Choosing the right room for the night is like selecting new clothing. Just as apparel appeals based on individual style and taste, so too do different offerings in the hospitality industry. Some choose hotels, others motels or Airbnb offerings. But if you’re looking for a more intimate, personalized experience when you book an overnight or vacation stay in Whatcom County, consider a bed and breakfast. Here, in the warmth of a hosts’ home you’ll be treated to a sumptuous breakfast baked in their kitchen, the treat of immersing yourself in a local neighborhood and exploring your hosts’ back yard, be it a flower garden, a lakeside setting or a wooded forest. Here are our four great choices for Whatcom County B&Bs.
You’d be hard pressed to find a more artistic mother-daughter team than Bonnie and Cori Litorja, owners of Kale House Bed & Breakfast in Everson. While Bonnie is a professional quilter, Cori excels in mixed-media art. The walls of their magnificent 1921-era home double as gallery space for their work and guests of the two-bedroom B&B often shop while they stay, leaving with a unique keepsake for their own homes. Kale House has operated as a B&B for the past 21 years, and the one-acre site is full of indoor and outdoor nooks perfect for a cup of coffee and a long, uninterrupted read. The gardens are wonderfully photogenic and a perfect site for wedding or family photographs, overflowing with flowers and lush greenery.
Inside, expect an immaculate space with plush couches, claw foot tubs and gleaming hardwood floors. The Litorjas embrace guests in a gentle welcome and offer a breakfast of quiches, baked egg dishes and fruit in the morning. There’s a queen bed downstairs and three twin beds upstairs, with rooms priced at $125/night.
Info: www.kalehouse.net or call (360) 966-7027
Bellingham’s MoonDance Inn is situated on Lake Whatcom, which means guests get the use of innkeepers Linda and Gary Fuller’s lakeside firepit, volleyball and horseshoe games and kayaks. This picturesque B&B is a few minutes’ drive from Bellingham’s city centre and the 1933 home has been beautifully updated and lavishly furnished in European, craftsman style.
Four of the five bedrooms feature ensuite bathrooms and the lakeside views from the deck and patio are nothing short of spectacular. The Fullers are warm, welcoming hosts who treat their guests like family and bake delicious breakfasts including orange pecan French toast in the mornings. Rates range from $125-$155 per night and a two-night minimum stay is required in the summer months. Info: bellinghambandb.com or call (360) 647-2997
My fellow blogger Hilary Parker has enjoyed a recent stay at Tree Frog Night Inn, which is also classified as a Bed and Breakfast in Bellingham. Read her story here.
Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism offers a list of local Bed and Breakfasts as part of the many places to stay in rural and urban locations throughout the region.
