All are Welcome: The Palace Hotel in Port Townsend, WA

Beautiful end-of-summer weather in the forecast paired with an entirely open schedule for the weekend meant that a quick and spur of the moment getaway needed to happen.  Last September we got to be spontaneous for one of the first times in our young parenting lives, and decided to take an overnight trip with little to no advance planning.  When my husband Slaed saw the two factors come together (the weather and the schedule), he left it to me to choose a destination relatively close to Seattle, and book a hotel.

It didn’t take long for Port Townsend, Washington to come to mind as a perfect place for our quick trip.  I’d been meaning the explore the town with it’s old Victorian-style homes, numerous parks, and beautiful views since only getting a quick glimpse years ago.  And since the town is located on the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula, it’s just over a 2-hour car ride from Seattle.  To make the trip even sweeter, part of those 2 hours includes a 30-minute ferry crossing from downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island: Perfect for a little guy (about 13 months then) who likes to get out and move.

A few factors were necessary for our perfect Port Townsend hotel stay.  First we had our hearts set on a suite-style room.  We’ve grow accustomed to and been spoiled by hotel spaces that have a bedroom along with a living area.  This way, Bergen gets his own sleep space, and we can have our own sleep space, and since Bergen goes to bed much earlier than us, we like the option of taking it easy, chatting, or watching a movie without having to tiptoe around with the lights off.  In addition, given the last minute planning we also needed a hotel that was pet-friendly.  It was too late to arrange for pet boarding, we didn’t want the extra expense of someone else taking care of him, and plus it’s about time our dog,  Norman joined us on one of our out of town adventures! Our last necessary factor was location.  The hotel needed to be in the middle of it all.  We wanted to be able to park the car, and not use it for the duration of the weekend.

The Palace Hotel met all of our needs.  Room #9: Miss Lily’s Suite was available, the place welcomes dogs, and with it’s location on Water Street in downtown Port Townsend, we could walk to restaurants, shops, parks, and other local attractions.

The Welcome

As soon as we arrived, we were welcomed.  After a quick lunch next door at the Public House, we inquired about an early check-in.  Bergen desperately needed to get down to the business of napping, and knowing he has his best sleep in the crib, it was a huge relief when the staff didn’t think twice in allowing us up to our room.  And while they were welcoming Bergen and his baby needs, they had nothing but love and affection for Norman.  The staff was ready for his arrival with treats in hand, and a bag of other goodies to make his stay more comfortable.

The Suite

The space (#9: Miss Lily) provided more than enough room for our little family to spread out.  All rooms were clean, bright, and nicely laid out.  In keeping with the Victorian style of the hotel (and town), the furnishings are antiques and collectibles.   The door opens up to the living room, which has a comfortable wooden-based couch (which actually folds out to a futon), large chair, and several tables.  The TV was located here and allowed us to keep up with our local soccer team while Bergen napped, and was great for sneaking in a movie at the end of the day when he was down for the night.

I absolutely adored the bedroom.  From the exposed brick walls, to the beautifully quilted bedding, to the wrought iron bed frame, I was sorry that we were spending just one night.  The charm of the space made up for the fact that the bed was a little creaky when we first climbed in; it made for a more authentic experience really! By the way, in order for us to hang out in the living area while Bergen slept for the night, he started off here in the bedroom.  When we were ready to go to bed a few hours later, we switched him (& his crib) to the living room. He was none the wiser. 

The bathroom in the room was standard and had everything we needed, but for those interested in more “amenities”, #9A (Miss Rose) has a 6-foot whirlpool tub, and #7 (Miss Alice) & #10B (Miss Mona) both have claw-foot tubs.  Not all rooms have their own private bathroom, and some bathrooms, though private are separately located.

Though we did not do any cooking during our hotel stay, we did appreciate the full kitchen that is part of the suite.  The refrigerator (full size) allowed us to keep cold drinks on hand, and was great for all of Bergen’s extra snacks, bottles, and meals.  I liked too being able to wash Bergen’s cups and other little dishes in a real sink with a drying rack!  The extra space the kitchen provides also allowed us to stretch out more, and gave us more of a feeling of being at home.  Since Bergen eats frequently, we definitely utilized the table even though we dined out for all of our “adult” meals.

More to Love:

• As I mentioned above, the staff is very welcoming.  In addition to the warm atmosphere they create, the staff is also very easy to work with in terms of making sure individual needs are met.  Should questions come up about possible discounts or upgrades, I wouldn’t hesitate to ask, especially on the off-season.
• We loved learning all about the history of the space, originally built in 1889.  From 1925 to 1933, the “hotel” was operated as a brothel, which is where all of the names for the rooms come from!  Beware…there is also talk of the building being haunted.

Info to Know:

• The Palace Hotel is located in downtown Port Townsend, Washington on the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula:
  • 1004 Water Street
  • (360) 385-0773
    (800) 962-0741
• A total of 15 rooms are available with rates starting at $59 for their continental/standard rooms, from $99 for their deluxe rooms, and from $109 for their superior rooms (#9: Miss Lily is a superior room).
• Hotel is equipped with Wireless Internet with a business center computer and printer available.
• Pets are welcome with a $20 fee
• All rooms have a refrigerator and microwave.
• All rooms are non-smoking
• Off-street parking is available in the back at no extra charge.
• Port Townsend Food Recommendations 
• Port Townsend Parks:
  • Chetzemoka Park 
  • Fort Worden State Park

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