Hotel Bellwether

The hotel was fabulous! It is located right on the water and the views are spectacular! We had a lovely room facing the water and it was relaxing to sit on our terrace and watch all the sail boats go out to sea. The location is very walkable to many stores and eateries. The staff were very professional and friendly.

My wife and I recently took advantage of a "sneakaway" rate for a one-night mid-week stay in a Bay View Suite ($299). The suite has two rooms, separated by a double door, each with its own bathroom and balcony. The room wraps around the elevator shaft, and I was pleasantly surprised that we never heard any elevator noise during our stay. We also barely heard the trains, which is unusual for a Bellingham hotel near the water. We had hiked Oyster Dome on the way up to Bellingham, and decided to order room service from the LIghthouse Bar & Grill. The food was all very good, and the price of some of the wines on the menu (Matthews Cabernet and Orin Swift Papillon) were actually cheaper than the wineries' retail prices. The full restaurant menu is offered for room service. There is no room service charge, but a 20% gratuity is added to the bill. The room had a number of nice amenities, including a comfortable bed, night lights in both bathrooms, separate volume and temperature controls in the showers, and a Nespresso machine. I always get up earlier than my wife, so it was nice to be able to close the doors to the bedroom while using the rather noisy Nespresso machine. It would be nice to have some kind of light over the recessed counter where the machine is located, but the flashlight on my mobile phone made up for that minor drawback. The staff at the front desk and the restaurant (where we had breakfast in the morning) were all friendly and attentive. The secure underground parking has spaces that are reasonably sized. We don't visit Bellingham very often, but this will be our top pick for any future visits.

Very nice hotel. Get a room with a harbor view. Children above our room were a problem until we called the front desk. Rooms have refrigerators, but no micro wave.

Excellent place for walking and biking. Several good restaurants close by. Rooms are big and clean. Atmosphere for adult, I guess no swimming pool. Excellent attention. Feel safe place. Private parking loot underground.

Be sure to book a Deluxe Bay View Room for incredible experience! A lovely, older hotel built when rooms had real wooden doors (including closet and bathroom), solid walls and nice furniture. We first booked a Deluxe Bay View (Room 327 at the end of the hallway) and were thrilled to have a private balcony and large windows overlooking the working boat harbor and parks; a gas fireplace, big solid and tall bed, a large bathroom with a separate soaking tub (old school jetted tub), power shower and large vanity, proper light up magnifying make up mirror, a thermostat to regulate heat/cool and no blower next to the bed, and a real desk, dresser, a nespresso coffee maker, a fridge (with room to add your beverages). The room was pure joy, watching the boats come and go in the harbor, people walking their dogs along the harbor front park, and having plenty of room. On the last night of our stay, to keep our somewhat affordable rate, we moved to a Executive Plaza Room- huge let down, as we lost the large windows and porch and large bathroom- for a small window overlooking the adjacent shops and hotel entry, and a very small bathroom. The shower is still powerful, but within a tall tub configuration that would be difficult for an older adult with any mobility issues to maneuver. This hotel is a true beauty, stationed on the best property and views in Bellingham with views of the San Juan Islands and plenty of lovely parks and sea-side restaurants to explore. The hotel is solid and quiet- you won't hear doors slamming, children running the halls or people in the next room. The staff are plentiful, attentive and helpful. Although a visit here can be pricey- if you stay in the Deluxe Bay Views or higher, you will be very happy. Lots of older couples stay here. Lovely restaurant inside for breakfast and dinner (not included in regular room rate) with incredible views of the harbor. Note, there are no microwaves in the rooms and the water in Bellingham is good to drink (no bottled water provided).