02-297 Orcas Hill House
- Orcas Island



${{parseInt(rateMin).toFixed(0)}}/night
*** Please note that this home is pet friendly but certain breeds are excluded. Only dogs are allowed. Please inquire before booking as to breeds and associated pet fees. Two small approved dogs only. Dogs under 30 lbs. will be considered on an exception basis subject to being confined in the kitchen (baby gate provided) or on the decks so that they do not have access to the soft hardwood floors. ***
Orcas Hill House is a bright two-bedroom vacation rental home with king-size beds and one queen-sized aero bed, fine linens, and a wood-burning fireplace. It has a refined yet comfortable feel, furnished with original retro furnishings and in nature’s autumn colors. Located near the top of Orcas Hill, the house sits on a rocky overlook with expansive south-to-western views over the water with the Olympic Mountains in the distance. You will enjoy golden sunrises and sunsets from the deck, which wraps around three sides of the house as well as a view of the San Juan Islands ferries coming and leaving the Island.
Located above the ferry landing, this vacation home offers a convenient location near a quality grocery and small eateries including the dining room and bar at the historic Orcas Hotel. From here you can also set out on a whale-watch cruise, rent a moped, or catch a ferry to a neighboring island. Eastsound Village is an easy 15 minute drive with Moran State Park about 25 minutes away.
Firewood not provided. House does not have air conditioning. Please note this home has 3 steps to the entrance.
Please note: residential internet speeds, bandwidth and reliability in the San Juan Islands currently lag behind the mainland. Guests who wish to use videoconferencing, streaming services, or multiple simultaneous internet connections should be aware that performance may not meet the levels they are accustomed to. Guests may need to alter their online work and entertainment plans due to service fluctuations or outages.
San Juan County VR Permit #99SPRO32
What you see in the pictures of Orcas Hill House is exactly what you will get. We were able to stay at this cozy rental on the exact week that we were planning on island-hopping around the San Juan Islands, and the house's location right above the terminal afforded us the chance to do so without worrying about missing the ferry. Given its location, the house was surprisingly pretty quiet. We expected a constant barrage of fog horns and car traffic, but the noise level was fairly minimal. This house's biggest selling point is the sizable deck that offers a spectacular south-facing ocean view of the waterways between Orcas Island and Shaw Island. That said, the house's floor-to-ceiling glass windows directly opening up to this direction also meant that the house was sweltering hot on the day of our arrival. The blinds were up to showcase the amazing views, but the uninsulated glass windows created this greenhouse effect that left the indoor temperature shooting up to 88 degrees Fahrenheit. The thermostat didn't seem to work properly and there were only two box fans provided for the entire house, so we had to leave a few of the windows and the sliding glass door open up until midnight that first night just to let the cool sea breeze in so that the indoor temperature would be more livable.The itself was well-maintained and very clean when we arrived. We were satisfied at how well-stocked it was with all the basic essentials. There were clean towels and a good amount of toiletries provided by Northwest Island Escapes. Cooking in the kitchen was made even more enjoyable because the window has a direct ocean view, and the Dutch door is such a novelty to have to let even more ocean breeze in. We had no issue with the wi-fi speed; we did have some trouble with the satellite TV's reception where the channels would freeze and then sometimes go out on their own. The house is actually pretty spacious, so we were able to stretch out and relax in our own little spots. All anyone really needed to do was bring in their change of clothes and some food. The beds were extremely comfortable, and there are plenty of closet space in each bedroom. There was also an airbed and a folded futon available for extra guests, which comes in handy because the airbed keeps deflating after only a few hours' use. This house unfortunately only has one full bath in the master bedroom, so it will be a bit of a challenge trying to get ready in the morning if you've got a group of people staying in the house. The shower is also a bit odd in that the water temperature would abruptly switch back and forth between cold and hot while you're trying to finish up. The location of the house in relation to the rest of the island is convenient if you can find it on the first go. We almost missed the house number on the tree when we first drove up, so the signage could be a bit better for those of us not used to a forested driveway. Some people have mentioned that it is not an easy walk down to the ferry, and they're right. The paved drive up to the house end right where the county built the end of the road further down, so the rest of the way going to the house is uphill, winding, and unpaved which can get muddy when it rains. The house itself is pretty secluded and far enough away from nearby neighbors that it can sometimes feel like it's the only house on the hill, but we didn't mind it that much because it was exactly what we were looking for. On clear nights we were able to enjoy the bright stars and the peaceful quietness of the area after the last ferry leaves, and we were able to do some unintentional birdwatching whenever the local wild turkeys would come around the corner for their evening stroll, or the sea hawks and occasional bald eagle that would fly past the deck. It's really all about location for this house.You can pretty much drive from the house all the way to Obstruction Pass State Park on the other side of the East Sound in less than an hour. Moran State is an easy drive right from the hill. If you're running low on any supplies there's also that short drive to Eastsound to get what you need, and you can refuel nearby in one of the two (I believe) gas stations on Orcas Island. Long review, but we thoroughly enjoyed our stay in this house. It was comfortable and spacious for our family, and the ocean views on the large deck is amazing and never boring. 12/10 for the house, will actually stay here again!
We stayed at Orcas Hill House for 4 days. It is in a great location close to the ferry and about 25 minutes from Eastsound. The views were spectacular. The house itself was the cleanest Airbnb I've been in and was extremely comfortable. There is some Ferry noise, and one morning it was foggy, so the Ferry blew it's horn every time it left the landing. This was not a bother to us, but something to be aware of if you have kids that are light sleepers. We spent every night out on the deck looking out over the water. Orcas Island was great. We went whale watching and saw a Pacific Northwest Humpback whale. We also went kayaking and saw seals, porpoise, eagles nest, lots of sea stars and other ocean things. I would highly recommended Orcas Island and this Airbnb to my friends.
The Orcas Hill House property was a perfect sanctuary to end our long Pacific Northwest vacation. After a few weeks of dodging the BC fires we ended our time off with clear skies in the San Juan's and spent a few days re-exploring Orcas Island. The home had all of the amenities we needed to enjoy a few nights of BBQs and cocktails.
We hope to return soon.
My husband, brother and sister-in-law recently stayed at the Orcas Hill House. The setting and location are wonderful, close to the ferry and high on a hill with a terrific view. The place is a little on the campy/cabiny side and could use some updates for sure (or a discount in price), but we enjoyed the house, it was comfy, relaxing and quiet. A second shower should be a major priority as it was awkward with 4 adults using one shower indeed! Overall, though, we had a great time and got a lot of use out of the huge balcony!
We stayed in this cabin for almost a week using it mostly at night as we spent our days out on a boat. There was an issue on the first night of our stay. The rental agency responded rapidly and did their best to resolve the issue. This cabin has beautiful views and the kitchen is well stocked with all you would need. The furniture is straight from the 60s or 70s. The beds were incredibly comfortable. The linens and towels should be replaced.
It is a beautiful house looking out over the ferry area. It is very peaceful. Easy walk down to the grocery store for the little things we needed. We stayed 5 days and were comfortable the whole time.
Beautiful view, but a serious uphill walk from the ferry terminal. Part of the road is not paved so you will be walking through mud. Much easier to find the house in the day time so try to be at the house before dark. House is decorated ala 1950's with lots of olds books for reading. The house seemed too made for really short people so anyone tall may have to duck when showering and the john is quiet short, only one shower in the house in the master bedroom so keep that in mind. The TV is old school and small, our technology did not work with it. They do have some VHS tapes and Direct TV but we could only get 5 channels to work, only one TV available. Code for the wireless is on the bottom of the router not the one in the book. Only had one roll of TP for a 5 days stay so bring some with you. Very quiet and peaceful, cell phone had no service at the house but did at the bottom of the hill. The temp of the house varies a lot. Windows are single pane so the sun really heats up the house but when the sun went down it cooled down very fast. Not really a yard to play in moss covered slopes so no game of touch football here if that is what you were looking for. Master bed was very comfortable and cozy.
They are serious about the check out time being at 10 am. The house cleaners showed up a day early due to miscommunication and woke us up and were promptly back the next day at 9:55 am. Do not doddle when leaving.
We loved staying at this home! The only things that weren't perfect was the dishwasher seemed to be on the blitz, and the internet did not work. Otherwise - perfect!!
We have stayed at this location many times over a period of 20 years. Our first impression on this trip was that the house looked fresh and neat. It had been painted and had new furniture on the front porch. I loved the linens on the bed in the master. There were plenty of towels in the bathroom and kitchen. A new toaster would improve the kitchen a lot for a small cost. The view from the decks is a magnet - you have to keep looking and a full moon didn't hurt. Looks like this was our last trip to Orcas Island but it was a grand finale.
This charming house was in absolutely perfect condition, well equipped, in a convenient location, and has a priceless view. We LOVED it, and would recommend it without hesitation. If you haven't visited Orcas island, you must. And when you do, make sure you stay here!
Thanks for compliments, we'll see you next time!
Please let me know about the boy's bathing suit we left in the dryer. I gave the address for it to be sent to in Redmond. We will be happy to pay postage. Also - you need to know about the carpenter ant droppings I left in the paper cup...they were on the table when we arrived.
Suit was sent! And have dealt with those pesky ants.
We had a nice time and enjoyed the home. Only problem was that there were quite a lot of ants inside the home. Please notify the owner that they may have a carpenter ant problem. Thanks.
Bryan Smith
We've been staying at this property off and on since the early 90's. We appreciate the improvements (guest room, bathrooms, bed and bedding). With the big jump in price we expected to find things in better order. The washing machine didn't work, the dishwasher broke down within two days and we had to buy our own 10" non-stick skillet as the kitchen equipment was minimal.
When the light above the dining room table burned out we had to take a bulb from the bathroom as there were no replacements. The reading lamps have 60 watt bulbs and were not suitable for reading.
The biggest disappointment was that with the lovely upgrade in the guest bathroom there was no shower added even though there is space for one.
Laura from Windemere was helpful and attentive and shared our frustration I'm sure. We've stayed in another property that felt like a home but the proximity of the Hiss house to the ferry makes it very convenient. Too bad it gave us a chilly reception.
We Loved the House. The location was a bit remote for my Husband,It was great for my Daughter son -in-law and me.We loved the views.The only down side was the half bath rather than a second full bath. Everything else was perfect.We fell in-love with the San JUan Islands and the people.Everyone was friendly and helpful especially the agents at Windemere.
This cottage is a great location being a very short distance from the ferry terminal; however, if you do not have transportation you walk up a rather steep hill to get to the house. even w/luggage on wheels we struggled (we're in relatively good shape, mid 40's). highly recommend renting a car at the time you arrive for 24 hours - this will get you to the house much easier and it's a great way to get around Orcas for 1 day. bus transp. is nice, but $6/pp/each way. renting a car for 1 day gives you flexibility to see all you want to see on Orcas. car rental is just up street from ferry terminal.