"Why book? With a wide variety of camping, glamping, and conventional hotel accommodations and a ton of on-site activities in an amazing natural setting, Lakedale is a great base camp for a stay in the San Juans, whatever your needs and travel style. If you choose to stay here, be sure to carve out enough time to explore the property and relax on the property’s three lakes.
Set the scene
You leave the main road and cross a dyke onto what feels like an enchanted forest on an island within the island. A posted sign caps the speed limit on the dirt road at 7 ½ miles per hour––a wise policy given the packs of children usually riding around on Lakedale bicycles during the daylight hours. You pass the log cabins en route to the lakeside lodge, which houses check-in, a small gift shop, and adults-only accommodations; nearby are a general store and activities tent for kids. This little cluster of buildings serves as the fulcrum for the property, which extends on a north-south axis between three lakes.
The backstory
Lakedale’s founders were experienced pond builders, who eliminated an existing apple orchard on the site, convinced the county to raise the road that serves the site, and ultimately created the three lovely lakes—Dream, Neva, and Fish Hook—that surround the property, which is 82 acres in all, including the water. It remained a campground only from 1968, when it opened, until the ’90s, when the lodge and log cabins were added. After acquiring it in 2004 its current Oregon-based owners added canvas cabins and cottages, and then five years ago created the yurt village. They are considering further expansion plans in an undeveloped area called North Point.
The rooms
Because the hotel was fully booked when I visited, I only got a look at the log cabin in which I stayed, where the accommodations were simple, cozy, and functional: two beds and two baths (one of each upstairs in an attic-like space with eaves), a full kitchen, a dining nook, and a living room with a gas fireplace. The greatest amenity is the cedar deck with views of Neva Lake. There are six log cabins, all with the same layout, plus the Lake House, which is a kind of supersized log cabin that sleeps 10. There’s a single hot tub serving this little community. The yurts, though, each have their own hot tub and grill, plus Scandi-chic interiors, and are said to be able to sleep a small family. There are 10 rooms in the adults-only lodge, with Pacific Northwest-themed decor. I can say from firsthand experience that the main deck overlooking the lake, available only to lodge guests, is absolutely to die for—just a beautiful place to while away an afternoon with a book and a cold drink. The canvas cottages and tents offer simpler, more glamping-style accommodations.
Food and drink
Because Lakedale is a glamping and camping retreat, guests will mostly cook themselves (most accommodations across the resort have some kind of kitchen facility) or go out to eat on the island. There is a general store that sells snacks, beer and wine, coffee, and an excellent breakfast sandwich in addition to general supplies. Some form of complimentary breakfast is available to all guests—there is a continental breakfast in the mess tent over in the canvas cabins area (where my son was delighted by the pancake machine that operated at a wave of the hand) and a slightly more upscale version for lodge guests where the chef can whip up an omelet for you.
The neighborhood/area
The resort lies just off the main road running along the east side of San Juan Island. Its neighbors are farms, forests, and the rustic fine-dining restaurant Duck Soup, which sits just across Roche Harbor Road. You’ll need a car (or bicycle) to come and go, but there is lots to do on the property. The charming shops and restaurants of Friday Harbor are about 10 minutes away, and the island is so small that pretty much anything you’ll want to do will be within a half-hour drive.
The service
Foreign students on J-1 visas supply a large portion of the workforce, with some locals mixed in. A lot of the time at Lakedale you’re on your own, but the service at the front desk, in the general store, and in the mess tent is friendly and attentive. If you need anything in your room, a staffer will hop on a golf cart and come over to see you.
For families
Karl Bruno, the hotel’s GM since 2012, told me that there are families who have been coming every summer for 20 years. The activity tent, where kids can come to build birdhouses, tie-dye T-shirts and more, and the life-size chess and checkers sets are particularly popular. There are also tons of bikes on hand, plus paddle boards, kayaks, and canoes. The lakes, which the resort keeps stocked with cutthroat trout, are great for fishing or swimming. Protected, safe, and full of things to do, it’s a great place to let kids off the leash while preserving your peace of mind. One note: While the yurts, log cabins, canvas cabins and cottages, and campsites all welcome children, guests at the lodge must be 16 or over.
Eco effort
Lakedale utilizes all-biodegradable, eco-friendly cleaning products throughout all aspects of its operation.
Accessibility
The Lodge has an accessible yurt, an accessible lodge room, and an accessible canvas cottage.
Anything left to mention?
Lakedale makes a ton of sense for large group bookings, with certain sections––the yurt village, the log cabins and lake house, and the lodge––working well for buyouts, depending on the needs of the guests. It’s a popular choice for reunions and weddings, with a picturesque promontory across Neva Lake from the lodge often serving as a site for ceremonies and the Meadow, near the yurt village, a great place for receptions and large gatherings. Lakedale often also sees buyouts for cycling trips of the islands with companies like REI, Trek, and Backroads. The Meadow is also used as a location for an annual summer music festival to raise money for the local high school band program." - Jesse Ashlock
