Our adult daughter labeled this the "Practical Magic" house. It's old but nicely furnished and very comfortable. The views from the decks are just as advertised--incredible, with lots of wildlife. Only suggestion would be some blackout shades for the upper bedrooms. The house faces due east and the sun rises about 5:30 this time of year. No alarm needed.

Our stay at the Balch house was so wonderful! 2 nights was just a short visit but we hope to be back some time. Dropped off our kids at gril scout camps nearby and enjoyed the gorgeous area ourselves too. We did some hikes and used the kayaks a couple of times. The house has everything you could possibly need. I felt at home. It was a very warm week and it was warm in the house too despite best efforts with AC and fans but we didn’t expect that too be much different. Driveway is steep and narrow, something to keep in mind. I’ve already recommended this house to friends! Host was very responsive with questions.

The house is unique in all the right ways. Fun staircases, awesome views from everywhere, the kitchen had everything we needed to cook for all eight of us and the beds were very comfortable. The way the tide comes in all the way to the stairs made for easy access to the floating and then it went way out for fun beach combing as well. The binoculars were a nice touch so we could zero in on all the seals and the eagles, too!

Amazing place! Loved the views and kayaking!

Amazing water front heritage home. Plenty of room, well equiped with everything you want. Great place to relax and enjoy nature. Driveway down to house is hard to see and very narrow. Best to add to address, especially if arriving after dark, that driveway is a sharp left before private gate.

The pictures of the home and the views were incredible, but they do not do it justice. Absolutely beautiful!!! The house has everything. The location is stunning. The host was extremely responsive and lovely. We could not have been happier! We will be back!!!

Beautiful, comfy beds, kitchen has good appliances and is stocked well with essentials. Wonderful views from every room. We had 4 adults and 2 young children and were very comfortable. Lots of stairs to climb, be prepared for skinny, steep stairways.

We absolutely love staying here on the hood canal. Beautifully appointed, spectacular views and near to many, many trails. We’ve stayed here many times since 2018 and it never disappoints. Thank you Suzanne for having us!

Beautiful historic home in a beautiful place. Immaculately clean, well stocked with everything you’d wish for. Amazing views from everywhere inside and around the house. Suzanne was very responsive and provided lots of helpful tips and info for enjoying the house and surroundings. We had a great time and would book this house again in a heartbeat!

I hadn't realized when we booked the house that it had a view of the mouth of the Dosewallips River. We all sat on the covered porch, awestruck, watching 50+ seals and a score of bald eagles dining on what must have been spawned-out salmon. A comfortable house, with charming quirks of age. The stairs to the basement room are steep and narrow, and make you feel like you're going down to a secret hideaway. There are lots of cool hikes nearby, but it's hard to beat just sitting on the covered porch, reading a book and listening to the wildlife and waves.

We loved everything about this very special house and location. The house itself it oozing with charm, perfectly appointed and spotlessly clean with views to die for from every room. All the appliances, bathrooms and heaters worked as expected. The abundant wildlife, including eagles, sea lions, otters is right there for viewing - you don't even have to leave the property. But if you do, you are in for a treat. We kayaked and paddle boarded every day without getting into the car. And the Geoduck bar down the street was a super fun place to watch our college football game. Hama Hama oyster saloon just a few minutes away. So fun! We will definitely be back.

Wildlife viewing in comfort! We saw a couple dozen mature and young eagles standing on the tide flats catching fish. Herons, a coyote, flocks of seabirds, and of course, herds of seals. Peace and quiet, blinding sunrises, old growth trails near by. A house with character, and all amenities. Be prepared for stairs in and out. Just what we wanted.

This was so amazing in every way. I absolutely did not want to leave. They stocked everything we needed. I can’t think of a single thing I would change or recommend. The VIEWS!!! Like, seriously! From every freaking room in the house!!

Wonderful time had by me, my adult kids and grands. Location was perfect for clamming, oyster hunting, kayaking, eagle watching. We had such an amazing holiday! The house was nicely stocked with dishes, pots and pans, spices. Everything we need and more. Loved having Kayaks on site to use whenever we wanted. Great crabbing. Great hiking in the area as well. To have an entire family have such an amazing weekend was remarkable!

Highly recommended! One of the best low tide access to the canal I’ve ever seen!

This was a wonderful place to stay for our family with three kids age 3-7. The property was clean, the setting amazing, and host was very responsive and helpful. Would definitely stay again.

This property exceeded all expectations and we're so grateful to Suzanne for sharing her house with us! The home itself is charming with loads of comfort and character. It had the best kitchen of any house we've ever rented and the beds were very comfortable. The views were spectacular - and the wildlife was abundant! The eagles, seals, and otters were so enjoyable to watch. The seals were super curious when we took the kayaks out, but kept their distance. And then the blackberries! Thousands of ripe, delicious berries for our mid-August stay. Our family spent a couple days exploring the local area and loved the Geoduck for dinner (best salmon sandwich ever!!), the Staircase Trail, and gorgeous Lake Cushman. We also spent a couple days in Olympic National Park hitting a lot of the major natural attractions. Just an amazing week in one of the most beautiful spots (and we've been many places in the world)! Suzanne gave great instructions and was very quick to respond when we had questions. All around five stars!

My family and I come to the Hood every summer and we have decided that Dosewallips is the best spot for wildlife viewing and kayaking. This house was absolutely beautiful. We loved the set up and the comfy beds. The decks were perfect for enjoying the view with our morning coffee. Eagles flying, otters and seals swimming. It was perfect. The kitchen had great supplies and we loved the TV room for watching movies together in the evening. We will be back!

Our family--2 teenaged grandkids, our daughter, our son, and my husband and I had a fantastic week. The place was just as described. The view was phenomenal and we loved seeing the changes as the tide came in and out. We saw seals and bald eagles through the binoculars provided. Favorite trips were to Rocky Falls where the grandkids swam in the pool at the bottom and stood in the waterfall and to Sequim to the Olympic Game Farm where they fed bread to the yaks, bears, and elk through the car windows. The beds were comfortable, the kitchen was very well equipped, and there were multiple places to hang out. We had a wonderful family vacation and would recommend it highly to other families.

Love the location, love the house and love the views from every room!

The loved it from the driveway! This house has lots of charm and personality. It was clean and well equipped. There were 7 of us and we had plenty of space. Lovely decor and comfortable places to sit, relax and enjoy the views. The only thing we noticed was that only 2 of the 4 kayaks are in working order. Thought you would want to know! We will be back!!

The Balch Retreat is our go to for a Hood Canal vacation. House is lovely, it’s right on the water, comfortable beds, great location.

Our group of five (4 adults and 1 child) enjoyed our stay at the Historic Balch Retreat. The house was stocked with all the usual amenities in the bathroom, and kitchen, but also had washer/dryer/detergent on site, and a very well-stocked pantry of herbs, spices, baking essentials, tea, etc. Super easy to cook big meals, super easy to clean up afterwards. We really enjoyed the kayaks, life preservers, and waders - the beach was literally down the stairs, allowing us to explore the little tide pools when the tide was out, and the calm water when it was in. Saw lots of seals, a few bald eagles, and we think some otters. Best part was sitting on the decks drinking coffee and tea in the mornings and evenings and watch the hummingbirds fight over the feeders. 😆 All the bedrooms face east over the water, so they had fantastic views. We were very happy we brought blackout curtains because the sun was very happy to greet us every morning! For those with indoor allergies, we do recommend bringing a small air purifier for each bedroom or keeping the windows open as weather permits because the house is old (VERY well maintained, but historic home with beautiful wood trim and floors means that it's going to have some indoor triggers). Overall, beautiful property, excellent layout for families or friend groups, thoughtfully designed with different spaces for gathering or introverting, excellent amenities, and great communication with the host. Great base to explore Olympic!

Absolutely recommend this historic home! We arrived to find it exactly as described on the listing. Comfortable beds, clean and pleasant atmosphere and stunning views of the water. The eagles soared daily and the seals entertained us with their curious ways. Our Girls Weekend included kayaking, a visit to Hama Hama Oyster Saloon and a drive to Port Townsend.

Our small group had a wonderful time in this charming house. It is one of the best equipped, most comfortable and inviting rental I’ve stayed in. The view from upper deck is mesmerizing with the tide going in and out, the eagle that flew by several times a day and cute harbor seals peaking a look. I highly recommend this rental.

I was not sure what to expect but this home was incredible. So incredibly comfortable and homey. We watched bald eagles fly past the patio all day long; Seals poking their heads out of the water in the canal. Kayaks were great and we had an amazing time out on the water. This is one of the few places that I can say I would love to return to.

Spent a long weekend kayaking, drinking wine, and watching seals and eagles from the patio with friends!

The property manager was quick to reply to questions, house was as-advertised, kitchen had cookware/spices/accessories, with cleaning supplies and laundry detergent. The view was amazing with entertainment from the seals and otters. Would definitely stay here again. Check out nearby Hamma Hamma Oysters and the Geoduck Lounge!

Second time staying at this property and just as nice as the first time around. Highly recommended if looking to stay on Hood Canal or near Olympic National Forest.

Beautiful home, fantastic tub on third floor with view of the canal/bay, well-stocked kitchen, comfy third floor bed — the third floor overall is quite wonderful with skylights, tub, etc. Suzanne’s suggestions for hikes and viewpoints were perfect for our 3-night stay. Suzanne was very communicative, friendly, and helpful. We’d definitely stay here again. The house is so large and accommodating, I could imagine larger groups enjoying it. Also immaculately clean! And the light from inside the house! And the seals!

What an incredible setting! Our first evening at the house we watched the otters and birds fish in the waters below the deck. The otters brought their dinner onto shore right in front of us! We watched them eat and play until it was too dark to see them. The next morning we woke up to seals playing in the water and resting on the tidal flats. It was incredible to watch them play every morning before we left on our daily excursions into Seattle and the National Park. We even used the provided kayaks, vests and boots one day to go out and visit them on the water. This place was so perfect for all our needs. The beds were fantastic and the kitchen had everything you could think of -- we were so grateful for the crockpot and a ready meal after long days exploring. The property is historic and has its quirks, but we loved every minute of it. Although the time of year prevented us from enjoying some of the restaurants recommended by Suzanne we found some gems -- Quilbilly in Quilcene has a limited menu but it was fantastic! We also enjoyed the crepe shop and espresso hut in Kingston on our way to Seattle via ferry and had a wonderful dinner at Kingston Ale House on our way back. Our lunch at Lake Crescent Lodge was hit and miss but the setting was amazing and we enjoyed our time there and the hike to the falls. We also explored the Dungeness Spit but it was our one day of pouring rain so we will have to come back! We also traveled to the Hoh Rainforest which is about a three hour drive away, but totally worth it! The drive itself is insanely beautiful with breathtaking views around every turn. We can't wait to return and would definitely stay at the Balch Retreat again!

My friends and I needed a place to get away from our daily life together and just enjoy good food, drink, and company. This place was perfect! There was space for a bunch of guys to sleep, and an amazing view! If you enjoy wildlife from the comfort of a deck, this place will not disappoint the highest standards!