Charming. If I could pick only one word to describe Bar Harbor Inn, it would be charming, and the description would apply not only to the historic cedar-shingled Main Lodge, but also to the nicely appointed rooms, lavishly planted grounds, quaint Reading Room Restaurant, and to the wonderful staff.
Main Lodge of Bar Harbor Inn
King room in the Main Lodge
Frankly, I was surprised that I could even get a room here. As usual I had been wandering, searching for colorful fall foliage, with no idea where I would stay for the night. I had rolled into Bar Harbor, Maine late in the afternoon and decided to stick around for a couple of days to hike the trails of stunning Acadia National Park. In the center of town, perched on a low rise overlooking Frenchman Bay, the Bar Harbor Inn was hard to miss. Although it looked pricey, I figured it couldn’t hurt to inquire about rates. Still, I hesitated after walking in the front door. Overstuffed sofas and armchairs flanked a roaring fire, and an antique sideboard offered hot tea and cider; undoubtedly this hotel would be beyond my means. To my delight, I learned that high season rates had ended the previous day and a non-view room was available for less than $100 per night. The manager even threw in free wi-fi.
King room in Oceanfront Lodge
Despite having only a peek-a-boo water view, my room was comfortable and well appointed, with a bed so soft that it literally enfolded me. Each of the 50 rooms and suites within the Main Lodge has either one king or two queen beds with premium bedding, luxury bathrooms with jetted tubs, cable TV with HBO, VCR, refrigerator, hairdryer, iron and ironing board, and coffeemaker. Many of the rooms have fireplaces and oceanfront balconies. An additional 64 rooms are available in the separate Oceanfront Lodge, which is also where the hotel’s amazing complimentary continental breakfast buffet is served each morning.
Even dinner was a special event. Though I arrived at the hotel’s Reading Room Restaurant without reservations, the maitre’d graciously escorted me to a well-lit table where I could read, and joined me during dessert to tell me a bit about the history of the hotel. The restaurant is named after the Mount Desert Reading Room, a social club that in 1887 was the first occupant of what is today the Main Lodge. Though the club’s avowed purpose may have been to “promote literary and social culture,” in the early 1920′s it served quite another purpose. As prohibition settled over the country, members began secreting bootleg alcohol at the club and the phrase “retiring to the reading room” became a euphemism for “getting together for a drink.”
View of Frenchman Bay from oceanfront rooms
The Bar Harbor Inn was a rare find: a hotel with accommodations that truly feel like a home away from home and a staff that has mastered the art of making guests feel like family. Absolutely charming.
Photo credits: View and Exterior by Barbara Weibel; rooms courtesy of Bar Harbor Inn
Article by Barbara Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels
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[...] from bag and a body that has perfect the prowess of making guests see same family. View post: Bar Harbor Inn, Bar Harbor, Maine Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: a-home-away, are-bright, feel-like, great-things, harbor, [...]
Although I have not stayed at the Bar Harbor Inn, instead having overnighted at a lesser known motel – under the same ownership as the Bar Harbor Inn – I have toured the property and happily made the choice on a couple of occasions to dine on their front lawn, at the Terrace Grille.
Shaded from the sun by bright yellow, oversized umbrellas, and looking across Bar Harbor, the view is magnificent, and the food is appealing. Yes, the Hotel’s other restaurant, The Reading Room, offers a more sophisticated menu in a more formal atmosphere, but in my opinion…
…there is no way to get closer to nature, and the true essence of Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island, than to sit outdoors, listening as water laps against the rocks ,and watching the local sightseeing boats set sail on their nightly sunset cruises across Frenchman’s Bay.
My after dinner stroll along the Hotel’s seawall always makes me wonder why this hadn’t been my choice as the place to rest my head for the night. Maybe next time…
[...] Island – Bar Harbor, Maine Bar island is a tidal island in Bar Harbor, Maine that is located directly north of the West Street town pier (look for Bridge Street on the north [...]
[...] Island – Bar Harbor, Maine Bar island is a tidal island in Bar Harbor, Maine that is located directly north of the West Street town pier (look for Bridge Street on the north [...]