A View With a Room

Filed under: Design, etc, Architecture

You can visit a lighthouse on your next vacation, or you can sleep in one. We choose the latter.

Given the opportunity, would you stay overnight in a hotel that was a lighthouse? Yep, we would too. With their long-running tradition of guiding ships through the night for more than two centuries, American lighthouses offer a unique experience for visitors, complete with historic appeal, stunning surroundings -- even a murder mystery or two!

"Most of our guests come to experience the history of the lighthouse or because they're on a quest to see as many lighthouses as possible," says Jeff and Linda Gamble, the owners of the Big Bay Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast in Big Bay, Michigan. "But some make the trip simply because of the movie 'Anatomy of a Murder,' which was filmed in the area." Leave it to Jimmy Stewart to draw crowds to a tiny Michigan town from as far away as Singapore and South America!

But lighthouses draw us in for another reason -- they give us a strong sense of place and fuel the imagination. They're also just a really cool place to spend a night.


"Sturdily built, lighthouses provide the comforts of home in an otherwise inhospitable location," says Patrick Landewe, another lighthouse keeper, living at the Saugerties Lighthouse overlooking the Hudson River in Saugerties, New York. "Staying overnight at a lighthouse fulfills fantasies that many people have about the life of the lighthouse keeper."

Lucky for us, there is an impressive number of lighthouse hotels peppering the country's coastlines, so you can stay in one too. Here, we round up some of our favorite lighthouse hotels.

1. Big Bay Point Lighthouse (above)
Located along the shoreline of Lake Superior in Big Bay, Michigan, this red-brick lighthouse has guided sailors for more than a century. The romantic hotel features seven guest rooms with their own private bathrooms, a common living room, library and even a sauna. Guests at Big Bay Point enjoy all of the conveniences of a modern atmosphere, with the exception of individual televisions and phones, and have access to the 120-foot-tall lighthouse lantern where they can admire the surrounding forests. Here, you can ski, snowshoe, hike or simply sit before the fireplace in the living room and enjoy the quiet. Rates range from $137 to $209 for the largest rooms, which come complete with gas fireplaces.


2. Pigeon Point Lighthouse
In case you needed another reason to visit northern California, here's one: the lighthouse at Pigeon's Point. It's nothing short of breathtaking. Perched at the top of a 35-foot ocean cliff in Pescadero, California (fifty miles south of San Francisco), the Pigeon Point Lighthouse is one of the tallest in the nation, standing at 115 feet. Although the tower has been closed since 2002, the oceanside views are reason enough to make the trip. Plus, the four Coast Guard family houses on the property provide hostel-style accommodations for budget-minded travelers, so it's light on the pocketbook, too. Shared rooms are set up like gender-specific dorms, but you do have the option to pay for a private room. The common areas include a lounge area; outdoor patio with a barbecue; a fire pit with Adirondack chairs; and three self-service kitchens where guests can cook and eat their own meals. Rates range from $23 for shared rooms (childrens' rates are less), to $111 for a private family-style room.

3. Heceta Head Lighthouse
A prominent point on the west coast since 1894, the Heceta Head Lighthouse stands 205 feet tall and creates a beam of light visible from up to 21 miles off shore -- the brightest light on Oregon's coast. The old Keeper's House-turned-bed and breakfast welcomes tourists year round. But beware of the Lady in Gray, the ghost of a mother who allegedly walks the lighthouse's halls searching for her daughter who supposedly drowned in the local estuary. This romantic B&B features six bedrooms boasting cozy down comforters, antique furnishings and complimentary robes. Amenities include a fully equipped guest kitchen; intimate parlors with gorgeous ocean views and fireplaces; and a fenced lawn for croquet or bocci ball. Rates range from TK.


4. East Brother Light Station
When visiting the East Brother Light Station, getting there is half the fun. You have to take a private boat to a small island in the San Francisco Bay. Once you arrive, you'll be welcomed with a champagne reception and a tour of the island, where you'll learn about the lighthouse's 136-year history while taking in stunning views of the San Francisco skyline. Accommodations include five uniquely decorated bedrooms (four of which are in the actual lighthouse tower) that are all named for their different view. Visitors also have access to the tower's lantern room and widow's walk, which offers 360-degree views of the bay. Rates range from $295 to $415 per night.

5. Saugerties Lighthouse
At first, the Saugerties Lighthouse may look less than impressive. Located on a man-made stone island, the lighthouse can only be accessed one way: by walking a half-mile trail that floods at high tide. But, once you're there, we promise it will be worth the trip. Offering views of the Hudson River and the Catskills, the picturesque hotel offers access to the light tower year-round for its guests. The B&B includes two cozy upstairs bedrooms with a shared first-floor bathroom. Breakfast is provided for visitors, but you'll have the opportunity to enjoy the local restaurants for lunch and dinner. Or take advantage of the inn's kitchen and make a meal to enjoy in the comfort of your private bedroom. Rates start at $200 per night.


6. Browns Point Light Station
Taking a turn from the traditional lighthouse style, this unique art deco-style structure was completed in the 1930s and is still operated by the Coast Guard in Puget Sound. Visitors sleep in the lightkeeper's cottage, but it's not all rest and relaxation at Browns Point -- renters are asked to help raise the flag, keep a log of visitors and open the facilities to tourists for a few hours on Saturdays. Although the lighthouse itself is closed to the public, you can head down to the basement of the cottage to explore the hands-on museum or ring the original 1903 fog bell in the pump house. Accommodations include three bedrooms with a shared bathroom; a kitchen; living room and music parlor, all furnished with antique decor. Rates range from $124 a night, and $500 to $800 for weekly rentals.

Looking for more unique accommodations?
Take a look at the UK's sexiest airport hotel!
Or find out which hotel chains go the extra mile when it comes to guest fitness.

 

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