Marrowstone Beach Cottages

"Quiet, peaceful, natural beauty surrounding a cozy group of cottages."

If your family is thinking about visiting Port Townsend or the north Puget Sound area (aka San Juans, Bainbridge) consider instead visiting Marrowstone Island and the charming Marrowstone Beach Cottages.  Our family loved the quiet stretch of beach, scenic views of Mt Baker, and the opportunity to be unplugged for a couple days.

Truth be told, I never would have found the Marrowstone Cottages if it weren’t for the help of the Olympic Visitor’s Bureau.  Diane was a wealth of information about the entire region and recommended this very special but relatively unknown spot.  

When I arrived to check in at Marrowstone, the owner handed me my keys and gave me wonderful suggestions about where to eat around town. We drove down a gravel road past a few cottages until we reached ours, cottage number 5 which the owner told us was the “least nice” of the cottage. Staying at Marrowstone felt much more like staying at a friend’s beachside cottage than a managed property. The furnishings were older and mismatched, but cozy. All the beds were Tempurpedic which made for a wonderful night’s sleep. Our cabin slept 5 -one king and three twins spread out amongst a bedroom and what could have originally been a living area- and had a full kitchen with supplies. There was no tv and no wifi and neither were missed.  That is saying a lot from a person who spends much of her life online.

The large porch had a table and chairs and was my preferred spot to relax during our stay. We were maybe 20 yards from water’s edge and the views were calming in their beauty.  If sitting on a porch with a good book and a glass of wine, gazing out at the Puget Sound and watching waterfowl catch their next meal as the sun slowly dips below the horizon, watching baby swallows take their nervous first flights, or walking on a beach filled rocks and shells just waiting to be discovered sounds like your idea of a vacation, this is the spot for you.  This “resort” bills itself as an ecological property and after spending time on its private beach, it’s easy to understand why.

Low tide (evidently there is only one true low tide at this location per day) is not to be missed. The water recedes and blue herons come out to feast.  It’s fun to watch the clams shoot water up to ten feet in the air and listen to sounds, such as the hissing of barnacles, that you will not otherwise hear in spots where there is surf, traffic, or the general sounds of civilization. If you love beach combing, there is drift wood, oyster shells, clam shells, and plenty of rocks to be found.

Pricing at the cottages is very reasonable and vary from $90 for a studio in the low season to $190 for a waterfront cottage during high season. There is a three night minimum during July and August and a two night minimum the rest of the year. You will want to stay longer.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary stay at Marrowstone Cottages in order to complete a review. . I received no other compensation, and was not required to express any particular point of view.  All my reviews reflect my honest opinion.