Delightful & charming! I'd planned a spontaneous weekend getaway recently and have been meaning to return to Olympia for some local tourist action exploring their vegan options. I was thinking about the usual hotels or AirBnB but then I'd realized The Marie B&B was recently added to my IG; it's settled!
The house is a piece of art! I feel like it's been wonderfully restored yet tastefully modernized to feel more in tune with our modern times. For example, sleek and "blended in" push button light switches, electronic door locks (which have their own odd quirks) and added posh cottages outside the house across a sweet (winter-dormant) fountain. This was certainly a pleasant change than what I am used to and welcomed it; plus it encouraged me to substitute time otherwise spent in a fitness center (although good) or TV watching (although relaxing) with town strolls & eating or other stuff. I also really liked how the colors seem to be period but maybe more earthy/deep in hue. Just lovely staying in the Walnut room (private attached bathroom) and seeing the labor of love that went into the interior home renovation (the books, the photographs, the natural lighting, etc). I bought some bath salts/essence from Radiance downtown to try in the tub which was nice. Solid shower. If anything, the bathroom sink water can take a bit to warm up, the room ambient temp can feel rather cold to me; perhaps more pleasant outside of winter. The bed was firm yet comfy!
Hospitality was kind and friendly! When I arrived and rung the super cool vintage rotating door bell (dr-r-r-ring, dr-r-r-ring), Jacci was a warm & kind greeting. Due to the cozy & quiet nature of the house, Jacci is typically the main contact during the day while I think both are available during breakfast; outside of that I believe they're mostly available by phone. You can also see about requesting the dining room hot water thermos for early morning use. For breakfast, I'd given them a heads up for my preferred healthy vegan breakfast and they were able to make do quite well! Chef James' prepared a stuffed squash one morning for all guests; to accommodate me, I think he used grilled/marinated tofu for the yummy savory stuffed topping of the halved butternut squash. It was a nice small meal and I passed along nice compliments. Next morning, Jacci made me a great simple stuffed baked apple with oats and some savory/spiced goods. She was happy to provide some extra cinnamon upon request. They have local artisan well water and I think the meal beverage accompaniment was a chilled spiced apple cider. In the future, a larger meal would be a nice chance to really impress this dude! :) Also had the chance for some friendly conversation while eating together with the other guests; sometimes in the larger dining room or the cute smaller one that catches the morning sun.
A very pleasant experience overall! The Marie B&B appears to be one piece of a broader & greater preservation/restoration effort on that property (I've got the Park Side Cafe bookmarked; a new from the ground-up plant-based cafe!). Parking is aplenty along the picket fence-lined street or the interior gravel parking lot (not recommended for large trucks/SUV's). Happy to recommend. Also feel free to ask me for local vegan dining options; mostly near downtown Oly. read more