Sunset Marine Resort — Hotel in Sequim

My summer vacation was all booked & I was looking so forward to a week up at my friends' cabin on Green Lake in the interior of BC. But that all changed when the raging forest fires came close enough to the area that everyone was evacuated with no known return date :-(. ||||With the time booked off work, I set about searching for another special place to the south where hopefully I would not be engulfed in smoke as I had been over the past week in Vancouver (the wild fire smoke had made it all the way down to the coast!). It was a tall order considering it was high season and my timeframe was only a week away! It was then that I had the good fortune to stumble upon Sunset Marine Resort :-). The Universe was on my side!||||I'm a water girl ... if I'm not on a lake, I'm on the ocean so I instantly fell in love with the amazing waterfront location, charming cottages and ultra laid back vibe. Outdoor firepits (bring your own wood or purchase at the resort), BBQs, decks overlooking the water, fun beachy decor, beachwalks, paddle boarding, kayaking AND dog friendly!! When I saw that Clam Cottage was available for my 5 nights, I was ecstatic!||||After a few emails back and forth with Tracie (one of the owners) I booked the time and one week later I was lounging in one of the most relaxing, natural spots I've been in ages. Clam Cottage was just as advertised - the water lapped at the shore 10 feet outside my door, the views were spectacular from every room and my private firepit with comfy adirondack chairs was perfect. The kitchen was well equipped with dishes, utensils, etc (if you plan to cook while there you do need to bring along your condiments, spices, etc ). The fridge was a good size and there was a great patio table for 4 just off the deck where I ate every meal. The bed was super comfy and the room was equipped with good blinds which made for nice dark sleeping conditions. The bathroom was small but adequate. There were 2 sitting areas (both with extra sleeping) although I never sat inside as I was lucky to have beautiful weather while there. My porch had 2 big wicker chairs and a fun hanging hammock chair.||||My mornings were spent sipping coffee next to the water in the sunshine, fave magazine or book in hand and my pooch, Leo lounging beside me. The days were slow and easy ... beachwalks at low tide, shell & driftwood collecting, more reading, a siesta now & again (wow, what a treat!) and a happy hour something-yummy to accompany the sunset. Dinners were grilled outdoors and enjoyed with that amazing orange sky in the background and then star gazing by the fire finished off the evenings. My visit was reminiscent of many wonderful summer times as a kid ... simpler times when life moved a little slower, nature was so important and there was room to breathe. Just what I needed after a crazy busy few months at work and renovation stress. ||||The common area by the water was a great little gathering spot ... I met a few of the other guests while there that were lovely & at the same time I relished in the privacy of my little cottage by the sea. Tracie & Lavon were genuine, down-to-earth hosts - a phonecall or text away if you needed them but never in your face. The cleaning gal (sorry, I don't remember her name right now) was also warm & welcoming. I loved the quick, easy self check-in & the fact that the cottages/houses were all completely different with lots of space in between. ||||The best surprise was when Tracie asked halfway thru my stay if I was still interested in adding another nite (to which I replied with a big YES - I just wasn't ready to leave yet & go back to "reality"!). To top it off, I was invited to join their end of summer gathering of friends at the Boathouse cottage ... welcoming folks & friendly pooches, fresh crab caught by Lavon & an amazing array of other dishes brought by the guests, all enjoyed by the fire with the sunset as the backdrop. What a treat!||||If you're looking for a unique, unpretentious getaway, in an authentic Pacific Northwest oceanside setting, this is a great find. It’s not the Ritz or the Four Seasons but it’s definitely 4-star in its own special way! ||||Hopefully I’ll get to come back for more (with a little luck on the availability – T/L?? :-) with a group of girlfriends summer!||||Tracie/Lavon, here's a few little suggestions I think would make the SMR experience in Clam Cottage even better!||||- add a lamp of some sort to the sitting area next to the kitchen so the bright overhead lites don't need to be on in the evening. Soft white bulbs in the other fixtures would add to the ambience as well (adding dimmers in a few places would be da bomb!).||- change up the towels to something a little larger and fluffier||- consider supplying the fixings for guests' coffee on the first morning in case they forgot to bring their own! (there's nothing worse for a coffee lover than having to run out to get your first cuppa Joe, especially when you'd rather be relaxing by the water :-)||- add some low level lighting by the patio table/BBQ & tools (oven mitt too)||- a salad spinner and cookie sheet or broiling pan would be great additions to the kitchen. Also a small paring knife.||- the kitchen blind would not stay up but a simple hook on the side to tie it to would do the trick. That view to the water is just too awesome to screen out! ||||Thanks again for a wonderful...

I think the owner was aiming somewhere between shabby-chic and rustic, but didn't care that her place was actually dilapidated and filthy. The very first sign of trouble was the "resort" itself. Tracie calls it a "resort", but to us it looked like a hoarder's paradise. It's closer to a backyard full of old tires, a broken-down boat way past it's prime days, and just... junk. Tons of junk. Everywhere. The next warning came in the way of a rotting, moldy front door. We were hoping that the peaceful, quiet setting would make up for the utterly filthy place so we decided to just give it a try. After all, we traveled 2100 miles and had been planning this for months.||||Boy, did we regret it!||||This place is advertised as a treehouse, but it's actually not. While the balcony overlooks the Sequim Bay, the windows look right into the road, which is literally 4 feet away. So, while you're trying to read, have dinner, sleep... not only does the engine noise of a passing car wake you up at 1 am, but it's headlights shine right in the living room and your face. Not our idea of cozy and peaceful.||||The next morning, we woke up to a clogged toilet that just wouldn't flush. It was suggested that we try the plunger, which for some reason they were storing in the kitchen. That didn't work, neither did the effort of their maintenance guy, so a plumber had to be called. When he eventually arrived, he did what he did, but imagine trying to be on a work call while he's grunting with his butt crack in your face.||||So, wide awake and in daylight, the reality started sinking in. The place was just... disgusting. It clearly had been a long time since the fridge had last been cleaned and trying to use the microwave was a gag-worthy experience. Not only was it just... filthy, encrusted with caked-in splatter, but there was also a plate of rotting food inside. That didn't prevent Tracie from charging a cleaning fee and pretending to adhere to Enhanced Cleaning Protocol in order to be compliant with AirBnB's requirement.||||We then tried taking a shower. "Tried" being the key word, as the water heater was just not working. We had been gone for hours, obviously not using any water, but when we tried running the shower, the water was barely lukewarm, and ran out before one of us could finish showering. Tracie shared that the heater was only 30 gallons and suggested we should conserve the hot water, but we found it impossible to conserve something that wasn't there in the first place. I suggested to Tracie that considering the size of the heater, it's probably crucial that it actually works, but she didn't seem to care much. When we continued to press for some sort of resolution, she told us, at 10pm, that she could just refund us so we can move elsewhere. She suggested a local casino hotel nearby, but completely glossed over the fact that by then we were approaching midnight, not to mention... if we wanted to stay at a casino hotel, we would have booked a stay at a casino hotel. I told her that unfortunately this is unrealistic and I suggested we reconnect in the morning.||||The next morning, Tracie was conveniently quiet until I poked her again and asked for someone to fix the heater so we can shower. She said they can't do that, and suggested that they move us to a different "suite", or whatever the hell they call those... things. I told her that we have work calls all they long, and we can't really ignore our responsibilities so we can pack and move into a place that we knew nothing about, there were no pictures of that we could see, and ultimately has nothing to do with the "unique" "treehouse" we thought we were booking.||||I didn't just tell Tracie "no". Instead, I made a considerable effort in trying to explain why we can't just move, and that, sadly, she had put us in a situation that there was just no way out of. I don't know if she was genuinely trying, and was just couldn't understand why all of her suggestions were ludicrous, or if she was being malevolent in her pretending to offer something she knew no reasonable person would accept. Either way, the sheer number of failures as well as their nature made us feel that she is squarely to blame for this utterly...

We have stayed here four times in four different cottages in the last five years. Every time has been peaceful and relaxing with fabulous views and comfortable accommodations.

This last time we stayed at the large and beautiful Eagle's Nest. We only used one of the three bedrooms and found it to be quiet and very comfortable. I had forgotten my pillow at home and was pleasantly surprised with the fine quality of those provided.

This unit has a very large living area with a nice wood stove and incredible bay views. We were glad it was late in the season as the weather was comfortable. Being that none of the windows open in the living area and that the shades don't fully block the sun coming in during the afternoon, we thought it likely gets very warm during the summer.

While we were happy to have a small yaed area for our dog, it was so saturated with urine our pup was really having a hard time finding a suitable spot. We ended up using the fire pit area across the road instead.

The kitchen is really big with a full range and oven, a dishwasher, and plenty of counter space. Tons of dishes, glasses, and cups. Nicely appointed spice cabinet, too. We advise checking to make sure there are enough utensils for your group as soon as you check in, and that any dishes or cookware you might need is available. We were surprised to find only three spoons (worked for us) and could have used a baking sheet; but it was the end of peak season, and the housekeeping staff was very responsive when contacted.

The bathroom has great water pressure with a full tub and shower. Shampoo and bar soap are provided with plenty of extra towels in the hall closet, too.

Outdoors is a very large deck well appointed with dinner table and chairs with a shade umbrella, as well as a second seating area with chairs, a loveseat, and a coffee table. Cushions on everything made for comfy lounging when the sun came out.

New on this visit was wifi and a smart Roku TV. Be advised the wifi is slow like molasses even with a strong signal making it difficult to stream or watch anything. We were constantly reconnecting or waiting for the TV to catch up after a frozen screen. Not certain if this was the TV or the WiFi service. Our attemt to cast from our devices was refused and it may be the TV wasnt compatible.

If you plan to bring your computer, in addition to the Wifi issues, be aware there are not very many three prong outlets and some of them are hidden. We found one under the counter next to the stove the day we left. Lol.

Overall, a really nice space with great staff. While not very responsive to pre-arrival queries, all questions we're answered upon arrival. And when an issue arose later during our six-night stay, the housekkeping staff was incredibly responsive and took care of us immediately.

Still one of our favorite places to stay as it is very pet-friendly (we brought our cat, too) and has the best sunsets on the Peninsula. Bring your friends and don't forget...