Pacific Dunes Resort

Our family of four stayed from 8/25 to 8/26/2024. We chose a “Beachfront Boutique” small house with a kitchenette. The “Resort” really is a campground, a level, gravel-covered 2-acre lot, which offers accommodations fitting various budgets, from pitching your own tent and using a shared bathroom, to miniature houses that are equivalent to a hotel room. The campground is not on or next to the beach, as the term “beachfront” may imply, but is separated from the beach by a 5 to 10 minute walk across sand dunes, including a bridge (with steep steps) over a stream that prevents anyone using a wheelchair to access the beach. The amenities of the “Resort” are that it has a central play area for kids, and a bathroom/rest room for those without private baths, and you can purchase coffee in the morning. The small house we stayed in was tastefully decorated and functional, except for the leaky shower which creates a large puddle in the bathroom even when the shower door is fully closed. More advance information what the kitchenette entails would be useful. It does not have an oven, but a microwave, and two electric burners, a bottle opener, but no can opener. The rooms were clean. The beach is lovely, with some driftwood and occasional dead marine animals washed onto the shore (such as a decapitated seal with thousands of flies buzzing where the head used to be). The “Resort” uses contactless check-in: you get a text message with your door code. While the extra charges for late check-out are disclosed, you are not informed that an early check-in also incurs extra fees (a 15% surcharge plus tax). This undisclosed fee applies even if you simply need to find out what the kitchenette has and does not have so you can plan for your dinner, when the innkeepers are not on site to answer questions. The fact that the innkeepers and owner use undisclosed fees to increase revenue and even falsify business records (the undisclosed early check-in fee is listed as a late check-out fee on the final invoice) leaves a bad taste. The Innkeepers and Owner (Aaron Mumford) refused to refund the undisclosed early check-in fee, even though we explained that we repeatedly went to the (closed) office to find out whether it was ok to open the door early (so we could plan our dinner). Another aspect to consider is that Copalis Beach is the rainiest place in all of Washington state. When it rains (186 days per year), you are literally hosed, because all you can do is to hunker down in your room or tent, so plan your vacation carefully according to the weather forecast. When the weather does not cooperate you are better off in a real resort that offers alternative indoor options in rainy weather.

We were able to book a Glamping Tent 2 days before Labor Day weekend and I'm glad we did. The resort is cute and modern with all the amenities you could need while at the beach. Even the wifi is usable! I probably wouldn't try to stream a movie over it, but it was enough to download a kindle book and post to the socials. The king size bed in the tent was literally the comfiest bed we have ever slept on while traveling (and we travel a lot), it is dressed in soft flannel sheets and plenty of blankets to keep the chill of the moist ocean air away. We slept a solid, blissful 8.5 hours. There is an indoor wood stove for those who tend to get cold. Because the resort is on the beach, and because it is a tent, things do get moist overnight. The wood stove would help with the moisture if you are concerned. We only stayed one night and we enjoyed the cool, moist air. The tent was spacious and furniture was sparse but was also just enough for our needs. The deck was equipped with chairs and a table and also what appeared to be a grill/griddle combo (we didn't uncover it to investigate). There is also a dartboard on the deck, but we suggest bringing your own darts. ;) There is also a standard picnic table in the yard of the tent so there is plenty of places to lounge and be together. We were experiencing some issues with our power but James and Jordyn were very helpful and fixed it for us. They were friendly and knowledgeable and we really enjoyed chatting with them. The bath house is small but seemed to be perfect for the amount of bathroom-less units; I never once had to wait for one of the two stalls. Unless you want to go to Ocean Shores, the restaurant options are pretty limited until you get to Seabrook which I don't suggest...I mean, unless you like the cookie-cutter, planned towns that are super over-priced and full of self-absorbed tourists... next time we visit, we will bring a cooler and our own food. I do suggest stopping at the Copalis Beach Grocery a few blocks north from the resort. It is full of great snacks and the folks working there were a pleasure to chat and laugh with.

We are extremely upset and disappointed with our stay at this campsite. Upon arrival, we found that the site was *nothing* like it was advertised. The area was so cramped that there was barely 5 feet of space to set up our two-person tent. To make matters worse, the neighboring lots were practically spilling over into our 'site', leaving us with no room or privacy whatsoever. This situation forced us to drive an additional 2 hours into the city to find a hotel, which was not only inconvenient but completely ruined our plans. The entire experience has left a sour taste in our mouths. To add insult to injury, the host was uncooperative and stopped responding to our messages when we tried to address the issue. It’s disheartening to feel ignored by both the host. We trusted this host to provide us with a quality experience, and instead, we were left stranded and frustrated.