Getaways close to home
You don’t have to travel far to enjoy the hospitality,
relaxation of a cozy bed-and-breakfast inn

By John Wolcott
SCBJ Editor

For leisurely, scenic or romantic getaways, bed-and-breakfast inns have a niche all their own. Hotels, resorts and other lodging venues all have their own attractions for travelers and vacationers, but it’s bed-and-breakfasts that get talked about the most after guests return to their homes.

Although families can often be accommodated at many B&Bs, the inns cater primarily to couples or singles. Most are vacationing tourists, parents visiting their children or business travelers shunning large hotels. Many are couples looking for a romantic getaway to celebrate an anniversary or to escape their hectic lifestyle for a few days. Others are women traveling alone who want the security, privacy and homelike environment offered by these inns.

But innkeepers say nearly all of their guests go to B&Bs because they love the uniqueness of each inn, the scenic settings, homemade breakfasts and visiting with other couples they meet. Rates for B&Bs generally range from $110 to $225 or more per night. More photos of the inns listed on these pages, along with their room descriptions and offers such as special weekend getaway packages are found on their Web sites.

For more information about B&Bs in Snohomish County, Puget Sound and statewide, visit the Internet site of the Washington Bed and Breakfast Guild, www.wbbg.com. The association’s 120 bed-and-breakfast inns have been independently visited, inspected and approved for their association membership.

Cottage Creek Inn B&B, Redmond (425-881-5606/www.cottagecreekinn.com)

Snohomish County Business Journal/JOHN WOLCOTT

Even in a dense urban area such as Redmond, the Cottage Creek Inn offers an opportunity to enjoy a secluded, scenic, restful B&B only a short distance from a major roadway into downtown Redmond. Jeanette and Steve Wynecoop raised their children in this home, which they converted 16 years ago into a romantic English Tudor-styled, four-bedroom bed-and-breakfast inn that’s uniquely decorated with Steve Wynecoop’s always admired — and often sold — paintings throughout the house. “Steve and I are both from large families, so we enjoy having people around. Our guests are artists, parents visiting their children in the area, people coming for graduation or husbands who were kidnapped by their wives and brought here for a romantic weekend,” Jeanette Wynecoop said. “Some guests are eager for conversation, others just want to relax in quiet surroundings. They all find what they’re looking for here, and they often come back.” The B&B is only a 10-minute drive from downtown Redmond, but guests spend most of their time relaxing on the back patio, admiring the flower garden, waiting for the deer that frequently amble through the yard or strolling the wooded forest trails to the far end of the property.

River Rock Inn B&B, Arlington (360-403-7014/www.riverrockinnbnb.com)

Snohomish County Business Journal/JOHN WOLCOTT

Owners Bob and Lisa Watkins (pictured above) tore down most of their rural mountain-foothills home to build a five-room B&B, plus a great room with a giant stone fireplace. Each room is individually styled. The setting for the inn includes a surrounding forest, hiking trails and nearby waterfalls. A gourmet breakfast is included in the room price. “We meet people from all over the world who come to the inn,” said Lisa Watkins, who is also the gourmet chef. “They love to talk with other guests about their travels and other B&Bs they’ve stayed in. We’re close to Arlington restaurants, although we serve a gourmet dinner that’s very popular, for a special added fee, and most of our guests want to stay right here.” The inn is close to the North Cascades mountains, lakes, streams and recreation areas.

Gaylord House B&B, Everett (425-339-9153/www.gaylordhouse.com)

Snohomish County Business Journal/JOHN WOLCOTT

Only a few blocks from downtown Everett, Gaylord House is in a quiet residential neighborhood where streets are lined with old-growth shade trees. The four rooms will soon become five when the Garden Terrace room is finished. Owners Kay and Craig Zimmel also have a large living room area for guests to relax in and a book-and-video library for entertainment. Breakfasts are served each morning in a separate dining room. “We get 90 percent of our guest bookings from the Internet,” Kay Zimmel said. “Many guests are visiting families; some are professional people; and we have a doctor who stays regularly whenever she’s on call at Providence Hospital nearby. “An hour before breakfast we leave the morning newspaper at each door and deliver a hot beverage, tea or coffee, for them to start their day,” she said. Gaylord House is close to shopping, the Everett Events Center’s entertainment shows, the Imagine! Children’s Museum and downtown restaurants.

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