Anacortes Hotels

Ship Harbor Inn & Cap Sante Inn: Where to stay and not stay on your way to San Juan

Ship Harbor Inn is a small gem of a motel in the middle of average,at best, area motels.

If you want to vist Friday Harbor and the rest of the San Juan Islands, but wish to avoid high summer prices; stay here and commute via Washington State Ferries or even commuter airlines.

We found this motel due to a very bad experience at the Cap Sante Inn in Anacortes, Wa. I had checked out Anacotes downtown motels via Internet and picked the Cap Sante Inn.

What a mistake. After calling them direct two months before arrival, making reservations for two waterview rooms, holding by credit card; and then re-confirming two weeks before arrival! We arrived to a surly desk cleck, who informed us we had No reservation! Thank you, Oh Thank you; for at least sending us to try the Ship Harbor Inn.

For the best rooms at Ship Harbor Inn reserve to upper front "suites" or the "cottage" units. We stayed in each. The upper suites have a great three bed layout which includes a nice size front living room, TV and Great deck. The cottage are a single large room, including kitchen, tehir is also a large deck.

Both type decks have a good view of the Washington Ferry dock, Islands, faunia, and birds, rabitts, etc. Tottally relaxing.

Add to this a great staff, NW great coffee, muffins, small petting zoo, two adjacent eateries, 1/4 mile walking to the ferry dock and at $98. bucks; why did we do anything else?

We have been to Friday Harbor several times; this is the first time we didn't take our car. You don't need or want it.

Take the ferry. Friday harbor has very efficient shuttle buses to all major sites, easy and often, cheap.

On the way to Likemkiln State Park to hopefully view Orcos, we stopped at the Lavender Farm. The drivers are helpful and friendly.

If you wish more info e-mail me at: homeinspectorlasvegas@worldnet.att.net

Scott