Orcas Island, Paris Cottage #213

This cabin is tucked away above a road leading to the the shellfish farm, and other than during their restaurant hours, there is little to no traffic. The interior is small but the decks and comfortable sitting area in the screened porch make it feel expansive and airy. There is a beautiful view of the bay and great birdwatching. Walk a couple of driveways over to the shellfish farm for excellent seafood, we honestly did not go anywhere else on the island to eat during our four nights. There is a gallery and small cafe walking distance toward Olga, and Moran State Park is a short drive. The only disappointment is that launching kayaks from the beach across the requires a very high tide, and we never experienced a window that allowed that during our stay, so expect to drive if you want to get boats on the water.

Our experience at this cabin was great. Romantic and rustic cabin in an extremely isolated and beautiful setting was exactly what I wanted and exactly what I got.

We stayed here from Dec. 24th-Dec. 27th and enjoyed every minute. It was dark when we arrived but the little lights in the covered porch were left on and the water fall was running which was a nice sound to hear upon entering. The cottage was very clean, warm and stocked with everything we needed. The oven is full sized and there is a small dishwasher (perfect for two people) and a nice sized fridge. There were cute and convenient bins in the bedroom that were perfect for storing our belongings. The bedding was very comfortable and we felt like care had been taken to ensure the place was clean and sanitary.

We appreciated the dog towel so we could wipe the feet of our two small dogs after their walks. We used the brand new hot tub every day and enjoyed the amazing view from the hot tub and the house. The fireplace was very nice to have and one of dogs loved lounging in front of it.

The house and setting was very peaceful. At night there were some strong winds that caused the screen door to bang loudly by my husband did something to make that stop. The road in front of the house had limited vehicle traffic (appeared to be mostly people coming out to the closed for the season Oyster House) so it was a safe area to walk our dogs and the views were very pretty.

Overall we very much our relaxing stay and look forward to returning.

I've never given a negative review on VRBO before & that in itself is disappointing. We love Orcas Island and the location, deck & view from Paris Cottage are lovely. However, the hot tub & gas fireplace were both inoperable, which put a serious damper on our anniversary weekend in rainy October. As soon as we arrived, we checked on the hot tub (to see if it was warm & ready for a dip) & found that it was filled with water (& leafs) for less than 1/4 of its capacity and was luke warm. We followed the posted instructions to fill the tub from the garden hose & then realized that the LED display was missing/broken so there was no way to heat the hot tub. As it was Friday at 5:30 PM, we called the phone number provided & the property management company said they would have someone call us back right away. Later that evening, we discovered the remote control to the gas fireplace in the living room was missing (we looked everywhere, but it was nowhere to be found) & there are no manual controls. As we hadn't received a return call, we called the property management company again at 12:30 on Saturday. We were promptly connected with Paul, who was very nice & attentive, but eventually informed us that the hot tub was scheduled for replacement & we'd be unable to use it during our stay. The remote control to the fireplace was dropped off late Saturday afternoon, but we were never able to get it to work. We were given a $20 + tax refund for each of our two nights. The covered patio, outside deck & firepit are wonderful, but the cottage could use a little spruce. It was very clean but the furnishings/paint inside aren't great. The cabin is next door to Buck Bay Shellfish Farm, which we'd visited before - it's lovely and worth a visit. We didn't mind, but note that when the tide goes out at Buck Bay, it's pretty smelly outside including on the deck of the cottage. If we'd known about the hot tub & fireplace, we'd have booked elsewhere. Once they fix them, it'll be nice.

Manager's Response

My husband and I spent our anniversary at the Paris Cottage. It's a very lovely cottage with a great location. We felt like we had the bay all to ourselves. We still remember its tranquility. The cottage is also walking distance to Buck Bay Shellfish and Catkin Cafe which makes it very convenient to grab food and go back to the cottage to enjoy it.

Lovely cottage with incredible view of Buck Bay and tons of wildlife. Every morning we had our coffee watching the shellfish farm guys feeding 6 or 7 eagles and around 20 turkey vultures. Really relaxing, quiet, comfortable. We'd go back for sure!

We loved staying here for our stint on Orcas! The place is a cozy and private retreat, away from it all. The views of the bay are wonderful and there are no neighbors in immediate sight. We loved going to the seafood & shellfish restaurant just a stroll away. Wonderful place to stay!

We loved it. Lovely view of the bay and close to the park for nice hikes.

We had an excellent time here, the place was very charming and comfortable, we would definitely stay here again.

Loved it don't change a thing we will be back

Walking distance to Buck Bay Shellfish, 10 min drive to Eastsound, 5 min drive to Doe Bay. Highly recommend.

One of our favorite places to stay on the island. Perfect for a couple. It was clean upon arrival, easy to find and a perfect location for watching the Buck Bay Oyster farm next door harvest their clams and oysters. Peaceful, quiet and a great place to renew yourself. Oh and the pooches love it too!

One of our favorite places to stay on the island. Perfect for a couple. It was clean upon arrival, easy to find and a perfect location for watching the Buck Bay Oyster farm next door harvest their clams and oysters. Peaceful, quiet and a great place to renew yourself. Oh and the pooches love it too!

We had a fantastic time! Peaceful. Beautiful surroundings. The whole of Orcas Island to explore! And what could be better than a shellfish grower next door with fresh shellfish, crab, and fish?! The cottage itself was beautiful, and we will certainly return.

Our stay at Paris Cottage was exceptional. A quaint place with a magnificent view. We enjoyed the scenery from the deck, which included watching the birds and other wildlife, the tides of the ocean, the oyster farmers, the ferries and boat traffic in the sound, and the peaceful stillneww pf the morning and evenings. We were close to doe bay for morning brunch. Thank you for a wonderul vaction experience.
Sincerely,
The Benjamins

It was very nice for 2 people- bed was small but I guess that’s why they called it the honeymoon cottage. Porch was great.

Overall it was amazing and awesome and beautiful, no thanks to the management though, it’s because we chose to make the best of it and over look some stuff that a guest shouldn’t have to ever deal with. Very rude and unprofessional lady on the phone was a problem, the lady on the phone has no customer service skills at all! She ended up upsetting my wife and I so much that a different manager actually had to come out to the property to to deal with something that could have been taken care of over the phone, on our wedding anniversary, the lady that came out was super nice and apologized for the lady on the phone being so rude.

Manager's Response

This was an amazing place to stay. The kitchen is well stocked, loved the open air feel. We had all the doors open nearly the entire time we were there. Being from Kansas, it was a nice get away from the bugs. It's about 20 minutes from the closest store, so bring things with you to the house if you want anything. We used the grill and bought fresh seafood. If we ever make our way back to Orca's Island, this is where we will stay.

This cottage was perfect for the two of us! We came out for a mini-getaway in the middle of our Christmas trip to Washington and the place had everything we needed. The view was spectacular and we enjoyed using the binoculars to watch birds and ferries as they went by in the distance. We took a sunny morning walk along the water and then watched the rain from the comfort of the cottage in the afternoon. My only wish is that it could be summer so we could have more daylight... Maybe another time!

Manager's Response

My husband and I stayed here for our anniversary in October. Overall it was a very relaxing experience and the views are beautiful. Although the photos are straight forward in what you can expect, there are some things that I would definitely highlight. On the outside, he hot tub was about half empty with water when we arrived, and the two lounge chairs outside were covered in moss and mold spores. On the inside, the two lounge chairs in the living area are extremely small and very uncomfortable. We had to sit straight up to watch TV (wish there was a couch instead!). The fire place didn't work even after following the instructions in the manual. The bed is EXTREMELY hard and uncomfortable, I suggest bringing your own pillows. We were also woken up about 10 times through the night due to loud noises outside so not a great night's sleep. Overall it lacked some basic necessities like end tables in the bedroom and spare blankets. However, if you don't expect to hang out inside for much of the day then I highly recommend given the views and privacy.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. It was our 50th anniversary and the cottage was perfect. Cozy, cute and warm. We would definitely come back to the Paris Cottage!!!

Manager's Response

We were celebrating our honeymoon and the Paris cottage was simply amazing!

Manager's Response

Great location on the island! This cozy cottage has everything needed for a relaxing vacation. We enjoyed the stunning views, and especially loved the hot tub. Buck Bay Shellfish Farm, Doe Bay Cafe, Rose's, and the Inn at Ship Bay all have excellent food. Highly recommend this lovely spot.

The location of this house is amazing! The view is beautiful and it feels very private. The house was fully equipped with everything we needed. The shellfish farm next door was a huge bonus! We ate at the house every night; fresh crab, clams, salmon, and veggies via short walk to the "neighbors". Only drawback is that the house and view are so great that you might not want to explore the whole island!

Paris Cottage exceeded our expectations. Location was great in its privacy, quietude, and access to Moran Park. Although the house is small it is well thought out and welcoming. The hot tub made it that much better to take in the exquisite view.

Be aware that this place is tiny. Tight quarters for two average sized adults - especially the bedroom. Living quarters leave very little space for spreading out. Just two armchairs, and two chairs at the tiny bistro sized table. As a previous guest noted - not even room on the table to do a jigsaw puzzle. So plan on taking advantage of the out door deck and view of the water; watch the eagles and other sea birds; pick blackberries; walk next door and buy fresh clams and oysters; walk a bit further and hike the lovely creek side trail. I think claustrophobic in bad weather. We were blessed with perfect days.

My daughter and son in law live on Orca's Island. I have never stayed at a nicer rental. The view is even better than shown in the promotional pictures. The wildlife: birds, deer, marine life, were all abundant. The venue is positioned in a quiet part of the island. I just loved it! I will also add that I felt very safe here as a single older traveller.

A lovely little escape - charmed by the efficient well equipped space and glorious outdoor amenities. Falling asleep to the burbling lilly pond fountain was bliss.

I chose this cottage for the peaceful location, hoping to relax outside overlooking Scenic Buck Bay, get some reading done, and so forth. No way!! The Cottage is surrounded on all sides by fields, and for three straight days the fields were being mowed and the hay baled. Tractors and machinery coming within feet of the house, noisy and kicking up dust. On and on throughout the day. Too much noise and dust to sit outside, too hot to stay inside with the windows closed. So the house was basically uninhabitable for three of the six days I was there. What was the owners reaction when the agent asked for a partial refund? Such things occur in the country, unlike the city. The owner lives on adjoining property, knew the mowing was scheduled, and rented the house anyway. Charged me full price anyway. No apology. The agent was nice and tried to help, but got nowhere.

My husband and I spent two nights at Paris Cottage and it was great. It was incredibly private and the view was beautiful (pictures don't do it justice!). We loved the outdoor hot tub which was a perfect size for us and the screened porch was a great place to have coffee in the morning and cocktails at night. The kitchen was very well equipped.
Only comments (not negative, but just so people are aware): The bedroom and bathroom are pretty tight. We were expecting this thanks to the reviews, so just want to stay consistent. That said we had lovely sleep and no problem using the facilities for showering and whatnot. There also were some yellow jackets living under the deck. Apparently they are a bit of a problem on the island and there was wasp spray if you needed it (we were fine just avoiding them), but figure just in case someone has allergies it's good to mention.
One other shout out to the property - I entered in the incorrect dates when I booked. As soon as I realized (literally when we were on the ferry over...) I called the weekend number and a wonderful man helped take care of it. We were lucky because we were able to shift the dates since no one had booked it on the day we needed, but he was just absolutely accommodating and understanding.

Really enjoyed the place, close to town yet far enough out that we had privacy. never saw the neighbors, they are not real close, cool little beach to walk on, a lot of boat activity, the 10 am checkout made it feel rushed on our last day, all the amenities one would need, the hot tub was a nice touch.

Manager's Response

The cottage was awesome. Everywhere you turn around theres another quaint detail. The owners have impeccable taste and it shows up in the design. The pictures on VRBO dont seem to be updated. The furniture has been redone, and it looks like it was painted inside. It was beyond our expectations. I originally thought it might be too close to the road, but it wasnt a problem at all. The view was beautiful, the hot tub was clean and relaxing, and the bed was comfortable. I even spent 30 minutes trying to track down the same dinnerware to try to buy on the Internet! Location was great, close to a couple good restaurants and Moran state park. Yes, it is small. But that is part of the charm. The porch offered plenty of extra room to stretch out (and the parasols and string lights on the ceiling were so charming). Just loved it, couldnt have been happier.

Manager's Response

We loved staying here for two nights and enjoying the beautiful surroundings

This was a perfect place to relax amid natural beauty that goes forever. Sitting on the deck looking out Buck Bay to the Olympics in the distance you feel alone in paradise. The owners have thought of everything from bushes and trees to block visual distractions to the water feature with constant babbling water sounds. The place is clean with everything you need for light cooking. The shellfish farm is walking distance. Catkin Cafe in the Art Coop is superb for breakfast or lunch and is also walking distance and Doe Bay Resort about 2 1/2 miles away is not to be missed for meals when they are open. Hiking, kayaking or just chilling on the deck with a glass of wine with a big smile on your face are the activities we enjoyed most. Hints: no cell service at house, but there is Wi-Fi. Rose's cafe store in Eastsound has amazing day old bread for toasting. ENJOY THIS LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN!

Charming and tiny cottage, well-maintained and clean. We were there in August - need to watch out for yellow jackets on the deck.

Charming and tiny cottage, well-maintained and clean. We were there in August - need to watch out for yellow jackets on the deck.

Most lovely, quiet, rural stay at Buck Bay on Orcas Island. A mere 100 meters away one could purchase very fresh crab, spot prawns and oysters. I did not want to leave.

When we first arrived we were somewhat disappointed that the home was not as secluded as we thought it would be based on the pictures provided. We soon after got over that when we saw how wonderful the property was and we quickly settled in.

And what an amazing location! Food and gas can be pricey on the island but there are hiking trails, beaches, deer and wildlife, and scenic views everywhere. I would definitely recommend going!

We had great wonderful time in Orcas Island
The house is just what we want, quite , peaceful, right by the bay

Four lovely nights at the Paris Cottage with everything we needed and everything we did not. Cell phone service was a loss but we did not mind whatsoever. If needed they had a quick reliable land line and wifi to connect to the outside world, but the quiet adventure was very welcoming. We spent the mornings reading looking out the window at the bay drinking coffee. Our dogs loved the cottage as well, very quiet. The hot tub was magical looking at the stars. Only complaint was the size and comfort of the "small" bed. After one night on that thing we abandoned it and made a delightful fort up stairs in the loft, how fun! This all happened in the dead of winter during Christmas, I can't imagine how wonderful a summer trip at the Paris Cottage would be. We will be back!

Peaceful, quiet, restful. cozy wonderful.

Very nice location, beautiful Buck Bay. Furniture could be updated and you could get a larger bed, a double just doesn't cut it.

I have been to Orcas several times, and this was by far my most enjoyable experience. The Paris Cottage is exactly as advertised and then some. The quiet, south facing view of Buck Bay was worth the price of admission alone. Accessible within minutes to all the island has to offer; we opted to spend many of our hours watching eagles and herons fishing the bay instead. We purchased halibut from the neighboring clam and mussel farm and enjoyed meals in-cabin. The weather was especially fantastic, and on the two days where we needed it, the screened in porch kept us dry yet able to enjoy the views.

Pros: Privacy, amenities, intimate atmosphere.
Cons: Space in the Master bedroom (bed is a small double) and storage in general is tight, so we recommend packing lightly.

I stayed here with my husband for a week in September and it was lovely. The cottage itself is on the small side, with a small bedroom and kitchen/living room. The yard was very big with some cozy chairs and the hot tub was great and very clean. The location was pretty remote, about 15-20 minutes from the main town. There is nothing between the cottage and the bay and there were beautiful views of the water. It was lovely and I would definitely come back here.

This was our second stay at this wonderful cottage! The place is well equipped with all your needs. We loved laying on the double lounger and just taking in the beautiful bay. And at night roasting marshmallows and star gazing. The binoculars provided are great for birds and the stars. Would most definitely stay again.

This cottage was perfect for us! The location was perfect with a great view of Buck Bay. We saw two bucks grazing in the field every evening and a doe who often joined them and walked right across our patio. I would HIGHLY recommend getting clams, salmon, and crab (from Buck Bay Seafood next door) to grill or cook in the fire pit. The hot tub after a long day of hiking was wonderful! The only reason I marked two categories down to 4 stars was because the bed was too soft for me and too short with the foot board. Also, there were prickly weeds on the patio that made shoes necessary.

Just a fantastic experience and exactly the kind of home we love to lounge around in for our vacation. We may be back soon!

My fianc and I finished the second half of our vacation here at this marvelous location. We were surprised at the attention to detail, and the location which was right on the bay. The "town" was neatly tucked away in another bay 6.5 miles away where we found a few dining options as well as gas and the IGA Market for grocery shopping.

I recommend this location to anyone who may be in dire need of rest and relaxation. I cannot speak for others, but that's exactly what it provided us; and believe me, it's well worth the rental cost! :)

We truly did have a wonderful weekend at this cute little place. While I agree with several of the reviews that said the hot tub pump was loud, we were able to tune it out easily.

My biggest complaint (and it's relatively small) is that the furniture is a bit dated and the bed is too small for me. I'm 6'3 and my feet hung well off the end of it.

Other than that, it was a great spot in a great location.

Upon arrival, you cruise through lush fields & the majestic forest. Then on the road to Olga, around the corner appears a cottage that seems as though you are in a fairytale. The location remarkable for those that want to hear the silence. The sun, the moon, and the stars spoke to us daily. And of course a magical fairytale ending: hiking Mt Constitution we see the infamous white deer. Hugs to the locals who treasure this sacred land and are willing to share it so freely.

Amazing view, great outdoor space and screened porch. The indoor space is small but comfortable. We had a dog with us who loved the front grassy area for playing frisbee and we just carried our kayak to the water to launch it and go crabbing. We had an issue connecting to the wifi the first day (sat) and when I emailed the property manager she responded immediately. Terrific customer service. We had a lovely stay and would definitely return.

We had a most wonderful time on Orcas Island, and the Paris Cottage was just perfect. We spent lots of time outdoors, hiking, kayaking, and biking, and we loved coming home in the evenings to our little cottage on the water. The house was beautiful, was kept clean, the appliances were all new and worked well... We couldn't have imagined a better place to stay.

We had a great experience and would love to come back! The location on Buck Bay was just far enough away from 'town'. I would have liked to have been able to shut off the continuous on/off of the hot tub (located off to the side of the deck overlooking the bay), it cut in to what would have been perfect quiet. Will be looking forward to a future stay though!

Overall we had a great time and enjoyed the cabin's amenities... was disappointed in overall privacy; from the photos it looked like the cabin was right on the beach when in reality a busy road to the shellfish farm runs right in front of it... also disappointed in how dirty the outdoor lounge area was... it looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a month

My mom and I loved everything about this cottage and its location. It was well worth the money, as the owners have thought of/provided so many things to make it a wonderful stay. The only bad part about our stay was the fact that we had to leave.

great and relaxing
i was dissappointed that orcas itself has such limited public beach access

Over all the cottage and location were great, was dissapionted that the parasol's were gone and the fountian didn't work other than that the place was relaxing and quiet.

The location of the place was exceptional. Close to the state park, Eastsound, and the best clams and salmon vendor ever!

We were highly disappointed with the bed. Too noisy and for $300 a night, it should have been incredible. Also, the fountain was hard to work or didn't work.

The Paris Cottage lived up to all my expectations concerning the location, amenities, and overall comfort of our stay. The one thing I would recommend to the management company is to not supply cheesy hotel type soaps and bathroom supply. I suggest getting
something local to complement the meticulous effort put into the house, and make the visitors feel more like a home, not a hotel.

Manager's Response

Overall an excellent stay. Only concern is that there needs to be a little more deep cleaning. Dusty especially under the bed with some things left over from previous tenants.

Manager's Response

We loved it. But there are always surprises. The unwanted surprises: we could only use our canoe at high tide as you are not allowed to cross the mud flats at low tide. There were no comfortable reading chairs for a tall person. The bridge construction right next door wasn't too loud. The towels weren't completely dry when we went to use them the first time. Tall man always bumping into things including bathroom door which was narrower than his shoulders. The good surprises: incredible bird watching, very quiet end of the island, proximity to Moran State Park, walk to Olga Cafe/village, charming interior design. Thanks for having us!

We were very pleasantly surprised by this tiny little cabin. Located in a small little bay with small farms around and on the far side of the island it was an incredibly relaxing spot to get away. Attention to detail was well done in making this small cabin a comfortable getaway. No major complaints...the gas fireplace didn't work (but there is baseboard heating so we didn't need it) and the fountain outside wasn't working. We had an incredible stay! No cell or internet service was excellent for being able to leave the world behind. We didn't even turn on the satellite tv!

Manager's Response

The refrig. was set so cold,almost everything froze and we had to throw everything away, big expense. One other thing. The hot tub was working good, but there were lots of little white skin like things floating in the water every time we used it. Aside from those two things, we had a good time.

Overall an excellent destination. Great wildlife, proximity to Moran and Obstrution Pass parks, quiet, peaceful. Buck's Bay out the front window with the moon reflecting off the water, changing of the tides, fish jumping out of the water, blue herons, Candian geese, is a great backdrop for a visit. There were lots of ripe blackberries pickable along the driveway which we used to make a blackberry sauce with Muccat Canelli dessert wine poured over ice cream ... too good! Only gripes were that the DVD player in the living room was broken (one of two, so not so bad) and one of the visitors prior to us had abused long distance phone privaleges so only calls within the San Juans was possible, which was a problem (we have 2 small kids saying with grandparents) because there is no cell coverage at the cottage. The property manager and owner came through though for us though and were VERY helpful!

As we never stayed in our rental, I can't comment except to say that it was too far away from the wedding that we were attending. I was very disappointed that your organization would place us at such great a distance. We ended up staying elsewhere so our experience was not satisfying.

Manager's Response

We loved the location and design of the property. The view is beautiful and house and deck make wonderful use of this. The house is very small and cozy, so probably not a fit for large people or groups, but perfect for a couple...or a retreat if you are on your own.

Excellent recommendation and we had a wonderful time

We had a wonderful visit to Orcas Island, and it was in large part due to our stay at Paris Cottage. The views and surroundings are spectactular, and the attention to detail is wonderful.

We enjoyed evenings of grilling and lounging on the deck while we watched the wildlife and sunsets.

The only disappointment was the condition of the hot tub. The actual tub is very nice, but the water was disgusting...when we turned on the jets it looked like there was little bits of skin floating throughout the water. Needless to say, we didn't use it again - which was too bad because it would have been really enjoyable in the cooler evenings after a day of hiking and kayaking.

Overall, it was a great stay! Thank you

We had a wonderful stay in this house. The amenities were wonderful and we very much enjoyed the modern twist on this older house. The island was absolutely beautiful, both in its people and environment. We will definitely return!

Manager's Response

Absolutely perfect. Beautiful cottage, wonderful location. Couldn't have gone better. Would have been nice to have cell phone signal, but then it might have been less of a vacation.

The house is tastefully and imaginatively decorated. We can only imagine that it was the owners' labor of love. The view/location is stunning. Although small house's connection to outside gives a feeling of spaciousness. We hope to return one day.