Inns to Paddle & Sail to: The Majestic Inn & Spa, Anacortes WA

  It's not every day you get to sleep in a building that was brought to its present location via logs and horses! The Majestic Inn & Spa is one of those buildings - a beautiful, historic, Pacific Northwest inn moved from its original location blocks away around the turn of the 20th century. Back then the Majestic was called the McNaught building - an office building that was later turned into a mercantile store. It was eventually transformed into a hotel. More recently, it was remodeled into the inn we have today. The addition of a completely new building in 2013 has expanded the vision and feel of the Majestic - complementing the main building and bringing the total room count to 51. With so much to do in downtown Anacortes, the nearby San Juan Islands - all with easy access to the Cap Sante Marina - it's easy to talk yourself into staying for a night or the entire week!

Inn & Grounds

   The historic building of the Majestic is gorgeous. Consecutive remodels have brought out the best of the original with added touches. You get a sense that there's history here but at the same time it seems almost brand new. There's a stunning main hall and staircase as you enter, beautiful crown molding everywhere you look, high ceilings, a mesmerizing atrium-like area with a cool, geometric staircase, good lighting, and lots of space. The new building fits in to this style as well. Decor and design were purposely made to match the look and feel of the original.

   While the outdoor grounds surrounding the inn may be small - they sit right in historic downtown, with access to lots of great stuff. Besides the restaurants and shopping next door and across the street, a 10 minute walk in any direction takes you to beaches, waterfront, more shopping and food, marinas, grocery stores, and parks.
   A nice green-space/courtyard exists between the main building and the new one - it's a nice place to take a quick stroll. Look for optional outdoor restaurant seating here in the spring and summer months. It's also a great place to host a private party, ceremony, or wedding.

The Rooms

   The Majestic has 51 guest rooms spread across two buildings (the historic and new one). Don't let the term 'historic' scare you away - the recent-ish remodels have made the place look and feel as new as ever. We stayed in a quaint little single queen studio room for our stay. It was more than enough space (we're used to living on a sailboat!) and our only minor complaint was that the walls between us and our neighbors were a touch thin for our tastes. Luckily our neighbors were completely normal and considerate so it wasn't a big deal, but if you happened to room next to loud guests (or you're loud yourself) you may notice. Our room also faced the main street of downtown - Commercial Avenue -  so some city sounds drifted up to our windows, but nothing crazy. We like the small but bustling sounds and the downtown vibe in general!
   We loved our room's high ceilings, clean and well-lit bathroom, nice water pressure in the shower with endless hot water, a perfect size HD TV with DVD player, hot water kettle and french press for coffee (recently ground coffee too - score!), a comfy bed, and reliable in-room wifi. As we all know, hotel wifi can be slow and inconsistent but the Majestic's is spot on (bloggers and business-folk rejoice!). 

   There are several other room options available. There's something for everyone with various bed combinations and sizes, balconies large and small, fireplaces, separate rooms, full kitchenettes, views of the surrounding waterways, and more. Looking for a room for guests who are sensitive to allergies? Got it! Want to bring your pet? It can be arranged! Need a jacuzzi tub? No problem! Check here for more pictures and their complete list of rooms.

   Make sure to walk around and explore the Inn and see the view from the top floor of the historic building. Also available - access in the spring and summer months to the adjacent building's sweet rooftop deck.

  Be sure to check out the on-site 5th Street Bistro restaurant and award winning Apothecary Spa. Although we didn't get a chance to try the spa this time around, we heard from more than one guest that it was a relaxing experience and so convenient to have it in-house. Check out the virtual tour of the spa by following the link above. We did get to enjoy dinner at the Bistro - expect moderately priced local food and excellent service. We had a choose your own 3-course dinner - great selection at great price.

Food & Coffee nearby

   Staying at the Majestic means you're right in the historic downtown - surrounded by local restaurants and shopping. We tried a few on this trip:

Adrift Restaurant - Yum, yum, yum. Inventive and tasty seafood, burgers, fish tacos, and such. One more - yum.

A'Town Bistro - Good fancy/not-too-fancy happy hour!

Le Crema Cakes - good coffee nearby the Inn! A great place to order a wedding cake too…hmmm…I love wedding cake…I wonder if I could order just a slice?!?

Alley Cat Antiques - Lots of treasure.

Adrift Restaurant

Exploring the Area

   You don't have to walk too far from downtown to find evidence of the rich boat, shipping, and maritime history and industry here in Anacortes. As you're exploring, make sure to check out the lookout at Cap Sante Park. A forested road leads you out of the neighborhood and right up to a parking lot on top. Hop out to explore the rocky point and view the surrounding waterways and mountains, islands, Cap Sante Marina, and downtown Anacortes.

Access to the Water

 This is Inns to Paddle and Sail to after all! A nice night spent off the sailboat is always welcome around here. The Majestic Inn & Spa is only .4 of a mile, an 8 minute walk, from the Port of Anacortes (Cap Sante Marina). Perfect to pull up in your boat, pay for moorage, grab a overnight bag, and head to the Inn (this makes Captain Wifey happy;). We're waiting to hear back from the marina about overnight storage for kayaks - it would be nice to paddle in, stow your boat and gear, spend a night at the Inn, and paddle away the next day! We'll update this post when we figure it out.

   The Majestic Inn & Spa is a fabulous and reasonably priced historic Northwest inn. It's combination of history and an epic remodel has transformed this onetime 19th century office building into an elegant 21st century inn, spa, restaurant, and event space.  It's right in the middle of Anacortes' small but bustling historic downtown, with fun shopping and tasty restaurants right out the front door. Whether you're making a trip to Anacortes for the weekend or the entire week, the Majestic is a great place to connect you to what the region has to offer. Eat, shop, grab a ferry to the San Juans, head to nearby farms in the Skagit Valley, or our favorite - sail in, relax, and enjoy.

Majestic Inn & Spa
Reviewed by Everyone's Travel Club 3/31/14

   ~Paul & Amber   ETC