The James House

An 1889 Queen Anne Victorian mansion on a bluff above Port Townsend, the Pacific Northwest's first bed-and-breakfast and one of the most-photographed examples of late-Victorian residential architecture on the West Coast. Twelve rooms in the original mansion and a few outbuildings, harbor views from most of them, and the kind of woodwork that took eighteen months and a small army of carpenters to build.

You stay here for the building. The rest of Port Townsend is a bonus.

The setting

Port Townsend sits on the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula, two hours from Seattle by car and ferry. The James House occupies the top of the bluff above Point Hudson and the harbor, with views east across Admiralty Inlet to Whidbey Island and north to the San Juan Islands on a clear day. The historic district — an entire Victorian-era seaport preserved through 100 years of relative obscurity — runs downhill from the bluff to the waterfront.

The town is on the National Register of Historic Places; that's not a marketing line — the entire downtown is designated.

The building

A 1889 Queen Anne — three stories of clapboard, multiple gables, a corner turret, decorative bargeboard, and the kind of carved interior detailing (cherry, oak, mahogany) that the late-Victorian period reserved for the houses of timber barons. The original parquet floors, the carved staircase, the period wallpaper, and the working fireplaces are all intact. Public rooms include three parlors, a library, the breakfast room, and the wraparound porch facing the bay. Materials are clapboard, stone, brass, oak.

The rooms

Twelve rooms across the main mansion and the gardener's cottage. Categories include classic Victorian rooms with claw-foot tubs, larger rooms with bay-window sitting areas, and the cottage suite. Beds are queens or kings; bathrooms range from period to recently refreshed. From-rates open around $235, including a full hot breakfast.

Food & drink

There's no restaurant. A full hot breakfast is served daily in the dining room. For dinner, downtown Port Townsend is a five-minute walk downhill: The Old Whiskey Mill, Alchemy Bistro, Silverwater Cafe, and Sirens are the picks. The walk back uphill is the workout.

On the property

The wraparound porch with bay views, three parlors, a small library, and a small garden. There's no pool, no spa, no gym. The bluff trail runs along the property edge.

• Full hot breakfast included
• Wraparound porch, bay views
• Three parlors, library
• Walking distance downhill to historic district
• Open year-round

Who it's for

• Couples who'd rather a 1889 Victorian mansion than any other building type
• Architecture readers — Queen Anne in this state of preservation is rare
• Travelers doing the Olympic Peninsula loop or San Juan Islands ferry
• Anyone who'd choose the most architecturally significant property in town

Who it's not for

• Families with young kids — the inn is sized and styled for adults
• Travelers who want a pool, gym, or full restaurant on-site
• Pet owners (verify policy with the front desk)

Nearby

The Port Townsend historic district is a five-minute walk downhill — Fort Worden State Park is a fifteen-minute drive. The Wooden Boat Festival in September is the town's signature event. The Marrowstone Island ferry to Indian Island is twenty minutes south for a quieter beach. For dinner: Silverwater, Alchemy Bistro, Sirens, and the seafood at Sea J's. The Olympic National Park's Hurricane Ridge entrance is an hour west. Whidbey Island ferries from Port Townsend run to Coupeville.