A Gay Getaway in the Woods

We had such a nice time this weekend at our little gay getaway on Bainbridge, we thought we'd give our hosts a shout out.

First, we'll get the bad news out of the way. Something we weren't so thrilled about was our weird dinner at Cafe Nola downtown. The food wasn't bad, it was just a weird array of ingredients (carrots garnished the scallops-and-roasted-red-pepper-sauce dish, for example). We're not your typical foodie, but we used to date a damn good chef, and we know what not to do in the kitchen. It was just an odd array of flavors and textures that didn't necessarily not work....but then it didn't leave us feeling like we had a stellar dinner. Just so you know.

Anyway, back to the good news. Our destination of choice was Ashton Woods Retreat--a lovely 10-acre spread in the woods on the west end of Bainbridge Island. It's about a five minute drive from the ferry and downtown, but feels like you're in the middle of nowhere. Currently, there are two guest suites--a cottage and a loft.

We stayed in the loft: a fabulously appointed suite atop the host couple's garage. We know, that doesn't sound delightful, but it is. Steven, one half of the darling couple who owns the place, called us the other night to ask a ton of questions. When we got there, all our needs had been met, right down to the various candy jars, savory snacks, and a complementary bottle of wine.

The cottage is buried a smidge behind the main house via a trail through the woods. Both suites are decorated with Steven's impeccable taste. Three golden retrievers follow you wherever you go (but not in an annoying way, at all), and play well with whatever dog you want to bring along (a $40 pet fee added onto your stay).

photo of the Bainbridge Island woods, courtesy of Flickr user straws