Otters Pond Bed and Breakfast of Orcas

Eastsound, United States

4.1

Open now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

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Telephone:
+1 360-376-8844
Website:
www.otterspond.com
Address:
100 Tomihi Drive, Eastsound, WA, 98245
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Bussiness info

Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Wi-Fi
Free

Today

Today 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Eastsound) 14:11 Monday, 2 June 2025

Business hours

Monday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
Wednesday –
Thursday –
Friday –
Saturday –
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

We specialize in B&B lodging for those seeking natural beauty and outdoor activities of the Pacific northwest:

Friendly, knowledgeable hosts

Natural wooded setting on noted birding pond

French-​country contemporary cedar home –a Monet painting as a setting

Sumptuous, five-​course, gourmet breakfast

Moran State Park lakes, hiking trails and Mt. Constitution within easy walking distance

Shops and dining conveniently distant-​easy access*Private, enclosed therapeutic hot tub

Comfortably elegant rooms (no frou-​frou) all with private bath, really comfortable beds, beautiful robes, house slippers, good reading lights,

Free high-​speedwireless internet access (WiFi) *A B&B that truly cares for the environment, recycling, and geo-​eco tourism !

Independently inspected and approved by the Washington Bed and Breakfast Guild and the leading american automobile club and highest ratings by reliable travel publications

History

Established in 1997.

Otters Pond B&B is a realization of the innkeepers’ dream to live in one of the planet’s most beautiful sites while realizing our personal and professional strengths. We started the business from «square-​one» in 1997 and, through savvy internet marketing and networking (locally and statewide) became a preferred destination on Orcas Island for B&B enthusiasts. Our business operation models are based largely on our experiences with small inns in western Europe where quiet, homey, intimate, high quality, unobtrusive hosting is desired.

Otters Pond Bed and Breakfast is located on the eastern, mountainous side of Orcas Island close to Moran State Park at the base of Mt. Constitution and 4 miles from Eastsound Village. The lodging property is a protected wetland and special retreat for birds, birders and Orcas Island wildlife. Orcas Island is an artists’ island and a great venue for kayaking, orca whale watching and hiking. We offer excellent concierge services!

Meet the Business Owner

Carl and Sue S.

Business Owner

We innkeepers now in our late sixties are former health care professionals. Carl in both public health administration and health care financing and Sue in direct health care as a registered nurse and business owner of a successful occupational health company. We are both active in community affairs; Carl as co-​founder of the Business Association of San Juan County, past President of the Washington Bed and Breakfast Guild and currently on the Board of Directors of the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau and the San Juan County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee.

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20 reviews of Otters Pond Bed and Breakfast of Orcas

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
My husband and I had a great 2-​night stay here. The B&B is VERY clean, warm, and comfortable. The hosts are kind and welcoming, but not so chatty as to be intrusive. Their dog was sweet and quiet and didn’t get in the way (additionally, I have allergies to most dogs but didn’t seem affected by him). The hosts had good recommendations for dining and even went so far as to make a reservation for us. Breakfasts were impressive in their size (lots of food!!!), variety, and homemadeness (I know that’s not a word). Evenings saw the Amish stove heating up the sitting area, and a complimentary glass of wine available for each guest. The hosts accommodated me specially by providing sparkling cider in place of wine (preggo problems!).
We stayed in the Chickadee room, which had a lovely view of the pond, and which was quiet despite being located on the ground floor. Only complaint would be that the room is very small — the bed takes up most of it!
I see a few reviewers have griped about «all the rules» put in place at this inn, but I found the hosts’ expectations to be perfectly reasonable.
We enjoyed the town of Eastsound, a walk around Mountain Lake (in the Moran State Park) and a hike to Ship Peak on Turtleback Mountain. Unfortunately the road up to Mt Constitution was closed (presumably due to icy/​dangerous conditions) but I was very happy with the view we got from Ship Peak.
Place rating: 5
Athens, GA
This place was lovely. Susan and Carl were the sweetest and most accommodating hosts! The 5 course breakfast was wonderful as well. Susan gave us many great recommendations for places to go while staying on the island, and they were all spot on. Plus, the location was very central with easy access to all parts of the island. There’s a sweet little dog who lives there too! Our bed was very comfortable and we also enjoyed the lovely view over the pond and the hot tub (which also overlooks the pond). I highly recommend this place if you’re planning a trip to Orcas Island!
Place rating: 4
Seattle, WA
My husband and I just spent a weekend here and it was lovely. Carl and Susan take wonderful care of the property and their guests! The room was cozy and spotless, with all the amenities you would expect at a hotel (even bathrobes!). Their 5 course breakfasts were amazing and getting to know them was a special treat.
It’s kid-​free, which we wanted, since we wanted a respite away from our kids, and pet free since their little dog doesn’t play well with others (he’s very sweet with people). You must take your shoes off at the door, but there are slippers in every size provided for you. They gave us wonderful advice on what to see and where to go and gave especially good restaurant recommendations.
All in all, Otters Pond is a gem and we hope to return next year. We are grateful to Susan and Carl for providing us with such a relaxing getaway.
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
We stayed at the Beautiful Bed & Breakfast Otter’s Pond. The rooms are cozy, warm, and very comfortable. We stayed there for a couple of nights. It was warm and inviting and we all had a very nice time In the morning they served a five course breakfast which was very delicious. Sue & Carl are very gracious. They made our stay extra special. They truly have the Aloha Spirit
Aloha & Mahalo,
Cyd & Ernie Lewis
Place rating: 5
IL, IL
Had a wonderful time staying here for two nights. The place overlooks a beautiful pond with lots of birds and greenery. The house itself was immaculately maintained. Everything is super clean and proper. Breakfast was delicious and included lots of nice home-​made food. I particularly enjoyed the egg soufflé and fresh cut fruits. It was nice to meet the other guests during breakfast.
Place rating: 2
Seattle, WA
Read the other reviews, very fussy, with many rules, and conversely completely unaccommodating at even an average level (especially for the hefty price). As well, it was necessary to leave the window open in the room, as it was stifling, and due to the noise of the cars –very close — and guests on the patio, I had to go out and buy ear plugs to get any sleep. Quite disappointing.
Place rating: 5
Portland, OR
My husband and I have been staying at Otters Pond for well over 10 years now. We absolutely love Carl and Sue and the tranquil place they’ve created for people to stay on the magical Orcas Island. We’ve stayed in almost all of the rooms, but The Swan is our very favorite.
This trip, we brought along two other couples. For both, it was their first stay in a B&B. I think they were a little nervous about what it would be like, but trusted our judgment. For sure, I can say all were wowed by the experience. Everything from the wonderful mattresses, sheets, decorations, hot tub, night time snacks, and overall décor was mentioned. But the real show stopper was breakfast! I was so happy that my very favorite eggs, bacon, and sausage recipes were in the rotation during our stay. Carl and Sue went above and beyond in catering to the needs of one of our friends who is gluten and dairy intolerant. They made him his own special pancakes and french toast, along with substitutions on other courses, as necessary. I know he truly loved the food and that he got to enjoy the same meals as the rest of us.
We’ll be back again and again. There is no place like Otters Pond or inn keepers such as Carl and Sue!
Place rating: 1
Santa Rosa, CA
Cold, condescending hosts whom expect guests to accommodate THEM rather than make an enjoyable stay possible for their guests. Everyone staying at the B&B was there on a Living Social special deal for the first time (and won’t be coming back which is my feeling as well.) The way people were treated was unbelievably cold and with rigid rules without regard to anyone’s needs but the host’s needs for one thing after another. I understand that the «general public» can be problematic but if you have a B&B one should consider it a cost of doing business for makeup to be on a towel (use black towels for faces that are dirty and white towels for perfect people-​my words).It’s not just «the rules» they have but the way they lecture guests and brow-​beat guests about their bad experiences with the transgressors of their rules and needs that is so offensive. You have to wear «approved shoes» indoors, no personal pillows or blankets, no noise exceeding their arbitrary needs, no arriving before 3:00PM (even to just find the place), no pets (but they have a dog), no this and no that. How about Welcome? They really are just making money and I wonder if they even enjoy people at all except people who just think they are wonderful-​an audience is what they are in business for. Stay there to be their audience but be sure to understand all the rules, follow all the rules and then don’t bother the hosts with any human things-​just do as told and pay as directed.
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
My wife and I stayed here for a romantic weekend over Memorial Day. It was delightful.
The location is gorgeous — a beautifully landscaped garden beside a lily-​covered pond, just on the edge of Moran State Park. Our room was the luxurious Swan. It has a full view over the pond, a great comfortable bed that’s big enough to get lost in, and its own private shower room. Everything was in pristine condition.
The (shared) hot tub (outdoors, but enclosed by shoji-​type screens) was pleasantly warm rather than socring hot, and has the same lovely view across the pond. The breakfasts were elegant affairs with a series of delicious dishes. The always-​available fruit-​infused water was a treat. The owners were gracious and welcoming, and gave us great advice about local restaurants.
It’s a quiet place. It’s better suited to couples than families or larger groups. The elegant furnishings aren’t likely to appeal to Ace Hotel hipsters, or W minimalists. You’ll have to take off your shoes, and put on your complimentary slippers when you come inside. The carpet is light colored and squishes softly beneath your feet. It’s that sort of place.
Otters Pond is both a lovely place to be and a great foothold from which to explore the rest of Orcas Island. Of several places that I’ve stayed on the island, this was quite the loveliest. We will be back.
Place rating: 2
Redmond, WA
If you like rules stay here. Leave your shoes outside, don’t turn the hot tub temp up, use only designated towel for washing face otherwise you will be belittled in front of others for having a tiny bit of foundation on their white hand towels; don’t expect any water at meal time. The hosts hover. I could go on… but basically it a less than comfortable experience for us and the other couples we talked to that stayed their that weekend. If you are a nun, you might like it.
Place rating: 5
Haarlem, The Netherlands
Excellent B&B. Without (me) reading the reviews my husband booked us a room by phone. The only room available for two nights was the smallest room. Over the phone Sue even thought our big European suitcases might not fit in. But we had no trouble at all. Tip: Carl (or Sue) should take some new pictures showing how big the room really is. And maybe they could consider removing the chair or rearranging the furniture. Swapping the bed and the chair/​closet might give more moving space.
But all together, a nice quiet room with our own entrance. And yes, you have to take your shoes off in the house, but that didn’t bother us at all. It really felt like home. Although… I wished my house was that good maintained and spotless. Wow. I can imagine that you want to keep it that way. Explaining house rules like taking out your shoes, using black designated towels to take off makeup, using the fan in the bathroom and being careful with the hottube made perfect sense to us. I would like my guests to do the same when they’re staying in my house. And that is what a B&B is all about.
Back to the room. It was quit pleasant to stay there. I really love it when windows can open to enjoy the fresh air. All windows have screen doors. Better than all airconditing. And for warmer weather I noticed that there was a fan hanging on the ceiling. The bathroom was what you could expect. Clean, big enough, provided with shampoo, soap, conditioner and throw-​away makeup towels (next to a black cotton make-​up towel). One suggestion to next users: don’t flush the toilet when your roommate is under the shower. Really, don’t.
Breakfast was excellent although I’m not used to the American way of eating cereal and all the very rich stuff like French Toast. And I wished that I enjoyed milk. Now I missed out on the home made granola and brown rice (?) cereal. Just like I regret (having read the reviews) that during our stay we missed out on Carl’s supposedly famous pancakes. Breakfast is served every day at 9 AM for everybody. That’s what we look for in B&B’s. It gives us (European travellers) the chance to make conversation with other travellers and perhaps, sometimes, make new acquaintances.
Besides this, Carl and Sue will do everything to make you feel at home. Helping you with dinner reservations, pointing out highlights of Orcas Island, whatever possible for you to have a pleasant stay. So yes, we really enjoyed it.
We would highly recommend this B&B to all and will definitely return if we have the chance.
(Note: we’re not native speakers and my Apple device keeps changing the English words to ‘proper’ Dutch words. So excuse any spelling and grammar mistakes).
Place rating: 5
Mountain View, CA
Excellent place to relax, kick backs and enjoy the finger licking breakfasts prepared by Sue and Carl. We have been to over a dozen B&B’s and this is one of my favorites yet. The location is excellent. Lots of adventure activities and restaurants close by. The rooms are beautifully done and spacious. The whole place is well kept and welcoming. Love their library and of course the view of the pond. Loved our stay. Eager to come back and stay again :)
Place rating: 2
Seattle, WA
This place was too formal-​feeling and uptight for me. The owner is very friendly, but everything she pointed out to us seemed to be preceded by the statement, «We’ve recently had some damage to _​_​_​_​, so we ask that you don’t _​_​_​_​.» It sounded like Motley Crue stayed here. You have to take off your shoes outside the building (they get cold and wet during the night!) and are invited to put on weird slippers. You can’t touch certain buttons on the hot tub. You should use the designated make-​up towel. I felt like I needed to tip-​toe and whisper whenever we were there, even in our bedroom. We stayed in the Swan Room. The «library» is right outside our door, and when my husband and I came home from dinner, two of the couples were there. We could hear everything through the doors– and they were so close! Not exactly good for, ahem, romance.
While it is beautifully situated on the eponymous Otter’s Pond (wood ducks! chipmunks! lily pads!,) for me the uptight atmosphere and circa1982 grandma décor detracted from the beauty outside.
Though they have wifi and it is free, the bandwidth is very poor– so don’t come here expecting to get work done, like I did.
I also thought the five course «gourmet» breakfast was odd. To start breakfast with a sorbet course when it’s cold and rainy outside is the wrong move. And it seemed inexplicable to serve a fruit course, which was just a couple slices of fruit. I don’t think breakfast is a meal that wants to be staged this way. Although my husband pointed out that there was no lag between the courses, and that it gave us an opportunity to really chat with the couple at our table. And I will say that the egg soufflé and the homemade muffins were really delectable.
Place rating: 4
Laguna Niguel, CA
We stayed at Otters Pond in the Swan Room, which looks like the Master bedroom of the house. It was nicely appointed and had a beautiful view of the pond. While not as the Goldfinch room with its own entrance, it did have a TV, but we really didn’t care because we didn’t come to watch TV, but to relax. The chirping of the birds and the frogs softly croaking at night makes it a truly peaceful environment and there are trees everywhere. It really is a perfect place to get away from it all.
That being said:
I don’t really know why the breakfast is called a gourmet breakfast. Although the stuffed lemon pancakes with blueberries made by Carl were truly delectable, I could have done without the sorbet and the other cereal served. Why a sorbet is served at the beginning of the meal, I have no idea. My palate didn’t need cleansing because I hadn’t eaten anything yet. We were missing a savory dish of some sort, either sausage or another breakfast meat to go with the pancakes. I agree with the other review in that both my husband and I prefer a more savory breakfast with less sweet items, so maybe a «gourmet breakfast» isn’t really what is needed for us.
I was disappointed that the fruit was limited to that which I could easily find in where I live. I know that Washington has amazing berries, blackberries, especially, and I was longing for something more extraordinary.
Overall, a nice place to stay if it fits your style and it’s just you and that special person. Many people love it. However, I suggest that if you are pairing with another couple of adults as a reunion, this is not a B&B that will necessarily meet your needs, which is why, in addition to the overly sweet breakfast, it’s a 4 star instead of a 5.
Place rating: 4
Mukilteo, WA
A great get away B&B. Excellent accommodations. Beautiful views of pond off backyard. Hot tub. Delicious breakfast. Course by course serviing is very conducive to great conversation with the other guests.
Owners Sue and Carl really go all out to please, and provide a special B&B experience.
Place rating: 5
Tacoma, WA
Amazing experience plain and simple. Sue and Carl are the sweetest people ever, they’ll make you feel right at home. The 4 course homemade breakfast was delicious, Carl’s swedish pancakes are AMAZING. The house is really nice and comfortable and it over looks the pond. Definitely staying here next time I visit.
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
We had a great time at Ottors Pond the house was great and the hot tub was great after we got done horseback riding. The food was wonderful and as soon as we left we started talking about going back again sometime.
I dont think I even did the food justice saying just wonderful im not sure is enough!
Place rating: 4
Seattle, WA
We recently stayed at Otters Pond Bed and Breakfast for a weekend getaway. It was our first time on Orcas Island and we were very impressed with the island and the B&B. Otters Pond B&B is a serene, quiet place. You can hear the birds chirping from your room. The B&B is very close to Moran State park so it’s a short drive to Cascade Lake and Mount Constitution trails (going to the top is a must!). The five-​course gourmet breakfast at Otters Pond (all recipes are homemade from scratch) was delicious! Actually, all of the food we ate on Orcas Island (Mia’s Café, Doe Bay Café, Madrona Bar & Grill, and Allium) was delicious — local & fresh, a foodie’s paradise!
We spent most of our days out and about on the island — hiking, kayaking, checking out the town and arts — but the B&B was a wonderful place to come rest up at the end of the day. The beds are comfy, the B&B is extremely clean, and the inn keepers are super friendly (they got us reservations at two of the best restaurants on the island!).
Place rating: 4
Seattle, WA
We stayed in the Goldfinch Room which is by far, my favorite of the rooms. If you are choosing between the Swan and Goldfinch Room, definitely choose Goldfinch. It’s the only room with its own entrance seperate from the house and the only room with a tv. Since we are a little younger (at least younger than everyone else there; mostly by several decades), we like to watch tv and are a little louder so we appreciated the extra privacy. The only cons to this room is the small shower and there were a couple ants in the bathroom. Don’t freak out though… I promise it wasn’t gross. Very minor. All in all, the room was great.
The breakfasts were nice, but we both like savory breakfasts so all the sweets didn’t quite work for us. They always start with a nice sorbet, then some fruit, a grain and then a main dish. The fruit is just fruit… pretty uninteresting. The homemade granola was by far the best thing we had. The whole grain cereal with the brown rice was pretty good as was featherbed eggs with the spinach, cheese and salmon. The apple dutch pancakes were pretty good, but a little sweet. The bananas foster french toast was too sweet for me, so I couldn’t finish that. My boyfriend had also called before and told them I was a pescatarian. Since the meals are served to 2 – 10 people max, I wish they had some substitutes for the sausages etc they served, but oh well. I know it comes with the territory.
The property is nice with a nice pond and a hot tub we had to ourselves every time. The owners, Sue and Carl, are very nice. The first morning it was just us two so we got to chat with them and get to know them. I appreciated the little touches such as our names and where everyone was from on each days menu. They also left teas, juices and snacks out and gave us good information about the area. Plus they have a pomeranian and I love dogs!
After our trip, Sue and Carl, even mailed us stuff I had forgotten (I’m not a very good packer… what can I say? :() which I thought was very nice of them.
I would definitely recommend this bed and breakfast to those looking for a quiet, romantic escape. I wouldn’t want to stay in the other rooms though because the other rooms are pretty close together and I just don’t want to worry about keeping THAT quiet.
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
We recently stayed at Otters Pond Bed and Breakfast during a rare vacation. The facility is in a beautiful location on Orcas Island. All of the rooms are attractive and comfortable and there is a large lovely garden. The owners go out of their way to make guests feel at home and to provide information about local attractions. The five course freshly prepared breakfasts were memorable. All of their recommendations proved to be excellent. A great place to get away from it all.