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Is it really as QUIET as your Reviewers say?
Left something here when you checked out?
When is Check-in and Check-out?
How is the parking handled?
Arriving on AMTRAK and Need a ride?
What about bicycle storage?
Do you have air-conditioning?
Are additional persons allowed?
What about keys?
Do you accept drop-ins?
Are there pets in the house or do you accept pets?
Do you allow smoking?
Can you recommend a good local auto repair shop?
How far is it from Highland Garden House to?
Where do your guests come from?
Is it really as QUIET as your Reviewers say?
I think so, but they are the ones who are willingly giving the Reviews. Most of the Motels and Hotels in Mount Vernon are either on the I-5 frontage road, Freeway Drive, or along Riverside Drive, old Highway 99. You know what that can be like! HGH is up the hill away from the freeway and railroad tracks, but close enough to walk to downtown Mount Vernon. (We do have quite a few trains through our town, day and night. There are 8 at-grade crossings in Mount Vernon. When the windows are open in the Summer it can be bothersome to some. With the windows closed, people say they hardly notice it. Others say it is cool, as they do not have those ‘lonesome whistles’ where they live!)
But, we are located in a residential neighborhood in a town of 35,000, on a standard city lot. We are not ‘in the country.’ In the winter when ours and the neighbors windows are closed, it is very quiet. In the warmer months our windows are open, the neighbors may have projects outside, parties, garage sales, etc. So it is not as quiet during the day. At night it is as still as Winter.
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Left something here when you checked out?
Since I have been burned a few times, here is my new policy: Once you have discovered you have lost something and I have found it, the return process starts. We will need a check or cash mailed to us for $50. Once this is received, I will mail the item to the address you specify, and will also refund you the $50 minus the actual postage plus a $10 handling charge. Example: An item cost me $27.75 postage plus box so your refunded amount is $12.25.
In addition, we have an onsite safe where there is room for some of your valuables that you feel need additional security during your stay.
When is Check-in and Check-out?
Use check-in between 3 PM and 8 PM and check-out by 11 AM as a guide. We always will request your ‘estimated one hour arrival window.’ Please let us know via email or phone voice mail message this arrival window sometime before 10 AM on the day of arrival. Lacking an estimated time of arrival, we assume arrival between 6 and 8 PM and will be here for you.
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How is the parking handled?
Entrance Sign
We have ample on-street parking, or if available, two off street parking spaces in the drive way on the West side of the house. You will be given a parking permit when you check in, hang this on your rear-view mirror. Please only one car per room rented. Do not be deterred by the ‘One Hour Only’ parking signs. That is for non-residents and your permit covers you. There is a light post that is lit all night on the Highland side of the house. That is the main entrance gate. See photo to the right<<
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If you are arriving via Amtrak or another bus service, one of your options is to take the SKAT (Skagit Transit) 208 bus up the hill. This bus runs all day, everyday, north and south along Old 99 from Skagit Station in Mt. Vernon to the North Burlington Park and Ride. 6:45 AM to 8:45PM. Bus leaves Skagit Station 15 minutes before, and 15 minutes after each hour. Get off at Highland Ave, about 1/4 bus miles, then walk up the hill 2 blocks to Highland Garden House. (If you walk entire way to HGH from Skagit Station, it is a little less than 3/4 mile.)
SKAT 208
Our local bus services are SKAT and Island Transit, both serve Skagit Station. The fare for SKAT is $1.00, with all transfers included. Island Transit rides are all FREE. Additional regional bus services are Whatcom Transit, serving Mt Vernon and points north and Community Transit for Snohomoish County and points south.
Greyhound serves Mt. Vernon with 3 or 4 buses daily, north and south-bound
For a local cab, we recommend the low cost Quick Cab Skagit. They are on the Westside of MV, $2.50 meter drop plus $2.50 per mile.
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We can store your bicycles in the garage. Just roll them in and I will show show you how to use the door opener. The garage is part of the basement in this house, so you just walk down the stairs to it, or up the stairs to your room. Locked and secure all the time, and just open door, roll out, and be on 8th Street.
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No. There are usually only a few days at a time when it would be welcome. Houses in this area usually are not air conditioned. Some businesses are and advertise that fact when it does get hot here. Hot here is 90+f, for a few days. Our Summers are generally day time highs of 68 to 85f. We do have two large portable fans that can be moved around, put in the rooms, etc. We are only about 6 miles east of the cooling influence of the Puget Sound at Skagit, Samish and Padilla Bays.
Are additional persons allowed?
Our default prices per room are for one person. There is an additional charge for more than one person per room. The extra person rate is the same whether you use the cots, sleep on the floor or the regular beds. Only the South Room is set up to accommodate two persons in a regular bed. In a pinch we can put one additional cot in either of the rooms. The cots fit in the walk-in closets. A single person is paying for a single room; the additional person charge just covers the extra utilities, food and time that is required.
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What about keys?
You will be issued two keys at check-in: one key for your room, one key to the house backdoor. Please don’t lose them. I reserve the right to charge $5 for each key set that is not returned. In addition, we have our own Sentry Safe that you may ask to use free of charge for small, extra valuable, items. Top
Do you accept drop-ins?
Generally, no. Most of our guests reserve in advance. This allows us time to prepare for your stay. If you catch us in the morning, you MAY connect for a room that night. We generally use Noon as the cut off time for bookings, even if we have empty rooms available. This B and B is only a 1/4 time job for one person, we make plans of our own based on advance reservations. (Generally, reservations are made in advance and we block out open weekends or open blocks of days for ourselves as N/A, even as much as an entire month!)
Are there pets in the house or do you accept pets?
We have a cat, a tuxedo named Spanky (at left), in the house of our own, but do not accept other pets. The closest motel that accepts pets is the Best Western College Way, 1 mile from Highland Garden House. (On the other hand, we do accept guests that have their Service Animals with them. Be prepared to describe what service this Service Animal provides for you, what training it has had and documentation for such. Note: “emotional support animals”, “therapy dogs”, and “comfort animals” are not Service Animals and are considered pets in the State of Washington.)
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Do you allow smoking/vaping?
Smoking or vaping is not allowed anywhere in the house or on the property. If you smoke/vape, we prefer that you book at another facility. We do not cater to smokers/vapers and will not take the chance of losing valued regular customers who do not smoke/vape if they smell that a smoker/vaper has been sleeping in our beds. If you are a smoker/vaper, please don’t put both of us in the uncomfortable position of booking here. We reserve the right to refuse you a room, even after you have arrived, to people that smoke/vape.
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Can you recommend a good local auto repair shop?
We recommend only one: Budget Towing and Auto Repair. They can tow you in, they are just 1.75 miles from HGH and that is the only shop that I take my vehicles.
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Where do your guests come from?
Guests that have stayed at HGH have come from:
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Belgium
Canada
England
France
French Mauritius
Germany
Israel
Japan
Netherlands
Singapore
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Texas
Thailand
USA
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How far is it from Highland Garden House to:
(Unlike most motels in the Central Skagit, Highland Garden House is just a 10 minute walk to downtown Mount Vernon and the Transit Center.)
Downtown Mt. Vernon, Skagit Station: 3/4 mile, walk down in 15 minutes, drive in 3 minutes. Walk up the hill dragging wheeled luggage: 18 minutes 😦
Dakota Arts: 2 miles, drive in 6 minutes. Easy bike ride but too far to walk.
Skagit County Fairgrounds: 1.4 miles, drive in 5 minutes. Easy bike ride, walk on sidewalks the entire way in 25 minutes.
WSU Mt. Vernon Research and Extension Center: 3.5 miles, drive in 7 minutes. Easy flat bike ride but too far to walk.
Mt. Vernon High School: 2 blocks, you can see it from the kitchen window
Edgewater Park: 1.1 miles via car, less walking. 15 minute walk, 7 minute bike ride, down.
Skagit Regional Health (Skagit Valley Hospital Medical Campus): 8 blocks, about 2/3 mile.
La Conner: 10 miles via McLean Road
Anacortes: 17 miles, WSF ferry to the San Juans, 21 miles. For WSF ferry wait time advice: Summer or Fall
Port Townsend: 44 miles via SR-20, via ferry from Keystone
Seattle: 60 miles via I-5
Vancouver, B.C.: 80 miles via I-5
Winthrop, WA: 136 Miles via SR-20
Mumbai, India: 7796 miles
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Highland Garden House Bed and Breakfast, 501 E. Highland Ave., Mount Vernon, WA, 360-419-7292
Highland Garden House B & B, 501 E. Highland Ave, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 (Skagit Valley/Skagit County/10 miles to La Conner) 