Doe Bay Resort

We picked Doe Bay as the lodgings for our visiting extended family because they offered a house large enough to fit everyone and it sounded like a very scenic and comfortable resort. First, the good: the restaurant is phenomenal. It is all vegetarian for breakfast, adding extremely good seafood at dinner, with many of the vegetables grown on-site. It's on the pricey side, but absolutely worth it. The setting is also spectacular. Beautiful views and easy access to hiking trails leading up to Mount Constitution. The problems are with the resort itself. The house we were in was very poorly maintained, and the furniture was all rickety and uncomfortable. The kitchen was small, and while it had dishware and pots and pans there were zero serving bowls/plates, so cooking for a large number of people was extremely difficult. The soaking tubs were theoretically wonderful, but they were constantly full of people and consequently full of body hair, dirt and other grime. Finally, the staff were about as unprofessional and disinterested as any I've encountered. While camping here might be reasonable, and meals at the restaurant are highly encouraged, I can't recommend the "resort" itself. more

We flew into Rosario resort on a Kenmore air seaplane which was a cool way to arrive in the san juans from Seattle. The hotel my travel agent had picked was clearly not our cup of tea. I hope I don't get him fired but a Rosario employee told me about Doe Bay Resort. We checked out of one and into the other... in a cool cabin next to a big garden. There were actuaI Does in my yard each day.... I didn't notice the cooking utensils in my cabin because I had breakfast in the cafe... a killer smoked salmon scramble and was too full for lunch but went back for dinner and had the best vegetarian lasagna of my life, washed down with organic beer. Next day, tofu scramble and then Halibut for dinner.... Oh yeah the resort was cool too, especially the sauna and tubs next to the stream, but did I mention the cafe'? Bon Apetit! I did go hiking and my girlfriend got a massage... did I tell you about the homemade bread? more

I spent last weekend at Doe Bay Resort and had mixed feelings about it. The location is pleasant, but Orcas Island is not my favorite of the islands. The cottage was clean and in good repair, but sort of hotel-like in it's sterility and utilitarianism. It would be a good place to rent if you were going to the San Juan Islands with a busy agenda and just needed a place to crash at night, especially if you were not planning to cook more than a pot of pasta and a side salad. The kitchen had a mini-fridge and a two burner propane stove top, but no oven. The sink was wet-bar sized. The cabin had a four-seat table, but no living area - no comfy chairs, no fireplace, no living 'room' at all. I've been told there are more expansive, funkier cabins to rent, though I didn't have a chance to see inside any others while I was there. more