Staying at the Majestic Inn of Anacortes

So, if you read our article about Anacortes, you know that the town totally surprised us.  We always thought of it as a town that we just had to drive through to get to the ferry for the San Juan Islands, but we discovered it’s much more than that.  While there we stayed at the Majestic Inn of Anacortes and it was great.

The City of Anacortes welcomed us to explore the town and said that we would love staying at the Majestic Inn, and they were spot on.  We were there for two nights during the Anacortes Waterfront Festival and when the weather was perfect.  I don’t know if it was the community atmosphere, the sea air or the sunshine, but we loved every aspect of our stay at the Majestic Inn.

If you’re not planning a specific visit to Anacortes for the weekend, you can still enjoy a short overnight before heading to the San Juans or Victoria BC on the ferry. Make a relaxing getaway plan to start your Puget Sound adventures!

Where is Majestic Inn of Anacortes?

Commercial Ave is kind of the main drag in Anacortes.  From its start at the end of town until it terminates at the shipyard, it’s full of interesting, fun things to do.  The Majestic Inn of Anacortes is located at the north end of all the action in the historic part of the town.  While the hotel has been recently renovated, it still retains the charm of the neighborhood as do the wonderful brick buildings neighboring it.

Except for our jaunt out to Washington Park, we just walked everywhere.  Five minutes walk from the Majestic Inn is Rotary Park and the Cap Sante Marina.  We got to tag along with some locals and go sailing during our visit even!  Five minutes in the other direct is Causland Park, which is just a great neighborhood park for relaxing; it’s a very San Francisco style park (think Lafayette Park in SF).  

All around the Majestic Inn are loads of restaurants that meet the expectation for local PNW cuisine:  fish, beer, the freshest local veggies, beer, local meats and cheeses, local brews…  I know, I said beer a few times, but brewing is such a part of Pacific Northwest cuisine/culture, and it compliments the town of Anacortes.

Our accommodations

We were put in a fantastic, huge room.  We love huge hotel rooms!  When you’re traveling with two little kids, the more space the better.  The room we had here at the Majestic Inn rivaled the size of what we had at the Bodega Bay Lodge.  We had a closet, kitchenette, HUGE bathroom, two queen beds, large living area with a fireplace and a great view.  

Being in a hotel that’s beautiful and comfortable is always nice, but one that’s kid friendly too is really wonderful.  Sometimes we check in and immediately have to move lamps and knickknacks to keep from racking up a huge bill in damages, but the Majestic Inn is tastefully decorated in a Pacific Northwest fashion without breakables.  

Note:  I know that seems odd to call out, but if you check out our stay at the Westin Seattle, you’ll see why it’s important.  Three words:  cast iron balls.

The bedding was very nice and there wasn’t too much of it.  The Majestic Inn was also able to provide a crib, which may seem like a hotel standard, but isn’t actually.  We always travel with our own pack-n-play just in case, but don’t love carting it up to our room, so we always ask if we can have one brought up.  It was nice to hear the front desk say they’d provide one.  It’s the little things.

The other nice touch the Majestic Inn put into our stay was the coffee.  Again, it’s the little things.  Upon check-in they offered freshly ground local coffee from Moka Joe’s for the next morning.  Don’t mind if we do!  In the kitchenette, we had been left a wonderful welcome basket with special Anacortes mugs (thanks!!) and a French press (standard amenity).  Loved it!

Note:  both Chris and I have a history in coffee, so being in a hotel room with locally roasted organic coffee, quality coffee equipment and PROPER brewing instructions… this is a coffee lovers perfect hotel welcome.

On property of the Majestic Inn

Yes, the hotel is technically called the Majestic Inn and Spa, but we didn’t do any spa services, so cannot attest to the quality and comfort of the spa and its services, but based on the hotel experience, I’m pretty sure having a spa day at the Majestic Inn and Spa wouldn’t suck.

What we did take advantage of was the Rooftop at the Majestic Inn.  Yes, I capitalized “Rooftop” because it’s more than the top of the hotel.  The Rooftop is a wonderful patio with lot’s of seating, stand up bar space, and a fire pit.  It’s the perfect summer evening hangout.  We enjoyed a few beverages from the bar of the Rooftop, but the best was the Lemon Basil cocktail.  It was perfectly crafted with just the right amount of iciness.  And we appreciated the use of shatterproof drinkware.  It’s a thoughtful touch for an outdoor bar area.

There is also a beautiful restaurant and proper hotel bar on the lobby level of the main hotel building, but we didn’t get the opportunity to dine there.  We did talk to some locals who told us that breakfast at the hotel is to die for, but we can’t say from our own experience.  Next time…

What to do in Anacortes

Anacortes is the ideal Pacific Northwest town.  We enjoyed everything from sailing on Fidalgo Bay to walking through the cute, vintage streets of downtown Anacortes.  Downtown is a great place to chill for a weekend due to its parks, the area around Cap Sante Marina and many restaurants.  If you’re in town at the right time you can enjoy the amazing community that gathers for the farmer’s market or any of Anacortes’ festivals and events.

Like we said at the beginning of this post, previously we had considered Anacortes as a drive-through town because we’d never spent the night.  If you’re heading up to the San Juan Islands or Whidbey Island, you should spend a night or two in this amazing little town… and we totally recommend the Majestic Inn as your home base.

If you have any questions about the Majestic Inn of Anacortes or the town in general, feel free to leave us a comment or shoot us an email.  We’re happy to share more of our experiences or recommendations.  We’ll steer you in the right direction whenever possible, and a Majestic weekend is always a good choice.