Kangaroo House Bed & Breakfast is a stately historic landmark, built in 1907 as large Craftsman Bungalow with enormous supporting timbers and fieldstone features. Having been a B&B for 27 years, and with the ambiance of a old time lodge, Kangaroo House has won national awards for friendly service and great food, and rave reviews online from the guests themselves.
The lodge-like atmosphere of the spacious living room, with its grand, fieldstone fireplace and mission style furnishings, invites you to put your feet up and relax. Spend a quiet afternoon curled up with a book. Linger over one of our fine, homemade breakfasts in the bright and airy breakfast room or on the sunny deck. After a day of hiking, cycling, sailing, or shopping, enjoy an intimate and relaxing soak in the garden hot tub under the stars.
At Kangaroo House Bed & Breakfast, hospitality means elegant treatment with an easy, casual welcomed feeling. So, you can enjoy beautiful furnishings and feel comfortable enough to make yourselves at home. The way a vacation should be - relaxed, without a too many rules!
|
 |
Breakfast at Kangaroo House
We are proud to serve you a breakfast made from scratch. We strive to use the freshest organic ingredients - seasonal fruits, vegetables, and local ingredients including herbs and edible flowers from our own garden whenever possible. Almost all our breads, pastries, and muffins are made and baked in our own kitchen, including fresh scones our guests swear are "to die for!"
Both of us love to cook and eat. Your morning meal may include fresh cut ripe fruits, Blueberry or Cherry Clafouti, a Chorizo and Vegetable Frittata, hearty wedges of Scandinavian Rosti, Wild Alaskan Salmon Quiche, Stuffed Baked Pears, Homemade and Home-Baked Granola, Pecan Pie Bites, Cloudcakes (incredibly light and fluffy pancakes), or a host of other artfully prepared breakfasts. Did we mention yet that we love to cook?
Think of a Kangaroo House breakfast as a little dinner party you’ve been invited to in the morning with a table set for you, lots of yummy dishes, and we are your hosts. We are happy to work with our guests’ special dietary needs such as allergies or medical restrictions and can cook around just about any need you have. It can be difficult for us to work in last minute requests, as you can see from the dishes listed above. So, be sure to note your dietary needs under special requests on the online reservation system. This will allow us time to shop for the perfect ingredients.
Breakfast is served at 8am and 9am each day, or we can pack a breakfast to go for early risers.
|
 |
The Gardens of Kangaroo House
The strolling gardens of the back yard are a hidden secret not visible when you arrive at the house set back 150 feet from the road. Protected from deer by a high fence, windy grass paths wander through flower and shrub beds, the inn’s vegetable garden, wildflower meadow, and to the open-air hot tub at the bottom of the yard. The gardens have been certified as a Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The guest deck, with container plantings and hanging baskets, provide an overlook to the gardens and a place to relax, sip wine, watch the sunset, and you don’t have to be a "birder" to enjoy the antics of all the various birds (about 50 different species identified so far) coming and going at the feeders. Right now garden is bursting with color and the view from the hot tub at night shows a million twinkling stars is blissfull silence.
|
 |
About your hosts
Jill and Charles worked in diverse evolutions of careers including running their own businesses in writing and photography before taking the plunge into running a B&B. Charles had a growing passion for cooking, architecture and the natural world, and there never seemed to be enough opportunity to immerse himself in those things. Jill always relished the arts, literature, and entertaining. When hosting celebrations in the past, Jill was sorry friends had to go home afterward, and busily planned the next event. So now, inviting guests to stay with them, enjoying good conversation, presenting culinary creations, and sharing the wonder of the islands with guests makes them exceedingly happy.
Jill has spent most of her life exploring Western Washington and the islands. When not baking a mouthwatering temptation for guests, she enjoys hiking, reading and writing poetry & fiction, and running a non-profit organization to promote the arts called Artsmith. Charles loves making things by hand and from scratch, designing the perfect, dialed-in sustainable house, and critiquing independent film. Together they enjoy the arts, an unapologetic love affair with food, travelling, antiquing, the outdoors and paddling around in their canoe.
While visiting, you might see the family dog, Athena, but probably not. Although she’s calm, quiet, and very sweet, Athena remains in the separate hosts’ living areas so she will not interfere with guests' relaxation.
|
|
Yes, Virginia, there really was a kangaroo...
Originally built as a farmhouse in 1907, Kangaroo House has had a succession of fascinating owners over the years. In the early 1930s Captain Harold (Cap) Ferris, an employee of the Matson Steamship Line, purchased the home.
Cap brought a wild, young kangaroo home from a voyage to South Australia. Cap played soothing music on the trip home to calm the young animal. She was named Josie and delighted Cap’s family and islanders with her antics. She was adept at predicting the weather, and everyone knew a storm was brewing when Josie chose to spend the night under the big cedar tree on the north side of the house.
Old timers still delight in telling stories about Cap’s unique pet. The islanders and their children loved Josie and this lovely old home has been known as "Kangaroo House" ever since. Back in the 1910's and 20's it was named the Aloha Hotel and Aloha House when the San Juans were a final launching point for voyages to Hawaii. Most recently, it has served as a haven for travellers to Orcas for over a century and as a Bed & Breakfast since 1981, the longest continuously operating B&B in the San Juan Islands.
|  |
| Memberships and Affiliations |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
For Reservations Call 1-888-371-2175