The architect for the Camlin was Carl L. Linde of Portland, a one time brewery builder, who had built the edifice to resemble an Italian castle.

Instinctively, the thought is born of the magnificent view of the Sound and Olympics which is to be had from the lofty windows in the rear of this edifice.

Nicely, after meeting with the board and looking at the evidence stated, This resulted in the meeting of the officers and directors with the supervisor October 2, when it was decided, with my advice and concurrence, that instead of closing the institution, the interests of the shareholder would be better served by securing an agreement with Linden and Campbell to make restitution as far as possible by turning over to the association all of their personal and other holdings, including the Camlin Apartment Hotel, under a trust agreement, and that, under the direction of the supervisor an endeavor would be made to restore the impairment of the capital of the association, the same officers and directors to continue in office, and the completion of the Camlin Apartment Hotel, which is under construction, to be carried out.It took a year for this trust to be finalized and put on record.

It can still be seen in the film The Fabulous Baker Boys, (although it was not, as is commonly rumored, the location of the famous scene where Michelle Pfeiffer sings the song Makin' Whoopee while sitting on a piano.

In 1960, in preparation for the 1962 World's Fair, 52 cabana units were added, along with a pool and a sun deck for a total cost of $2 million.

"[4] In the late 1960s, the Camlin Hotel hosted performers for the legendary Sky River Rock Festival in Sultan, Washington.

One owner, in 1990, was planning to sell all the antique furniture, but was stopped only when the Washington State Attorney General's office slapped a lien on it for tax evasion.