Recently, I had the chance to review the Ocean Crest Resort in Moclips, Washington. Located along State Route 109, we came upon the resort just after the “Welcome to Moclips” sign. Don’t let the modest and unassuming exterior fool you, this gem of a getaway, set atop a wooded bluff, gives way to scenic beauty with comfortable rooms and amenities made more welcoming by its friendly staff. Our check in was very smooth, with staff taking the time to recommend points of interest in the area as well as familiarizing us with the different facilities of the resort. The office also featured a very affectionate office cat who, I was told, adopted the resort a few months earlier.
The resort is spread out amongst several buildings and features studio, large studio, and one and two bedroom apartments as lodging options for guests. Our room was charming and featured two queen beds and a patio that provided a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean. Aside from a coffee maker, microwave, mini fridge, and television, the room also offered a DVD player for which the hotel offers a nice selection of titles for rent. The cable in the room was good, and included many of our favorites such as the Sci-Fi Channel, Cartoon Network, and Spike. This was a nice feature as far too often many hotels we cover only offer the local stations and a small handful of cable stations which limits your viewing choices.
A pleasant addition to these amenities, was the a fireplace with a complimentary Duraflame log and matches ready to go. On a cold blustery night such as the one that welcomed us that evening, it was much appreciated. After a wonderful dinner at the resort’s restaurant, then a fun jaunt into Ocean Shores to lose some money at the Quinault Casino, with snow flurries and cold winds hurrying us back, it was easy to fall asleep to the warm crackle of the fire in surprisingly comfortable beds. We enjoy a memory foam mattress at home which often causes many hotel beds to be stiff or uncomfortable by comparison. That was not the case at the Ocean Crest, as the beds provided a very peaceful night of rest.
The resort also offers a very impressive indoor recreation center complete with a heated pool, a sauna, a jacuzzie, an exercise room, a tanning bed and massage therapy. The recreation center is located across the street from the hotel and restaurant and offers locker rooms (bring your own lock) and swimsuits and swim trunks are available for purchase. We learned from the staff that Olympic gold medalist Apollo Anton Ono is a regular at the resort and they had pictures of him and his family adorning one of the boards in the room.
For guests looking to get down to the beach, the resort built a winding, wooden staircase to the ocean 100 feet down. Due to the wet and icy weather conditions, I did not venture down the path on this trip, but I look forward to a return visit to try the path and one of the beach bonfires.The resort is pet friendly and also offers wireless internet and a very impressive gift shop.
No review of the Ocean Crest resort would be complete without covering the amazing restaurant with its stunning view of the ocean. We followed the advice of the staff and made a reservation and were rewarded with a window table to watch the sun set as we dined. From the famous resort clam chowder to the hormone and additive free prime rib, the cuisine was simply amazing and without comparison. My wife enjoyed crab cakes at the recommendation of Jess Owen, the resort’s assistant manager and grandson of the original owners. “We decided it would be fun to serve a crab cake that actually has crab in it,” he wrote to us before our visit. She thoroughly enjoyed the Meditarranean couscous that accompanied the cakes. My mother raved over her rack of lamb served with what she described as “perfectly cooked” green beans. The amazing selection of local wines also highlighted the meal as did the cheesecake and lemon chiffon cake that completed our evening.
For those looking for a more casual dining experience, the restaurant offers a lunch menu with a unique variety of sandwiches as well as a kids menu. Before checking out, we enjoyed breakfast at the restaurant which consisted of very big and fluffy omelets, home made muffins, and hazelnut crusted French baguette toast.
Upon checkout, the staff kindly informed us that we were welcome to continue to use the recreation center after check out should we wish and recommended we visit the local Quinalt Indian museum down the road. From the amazingly helpful and friendly staff, the great locale, and the first rate rooms and dining, the family owned Ocean Crest Resort is a must stay location when visiting the Olympic Peninsula. We cannot wait for our next visit.
4651 SR 109 | P.O. Box 7
Moclips, Washington 98562
Reservations: 800 684-8439
www.oceancrestresort.com
