a staycation and first night away as new parents. We checked in around 4 on a Saturday, parking and check in were quick and we were in our room within 10 minutes. I've lived in Bellingham for 20 years, and having never stayed here, I expected this to be the nicest hotel in town. The view from our king suite was spectacular, and balcony was very nice. The room was stocked with a variety of local wines and snacks to purchase. The room felt clean and somewhat updated, though the bed was not the most comfortable. One of the two phones in our room didn't work, which we noticed an hour into our stay, when the front desk called to see if the room was to our liking (a nice touch). The bathroom was dated - shower still had gold trim, older tile and didn't feel clean. Neither of us showered before we checked out, as we were turned off by this, especially considering the room rate. We ate at the Lighthouse Bar and Grill, which was a nice restaurant with a great menu and awesome staff, but the food was just okay. Overall, we were a bit disappointed with our stay. For $300 a night, I expect a top notch experience...and at least a comfortable bed and nice bathroom. This was just okay. We won't be staying here again. Rooms at the Chrysalis are slightly more reasonable and rooms are nicer overall. read more

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My husband had to book two rooms last minute. The next morning the circumstances changes and he could not make the trip. The reservation manager would not refund him the cost of two rooms totaling $900. A few days later he addressed the situation with the general manger who also refused to make an exception to the hotel policy and refund him the money. I would never recommend this hotel to anybody, they seem very heartless to the situation and my husband now has to take the money out of the family budget for a two rooms that were never used. read more

We had our wedding here during the snowy February storms and Hillary and Kyle made the experience absolutely amazing. We just had dinner at Daniel's Broiler last weekend and my husband and I commented that the food at the Bellwether that Hillary coordinated was so much better! Hillary even stayed later than scheduled to make sure everything worked out perfectly, and Kyle was a spectacular bartender and banquet room manager. What a great team! We will be back again next year for our Anniversary! read more

I stayed here this past weekend and was not impressed for the price I paid. That being said, the staff was so kind and I really want to commend them for great service. The reason I was less than impressed was because my water view pricetag only paid for a bottom floor view of the marina. (I requested a top floor room, but they didn't have any left. The water view price should not have been attached to the room I stayed in, in my opinion.) Also, the furniture was in worn condition, the bedspring portion of the mattress was stained without being covered by a sheet and there was an off odor to the room. The hotel breakfast looked to be pretty minimal and cost $10 so we drove to Old Town Cafe instead. It was delicious! The good: the staff was very friendly, each room has a gas fireplace, and the towels and linens were comfy. Additionally, the all-day happy hour in the restaurant/bar on Sunday allowed for great snacks and cocktails. This hotel doesn't have a hot tub or pool. The room is equipped with jetted tub, but it would be nice to relax in a hot tub with a travel partner. The spa nearest to this hotel gets horrible reviews, which is unfortunate. I had initially intended to stay at the Chrysalis Inn and Spa so I could have an all-inclusive stay that included massage, but a friend who stayed there cautioned against it due to the many trains that rumble by all night long. After reading reviews, I could see that she wasn't alone in her experience. I know choice lodging options in Bellingham are few and far between, but I think I'll take my chances and try the Best Western by the Bellis Fair Mall next time for half the price (and a hot tub!) If you do stay here though, and have the time, ask for a tour of the lighthouse suite. It's over $400 a night, so not an option for lodging for most, but the 360 degree views from the top are beautiful. read more

I got a great deal online for Friday night for my husband's birthday. The hotel was beautiful and the staff was helpful. Pros: by the water, free water bottles in room, lots of restaurants nearby, they had Starbucks coffee in room ( I hate hotel coffee usually), and helpful staff. They also had a bbq in their courtyard with music and drinks, which was fun. Cons: loud, creaky bed and a really small tv for the size of the room. Overall, it was a great mini vacation and I think I will come back again in the winter. read more

Hotel Bellwether - Took the photo from the park - Hotels Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Fantastic hotel. Excellent service. Beautiful inside and merging with the beautiful outdoors: right on the coast. Great views, great views including from my third story balcony. Not inexpensive but for what you get it is a good value. read more

Loved this place. They didn't skip any details when going for luxury. Incredible rooms, view, in room dining, and seafood restaurant downstairs. Even the towels felt like sheep skin. Will definitely return. read more

Stayed here in Sept. for a couple of days in one of the king suites. The place grew on me over time. When I arrived I was taken back by the old (stogy) feel of the hotel after I read they did a redo of the bathrooms. It was nice but the carpet and furniture in the room was outdated (ok but outdated). The bed was nice (although the flat sheet on the first night had a hole in it). However, the views from the balcony were wonderful. The ability to walk around the hotel was quite nice (although it was a bit too much of a walk to downtown). The sunsets were A+++. The staff was very friendly! Overall, if they replaced a few things in the room, I would come back in a second. If you want something by the bay, you should stay here. If that's not important, go elsewhere. read more

Very nice hotel. Staff was very friendly and helpful. The beds were great, room was clean. Only reason not giving five stars is that the internet connection was terrible. I wandered around trying to get a better signal, talked to front desk etc. It never got better. As much as we liked staying here, would not go back because of this and in fact considered checking out and going to another hotel. Hopefully someone will read this and correct, but again, lovely place, lovely staff, very nice. read more

Pt1. We have stayed here a few times. Mostly as a quick "getaway from kids, dogs, chickens, laundry, dishes etc". We checked in to find anothers bags in our room. No prob. Asked staff to come get them. Over course of next 3 hours was 4 more knocks on the door asking us to retrieve special pillows, ecig chargers etc. Not a deal breaker as far as far off vacations go, but for "mom and dad time", no.. Granted staff is apologetic and giving us free "desert menu tokens". But desert isn't what we came here for. Holding my wife crying for thinking she screwed up my birthday is certainly not what we came for. Will post Pt2 on how they handle... Apart from desert tokens. Pt2. Staff was very apologetic and took 50% off the bill. Rooms are great. No issues there. Back to 4 stars. read more

My review is related to the hotel's customer service, which is excellent and deserves a shout out. The day before Thanksgiving, my wife and I got stuck in an airport and needed to cancel our reservation. Despite it being last minute, the staff allowed us to cancel without charge. They didn't have to do this and it's important that good service be praised - stay at Hotel Bellwether! read more

Though on the water, the hotel and its rooms are not worth the price. After requesting an early check-in, my room wasn't available at 3. When I returned a few hours later, my room was ready but the door was unlocked and propped open. I walked to the front desk to be escorted back to ensure the room was safe. After dinner, which was good, I returned to my room to relax and watch tv, but the tv wasn't working. After calling the front desk, they unplugged the tv. After finally getting the tv to work, I tried to take a bath but the hot water spout wouldn't work. I again called down to the front desk and they fixed it. Two hours into my stay I had contacted the front desk 3 times to correct random issues. This is not the type of vacation I hoped to have while visiting Bellingham and when I return I will be sure to stay somewhere else. read more

Room was lovely with a well made comfortable bed, lots of throw pillows and bolsters and a nice little balcony overlooking the bay. But the water pressure was lacking and hot took awhile in coming, a bit dated (probably reno'd in the late 90s?). Lobby was so jammed with gaudy xmas trees there was nowhere to sit down. None of the extras that I love to enjoy when we splash out for a nice hotel - no hot tub or steam or pool or breakfast buffet. Probably won't lay down $200+/nt again. read more

Hands down my favorite hotel in Bellingham. Great location with beautiful views of the harbor. Friendly staff and spotless rooms. I've never been dissapointed at this hotel. read more

This place is strange. The views are great but the rooms need to be updated. The elevator smelled like musty cigar smoke. The bathrooms are loud so don't plan to do your business unless you like everybody to hear you. I could hear everything in the hallways. I paid near 300 for a room that's equivalent to a 100 room (from my previous experiences). The bed wasn't very comfortable and nether me nor my wife slept very well. read more

The Hotel Bellwether is designed for a older crowd. The room had a grandma's house feeling. My husband and I were looking forward to a romantic getaway. The Decor was very old, there was a strange older building smell, tub was small and the view was of the marina (not the best in Bellingham) . We put down our bags and left to go get take-out while we were gone we decided it was not worth the $$$. We went back to check out total time was 1hour and 11mins (that our bags sat in the room) upon checking out they charged us a half day fee. We left anyway and headed straight to the Chrysalis inn and spa which was AMAZING! I have read the other reviews and have decided it is a preference issue. If you enjoy older Victorian Decor then you will be very happy. However if you are looking for a more modern relaxing place don't waste your money. Bellingham has 2 other very nice water front hotels. read more

We decided to go to Bellingham on the Labour Day long weekend and stay over-night and be able to take our time rather than rushing around. I thought it'd be a nice change to stay at one of the only two (I think?) upscale hotels downtown rather than going the budget route. In hindsight, we should have opted for budget because it really amounted to about the same in terms of service and quality. When speaking with a booking representative we asked for a higher floor of the hotel, which we were told we could have. When we arrived, we were given the first floor with a patio, on the same level as........the PARKING LOT!! We had a lovely view of cars constantly driving right past our sliding glass doors with only some low bushes as a barrier. Let's not forget a perfect view of the all-glass (sushi ?) restaurant right across from us. I got the impression the patio should have had at least a chair or two, given that there was a small short wrought iron table sitting out there, but no, just the table that barely came up to my knee. There was a wardrobe where the 32" TV was hidden along with a few drawers to put clothes in. That was fine except the wardrobe doors didn't open very wide so it blocked the view somewhat, even when laying in bed. You certainly couldn't see it from the 2 person Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. I'll get to the bathroom in a sec. Let's talk about the bed. It squeaked like CRAZY! If you put any pressure against the headboard, it squeaked loudly. I think it had something to do with the headboard itself, and perhaps the fact that the plastic corners protecting the box spring were against the wall. Don't know, but it sucked. Now, onto the bathroom. Let's start with the fact that I went to use it when we dropped off our stuff in the room, the door wouldn't close! The latch wouldn't catch. I tried shutting it gently, then slamming it, and nothing worked. We were going to head back out again, and there happened to be a maintenance fellow right next door fixing something in the room beside us, so we asked him to fix it and we also told the front desk as well. They had a sort of "Oh, OK" attitude about it. Didn't seem all that concerned. So on to the rest of it..the wall which separates the bathroom from the room itself is partially closed off by shutters which you can open. This way, you can perhaps lounge about in the tub with a glass of wine and watch a movie (which you can't see because of the wardrobe doors blocking the screen), or look out your sliding glass doors at the lovely view (except ours was the parking lot). Sounds nice in theory, what wasn't nice, was the fact that these shutters wouldn't shut, the latch was broken so they wouldn't stay closed- a real privacy issue. It felt like using the bathroom right in the room itself. The towels in the bathroom were clean, but very rough feeling. One of the two robes they provided had a broken loop. The bed linens were decent. There was also the fact that we were woken up at 7:45 am to the sound of cleaners in the room above vacuuming and cleaning. Not much of a holiday sleep in, especially considering check out is at noon. We ended up just getting up and leaving early. Who wants to listen to that?! It's not like we could go sit on our patio with a cup of coffee, even if we did have a decent view..no chairs to go with that little table! Perhaps it sounds like I'm really picking at things, but when you add up all these "little things" it shows a real lack of attention and thought on the hotel's part, and seems quite shabby to me. Particularly when it's supposed to be an upscale resort-type hotel with a spa. We paid $249 for a single night, with a king size bed. Way, way over-priced!!! Honestly, the budget hotel we stayed at the last time we were here was less than half the price, with a King size bed, and very close to equally as nice a room. Also, we decided we wanted to get some drinks for the room, bottle of wine, etc. There's a small convenience store on site, but not actually in the hotel, but within the parking area. We asked the front desk where it was, and when got there it was closed, and it apparently appears to always be closed on Sundays. Um, shouldn't the Front Desk staff know that?? A questionnaire of sorts was included with our check out bill, and believe me, I filled it out and then some. We did the express check out, so I left it in the room. I haven't heard a thing from them, even though I left contact info. Doubt I will. I highly recommend choosing another hotel to avoid disappointment. At least if you're staying at a budget hotel, you're not expecting a whole lot. This place warrants a 1.5 star rating, but since they don't have that option, I'll be generous and give them 2. read more

My wife and I stayed here for our wedding night! Everyone was absolutely lovely to talk to and helped us get our check in done quickly and efficiently. We loved the free parking, and our room was delightful. Ten percent off the restaurant was a nice little bonus, too! We loved the jacuzzi jets and the window from the bath to the main room. The fireplace was lovely too. I can't think of anything we didn't like--we highly recommend this hotel! read more

Highly recommended for large events, weddings, conventions, gala dinners. Outstanding. My employer hosted a large gala dinner at the Bellwether in April 2011, for about 260 guests. The Hotel is under new management, and the staff did an amazing job of pulling our event together seamlessly. The food was excellent, the service was prompt and attentive to every detail, the setup was flawless and the price was reasonable. I see another review on here where the person says they attended a wedding at the Bellwether that did not go so well, I suspect that event was under the previous management. The crew running the Bellwether now are consummate professionals. I literally cannot say enough about the excellent service and flawless event preparation the Bellwether provided us for our large VIP event. If you are hosting a wedding, a gala dinner or any large event that just has to go smoothly, you can count on the Bellwether. read more

I had a terrific stay here. Beautiful ocean views, friendly staff, and beautiful rooms. Makes a nice romantic getaway from the hustle and bustle of Seattle. read more

I helped a client plan her wedding here. After a slightly rocky start, the really went out of their way to accommodate my clients' needs. On the day of the wedding, all of their team was there to ensure we were taken care of. So much gratitude for the people that worked with us - Renea, Hillary, Debbie and Katie. Recommended highly read more

The hotel rooms were beautiful, complete with fireplace. The grounds were well manicured. The staff was friendly and helpful. Close proximity to restaurants and walking paths next to the water. Very scenic. read more

Very comfortable hotel with a wonderful view - the in-room spa tub was an extra treat.

I adore this hotel! I've stayed 5 or 6 times for work and thus last time I finally went down to the restaurant. I say at the bar and Erin was covering for the usual bartender and also taking care of her tables. She was AMAZING. So attentive and kind and very helpful with my food choices (which were so WONDERFUL). She's a definite keeper. read more

My boyfriend and I stayed there a few weeks ago and had the best time! The staff was friendly and our room was amazing!!! We stayed in one of the water side suites and the view was breathtaking! Can't wait to go back! read more

Super clean and quiet rooms. Nice jetted tub. Really old TV that makes that annoying ringing noise. No mini bar (even though they refer to it in their room book) and the room was really toasty. We slept with the door open and heat completely off. Overall really friendly staff, awesome parking (free right below the hotel with an elevator to your floor) -- great experience. We came last minute on a weeknight so I'm sure we paid less than average. read more

Beautiful environment, comfortable beds, lovely room and awesome tub.