Nowak House

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Overview
Amenities
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Location
Host

Exceptional

1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 283.6 sq m

Popular amenities

Parking available

Washer

Barbecue grill

Kitchen

Fireplace

Dryer

Explore the area

Lopez Island, WA

Iceberg Point
5 min drive
Watmough Head
5 min drive
Sharks Reef Sanctuary
14 min drive
Center Island, WA (CWS)
128 min drive

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 2)

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Spaces

Kitchen

Living area

Exterior

About this property

Nowak House - Lopez Island's One of a Kind Intimate Getaway

Contemporary Home Amidst an Island Paradise...
Offering this beautiful one of a kind contemporary home ideal for that special intimate getaway. This island jewel is nestled on five pristine pastoral acres on the south end of Lopez with panoramic views to the west of MacKaye Harbor and Salmon point. Built by renowned Seattle glass artist, James Nowak in 2008, designed by the creative architectural team of Adams, Mohler and Ghillino, and constructed by Steve Winder Construction. This 900 square foot home is clean, artistic ,unique, and deliciously inviting just like the island itself. The fourteen custom wall sconces with matching overhead ceiling fixture gives you the feel of a room filled with candles but the light is actually coming from small LED lights within the candle globes. The living room floor features a 9 x 12 terrazzo insert to the cement floors filled with Mr. Nowak's blown pieces. The fir plank that is the eating counter and the beautiful fir stairway to the sleeping loft is all hand locally milled Douglas Fir. The bathroom tiles are each handmade in Italy and all the furniture that is found throughout is simple in design, elegant, classic, and of course comfortable.

Designed for Today's Traveler...
The Nowak House has a fully equipped modern kitchen with eating bar, a spacious living room with a gas stove, intimate dining room and a large comfortable loft bedroom with a view of the Harbor and a seating area. The house is equipped with a flat screen TV with satellite and free Wi-Fi internet. Linens and all necessities are provided.

**At the beginning of 2018, the owners installed solar panels to supplement the electricity derived from the grid. This is consistent with an environmentally/socially responsible mindset that will continue to be reflected in other ways, as well, at the Nowak House.

The Jewel of the San Juans....
Lopez Island is located in the Puget Sound off the NW corner of Washington State. It is known for it's pristine beauty, great beaches, and friendly inhabitants. Lopez is referred to as 'the crown jewel of the San Juan Islands. Most of the island's businesses are located in Lopez Village, a hamlet on Fisherman Bay. On Saturday morning in the summer you'll find shoppers milling around the farmers market, locals chatting in the coffee shops , and children and adults alike beach walking and bicycling. Spencer Spit State Park, Shark Reef, Ice Berg Point and Mackaye Harbor are just a few of the must see places on the Island.

***NOTE: As soon as you decide to travel to Lopez Island, check ferry schedules and make a reservation to get here.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Ferries/TakeaFerry/

Property manager

owner/property manager

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Outdoor space

Parking available

Ocean view

Similar properties

Kitchen

Outdoor space

Parking available

Barbecue grill

Kitchen

Outdoor space

Parking available

Barbecue grill

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Free WiFi

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Pet-friendly

House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 25

Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Adults only

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

All guests are required to read + comply with the house rules outlined in the attached document. This is assumed upon acceptance of reservation.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip

Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

About the area

Lopez Island

Lopez Island is home to this holiday home. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Watmough Head and Shark Reef Park, while Lopez Island Historical Museum and San Juan Islands Museum of Art are cultural highlights. Jolly Mon Charters and Whale Museum are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

Lopez Island, WA

What's nearby

Sharks Reef Sanctuary - 14 min drive
Lopez Island Bike Ride - 18 min drive
Deception Pass State Park - 102 min drive
San Juan Island National Historic Park - 109 min drive
Cape San Juan - 113 min drive

Getting around

Lopez Island, WA (LPS) - 14 min drive

Restaurants

‪Lopez Islander Tiki Bar - ‬14 min drive
‪Holly B's Bakery - ‬14 min drive
‪Chuck's Wagon - ‬10 min drive
‪Lopez Island Creamery - ‬14 min drive
‪South Island Bistro - ‬3 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Nowak House - Lopez Island's One of a Kind Intimate Getaway pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Nowak House - Lopez Island's One of a Kind Intimate Getaway?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Nowak House - Lopez Island's One of a Kind Intimate Getaway?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Nowak House - Lopez Island's One of a Kind Intimate Getaway located?

Situated in Lopez Island, this holiday home is 1.5 mi (2.4 km) from Watmough Head and 1.8 mi (2.9 km) from Iceberg Point. Shark Reef Park and Lopez Island Golf Club are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

8.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Debra C.

30 Dec 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Getting away for the holidays

Though The Novak House is located at the south end of the island and slightly further away from Lopez Village, it’s natural beauty and how the owners facilitated their property made up for that distance. It’s a beautiful property with apple trees that can you pick and consume (I even had a first try at baking a fresh apple streusel!). What made our visit so special and pleasant were the owners and the property manager. So professional, friendly, gracious and pleasant to deal with. Nature is also at it’s best in this area with eagles, otters, etc. Great place!

Stayed 34 nights in Nov 2020

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer W., Gig Harbor community

27 Oct 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely Jewel on Lopez

Staying here is like living in a small, beautiful art gallery in a bucolic paradise. The location at the south end of Lopez is wonderful, with some of the most stunning hikes I've been on within a few minutes' drive. (I will note, if you have Verizon, plan on taking a break from reliable contact with the outside world as their service on the south end of the island is spotty.) The house has a lovely view, but the down side of of that wall of west-facing windows is the afternoon sun heating up the house. I found the fan provided very useful for cooling things down, and if you point it out the door, it helps keep the flying insects that love the fall fruit outside. The host was very responsive and easy to communicate with, so I can definitely recommend for a quiet retreat or romantic getaway.

Stayed 31 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

Aline

30 Sept 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing and beautiful home!

Would highly recommend staying in the Nowak House on Lopez Island. We were lucky enough to spend a full month living there and got to enjoy everything the house and island had to offer. One of our favorite memories was picking several pounds of strawberries being grown on the property's farmland.

Stayed 31 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

David P.

3 Aug 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fashionable peace

If you’ve ever wanted to stay in a beautiful setting, surrounded by exotic art this is the place for you. Comfortable furniture, efficient kitchen and a lovely loft bedroom combine to make this a restful vacation spot, walking distance to beaches and trails.

Stayed 30 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Natalie W., Houston

25 Sept 2018

Beautiful!!! House & View

The home was very clean & well equipped. The furnishings were comfortable and in good condition. The glass decorations made the home feel very high end. Would stay here again. Only advice is to grap a map of the island before or just after getting off the ferry. Expected to use phone for directions and island coverage is spotty. Wifi at home is fine.

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

joe s.

22 Sept 2018

Beautiful place. Quiet and peaceful

Loved our time here. We had everything we needed!!

Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2018

8/10 Good

Nikki t.

6 Sept 2018

Quiet and relaxing getaway!

Loved watching the sunset and stargazing on the patio! The space is perfect for a weekend getaway for two! Manager was timely in responses. Place was tidy, but did have quite a bit of dust/cobwebs in the living and bedroom spaces. Would have loved a mirror that wasn't so high ( had to stand on a chair to get ready for a nice dinner out but laughed about it) Overall a lovely visit and one that won't be forgotten!

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Aisha R.

3 Sept 2018

Perfect for a couple

Great little house for a romantic getaway, very close to gorgeous Watmough Bay.

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018

8/10 Good

Sara s.

25 Aug 2018

Interesting Architecture and Comfortable Furniture

This property is quite unique architecturally (as the pictures show) and quite comfortable. It has everything you need to operate as a home away from home and is in a very quiet location. BUT, beware that the bedroom is a loft on the second floor and the bathroom is on the first floor. Also, at the time most people would be preparing dinner, the western sky reveals a hot sun that is both blinding and uncomfortably hot. Since there aren't any screens on any windows or doors and there are many hornets around due in great part to the house being situate just above a large field which contains an overgrowth of hay and a plot of raspberries, which are lovingly grown by the owner and shared with his tenants, you can't escape from the heat and/or the sun since there aren't any shades downstairs. Furthermore, the pictures do not reveal an unkempt property next to the house, which shows from the dining area, of a long ago abandoned and deteriorated boat and truck.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2018

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

John e.

26 Oct 2017

Perfect romantic getaway for two

Stay here! It's a beautiful, quiet location on the south end of the island. Everything is modern and in great shape and working order, and it was thoroughly clean with no issues whatsoever. Fully stocked kitchen. Artwork is cool, and adds to the charm. Nice views and a quick drive to south end beaches. There is no cell service, so glad to have internet to send out mms messages from phone.

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2017

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Jan S.

6 Sept 2017

Beautiful setting and quiet times for relaxing.

It's on a lovely piece of land with regular sightings of deer grazing in the yard. The patio with a view to the bay and relaxing fountain made for a perfect respite.

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2017

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Pamela M.

26 Aug 2017

Light, Color, Fresh Air and Relaxing Delight!

Our stay at the Nowak House will be a memory of a rare and special experience that we will keep close for a long time. It is a beautiful home filled with light and color and rich art and design. We felt we were guests in a gallery that filled up our senses, experiencing all both inside and outside of the house. This very private and quiet location affords the perfect place to relax and just breathe the fresh clean air while you enjoy the spectacular views from the patio or great room or loft bedroom. The lovely patio fountain provides a soothing added peaceful effect. We appreciated meeting James and experiencing his kind hospitality in providing for our comfort during our stay. This home has everything you will need and more for a comfortable stay as you enjoy the remarkable Lopez Island or ferry to the other islands. Plan to relax, sit back, breathe deep, take in the sunsets; and even enjoy the continuing sunset's glow in the magnificent lighting inside throughout the evening. Highly recommend this Lopez Island, one of a kind, spectacular vacation home!

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2017

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

jo w.

11 Aug 2017

Great location

Nowak House was a good place for us to perch for our four days on Lopez - almost everything was just as described or depicted on the website. We were surprised when we first arrived that there were nearby houses on both sides; once inside or on the patio, however, the home was very private. Beautifully appointed, the place is perfectly situated for exploring the southern end of Lopez where most of the great island hikes are. It is easy for us to recommend Nowak House. Only suggestion is: need more bath towels.

Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2017

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

James Q.

18 June 2017

Fairy-like

How often can you remember the details of a beautiful dream? It was just fairy-like ... surrounded by all the marvelous art of Mr. Nowak and Mother Nature. The house has everything, we had memorable meals looking at the masterpiece on the table or the fountain outside. The lights were just heavenly. The views are spectacular, and we took long walks from the house - as it has a great location. We will be back - soon, I hope. We stayed from 09-16 June 2017.

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2017

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Zachary A.

29 Mar 2016

Best house you can rent in the San juans

I cannot sing the praises for this location loud enough. The house itself was breathtaking, busting an amazing view from your lofted bedroom, an relaxing space in the back with a running fountain, and a kitchen with almost any adminaty you'd need. I have to say my favorite part of the cabin was all the incredible art they had, that alone really makes this place unlike any other you'll stay in. The surrounding locations will fill plenty of your time, being so close to iceberg point and all the other gorgeous hiking on the south side of the island. And besides all of this, the owners and operators of this location are THE BEST! I was going out for a romantic weekend and upon request they had flowers and champagne waiting for us. It was the perfect cherry on top of an already amazing stay. I highly recommend this location for your next stay! -Z

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Pat M.

16 July 2015

First part of the trip! Amazing

We stayed here for the first half of our amazing trip to Lopez. This end of the island is quiet even by Lopez standards because hardly anybody lives this far out. The property itself, as can be seen from the pictures, is amazing. We wanted to stay here for the whole week, but it was only available for the first half of the week. The owner then suggested we move to his other property on the other end of the island (which is also amazing...see my other review for it), but Nowak House is our favorite.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

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11 Apr 2015

A Work of Art

This house was absolutely stunning, extremely clean and a work of art. We enjoyed the island and had lovely kayaks with barely anyone around and outstanding views. We also biked the island roads and enjoyed the quaint downtown area. We would definitely stay here again.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Mary Jane R.

4 Apr 2015

A Treasure!

My husband and I have stayed at Nowak house 3 times and we love it. The kitchen is well stocked with every thing one would need and its all very nice quality. The home has always been clean and comfortable....and beautiful in its modern simplicity. That said, I do have a couple of suggestions: #1 It would be nice to have bedside tables on BOTH sides of the bed. #2 The shower is designed for a tall person and an average size woman has a tough time reaching the shower caddy to get the shampoo and soap. We'll be back again this summer!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

31 Mar 2015

A jewel on Lopez Island!

This is our new favorite place on Lopez. Totally modern with all the conveniences and a stunning view to boot. We really enjoy the south end of the island and there is a great well stocked store and cafe very nearby which we loved. Be sure to check out Watmough/Point Colville which is not far away. We'll be back!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Dione G.

6 Nov 2013

We LOVED this house!

My husband and I stayed 3 nights celebrating our 26th anniversary. The house is the perfect size for two. The kitchen was fully equipped and we loved the radiant heat combined with the gas stove. The glass by James Nowak was incredible and really added to the uniqueness of the house. The water feature outside is lovely as well as the beautiful view. We had several deer visit and eat the apples from the trees in the front of the house. The gas grill was also a very nice bonus as we cooked fresh fish on the grill several nights. We loved the building materials and the style of the house. I would highly recommend the Nowak house. Our stay on Lopez Island was so peaceful. We really enjoyed the laid back style and friendliness of the locals. It really is the friendly island!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

9 Sept 2012

My husband and I stayed at the Nowak house for 2 nights. It was perfect, we enjoyed amazing sunsets and sunrises.. I had forgotten how amazing a sky filled with stars and no street lights to distract from the brightness of them could be. I also loved seeing some of Nowak's glass art, I took pictures of every piece. It is a great place to just get away and relax, to detach from all the business of life. It was my first trip to the San Juan's, so glad we went, Nowak house is a perfect place to stay at, you have all you need to prepare meals and the bed is super comfortable. Really great place to relax! I highly recomend anyone to stay there. I think if we go next time I would bring a puzzle and a frisbee or something just things to relax with..This time we spent a lot of time just watching the landscape change as the sun moved, it was so pretty. Bring good shoes to walk on rocky beaches with. There is a really nice grocery store in Lopez Village as well. We cooked at the house and ate out a few times. It is a great place for a busy couple to just reconnect with each other.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Susan B.

15 Aug 2012

Beautiful, tranquil, perfectly located

This is a lovely, comfortable house in a perfect location on the south end of Lopez. It is very private and quiet, with long, open views over fields to the west and water, and a small apple orchard on one side. It is furnished comfortably (although we always want more reading light), and the wifi is excellent. One spectacular detail that is not shown in the photos or desciption is a water feature on the patio. A shallow pool contains large rocks from which soothing fountains trickle and bubble, making for a truly tranquil setting. We found the long, sunny, late afternoons and evenings so conducive to reading and relaxing on the patio after being out walking or on some excursion during the day that we never had dinner out. There's a grill, the kitchen works, or take out from a cafe. We highly recommend the Vortex Cafe's great wraps and salads. An excursion for lunch in Friday Harbor (we enjoyed The Bluff at the Friday Harbor House) without the car, on the inter-island ferry, then home to the patio, makes for a lovely day. Walks on Lopez are really rewarding, and the Nowak House has some helpful trail maps and other info in a binder. Notable: Otis Perkins park between beach and bay, to Fisherman's Bay Spit; Watmaugh Bay through old-growth woods opening up to a beautiful crescent beach between high bluffs; Point Colville bluff trails, near Watmaugh Bay; Iceberg Point. Lots of harbor seals/sea lions to be seen off Iceberg Point trails, also off Shark's Reef. And Spencer Spit is a fine place for a picnic. We would definitely return to this handsome house.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Bill S.

23 June 2011

Wow! What a place!

We spent a week on Lopez Island and in James Nowak's house and it was fantastic! We absolutely love the aesthetics of the house. The place is nearly new, stunningly beautiful, well furnished, and amazingly comfortable for a couple looking for a getaway. The orientation is over beautiful acreage of tall grasses with a view of MacKaye Harbor in the distance. The sunsets seemed to go on forever! Lopez is a wonderful island with a great little village, including the excellent Bay Cafe, Robert's Caffe La Boheme, and Vita's Wildly Delicious, excellent birding, trails for hiking and places to explore. We considered many listings of places in the San Juans and for the price, the quality, and experience, I doubt any other can touch Nowak house. We'd love to go back!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

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28 Apr 2010

Perfect Getaway!

Nowak House was even more than I expected! The house and furnishings were stunning and the view down to the bay was picturesque. Despite the chilly spring weather, I wasmore than happy to curl up in the patio chair with a blanket and glass of vino to watch the sunset, joined by a trio of bald eagles flying overhead. The island is full of trails that lead to the bays, bluffs and wooded areas....don't miss out on Shark Reef and Iceberg Point. The pastoral tranquility of the island was soothing to the soul; I would highly recommend Nowak House to those who are looking for a slow paced and relaxing getaway in a magical corner of the country!

About the host

Hosted by owner/property manager

I have been in the hospitality industry for most of my adult life. Currently, I own the Gaslight Inn on Capitol Hill in Seattle and three vacation rental homes on Lopez Island. I’m proud to say that guests at all of my properties have generally reported their experience to be extremely positive, consistently receiving great reviews on sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp.

I look forward to your visit.