I recently stayed at The Dörr Hotel in Sister Bay, a community in the popular vacation destination of Door County, Wisconsin. Located in the heart of Sister Bay, this boutique hotel offers a welcoming atmosphere and top-notch amenities, making it an excellent choice for travelers exploring Door County’s beauty.
The name “Dörr” means “entry” or “portal” and reflects Sister Bay’s Scandinavian heritage. The hotel’s decor also uses a Scandinavian modern style.
Location
The Dorr Hotel is in a prime location in Sister Bay, just a short walk from the waterfront and surrounded by local shops, restaurants, and attractions. It is across the street from the waterside park and a block away from the popular Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant… the hotel with the goats on the roof. It is a short walk to the marina, where you can take a boat tour of the Door Peninsula.
Public Spaces
The Dorr features two different lobbies. The main lobby is on the second floor, the ground floor at the back of the hotel. This lobby includes the front desk, a seating area, a large fireplace, and picture windows with a view of the bay. The front desk doubles as the lobby bar. When I checked in for a three-night stay, I received two free drink tokens for the late afternoon and evening when the bar was open.
There were a few board games available on the bookshelf in the lobby.
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There is also a second lobby on the 1st floor, the ground floor at the front of the hotel. This is a cozy space where you could set up that board game or puzzle you brought on your trip.
In addition, the hotel has lovely outdoor seating areas, including a fire pit surrounded by Adirondack chairs.
Rooms
The 47 rooms at The Dorr Hotel are spacious, clean, and thoughtfully designed with a minimalist aesthetic that adds to the relaxing ambiance. Large windows allow plenty of natural light to flood in, and some rooms offer beautiful bay views. The beds are comfortable with plush linens, ensuring a restful night’s sleep. Amenities in the room include a mini-fridge, coffee maker, high-speed internet, and a flat-screen TV. The bathroom was modern and well-equipped with premium toiletries.
My room had one chair in it and no desk.
The rooms have a sliding glass door and a balcony or patio, depending on the floor.
The best room at the property is the DöRR Suite, which includes a seating area, sofa sleeper, and fireplace.
Amenities
The Dörr has a gear closet with things you might need to enjoy Door County. You can get walking poles and backpacks for your hike to nearby Peninsula State Park. You can get beach chairs, coolers, and picnic baskets for your day at the beach. The more active travelers can borrow a basketball, volleyball, or Frisbee. Talk to the person at the front desk for gear.
Food and Beverage
The Dorr Hotel offers a complimentary grab-and-go breakfast from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. The breakfast includes fruit, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, coffee, tea, juice, and muffins from the Piggly Wiggly. It doesn’t compete with the Swedish pancakes at Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant, but it is enough to get you going in the morning. Skipstone Coffee Roasters is a block away for a fancier coffee.
Places to Eat Nearby
There are also some fun restaurants within easy walking distance. Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant is known for its Swedish pancakes, which are served with lingonberries and maybe a side of Swedish meatballs. Al Johnson’s started in 1949 as a grocery store. This is the place with the goats on the roof, which started as a practical joke by Link Larsen in 1973 but has become a tradition. You can also stop in the gift shop for Swedish or goat-related merchandise. Service is quick, but the wait time for a table can be a while.
For a good hand-tossed wood-fired pizza, visit Wild Tomato across the street from the Dörr. I ordered the delicious Mediterranean, which has grilled chicken, roasted tomatoes, yellow peppers, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, fresh mozzarella, and parmesan over a pesto base. One of my travel companions ordered the Green and Gold, which has grilled chicken, bacon, grilled broccoli, and spinach topped with real Wisconsin cheese curds.
Across the street, there are two ice cream shops: Analog Ice Cream and Coffee and Door County Creamery. I ordered a “single scoop” of “This Just Got Series” (salted caramel, sea salt chocolate, and salted cashews) from Analog. A single scoop was at least the size of a softball.
Overall Experience
The Dörr Hotel is a lovely and comfortable place to stay in the heart of Door County.
Check TripAdvisor for the latest prices for rooms at the Dörr Hotel.
I stayed at the Dörr as part of a press trip to Door County as a guest of Door County Tourism, but all the opinions in this article are my own.
