Captain Whidbey
Hotel · Island County ·
Historic lodge offering waterfront views, locally sourced dining
Historic lodge offering waterfront views, locally sourced dining
"Perched on Penn Cove, the 1907 inn had been recently modernized and felt both historic and comfortable: I stayed in the Glasswing cabin with wood paneling, a fireplace, and a balcony overlooking the cove, wrapped myself in a wool blanket to watch the view, and found a great blue heron standing motionless on the long dock. After an early dinner at the lodge bar—a perfect rye Manhattan and several small plates left me alone to read—I took a hot bath and slept deeply; the property even includes a small seafood shack on the grounds." - Sara B. Franklin Sara B. Franklin Sara B. Franklin is a journalist and oral historian. She teaches courses on food culture, writing, and oral history at NYU Gallatin. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Afar, and Travel + Leisure. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"A restored, 117-year-old maritime lodge on Whidbey Island overlooking Penn Cove, the property centers on a log-built main lodge of madrona and fir with a large stone fireplace and a small collection of refreshed guest rooms, plus four stand‑alone cabins individually curated by Pacific Northwest designers and creatives. The inn exudes cozy, seasonal charm—perfect for curling up by the lobby or cabin fireplaces with a local brew in winter, while summer highlights the island’s mussels and outdoor ease." - Laura Dannen Redman, Lyndsey Matthews
"A restored 113-year-old lodge on Whidbey Island that exudes maritime charm with madrona and fir log construction and a large stone fireplace; the 12 upstairs rooms received a gentle refresh while four new stand-alone cabins—each designed by a different Pacific Northwest creative—offer curated interiors and art, making the property a stylish island retreat." - Jennifer Flowers
"Former turn-of-the-20th-century fishing lodge revived on Whidbey Island in the Puget Sound, opened as Captain Whidbey in April."
"A historic inn on the shores of Penn Cove dating to 1907, this six-acre waterfront retreat has a lagoon and charming wooden log cabins. After a ’70s heyday and a faded past decade, it was purchased by brothers Matt and Mike French, who began a careful update and brought in architect and interior designer Eric Cheong (with stints at Atelier Ace and Roman and Williams). The property’s deep local roots are evident—when they asked Coupeville residents who had visited, worked there, were related to past owners, or were married there, most hands went up." - Lucie Zhang