To be honest I was not quite sure about Whispering Firs B&B near Mt Vernon, WA because my husband who never plans our vacations picked it out. He is an avid hunter and fisherman and we both love the outdoors. From the moment that we arrived I was very, very impressed. Linda and Vic Benson are top notch hosts. They went way out of their way to cater to our every need. They asked us when WE wanted breakfast. We stayed one night in the NW Mastersuite, the room had an amazing view down onto the valley and beyond, The room was an awesome mix of masculine and feminine, which appealed to both of us and make us feel very soothed. The grounds were very beautiful, flowers everywhere, everythign inside and out was clean and neat. Linda had beautiful fresh flower arrangement in the house. I picked up some wonderful decorating ideas from Linda. We enjoyed a wonderful restful night's sleep and breakfast was the best we had on the whole trip of 9 days! We had Dutch Pancakes, Amish Baked Oatmeal and fresh berries. It was so good!!! Linda even gave us the recipes. Ask Linda about their wonderful massage recliner, ooohh! Best B&B experience to date. If you have a problem with animal taxidermy you might want to make a differant choice but we loved it, loved it, loved it all!

I travelled 8,500 miles this summer through national parks and stayed in a wide variety of places. This one scores in the top! I stayed here one night, en route from Mt. Rainier to Glacier National Park.

Without my GPS I would never have found it - tucked as it is up in the foothills and overlooking the city of Mt. Vernon. The winding and climbing driveway really fascinating me because it was so natural! Yes, I ended up at Whispering Firs with a room that overlooked this prosperous farming community, flowers, deck, jacuzzi, etc. My room was entirely in blue and white, crisp, clean and inviting. I had a private bath and access to a personal computer so I could communicate with friends back home.

The living area is decorated with stuffed animals, including a bear that looks ready to say hello. I found the lodge atmosphere very pleasing. The resident Irish Setter is quite real, also very pleasing although a bit shy.

Breakfast was elegant. The lady of the house is a gourmet cook, catere, and natural hostess.

This was a relaxing and wonderful stay.

I didn't give it "5" for sleep quality because it was almost too quiet for us to sleep. It's so close to Seattle yet so removed from civilization!
But not removed from comforts! We enjoyed wonderful breakfasts in the dining room and a delightful coffee station (see the picture!) We had a very private room in the nw corner of the "house" with a portion of private deck as well as our restroom and a small sitting room. We spent a bit of time just sitting out on the deck enjoying the woods and the view.
It's a country drive to go out to eat, but we did that a couple of times just because we were on vacation! (went to the Chuckanut Manor for a leisurely shoreside lunch and the next day we went someplace I don't remember the name of in La Connor).
The theme of the house is definitely: hunting lodge! There entry way is so full of stuffed animals, of all sizes and types, you could imagine you are out in the woods even though you just walked inside. I admit to being caught off guard, and I jumped a couple of times thinking I was in the presence of a live animal. For anyone who really loves that theme this could be nirvana!
I can't remember if there was a pool. There was a water feature and a jacuzzi, but I think it was covered due to bad weather earlier in the week, and because the other reservations for the weekend had cancelled. The deck looked incredible for entertaining a large party like a reception or wedding. For me, the views were just incredible. All day long I could gaze out on Skagit Valley, Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains. In peace and quiet.

This B&B and Lodge is a real find. It is nestled among the tall firs in the foothills of the Cascades in a beautiful setting with a great view. The proprietors make you feel like part of the family and provide all the comforts of home. The breakfasts are imaginative, delicious and will remove all thought of lunch from you mind. Dinners are available by request that are also great. The rooms are airy, clean and quiet. An Irish Setter roams the place adding to the inviting, at-home charm.

Couldn't be better