#The captain whidbey movie

Kayaks and canoes might be available for guests, as well as buoys to tie up private boats. There is so much potential.”Īnd that potential definitely includes making better use of the inn’s dock and waterfront on Penn Cove. “There is waterfront on both sides, and the place is historic and cozy. “We have 6 acres to work with,” Matt said. The new owners also plan to spend lot of time dreaming up other ways to enhance the experience of the historic property. It may also involve partnering with community organizations. Some of that will involve improving the inn’s website and doing more advertising and marketing. “We want to get the word out to visitors and reconnect with the local community.” “Our initial reaction is that the Captain Whidbey has become somewhat unknown,” Eric said. And it will offer space for community organizations to hold events. The new owners say the refreshed Captain Whidbey may try things such as a monthly guest chef series, performances by local musicians and gatherings that mix locals with overnight guests. “We’re not looking to make this place an exclusive resort,” Eric said. In other words, the new owners want to expand the demographics of the inn’s guests, which in recent years has often been mostly older adventure travelers and retired baby boomers. “What we do here relates to what’s going on in Seattle with urbanism, job stress and fast-paced living,” Matt said.Īnd Mike added, “It’s almost a luxury these days for people and families to find a place to get away but not go far, relax and enjoy the ‘freedom’ of spotty cellphone coverage (which parts of Whidbey are famous for).” In the 1970s, 13 “Lagoon View” rooms and four cabins were added, all with private baths.Īs millennials themselves, the new owners are aware of what their generation is seeking in experiences away from work and the city. It has a lobby, restaurant and bar downstairs and 12 guest rooms upstairs that Matt calls “small and cozy” with shared baths down the hall.

The original inn, back then named the Whid Isle Inn, was built as a resort for camping and fishing by Judge Lester Still in 1907.

Moore purchased it from John Stone and his family, who had owned it since 1964. The three partners formed a new private corporation to buy the Captain Whidbey from Loyd Moore, its owner since 2007. Part of it is just about taking the ferry, which changes how you feel when you get here.” “We were drawn to Whidbey Island because the setting is amazing, with (Ebey’s Landing National Historical) Reserve, Deception Pass, the whole rural feeling, the sense of peace. “There are a lot of old lodges that are four or five hours away but we wanted a place that people (in the city) could get to easily and come back to. “We were curious about the islands in Puget Sound and we looked for a place that’s rustic, immersed in nature but yet easily accessible from Seattle,” Matt said. Given their success at Pioneertown, the partners went shopping last year for a similar opportunity. He previously worked as the creative director of buildings for the trendy Ace Hotel chain, which has transformed historic structures into boutique hotels in several cities, including a former halfway house in Seattle’s Belltown. The brothers have turned it into a thriving getaway spot for stressed-out city folks and also a gathering place for locals.Ĭheong, originally from Savannah, Georgia, is an architect with his own design firm in Portland.

#The captain whidbey movie

In 2014, Matt and Mike bought the rustic Pioneertown Motel, built in 1946 alongside a movie set in California’s high desert that was the location of several dozen western films and television shows. The French brothers are members of a pioneering Portland family with strong ties to the maritime industry and real estate development. One of our goals is to make this place relevant today, where you remember the past but also where you make new memories.” “You came for a birthday or a wedding, but a lot of times that was in the distant past. “It’s all about memories at the Captain Whidbey,” Matt said. What they have to say is smart and reassuring. But Eric, Matt and Mike are eager to answer these questions.