213 - Beach Escape on Mutiny Bay

My friends and I have stayed in a vacation rental every summer for 26 years, and this is the best house ever! It had everything we needed--an island, beach front, beautiful house, really nice neighbors, and even a local Elephant seal named Ellie that hangs out on the beach. We saw eagles, porpoise, cruise ships, Navy ships, all kinds of other boats, beautiful sunsets every night, and peace and quiet. The house was perfect for six older women and we enjoyed every single minute we were there. Jerry, the maintenance man, was quick to respond when one of the toilets wouldn't shut off. The only thing we would recommend is to replace the mattress in the Master bedroom. It is very worn and sinks in the middle--it makes it difficult for two people to share that bed. Everything else was perfect and we are really hoping we get to go back next summer.

Manager's Response

We had a very good stay at the property. I think it is better suited to a family with younger children than our use of the property, which was three adult siblings. The reason I say that is the two bedrooms in the back of the home share a bathroom with entry doors from both bedrooms, which was logistically a little challenging. It looked it had a wonderful set up for two families and young children, especially with the loft, etc. The only other issue was a nonworking fireplace inside, which was disappointing. That said, the rest of the place and location were outstanding, and I don't know of a better waterfront access and view on Whidbey Island.

Manager's Response

great

Manager's Response

great

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This home was very comfortable and the location cannot be beat. Kitchen was extremely well equipped allowing us to cook meals in. Wonderful deck. Love the beach side fire pit.

Manager's Response

Perfect location, great weather. Loved the cabin, very nicely appointed kitchen. Can’t wait to go back!

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Oddly configured older beach house has terrific deck, beach access, and water and mountain views. Bedroom and bathroom configurations are awkward, and the living area lacks comfortable seating for relaxing.

Manager's Response

Had a great time at the house. Things were clean and neat. Fantastic view. We cooked thanksgiving dinner and enjoyed several other meals as well. Kitchen was stocked with pots, pans and utensils. We would recommend this spot to anyone.

Manager's Response

Very nice place right on the water on Mutiny Bay on Whidbey Island, WA. Saw Seals, Sea Lions, lots of birds, bunnies and squirrels.

Manager's Response

I would recommend Tara in a heartbeat. I would also stay here again. It does not really sleep ten comfortably unless some are kids or you are close family. It needs some shower head repairs and water use is limited by septic system. Something to be aware of but not a reason not to stay here. Tara was very professional and helpful.

Manager's Response

Overall very happy with the experience. The house served us well, but got quite warm in the afternoon with no windows to open to create any kind of a breeze. With no air conditioning it became quite hot inside. Outside of that, the house worked out very well for us.

Manager's Response

We had 10 adults for a birthday party. The home is well worn and the sleeping arrangements are not the best. The 2 Q beds are ok, the twins are rock hard and the trendel and couch pullout well, they are just that. The kitchen, living & dining rooms are somewhat open. That said this house is awesome if good weather & you can mostly be outside. The deck has lots of seating, lawn big enough to play games and beach very close. There is quite a list of to do when checking out, more than usual. All in all, good house for the price. I would not rent this again for 10 adults but for a group with kids, the sleeping would be fine.

Manager's Response

We had 10 adults for a birthday party. The home is well worn and the sleeping arrangements are not the best. The 2 Q beds are ok, the twins are rock hard and the trendel and couch pullout well, they are just that. The kitchen, living & dining rooms are somewhat open. That said this house is awesome if good weather & you can mostly be outside. The deck has lots of seating, lawn big enough to play games and beach very close. There is quite a list of to do when checking out, more than usual. All in all, good house for the price. I would not rent this again for 10 adults but for a group with kids, the sleeping would be fine.

Manager's Response

You can't beat the location right on the water and the view here! We enjoyed watching the cruise ships pass, playing on the beach, roasting s'mores in the back yard, playing croquet and checking out tide pools around the bend of the beach.
The house has an odd smell about it that you can mostly get used to. I thought it smelled like burnt broccoli but my kids thought it was dog. I know for sure the throw rug in the living room was the worst culprit for the odor. A quick remedy would be to get rid of that. They must also have animals stay b/c my son that has allergies was wheezing most of the time there. It would also be nice if they got rid of some things in the kitchen to make more room for storing food. Even with that list of small issues, I'd probably stay there again (and make sure he brings his medicine). I can't explain how amazing the view is!!! Oh and the neighbors are all really friendly.

Manager's Response

The location is unbeatable. Quiet too. The house has 4 bedrooms, and the second bathroom between 2 back bedrooms did not pose a problem. The kitchen is well-stocked.

However, someone needs to organize the kitchen and get rid of some utensils that no longer work.

Manager's Response

We really enjoyed our stay at this beach house on Mutiny Bay. The weather was perfect so we spent most of our time outside. The flat deck, yard and beach access were perfect for our little kids.

Manager's Response

We really enjoyed our stay at this beach house on Mutiny Bay. The weather was perfect so we spent most of our time outside. The flat deck, yard and beach access were perfect for our little kids.

Manager's Response

We had the most wonderful experience at this house. The yard, the deck, and mostly the view are incredible. Looking out at the jagged Olympic peaks provided the escape and the rejuvenation that we all needed. The layout of the house itself is a little funky (the back of the house is almost shotgun style- you must walk through the first bedroom to get to the rest) but it worked just fine for our needs. It had a well stocked kitchen, too. We would definitely stay here again.

Manager's Response

This is the second year we rented this house for our annual family retreat. 5 adults and 2 kids (ages 5 and 2). We love the location, the flat lot and access to the beach, and the fireplace!

Manager's Response

We had a great 3 days at the beach. The house has a great location for walking on the beach, watching the ships go by and enjoying the beautiful sunsets.

We spent 4 nights at the Mutiny Bay cottage and had a great time. We lost power in a wind storm Saturday morning, and power never returned before we left Sunday. For an island that is known for losing power often, it was a little disappointing that there was not a generator or any other provisions beyond candles. Aside from this, the place is great. The view is fantastic. The layout is a bit goofy. One bedroom is a bit exposed with only curtains to shut it off, and another bedroom is only accessible by walking through the master bedroom. But for our needs, this didn't matter and worked fine.

We spent 4 nights at the Mutiny Bay cottage and had a great time. We lost power in a wind storm Saturday morning, and power never returned before we left Sunday. For an island that is known for losing power often, it was a little disappointing that there was not a generator or any other provisions beyond candles. Aside from this, the place is great. The view is fantastic. The layout is a bit goofy. One bedroom is a bit exposed with only curtains to shut it off, and another bedroom is only accessible by walking through the master bedroom. But for our needs, this didn't matter and worked fine.

Such a relaxing part of the island ... other properties along the water in the area may be more recently renovated, few have the charm and character and privacy of this unit. First cup of coffee staring out the window at the sunrise lighting up Mutiny Bay convinced me.

We had a mini-family reunion here and was a lot of fun. As other reviews have said, it is a little older but I like that they kept it as a beach house. We caught a King Salmon right in front of the house as well as dozens of smaller fish so bring the fishing poles. The location is perfect - it is just a couple houses from the end so very private.

This property was great for our families. We had two small children and yeard and deck worked very well. We may rent this property in 2017 if all get to gether.

Great deck space & beachfront access. Enjoyed seeing the elephant seal & pup. Awkward layout of bedrooms, but we made do. Had septic alarming one night that was somewhat disruptive.

The house was great. Not spotlessly clean, but well appointed, in a quiet neighborhood. Beautiful sunsets on the beach and fun to see all the big ships go thru this passage. Very cool, because its a shipping lane. Wonderful time on the beach. Nice decks. A fire pit would be a good addition! Thanks

Our stay was so wonderful! You can't beat the location, right on the beach with the most beautiful sunsets. The nature was spectacular, so many eagles and seals. Overall the house was just what we expected, it's a beach house that's updated enough. It's warm and cozy and wonderful but mostly we were outside the entire weekend. I would HIGHLY recommend this place and hope to be back some day. One note for the next renters, bring your own toiletries (i.e. shampoo) and hair dryer:)

We had a lovely stay. The location is phenomenal, we enjoyed watching the sunset, the sea life and the ship traffic. ( is a great site to learn about the ships you see).

We were relieved because, while my son has terrible breathing problems, he had no issues (a rarity for him). I'm very picky regarding cleanliness, and while I'd consider the cleanliness acceptable (not good or bad), we had no allergen problems.

The layout is a bit awkward, but it worked. Fortunately, the back bedroom had outdoor access, so you don't have to go through the master. There were a few stairs, but it wasn't too much of a problem for those in our group who had mobility issues.

The location far and away offsets any negatives about the house. Especially when considering the cost of rental and the number of people able to sleep.

We plan on coming back, hopefully making it an annual family get together! And we've already referred the home to a friend. Property management was great to work with, as we made a few changes to our reservations.

The overall value is great. Thanks for allowing us to have a lovely, memory-making vacation.

We took our kids and grandkids (4 and 1.5 yo)to Whidbey Island for a weekend getaway. This location was just perfect for us. Great outside space, plenty of inside space. The house has a funky bedroom layout so it's good to know your housemates a bit. The fireplace worked great and the kitchen had most of what we needed. We have already talked about next year when we go back!

Beautiful location. Find out about beach access before you go, some areas closed which leaves a small area open. They say they are working on improving that.

We stayed here while our friends had their wedding at another place on the Island. We all loved the view and sunsets at this place. Overall a great stay and crash pad for a large group of friends.

great value, beach access/view, comfortably accommodated our family of 10.

We had beautiful weather all week to enjoy a beautiful view of the Olympic range. The kids loved playing on the beach and watching a wide variety of ships go by. The house was big enough to accommodate our family of six with plenty of room to entertain additional guests during our stay. The kitchen was well equipped and there were even two barbecues. Overall a great stay and we would definitely rent this property again.

The locaiton is wonderful. The house was fully stocked and homey, but it was not completely clean and it is a bit dated. I would recomend this property to a family with children.

The bonus feature of the elephant seal who beached every evening for a sand bath was a nice touch at no extra charge!

It is right on the water and was very calming. The layout of the rooms are interesting as 3 of the rooms you have to walk through each room to access the other room. Overall it was a great location on the water. Lots of kitchen items and BBQ items to use.

We had a great stay over Christmas at this property. The beach location is wonderful, and at this time of year very quiet. The house was in lovely condition when we arrived and had plenty of comfortable furniture, etc. for guests. The only drawbacks on this property are the quirky bedroom arrangements (you have to walk through the master, and then through the shared bath to get to the other room with a queen bed) and the lack of fundamental kitchen items, like measuring spoons and cups, and a reasonable way to whip cream.
Were I to rent this property again I would just be sure to bring from home these essential items. The folks at Tara Properties could not have been more helpful in making the reservations!

Manager's Response

We rented this house for its wonderful view of Mutiny Bay and the shipping lane of Admiralty Inlet. The house's furniture was a bit dated but comfortable. The kitchen's lighting needs some improvement. Otherwise the house is very well kept. Read other reviews for the slightly odd bedroom layout.

The house is in a great location and the views are fantastic. The home itself is older and in need of updates and upgrades throughout. Prospective guests should know that although there are 4? bedrooms, only 1 has a separate hallway entrance. the other 3 rooms require you to 'walk through' one another and this also includes the second bathroom. When considering this rental, be sure you understand the layout and that it works for your group. The property company was very polite and accommodating and keeps the rental relatively clean. If your group requires little privacy and plans to spend most of your time outside and dining out, this is a great spot.

It was perfect.

We had a wonderful time. The washing machine and drier could be updated.

What a wonderful location - absolutely the best on Whidbey Island! No-bank private beach, nice neighbors, wonderful views of the Olympic Peninsula and shipping channels. Would highly recommend - with the caveat that the 4th bedroom is only accessible through another bedroom and its bathroom (not a problem for us, but could be for two families staying together). Furnishings and kitchen are a little dated, but who cares when you're in a spot like this?

We really enjoyed our stay. We have two young kids, who adored hunting for seashells, building sandcastles, even saying hello to the neighborhood sea lion lounging on the beach right outside the house. The layout of the house is unusual - you have to walk through the middle of two bedrooms to get to the fourth b'room - and the furniture and appliances are a bit dated, but it worked for our family. We could come again - the location cannot be beat.