Local Experts:
We%26#39;ve finally nailed down dates we%26#39;ll be in Bar Harbor and are looking into accomodations. The bad news is that we%26#39;re arriving late August in high season. The good news is that we%26#39;re staying Sun. and Mon. night...which means there is still plenty of availability out there.
I%26#39;ve been reading T.A. reviews, checking out websites, and using GoogleMaps to figure out which way to go. Here%26#39;s what I%26#39;ve come up with followed by some questions..
1. There are a few hotels out there, but the way to go is B%26amp;B because of cost ($230 v. $150 on avg.), location (most are right off of Main St.), and personality (I%26#39;ve read horror stories about Harborside).
2. To stay around $130 - $175, the best options for value and location close to Main St. are Hearthside, Atlantean, and the Seacroft Inn.
3. Reading the reviews for the top 10 B%26amp;B%26#39;s (per T.A. contributions), I have not read one bad thing anyone has written about any of the B%26amp;B%26#39;s. Are they really that amazing to stay at or are there other reasons why there is not a single negative review. (Just compare the reviews for the Seacroft v. Harborside.) After reading so many reviews over the years, I%26#39;m accustomed to reading a few random negative posts like ';they lost my reservation';, ';it was too hot/cold';, or ';I found a hair in the sink.'; But, not one negative thing on the B%26amp;B%26#39;s. That just caught me as strange.
4. Can the noise off of Main St. be that bad? So many contributors mentioned this in one way or another (i.e. ';Location is close to Main Street but far away enough to be peaceful.';) Are there areas that noise or crowds will be an issue?
5. Are there any other factors we need to keep in mind in finding a place to stay? We%26#39;re in town only 2.5-days and we%26#39;re looking to relax, bike the carriage roads, take some daysails, and relax some more...
Thanks in advance for your help. I%26#39;ve posted to several Maine forums earlier this year and am very appreciative of everyone%26#39;s help. It%26#39;s really evident that the people who live in BH love it. We can%26#39;t wait for our trip.
Looking for accomodations: Please verify first impressions..Note: The title should have read, ';Looking for accomodations: Please verify first impressions.';
I hate typos.
Looking for accomodations: Please verify first impressions..I%26#39;ve seen a few negative comments about even the most popular Bed and Breakfasts. You can%26#39;t please every single person. I doubt you will find a comment about losing reservations or a hair in the sink, though. Most of the B%26amp;Bs are small enough and tightly owner-controlled that those issues are well taken care of.
There are also a few motels that are in the same price range as the Bed and Breakfasts. But it is true that if you would like to be right in the village and pay under $175, a B and B is a good route to take.
Depending on what kind of person you are, you might ask when you book a B%26amp;B if breakfast is served all around one table. Some people don%26#39;t like to interact with their fellow man early in the morning. Some inns have tables where you can sit two by two. You might also ask if there are public rooms where you can read a book on a rainy day and get some separation from each other. Or these things might not be of much concern to you.
The residential side streets in Bar Harbor are indeed quieter. There is some noise on the main streets up to around midnight as the art deco movie theatre lets out or people stroll the streets in search of an ice cream cone or a late night drink. There is also some noise from early morning delivery trucks.
The three B%26amp;Bs you mention are good. But there are others. The Ulikana, Aysgarth Station, and Anne%26#39;s White Columns come to mind. All good locations and pleasant innkeepers.
One consideration in booking a place in late August would be to have a parking spot right in the village, where parking is at a premium. Another consideration would be that you are in walking distance of the restaurants and of the free shuttle bus system which changes routes at the Village Green. All the B%26amp;Bs mentioned above would satisfy those two things. The free shuttle buses carry bicycles to the popular carriage road system in the Park. They are also convenient for a long, one-way hike. You can take the Sand Beach bus, for example, to the trail head of the North Ridge up Cadillac and take the Blackwoods Campground bus back to town some four hours later when you come off the South Ridge trail.
Thanks for the info!
Now, how is the Harborside really?
I%26#39;ve read that there is still construction at the hotel/resort and that service can be lacking. But, the pictures off of their website make it look great. Is it a chaotic scene during August? We figure the amenities sound great if we decide to go the ';hotel-route'; but will we be swarmed by kids and families?
Thanks again.
I can%26#39;t really say how the Harborside is doing with regard to service, not having any reason to stay there. You%26#39;d have to judge by recent reviews of it. I walk past it most days of the week. There is definitely ongoing construction on the site. I%26#39;ve never noticed it overrun by kids and families.
I will say that that stunning picture they use of their pool and the ocean is very misleading. In actuality, the pool is quite close to the road and to the paved area where people queue to get on the whale watcher. The grounds of the Bar Harbor Inn are a bit more secluded and peaceful. And the pool there is more private.
If you do end up looking for a B%26amp;B, of course checking with Trip Advisor reviews is a great idea. There are a lot of great B%26amp;B%26#39;s in Bar Harbor, just remember, like BOnniemaev says, you can%26#39;t please every single person. I just wanted to mention that there are several listings in the B%26amp;B section of Bar Harbor Trip Advisor, that are not B%26amp;B%26#39;s, or they are no longer open. There are a few places mentioned that are definitely small hotel/motels and one or two that might give coffee and a muffin but not a full breakfast. Make sure that you check this out before making a reservation, if that is important to you.
We loved the Quimby House Inn (much nicer than the tent on our honeymoon). Check our GoList for details...
tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i12151-New_Engl…
I%26#39;ve not stayed at the Harborside either, but my work has taken me there. (No, I am not a hooker.:)
I have observed lapses in service, so I tend to believe what I read there. Plus, many of the rooms look out over parking lots.
And, the place is HUGE. If you have a problem and need to walk to the front desk to resolve it in person, you need a map and a water bottle.
But, more important than that to me, it%26#39;s very modern, shiny, etc., not what I personally like in Maine accommodations. I want something that looks old and classic Maine. Shingled. Genteel. Intimate. Relaxing.
The BHI has a better location, is a bit smaller/more intimate. I%26#39;d pick it instead. Much better waterfront.
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