Outlook Inn On Orcas Island

My wife and I took a last minute baby moon to the island and decided on the Outlook Inn. We stayed in the Bay View Suites portion. We had an AMAZING experience. Anna, at the front desk, was nothing less than outstanding. She basically planned our whole trip when I asked, «So, what is there to do for fun around here?» The room itself was very clean, smelled nice, had towel warmers in the bathroom, and had a gorgeous view of the water and Indian Island. It was also very quite and peaceful. Very serene. It’s also easy to walk right out of the room and get to the local shops and restaurants. EAT AT THE NEW LEAF CAFE located in the Outlook Inn. Breakfast was the best! We went both mornings and had the chicken and waffles, eggs and bacon, and also the eggs Benedict. The hollandaise sauce is a must have. So is the «syrup» the give you with the waffles. Holy cow! Bottom line: stay here, eat here, go back here every time!

Great location… New Leaf Restaurant (in hotel) is very good. Highly recommend getting a larger room with a view– our view of the bay (Ship Bay/​East Sound) was idyllic.

You get an amazing view of the bay. You’re walking distance from the Eastsound village. You can walk from your hotel to almost anything at orcas in less than 5 minutes. It’s in a convenient and beautiful spot. I’m glad I booked here.
The rooms had a very local feel to them. You can tell they really placed an emphasis on making sure you know you’re in Orcas Island and not just a typical hotel anywhere else. The soaps, lotions, shampoo, room décor, all came from Orcas Island. All locally made stuff which was nice. I booked here to appreciate the island and I’m glad they complemented that.
The rooms were huge and were clean. The technology like the TVs and placement of wall outlets could’ve been better but who goes to Orcas Island and stay inside the hotel the whole time?
My only complaint isn’t really a complaint since I understand but I wish the restaurant downstairs would stay open even in off season. But again, why should they?
Overall, I’m gonna book here again the next time I visit. If Eastsound is your favorite place in Orcas, then this is a great option to consider.

Ummm, what?! $ 60 for an adorable room overlooking the water, cozy bed, and stumbling distance to cocktail bars/​restaurants in Eastsound? When my husband found the Outlook Inn online, I kept telling him there must be a mistake, and to double-check…“Are you sure they didn’t leave an extra digit off? That doesn’t sound right.” To our pleasant surprise– we got an extremely low-​price room for what is a somewhat pricey island. It has a shared (private/​single) bathroom located in the hallway (there are several on the floor, so you won’t be further than a few steps). If that’s what keeps the price down, that’s fine by me! Just remember to bring your PJ’s and slippers. No TVs in the rooms, so it’s a great getaway. Front desk managers were extremely friendly, gave us great tips on where to eat and drink, get breakfast, etc. All around can’t wait to come back!

We spent 3 nights here and could not have been happier. We have two young kids who enjoyed the proximity to the town and all it has to offer, but we could also quickly be to any part of the island for bigger outdoor adventures. Everyone we ran into on the staff was helpful, friendly, and full of great advice. If you are looking for a central location for your next trip to Orcas I highly recommend Outlook Inn.

What an amazing experience. My wife and I were celebrating our 20^th wedding anniversary and wanted to go somewhere special. We was watching the travel channel last month and they said the San Juan Islands was a top 10 «Must See» destination. After doing some homework, everyone recommended Orcas Island to visit. The Outlook Inn on Orcas Island was highly recommended. We spend a little extra for the newer rooms and glad we did. The rooms were fabulous but the view from our room was spectacular. They entire staff was friendly, especially Tracy that checked us in. Needless to say, the New Leaf restaurant attached to the Outlook was phenomenal as well. We are planning another trip soon with our children so they can enjoy the amazing experience.

Beautiful location, with a beautiful view, parking was easy the room was really lovely and the price was right. What more could one ask for.

First off, let me explain the 4 stars. This is an average based on 5 stars for the New Leaf Café and 3 stars for the hotel itself. First off, the New Leaf Café is just plain great and I agree with what others have said, that this is the best food on the island and would be a top rated place in Seattle or anywhere in the Pacific NW. For dinner my wife had the scallops, which she said were cooked just perfect, fresh tasting and delicious. I had the lamb steak and it too was just the best. Breakfast also was wonderful. The staff is pleasent, timely and know what their food is all about.
Now, over to the hotel: This was the main hotel for most of my family, who had come to the island for our daughter’s wedding. We had all made reservations with several of us reserving multiple rooms for family members. The reservations, for different parties, were duplicated, even though we called at different times and secured them with different credit cards, etc. Yes, the last names were the same. My wife and I arrived a day earlier than others. When my brother and his wife checked in the next day they were told that they had already checked in. I ran over and they had the same reservation numbers as my wife and I (with an extra room for children). The front desk person told us. «This can’t be! The system won’t allow it!» Even though we stood there and showed her our respective reservations showing this.
Instead of working to solve the problem, the front desk person seemed to be determined to find out why this had happened. It was finally all worked out, with some people upgraded and another person booked next door. We are appreciative of that, but the front desk drama wasn’t really needed.
Regarding our room, in the east wing building. Nice and clean, although a bit noisy from the room up above. I have never seen a room where your heat was a space heater and your air was a floor fan. I would think a simple baseboard heater would work just as well for a chilly day. Note: If you chose not to have your room cleaned, they give you a $ 5 per day credit, which is nice if you stay for several days.
In summary, if the café staff’s professionalism had been shared by the front desk, it would be a solid 5 star all the way around. Seems this is a common theme of many reviews.
I’m sure we’ll return and laugh about it some day.

We really wanted to like this place but the cons kept outweighing the pros. From the unfriendly greeting when I first walked in to bashing my head and back on the shower door handle in the tiny washroom. I hurt my knee pretty badly walking into the chair at the little table. It blocked the pathway between the end of the bed and wall that led to the sinks. We finally put it under the table out of the way. The pillows were not comfortable at all. We heard people stomping upstairs at all hours which was not peaceful. The toilet required at least two flushes (I checked this everywhere in town — it was not a water pressure problem. We had no problems with any other toilets in town) We did not feel as though we were particularly welcome. For the money it was an utter letdown. We were wondering where they spent the $ 1 million on the renovation as our room had holes in the walls and ceiling, the windows were difficult to crank closed, the shower was pretty much a tiny closet you couldn’t turn around in. We didn’t really see the main building much. Maybe that’s where they put the money. We won’t stay there again.

Amazing setting on the water and the inn is done so charming and beautiful. Our sheets and bedding were so comfortable. Tastefully decorated and ideal location for orcas island

We had a gorgeous ocean view ‘suite’ with balcony. I adored Eastsound — the pace, the people, the food. We spent three glorious days here including the amazing Saturday farmer’s market and lovely church with the Episcopalians on Sunday. Then we ferried to Friday Harbor and I have to say I wished we had stayed in Eastsound.
The New Leaf Restaurant was as good as any restaurant in San Francisco. Amazing food, casual setting. Duck mac n cheese as an appetizer. The local fresh oysters were as good as they come. We had a fabulous time.

It’s quaint in an not top notch way. The «waterfront» room, is on second floor and does have a window with grids on it looking over parking lot street and then a view of waterfront.
It has a fridge, no microwave. It’s roomy has a bay window looking over the bar.
Service was fine but not super accommodating. The island has an overall laid back approach. You won’t be waited on.
They do have a nice Resturant. Great food, fair service, everyone that works in hotel and Resturant wears yoga pants and tee shirts. (Strange, but not really if you walk around town)
The town is liberal, hippie-​ville. Lots of «gardners», they all know each other. They are friendly enough. You are there to pay and pay you will. It’s an island! Nothing’s inexpensive.

Beautiful, Quaint, & Cozy
Really cute little place with great views of the bay and Indian Island. Everything was lovely. The reason for my 4 stars was two fold– 1) my husband found the bed uncomfortable and 2) at check-​in, we were told the breakfast in the am on Mother’s day was a special brunch menu– but they also had the early breakfast deal ($ 7.00). When we went to breakfast– they said it was a holiday (?) and there was no early am deal… wish that had been properly communicated to the hotel staff.
Other than that we had a nice mother’s day weekend–

The location of the hotel is very convenient. The view was pretty nice, but kind of hidden behind the building surrounding us.
The staff and service were very courteous. We did not enjoy how firm and thick the pillow was, it was hurting my back. Also, the hair dryer handle is greasy. seems that no one has cleaned it since the last user. It made me wonder what else are they not cleaning.

On our first trip to Orcas Island we were smack dab in the middle of a snowstorm. A bit of an abnormality for this place.
That being said… What an awesome place to be during it!
I cannot say enough good things about this hotel.
We found a deal on Living Social. 2 nights in a luxury suite. What a lovely and comfy retreat! The bed was super comfortable and the jacuzzi tub was big and inviting.
The New Leaf Café, where we had dinner the first night, was a delight as well. Good food and good value.
Overall… Above the great room and restaurant, the thing that the Overlook Inn excels at most is their customer service. They couldn’t seem to do enough for us! And though I never did get his name… The gentleman who spent more than an entire day shoveling and reshoveling the walkways deserves huge kudos and praise. He did that job over and over and always had a smile on his face. Every staff member we encountered was fantastic.

Very nice Inn on Orcas Eastsound. We stayed in a Bay View Suite and loved it. The view from the comfy bed was breath-​taking. We visited when the Inn’s restaurant was closed for the season.
Staff is helpful and courteous. Will be back in the Summer!

Superb hotel. It’s not new — very early/​mid 20^th century — but has a wonderfully nostalgic feel. I’ve stayed there 3 or 4 times over the years and have never been disappointed. It’s quiet and clean and ultra-​charming. The restaurant is also excellent. I haven’t been there in awhile and look forward to going back.

You probably want to opt for one of the larger private rooms f you stay here. We stayed in one of the less expensive rooms upstairs. The bathroom and shower (two different rooms) are across the hall. The shower is so small that every time I turned I bumped the temp control. Make sure you don’t drop the soap! Your options are bang-​your-​head or deep-​knee-​bends.
The bed was creaky and we found ourselves whispering in our own room since we figured if we could hear others in other rooms they could hear us. All-​in-​all made for a not-​so-​pleasant night. I’m sure the Inn’s other accommodations are as nice as everyone says. After spending a week in the Seattle Westin we thought we’d «rough it» this one night before heading home. In retrospect it would have been much nicer to end the trip on a high note in one of the nicer rooms. These smaller rooms upstairs probably are perfect for teenage kids to stay in while mom and dad stay in a nicer room.

This Inn was fine. We had a room with a shared bathroom for the floor. The room had a bed and a sink and that was it. The rooms that had their own bathrooms were much nicer, but they didn’t have any available when I booked. The staff was polite but the security door lock came off of the door when I tried opening it from the outside. I would probably rate it higher if we were in a different room. The location is great and the staff was friendly.

This is one of my favorite places to stay on Orcas. It’s a nice location right in the heart of town. I’ve only stayed in the view suites. The rooms are large, with a seating area. The bathrooms are nice, with a large soaking tub. The view is amazing.
The location is great because you can walk around town. And their in-​house restaurant, New Leaf, is a pretty nice place to dine too.