Our family of four just returned from a wonderful tour of the northern half of Washington State. During our week-long vacation we had the extreme fortune of spending two days and two nights on Orcas Island. What a treat! Orcas Island is full of great hiking trails, spectacular views of both water and mountains, interesting shops, and quaint restaurants. But, we felt especially lucky to have happened upon the Bayside Cottages in Olga. I am somewhat reluctant to post this review, simply because when hidden treasures like this become publicized too much, they often become difficult to book again. But, here goes....

On the opposite side of the ferry landing is a real hidden treasure in the Bayside Cottages. We booked the Mt. Baker Suite for our family of 4 (kids ages 16 and 12) and we couldn't have been more pleased. The suite is actually two large rooms with beautiful furnishings, a comfortable master bed, TV, kitchenette and a small alcove with an additional double bed. There is a deck on the outside with an absolutely gorgeous view of the gardens below, full of blooming flowers, and the bay and distant mountains. On a clear day- which we had on day 2- Mt. Baker looms in the distance straight in front of you. It is truly a sight to behold!! There are also many deer roaming the property-a real treat for kids.

The Nelsons couldn't have been more hospitable. They offer their washer to do a load of clothes and they offer a large selection of DVDs to borrow in the evening. Nearby is Cafe Olga, a lovely place to get breakfast in the morning, again with so many flowers surrounding the place that I couldn't stop taking pictures. I will include a few.

Thank you to the Nelsons for providing our family with such a beautiful and relaxing place to stay. We will most definitely be back soon.

Sincerely,

The Marranos

Athens, GA
(Tarheel bred, Go Heels!!)

I'm reluctant to post on here about the Bayside Cottages because they're a hidden gem and I don't want them to get too well-known...but they're so amazing that I had to write a review.

The views are awesome! We woke up every morning to a wonderful view of Mt. Baker from our bed (we stayed in the Lummi Cottage). It was so clean and romantic, the alcove bed was wonderful, and the porch was great. We even had a woman come to give us massages on our porch.

The island is quaint, rustic and secluded. You don't see many people on the property of the Bayside Cottages let alone the entire island. The weather was fabulous, the food was great. Go to Olga's in Eastsound for breakfast, the Lower Tavern for great burgers, and Rose's Bakery for wonderful treats...or a nice lunch to bring on a hike.

We would highly recommend the Lummi or any other of the cottages. The Nelson's were wonderful to deal with and the property is stunning. We're going back for an anniversary in 5 years or so!

My wife and I had the opportunity to take our 4 month son on his first trip and chose Bayside as the spot to do it. It was off season (Nov 10) and we were the only ones on the property for two of our three nights. We stayed in the Beach House which greatly exceeded our expectations.

Anything we could think of that we required during our stay was in the cottage and we thoroughly enjoyed the area.

We will certainly return.

The web site for Bayside Cottages does not do it justice! We stayed in the Cypress cottage which made for a perfect and private getaway for two. The views were amazing and everything in the cottage caters to comfort. It was not as flowery and ostentatious as many B&B's, which is exactly what appealed to us. I highly recommed this place to anyone looking for a wonderful, quiet experience. Because it is further out of town, prepare to drive a lot- but, the drives are enjoyable!