Nettles Farm Bed & Breakfast — Hotel in Lummi Island

My husband and I had an absolutely wonderful stay at the Nettles Farm House Suite. This truly is a special place: the suite itself, but also its surroundings, and the hospitality displayed by its host. First, the suite: the photos show kind of a rustic charm, but in reality, there's a simple luxury to everything here. Everything was spotlessly clean. This was, hands down, the best-stocked kitchen I've ever encountered in a vacation rental. Think high-quality kitchen utensils and cookware, knives that are actually sharp, and a gourmet woodstone oven! You won't just want to eat in to save money, but to use all the wonderful implements here. Truly a joy to cook in. As well, the bedroom was super comfy and relaxing, and the shower and bath were wonderful. We loved the natural light, and the use of the sunny porch just off the suite. Second: the surroundings. It's really very cool to stay on a working farm, but especially one as charming as the Nettles. We loved walking with Rosie and Nico (the goats) and picking herbs and salad greens for our dinner. I was worried about roosters disturbing our sleep, but that wasn't a problem. Lummi is a small island and Nettles is well-situated to get to the Willows Inn (for an unforgettable dinner). Third: the hospitality. Riley was wonderfully welcoming, making sure we had everything we needed and wanted. He's adept at navigating the balance between giving guests enough space while also being available if needed. I'd also add that for guests looking for a different kind of food and travel experience, Riley's depth of knowledge allows him to provide a unique perspective on food and food culture. We really enjoyed hearing about his various ventures - his passion for good food is so contagious. A final word about the breakfasts: to. die. for. The fresh eggs, the custom-blended granola, thick cut local bacon, home-roasted coffee beans... okay, I'm ready for a...

We were very excited for our stay at Nettles farm based on the previous reviews and the website; however, our stay unfortunately fell short of those expectations.

We were expecting to spend a lot of time outside at the property, but it was neglected and overgrown (not matching the pictures online). There were no vegetables, the chickens were never let out of the coop, and the outdoor kitchen was in an uninviting state. The house itself is nice and the kitchen is well stocked. We had to request a fan and many of the windows did not have screens, which made the house a bit hot during the day.

The host, Riley, is very nice, but he forgot we were checking in that day and that we had previously requested pizza kits for both nights of our stay. He put together a pizza kit for the second night of our stay, but the dough was not made by him and it was inedible when fired in the pizza oven. Additionally, the morning of our second day he told us he would have crab and oysters for us for dinner, but at 6:20 that night he told us he wouldn't be able to get them to us. Not having food both nights was particularly difficult given the lack of food options on the island - we would have loved to have had Riley's pizza both nights as we requested given the glowing reviews other guests have given.

Overall, we were disappointed in our experience, especially based on the cost. If the farm is brought back into shape, I think it would be a much better experience for guests and staying here would be a great value. In its current state, and based on our experience, we would recommend folks look for other accommodations available...

Nettles farm is all about the fine flavors of life. We arrived at this tucked-away spot high on the west-facing hill of beautiful Lummi island for a once-in a lifetime family reunion. With seven bedrooms, four bathrooms and two kitchens for cooks (one with a pizza oven) the property can host a big family (like ours) or multiple groups in different units. The kitchens are stocked with all of the ingredients an aspiring chef (like myself) would need - fine olive oil, vinegars, home-made crushed tomatoes, fixings for pizza dough... and Nettles farm treats - bacon, yoghurt, preserved peaches or apples, fresh eggs (from host Riley's poulet bleu... what is a poulet bleu you might ask? if you don;t know you need to get here and find out). Each day of our stay those incredible eggs were replenished and if your are lucky you may even get to breakfast witht he magnificent Riley who discovered world-famous chef Blaine Wetzel and is the visionary behind Lummi Island Wild seafood co-op. Our first dinner was a wild pizza party and our second was a salmon feast. Riley arranged for a boat charter to pick us up at Sunset beach, a short walk down the hill from Nettles farm for a fabulous day out at the Orcas Island farmers market and whale watching. ||Unfortunately Nettles is already booked for Thanksgiving (and that lucky family's turkeys are growing here as we speak!) ||The soul of Lummi is right here at Nettles farm. We can't wait...