This Washington Junior High Became A Hotel With A Pool And Movie Theater
I never expected checking into a hotel to make me feel like I was late for class. My room had once been part of a junior high school, and an original chalkboard still stretched across the wall like a reminder to finish my homework.
The building dates to 1931, and its Art Deco bones still shape the entire experience. Old hallways, classroom details, and schoolhouse touches appear around nearly every corner. Instead of feeling gimmicky, the history gives the place a personality that ordinary hotels rarely manage.
I arrived on a whim and immediately started wandering this Washington gem. One former classroom had become a guest room, while other parts of the old campus had been turned into restaurants, gathering spaces, and entertainment areas.
I kept finding small details that made me stop, smile, and pull out my camera.
The property reopened in October 2015 after a major transformation, but it never erased what came before. That balance is what won me over. I left feeling like I had stayed inside a piece of local history rather than simply booked a room for the night.
The Fascinating History Behind The Walls
Few buildings carry their past as proudly as this one. Originally opened in 1931 as Bothell Junior High School, the structure was designed by Seattle architect Earl W. Morrison in a crisp Art Deco style that still turns heads today.
In 1956, it was renamed Anderson School to honor its first principal, Wilbert A. “Andy” Anderson, a man clearly beloved enough to earn a permanent spot on the marquee.
The school served generations of students for nearly 70 years before the Northshore School District closed it in 2009.
The city of Bothell then acquired the property and sold it to McMenamins in 2010, a Pacific Northwest company with a well-earned reputation for breathing new life into historic buildings.
After five years of careful redevelopment, the campus reopened in October 2015 as the largest McMenamins property in Washington. Walking through the front doors, you can almost hear the echo of lockers slamming and sneakers squeaking on hallway floors.
72 Guest Rooms Carved From Classrooms
Spending the night here is genuinely unlike any hotel stay I have had before. The original Art Deco school building now houses 72 guest rooms, each one thoughtfully crafted from a former classroom.
McMenamins kept as many original details as possible, and some rooms still feature the actual chalkboards and cloakrooms that students once used every day.
Every room is named after someone or something tied to Bothell’s rich local history, ranging from influential teachers to Olympic gold medalists who once trained in the school’s pool, and even the area’s earliest Native American settlers.
That level of storytelling makes choosing a room feel less like booking accommodation and more like picking a chapter from a history book.
The walls throughout the property are covered in original artwork commissioned from local artists, with pieces inspired by historical photos and interviews with former students and community members.
Staying here overnight turns a simple hotel visit into a full cultural experience that keeps rewarding the curious traveler.
North Shore Lagoon – A Tropical Pool
Right in the middle of a Pacific Northwest school campus, there is a full-size heated saltwater pool dressed up like a South Seas resort, and it is every bit as fun as it sounds.
The North Shore Lagoon stays at a toasty 88 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, making it the kind of pool you actually want to get into even on a rainy November afternoon.
The pool is part indoor and part outdoor, never deeper than four feet, which makes it especially popular with families traveling with younger kids.
Hotel guests enjoy complimentary access, and Bothell residents can swim for free with a valid ID. Visitors who are neither guests nor locals can still take a dip for a reasonable fee.
The Tiki-inspired decor around the lagoon adds a playful, vacation-ready atmosphere that feels completely at odds with the building’s educational past, and that contrast is exactly what makes it so memorable. Pack your swimsuit no matter what month you visit.
A Movie Theater Where Dinner Comes To Your Seat
Sitting poolside is great, but the on-site movie theater at Anderson School takes the relaxation factor up another level entirely. With 121 seats and a program of first-run films, this cinema gives you a genuinely comfortable place to settle in for a couple of hours without fighting a crowded multiplex parking lot.
The real selling point is the full menu that gets delivered directly to your seat during the film. Ordering food without leaving your chair while a new movie plays on the big screen is the kind of low-effort luxury that makes you wonder why every cinema does not operate this way.
The theater fits perfectly into McMenamins’ overall philosophy of layering entertainment and comfort into every corner of the property.
Whether you are a hotel guest looking for a relaxed evening or a day visitor wanting a unique outing, the theater delivers a complete experience that feels personal rather than commercial. Check the schedule online before your visit to catch something worth seeing.
Dining Options
The original school cafeteria has been completely reimagined as the Tavern on the Square, a farm-to-table restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a focus on fresh Northwest cuisine, locally sourced produce, and house-made pastries.
The food here is the kind that makes you slow down and actually enjoy the meal rather than rushing through it.
For a more laid-back setting, The Woodshop keeps its original name from its days as the school’s woodshop class and now operates as a lively sports bar and pub. You can play pool, shuffleboard, or pinball while enjoying classic pub fare and a long list of spirits and taps.
Overlooking the pool, the North Shore Lagoon Pub and Lounge brings Polynesian-inspired cuisine to the table, with dishes drawing influence from the South Seas, Caribbean, and South America.
Three distinct dining venues on one campus means you are never stuck eating the same thing twice, no matter how long you stay.
Hidden Corners Worth Seeking Out
Part of what makes Anderson School so entertaining to explore is that surprises keep appearing around every corner. The Principal’s Office, once the administrative heart of the school, has been converted into a small and intimate spot that feels like a cheeky nod to every student who ever got sent there for misbehaving.
Tucked into the courtyard is The Shed, a tiny whiskey bar with a cozy fireplace that is perfect for a quiet conversation on a cool Pacific Northwest evening.
These smaller, more intimate spaces give the property a layered quality that rewards guests who take the time to wander rather than stay in one spot.
McMenamins also operates an on-site brewery, producing unique craft beverages that pair naturally with the food menus across the campus.
The combination of multiple distinct venues within a single historic property means that every visit can feel slightly different depending on where you choose to spend your time. Plan to get a little lost on purpose.
Artwork And The Details That Make It Special
One of the first things I noticed when I walked through the building was how much visual storytelling was happening on every surface.
Local artists were commissioned to fill the walls with original murals, paintings, and illustrations inspired by historical photographs and real interviews with former students and community residents.
The lighting alone is worth pausing to appreciate. Hundreds of antique and artistically crafted light fixtures and chandeliers are installed throughout the property, casting a warm, golden glow that makes the hallways feel more like a living gallery than a hotel corridor.
The former playgrounds have been transformed into landscaped inner courtyards dotted with fire pits, offering a calm and welcoming outdoor space to relax.
Every design decision feels intentional, layering nostalgia with creativity in a way that never tips into kitsch. McMenamins clearly did their homework, and the result is a property where the atmosphere itself becomes part of the experience.
Bring a camera, because every hallway offers something worth photographing.
Bothell As A Base Camp For Pacific Northwest Adventures
Bothell, Washington sits just 15 to 20 minutes northeast of Seattle, which makes McMenamins Anderson School at 18607 Bothell Way NE a surprisingly convenient home base for anyone wanting to explore the broader Pacific Northwest.
The location punches above its weight in terms of what is easily reachable from the front door.
The Sammamish River Trail runs nearby, offering scenic cycling and walking routes through river valleys that feel a world away from city noise.
Woodinville wine country, home to more than 90 wineries and tasting rooms, is just a short drive away and makes for an excellent afternoon outing for those who enjoy a leisurely tasting experience.
For more active travelers, the nearby Cascade Mountains offer hiking trails, and Lake Washington provides sailing and water recreation within easy reach.
Anderson School also hosts regular events including live music, seasonal gatherings, and history and art tours that give repeat visitors a fresh reason to return. Going back to school has never felt this rewarding.