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Why Stay INN Maine?
By Linda Batey
One of Maine's greatest and often
overlooked features is the Inns and B&B's that exist everywhere. No matter
what part of Maine you visit, you will find the inn or B&B the best way to go.
There are good, better and best inns; poor inns simply fail. Find an inn that has
been in business more than five years and you won't be disappointed with your
accommodations.
Here, in no specific order, are some inns worthy of a visit.
Bluff House Inn in Gouldsboro, Maine
... offers several guest rooms that are delightful with their nautical-themed
rooms that overlook a beautiful westerly ocean view. It is rare to find a place to
watch the sunset in what is known as "Sunrise County," but the Bluff House Inn
offers incredible sunset views. The Bluff House offers a basic continental
breakfast in their lovely common room. One of the best features of the Inn is
access to the ocean. Although the inn sits on a high bluff, there is a road that
leads down to the water which is perfect for putting in a canoe or kayak and it
is an easy paddle out to Stave Island, a lovely island with no inhabitants but
wonderful beach-combing opportunities no matter what the tide. This inn is not
an old restored mansion, but was built as an inn and is fairly new. It is a nice
inn, but does lack some of the charm of an older inn.
East Wind Inn in Tenant's Harbor, Maine
... has a beautiful main building with flower gardens surrounding the porch
that beckons you to sit a spell. The harbor is quiet and lovely and often the only
sound you can hear is the tink-tink of the grommets on the American flag hitting
the flag pole or a distant lobster boat out beyond sight of land. The
meetinghouse building offers a huge porch with rocking chairs, antiques
throughout, and a wonderful view and soft breezes from the bay. The
restaurant here is an unexpected pleasure and reservations are advised even in
this tiny town. It is understandable after eating there -- the food, service and
ambiance are exceptional, although a bit pricey.
The Todd House in Eastport, Maine
... is basic accommodations, but certainly pleasant. At one time, it housed the
original Masonic Hall and one of the rooms on the second floor is full of
Masonic regalia. The stairways in this inn are very narrow and steep, the
furniture is entirely original antiques and the atmosphere is pure history. Some
of the rooms offer views of the bay. Breakfast is served in a lovely dining room
every morning after 8 a.m. A room for a single is $70, which is quite an
inexpensive way to get a taste of Eastport history.
The Milliken House in Eastport, Maine
... is truly a hidden jewel -- you have to navigate to a side street in order to find
the entrance to this beautiful B&B. Officially, the address is Washington Street,
but the entrance is from the street behind the inn. The entrance is through a
lovely bright sun room; I had to follow voices and maple syrup scents to find
the innkeeper, Mary, in the kitchen. She showed me to my room, which has
incredibly beautiful and well-kept antique furniture, a day bed plus my queen
size bed. The bathroom is across the hall, but it is solely mine for the duration
of my stay. It is large and bright; my room is smallish and a little dark, but it is
lovely nonetheless.
The house, like the Todd House, seems steeped in history, but the Milliken
House seems that it once belonged to people who were well-to-do. The
trimmings are ornate and large and pains have been taken to make sure that the
inn stays true to its past. As I look around, I can only imagine what this house
might once have been and it is easy to imagine women in velvet gowns having
tea in the sitting room, although it would have been horses and buggies going
by the windows on Washington Street, not the cars and trucks of today. Small
touches make guests feel very pampered and special.
The towel in my bathroom has a monogrammed "B" on it, which I thought
incredibly thoughtful; there is a plush white robe hanging in the bathroom for
my use, and Mary is a whiz with names. She had no difficulty introducing all
seven of her guests to each other over the sumptuous breakfast this morning
and breaking the ice for conversation. I was surprised to learn that she has only
been an innkeeper for eight years -- she seems so at ease in her role as
consummate hostess.
There are so many lovely Inns in Maine and the prices are as varied as the
locations.
Click here to see more Maine Inns.
About the author: Visit Linda Batey's web site here.
By Linda Batey
One of Maine's greatest and often
overlooked features is the Inns and B&B's that exist everywhere. No matter
what part of Maine you visit, you will find the inn or B&B the best way to go.
There are good, better and best inns; poor inns simply fail. Find an inn that has
been in business more than five years and you won't be disappointed with your
accommodations.
Here, in no specific order, are some inns worthy of a visit.
Bluff House Inn in Gouldsboro, Maine
... offers several guest rooms that are delightful with their nautical-themed
rooms that overlook a beautiful westerly ocean view. It is rare to find a place to
watch the sunset in what is known as "Sunrise County," but the Bluff House Inn
offers incredible sunset views. The Bluff House offers a basic continental
breakfast in their lovely common room. One of the best features of the Inn is
access to the ocean. Although the inn sits on a high bluff, there is a road that
leads down to the water which is perfect for putting in a canoe or kayak and it
is an easy paddle out to Stave Island, a lovely island with no inhabitants but
wonderful beach-combing opportunities no matter what the tide. This inn is not
an old restored mansion, but was built as an inn and is fairly new. It is a nice
inn, but does lack some of the charm of an older inn.
East Wind Inn in Tenant's Harbor, Maine
... has a beautiful main building with flower gardens surrounding the porch
that beckons you to sit a spell. The harbor is quiet and lovely and often the only
sound you can hear is the tink-tink of the grommets on the American flag hitting
the flag pole or a distant lobster boat out beyond sight of land. The
meetinghouse building offers a huge porch with rocking chairs, antiques
throughout, and a wonderful view and soft breezes from the bay. The
restaurant here is an unexpected pleasure and reservations are advised even in
this tiny town. It is understandable after eating there -- the food, service and
ambiance are exceptional, although a bit pricey.
The Todd House in Eastport, Maine
... is basic accommodations, but certainly pleasant. At one time, it housed the
original Masonic Hall and one of the rooms on the second floor is full of
Masonic regalia. The stairways in this inn are very narrow and steep, the
furniture is entirely original antiques and the atmosphere is pure history. Some
of the rooms offer views of the bay. Breakfast is served in a lovely dining room
every morning after 8 a.m. A room for a single is $70, which is quite an
inexpensive way to get a taste of Eastport history.
The Milliken House in Eastport, Maine
... is truly a hidden jewel -- you have to navigate to a side street in order to find
the entrance to this beautiful B&B. Officially, the address is Washington Street,
but the entrance is from the street behind the inn. The entrance is through a
lovely bright sun room; I had to follow voices and maple syrup scents to find
the innkeeper, Mary, in the kitchen. She showed me to my room, which has
incredibly beautiful and well-kept antique furniture, a day bed plus my queen
size bed. The bathroom is across the hall, but it is solely mine for the duration
of my stay. It is large and bright; my room is smallish and a little dark, but it is
lovely nonetheless.
The house, like the Todd House, seems steeped in history, but the Milliken
House seems that it once belonged to people who were well-to-do. The
trimmings are ornate and large and pains have been taken to make sure that the
inn stays true to its past. As I look around, I can only imagine what this house
might once have been and it is easy to imagine women in velvet gowns having
tea in the sitting room, although it would have been horses and buggies going
by the windows on Washington Street, not the cars and trucks of today. Small
touches make guests feel very pampered and special.
The towel in my bathroom has a monogrammed "B" on it, which I thought
incredibly thoughtful; there is a plush white robe hanging in the bathroom for
my use, and Mary is a whiz with names. She had no difficulty introducing all
seven of her guests to each other over the sumptuous breakfast this morning
and breaking the ice for conversation. I was surprised to learn that she has only
been an innkeeper for eight years -- she seems so at ease in her role as
consummate hostess.
There are so many lovely Inns in Maine and the prices are as varied as the
locations.
Click here to see more Maine Inns.
About the author: Visit Linda Batey's web site here.
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