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

The Claremont Hotel on Mount Desert Island, Maine

Summering on the waterfront in Maine is a dream for most of us, but for a weekend — or a few weeks if you are rich or lucky — you can live the dream at the Claremont hotel in Southwest Harbor on Mount Desert Island.

On the opposite side of the island from Bar Harbor, the Claremont is a classic hotel built in 1884. The quietly stunning setting on the Somes Sound, where you can see the only fjord in North America, is a dramatic backdrop for the historic main hotel and several guest cottages.

There are 24 recently renovated guest rooms in the main hotel building, six private rooms in the Phillips House, and 14 cottages, spread across the six acre property.

The main house boasts a porch with rocking chairs where you can relax with a book or your computer — yes, wifi has reached Maine!

Relax in a rocking chair on the open deck at the Claremont hotel in Maine

The more intimate Phillips House also has a veranda that tempts the tired traveler to sit and contemplate the water, as well as a large common room with a fieldstone fireplace.

Each of the 14 housekeeping cottages has a wood or gas burning fireplace, deck and kitchenette, for a classic “cottage on the water” vacation. The cottages has loads of character, from charming log cabins to more contemporary styles, and range in occupancy from two to seven.

The view from the Claremont hotel restaurant

There are a couple of options for meals on the property, including fine dining at Xanthus Restaurant. The menu is impressive, with local and organic offerings like Niman Ranch pork loin with fava bean risotto, and pan roasted red snapper with stewed fennel and tomatoes on a porcini risotto cake. But I have to admit I was disappointed not to see lobster on the menu. For me that’s a vital element of every trip back to Maine!

You can also enjoy a light lunch and evening cocktails at the Boathouse, and there is a new hotel bar for pre-dinner cocktails. “In season” between July 1st and September 2nd the hotel also serves afternoon tea, and in the summer has weekly lectures and music recitals.

For entertainment, the hotel offers boating, tennis, a library and two croquet courts, as well as close proximity to Acadia National Park, where you are practically guaranteed a moose sighting. The hotel is a quick 20 minute drive from the shops, restaurants and attractions of Bar Harbor.

The Claremont hotel is open from late spring to early autumn, with rates in the neighborhood of $150 to $250 per night in the off season, and from $200 to $300 range in season. Check the website for exact dates and rates.

In 2008 they offered two special packages, “Summer in Acadia” and “The Colors of Fall”. The two day packages were based on double occupancy and included two nights lodging, two full buffet breakfasts and one dinner. It’s definitely worth a look when you’re planning a summer vacation on the coast, or a foliage trip through New England.

If you’re dreaming of your summer vacation while looking at mounds of snow out your window, or making plans with family members over the holidays, you may want to consider a rustic visit to Maine, (State Motto: “The Way Life Should Be”) and stay at the Claremont hotel.

The Claremont Hotel
PO Box 137
Southwest Harbor, Maine 04679
phone: 1-800-244-5036
email: clmhotel@roadrunner.com