The Best Inns and Bed & Breakfasts

The Gaslight Inn (Seattle; tel. 206/325-3654): Beautifully decorated with lots of original Stickley furniture, this inn consists of two houses in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. One house is done in a contemporary style, while the other will appeal to fans of the Arts-and-Crafts style. There's a swimming pool.

Spring Bay Inn (Orcas Island; tel. 360/376-5531): This secluded waterfront inn is a luxurious island retreat, and a stay includes not only a bed and breakfast, but brunch and a daily sea-kayak excursion. In-room fireplaces and a hot tub right on the beach add romance.

Inn on Orcas Island (tel. 888/886-1661 or 360/376-5227): On the edge of a small bay and looking as if it were brought here from Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket, this luxurious inn is in a modern building that seems to have been built 100 years ago.

Willcox House (The Kitsap Peninsula; tel. 800/725-9477 or 360/830-4492): This 1930s Art Deco mansion on the shore of Hood Canal is straight from an old Hollywood movie (movie stars stayed here back in the '30s and '40s).

Chinaberry Hill (Tacoma; tel. 253/272-1282): Located in Tacoma's Stadium Historic District, this grand Victorian is as impressive as any of the historic B&Bs in Port Townsend. The inn is steeped in classic Northwest elegance and abounds in beautiful woodwork.

Thornewood Castle Inn (Lakewood; tel. 253/584-4393): Few B&Bs in America can claim to be castles, but Thornewood, built in 1909, certainly can. With 28 bedrooms and 22 bathrooms, this sprawling mansion is as close as you'll come to a European manor home in the U.S.

Hoquiam's Castle (Hoquiam; 360/533-2005): Built in 1897 by a local timber baron, this stately Victorian inn is an amazing assemblage of turrets and gables, balconies and bay windows. The town of Hoquiam isn't a major tourist destination, but this inn is reason enough to spend a weekend in the area.

Abendblume Inn (Leavenworth; tel. 800/669-7634 or 509/548-4059): Of the many alpine chalet accommodations in Leavenworth, this is the most luxurious. The attention to detail in the construction of this chalet makes the inn an especially enjoyable place to spend a romantic weekend.

Run of the River Inn & Refuge (Leavenworth; tel. 800/288-6491 or 509/548-7171): Set amid beautiful rock gardens on a side channel of the Icicle Creek, this rustic, yet contemporary log inn is a tranquil place to stay. The innkeepers are quite helpful and eager to share their love of the area.

Cave B Inn at Sagecliffe (Ellensburg; tel. 888/785-2283 or 509/785-2283): Set atop 900-foot cliffs overlooking the Columbia River in central Washington, this inn offers luxury in a remote location, and is worth the drive.