The Chrysalis Inn & Spa Bellingham, Curio Collection by Hilton

Returned for 3rd (25th year anniversary with disabled husband) and 4th (caregiver getaway!). See accessibility review below.

Hotel- Staff are helpful. Rooms are clean. Beds are comfy. Trains are noisy but it didn't bother me. View is epic. Location is perfect. Fairhaven is a quick walk. Pier is a beautiful opportunity to move, people watch, and breathe! Read the accessibility part below though.

Restaurant- tips: don't go if you are in a rush. Think- island time. Be nice to the server and they will be nice to you. Often understaffed- remind them of their impact on such a special occasion. Sit outside - the area near the lobby is first come/first serve seating - pick that! Pick a seat near the heater. You won't regret it. Bring something to read, to color, to journal on - and take your time. Go for sunset. Breakfast is yummy. Great portions and fantastic Benedict. Dinner - try the burger and fries. Check out happy hour. Bring bottles of wine and pay the 15$ corking fee- it'll save you money and keep you in the perfect mood :)

Accessibility- this is something I have realized: I have able bodied privilege. My husband's Huntingtons disease progression requires me to think through how many steps there are to the table. How big the table is, how many people are going to be close to the table, how much glassware will be on the table, if staff are judgy, if doors open easily, if there are steps, if the layout of access allows him to utilize the space.
The restaurant and hotel could improve this: they could put more info on their website and describe ways in which they are able to accommodate. Describe the accessible rooms. Describe seating locations in the lobby and restaurant. Describe the lack of automatic doors. Prepare guests so they are not anxiously investigating if their partner can eat dinner with them. The restaurant can improve by training their staff. Helping their hostess learn the impact of her attitude and judgement. My heart was hurt by how rude and short and demeaning she was. The servers were busy. It wasn't until I slowed down enough to connect that I received that in return. And, once I did I was happy to come back each night (and morning). I just avoided the hostess.

If they are reading this Thankyou. If their boss is reading this - please consider able bodied privilege and walk the process of booking, arriving, checking in, and being seated- you will learn there is much to learn. And hopefully you will help staff know what they need to know to accommodate humanity. We don't think through these things until we have to. As my husband declines our moments are more precious and limited. He does not have many left. An outing is a serious investment of energy, time, emotion, and money. Please do better. And, please stay committed to connections. You make a difference in people's lives even when you don't realize it. Yes- it isn't heart surgery - and, in some ways: these memories help hearts more than you know.

Spa- expensive but great. Note: the steam room, shower, and vibe are free if you are a guest in the hotel. Do it! It is usually not busy, it is clean, and it is a treat. Small and not super fancy - but just fancy enough.

Bathtub- yes! There a few nights? Or even one- bring bath bombs and a candle. Bring a bath pillow. Open the sliding barn door and stare at the view.

Get room with full view. You will be sad if you don't!

Good God the manager of this hotel is rude. More than that; Angry. If you're wanting to be treated well - Stay elsewhere. The executive chef of Keenans is not particularly friendly either

What happened to this place?

Manager - Tim McAdams

Save your money

Overall rating of outstanding.
Excellent restaurant, friendly staff, nice rooms and spacious jacuzzi.
Def looking forward to my next stay!

I have happily been staying here since they opened, and this past night was my latest adventure there. The Chrysalis is truly my favorite "escape" when visiting my family.
This is the epitome of the perfect "boutique hotel": the customer service is incredible; the spa is AMAZING; their restaurant, Keenan's, is perpetually yummy, and their rooms are downright gorgeous. NOW, ADD IN THE VIEWS! WOW!!!!
Oh, and you are just a hop-skip from Fairhaven, which is a delightful section of Bellingham. The Chrysalis is right there! There are galleries, groovy restaurants, Tony's Coffee (a tradition not to be missed), walkways over the Sound that you will love, and other assorted stores I have probably spent more money at than I will ever admit to my adoring husband ; )
Seriously, you will thank me!

Rooms. We stayed in a partial bay view room for 6 nights. The rooms are very well appointed. The tub is large enough for 2 - perhaps even 3 - and the shower is very pleasant. Every room has a nice gas fireplace with a timer so you can set it and forget it.

Train. Yes. Yes. They make it very clear there are trains and trains make noise. They ain't lying. We were on the top floor and the trainSSS were very loud. I would estimate at least 4 during sleeping hours and many many more during the day. They were loud enough to wake me up multiple times. I am only deducting a 1/2 star for this but others may deduct 2 given how severe the noise is. They do provide ear plugs but I didn't want em in my ears.

Dining. Keenan's at the Pier is on sight. They have a beautiful view of the bay. Breakfast is great and servings are large. The happy hour is nice and the drinks are reasonably priced at all times.

Common Areas. This is where the other 1/2 point gets deducted. The lobby/living room was freezing. They had 1 tiny portable space heater (slightly tacky given the hotel) that was of seemingly little effect. There is a fireplace in the lobby but was not turned on once in a weeks time. All of these things also apply to every hallway.

Spa. Great and on-site. A little pricey but it's right there.

Service. Neutral.

Location. Great. Walking distance to Fairhaven and driving to the rest of Bellingham.

All in all. I would stay again when in Bellingham.

This is a nice property situated in a gorgeous spot, and it makes the most of its location. We had a corner suite, and the views were spectacular. I am disabled and didn't have the capacity to stroll around the very pretty waterfront and downtown areas, so the window seats gave me a wonderful time bird- and boat-watching. The room was fairly clean though could have used a deeper cleaning, and there is the issue of the train going by night and day. However, I am very sensitive to sound when I'm sleeping, and the provider earplugs plus rain sounds from my phone allowed me to go undisturbed. The small inconveniences, like most of the USB ports not working, we're more than made up for by the room's comfort and views.

Had the best massage of my life with Jules today... worth every penny and can't wait to book with her again!!

We had a lovely evening here when we visited Bellingham. The parking garage has a low clearance but there was ample free street parking. I did hear the train, but they are upfront about the train, I didht hear our neighbors. The bed was comfy. There was a great area to walk along the water.
We also ate in the restaurant and enjoyed that as well. We didn't use the spa so can't speak to that.

I've been reviewing on yelp for some time and have 200+ reviews. Therefore, I hope my review is taken seriously about the Hotel experience we had here.

This is the second time I have stayed here. The hotel is very cute and located on the water. It's boutique like and we have did have several interactions with kind employees.

However, please read on why I won't stay again; We had an issue with the faucet leaking. Upon checking in we noticed saturated towels underneath the sink and contact at the front desk. When we reported it we were informed that the maintenance had left for the evening and would not be able to fix the leaking sink until tomorrow. We were only staying one night. ((We were not offered a different room to move into.)) Instead, the front desk brought us up a small bucket to catch the leaking faucet. We tried our best to shut off the water, and did not have full use of the bathroom sink. Later in the evening, I noticed the small bucket filling up quicker than expected and I did not have to want to worry about dumping the bucket during the night so I asked if we could have a bigger bucket. The front desk brought us up a bigger bucket.

The rest of the night we had to listen to a broken faucet dripping into the bucket which made the night very long. I went downstairs and spoke to management right away around 8 AM in the morning. He said that he would provide some compensation for the room. Upon checking out I realized the only compensation given was $50 on our $230 stay. (BTW $230 is very reasonable price as the hotel usually has MUCH higher rates.) I said I did not feel that that the credit was anywhere equivalent to the long crappy night listening to dripping in the room, not being able to use the bathroom faucet properly.

Long story short, the management shrugged his shoulders and said 25% credit was more than enough credit. I again expressed my dislike, and said I would be giving an honest review, but he didn't seem to mind.

Doesn't seem very Hilton Honor'esque to treat their clients like this. I feel like I should've received a complimentary night to stay in the future that we could have enjoyed without disturbance and/or a much much higher discount for our stay there. Included a screenshot of my bill below.

I would sum up my stay as great property unless you have a problem! Then money is more valuable than the client!

This is my favorite place to stay in Bellingham, with one of the most beautiful views in the world! The rooms are so comfortable, especially the jetted tubs. The hotel staff, restaurant, and so on...all superb! I look forward to returning again and again.