The Washington Hotel

*BUYER BEWARE* We couldn't stay at The Washington Hotel because the room smelled strongly of mold, and Vacasa, which manages it, refused any compensation. My daughter and I both have asthma, and we'd chosen what looked like the only recently remodeled hotel in Port Townsend because we needed a newer room. It was listed at $130 a night, but fees and taxes brought one Monday night to $661.27, the most expensive room in the area. We'd never been to Port Townsend. On 8/24 we stayed in Poulsbo and went bioluminescent kayaking in Port Gamble. The next day, 8/25, we drove north to Port Townsend for our whale watching plans. With wildfire smoke outside and local Covid cases rising, we wore N95 masks into the hotel. Inside, there was an awful musty, moldy smell. The stairway smelled strongly of perfume, as if someone might have been trying to cover it up. The room smelled of mold too. We couldn't open its windows because of the wildfire smoke, so we put our masks back on and left. I called Vacasa to explain we couldn't stay in those unhealthy conditions and asked for a refund. They wouldn't offer anything because I hadn't bought trip insurance. We had to drive an hour south to Poulsbo and rent a room at the hotel from the night before. Our whale watch tour left Port Townsend at 8:30am the next day, so we had to get up extra early to make it. My daughter had wanted to go whale watching and bioluminescent kayaking this summer. I'd recommend finding a hotel in Poulsbo or Sequim where the rooms are healthy.

I loved the little snack kitchen for late night munchies, and the location puts so many cute shops and restaurants within walking distance. The rooms feel warm and welcoming, with local art on the walls. It has the privacy of a hotel but the best parts of staying with a friend. There's nothing I'd change, and I'll definitely come back.

Being downtown puts everything within walking distance, and street parking right outside was easy. Check-in was contact free, just an email with the entry code, and there were lots of thoughtful touches that made us feel welcome. Our room was cute, clean, and cozy when we arrived. We'll stay here again next time we're in the area.

We spent three nights over the Wooden Boat Festival weekend in Port Townsend. The hotel has just four rooms and ours was clean and quiet, tucked away from the main street. It was a great spot for getting to the festival and around Pt T.