Originally a men’s social club, the elegant Bar Harbor Inn is an iconic New England vacation destination. Guests of the oceanfront hotel will enjoy modern luxury and be entranced by the grandeur of a bygone era. Its guestrooms are spread amongst three buildings on beautifully landscaped grounds. There’s the historic 1887 Main Inn, which has been remodeled with beautiful Bayview windows, and two buildings with exterior-entry rooms. One is the Oceanfront Lodge, which has rooms with private decks overlooking Frenchman Bay. The other is the two-story Newport Building, which is the only guestroom building without waterfront views.
The Bar Harbor Inn also offers amenities such as luxury spa services, an infinity pool and fitness center. There’s terrific dining options as well, including the upscale Reading Room, famous for its lobster bisque and the outdoor Terrace Grill, which has killer views of the harbor.
While the level of luxury and history certainly make the hotel special, it’s the outstanding customer service that will keep you coming back. The Inn, and the town’s shops and restaurants for that matter, rely heavily on foreign workers. The local workforce simply isn’t large enough to meet the demand during peak summer months. All the Inn’s employees, both foreign and domestic, are well trained. They’re very friendly and willing to go above and beyond for their guests. You can see how much they enjoy working in Bar Harbor.
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History
The Bar Harbor Inn traces its roots back to 1887. That’s when the Oasis Club, who’s mission was to promote “literary and social culture” completed construction of their new clubhouse, named the Mount Desert Reading Room. The club flourished for many years until economic hardships due to World War I persisted. It was sold in 1922, and for the next 25 years the building had a number of proprietors and served a variety of tenants.
In the 1950s a group of townspeople joined together to develop the Hotel Bar Harbor, which included the Mount Desert Reading Room and the addition of a 40-room wing. In 1960, a 20-room motel overlooking the Porcupine Islands was added.
In 1987, the property was purchased by David J. Witham, who changed the name to the Bar Harbor Inn. A year later, the Oceanfront Lodge building was constructed, adding 64 additional guest rooms to the property. Five years after that, the 20 room motel was torn down and replaced with the two story Newport Building, adding an additional 38 guest rooms to the property.
In the decades after, the hotel has continued to remodel the existing structures and build new ones like the Spa, the Birch Point building and an infinity edge pool.
Location
If location’s your priority, the Bar Harbor Inn is tough to beat. The Inn stands on eight beautifully landscaped acres along the coast of Frenchman Bay. Fabulous water views can be seen while walking the famous Shore Path, which follows the shoreline directly in front of the Inn. Originally created around 1880, people from all over the world have walked on this 3/4 of a mile path. Along the path, right by the Terrace Grill is a long pier which extends out from the water’s edge. During the summer and fall seasons, you can board the Margaret S. Todd schooner to enjoy a scenic cruise.
When you’re on hotel grounds, it feels really self-contained. So it’s hard to believe you’re only a block away from the bustle of downtown Bar Harbor. The town is immensely charming and really comes alive as summer gets into full swing. It has so many wonderful locally-owned stores and restaurants, where tourists can find quality souvenirs and fresh seafood. The town of Bar Harbor is also a popular homebase and gateway to Acadia National Park, one of the nation’s most visited national parks.
Map of the Resort
Lobby
The lobby is found inside the Main Inn. Just like many of the other buildings on the property, it was renovated within the past few years. The lobby is a great example of how they masterfully blended modern luxury while keeping the traditional New England style.
While not pictured here, the concierge desk is also located in the Main Inn. Towards the end of our stay, I wanted to talk to the concierge about an activity we could do before heading home. The concierge had left for the day, so I asked my question to the front desk. Without hesitation the front desk said there was an employee still around who could help me. Within minutes I was sitting with someone at the concierge desk going over a few options.
There are several seating areas scattered throughout the Main Inn, including one with an inviting fireplace.
The Room
We stayed in the Newport Building, which is the most cost-effective of the three guestroom buildings. Remodeled in 2022, it’s the only building without waterfront views. These rooms have patios or balconies, however, that overlook the grounds.
The guestroom decor fits into the “country chic” style found throughout the property. It’s large enough to fit a king bed, a couch, a desk and TV.
Our room had a balcony, which overlooked the grounds to our left. Unfortunately the view straight ahead and to our right was of a parking lot.
The Bathroom
The bathroom was updated and clean, but was pretty ordinary. This was the one area on the entire property that wasn’t renovated with modern luxury in mind.
Regardless, it was still very functional and the hotel did a good job utilizing the available space.
Hotel Amenities
The Pool
The infinity edge pool, along with two adjacent hot tubs, were installed in 2019 to compliment the view of Frenchman Bay. Just a year later the neighboring Birch Point building was completed. It houses the new continental breakfast area, fitness room, and the pool bar & grill.
While many guests come to Bar Harbor to hike in Acadia or otherwise be active, I’d recommend saving at least part one day to enjoy the pool area.
The infinity edge pool provides terrific views out to the bay, but the pool amenities are also pretty great. The pool bar & grill serves all the typical drinks, as well as “drinks-of-the-day” crafted by the bartender of the day. Food options include snacks, but also lunch items like salads and sandwiches. Once a week, the hotel staff sets up a large portable grill in the corner of the pool grounds and serves a special lunch menu to guests. We had lunch at the pool the day they were grilling and enjoyed all the fun of a backyard barbeque with none of the work!
The Spa
The Inn offers a full menu of spa services, from manicures and facials to massages and body treatments.
Dining
The Bar Harbor Inn offers four unique dining experiences. Options include continental breakfast, snacks by the pool, outdoor dining overlooking the harbor and a fine dining experience with nightly entertainment. The Oasis Club lounge, which is connected to the fine dining restaurant, is a fabulous place for a pre-dinner cocktail.
Reading Room
The Reading Room offers Inn guests and visitors to Bar Harbor a fine dining experience overlooking Frenchman Bay. It provides daily breakfast and dinner service, complete with local Maine cuisine, attentive service and panoramic ocean views. This is the place to go to celebrate a special occasion. Reservations are recommended.
Terrace Grill
The Terrace Grille is one of Bar Harbor’s premier outdoor restaurants. It overlooks the town pier and is famous for its iconic yellow umbrellas. Open for lunch and dinner, it does not accept reservations, so seating is first-come, first-served. Luckily, hotel guests receive priority over other visitors.
The restaurant is outdoor only, so service moves into the Reading Room during inclement weather. It offers a full menu with a variety of fresh seafood options, healthy salads, and satisfying sandwiches. Do yourself a favor and order a local brew from Mount Desert Island — you won’t be disappointed.
Oasis Lounge
Just beyond the Reading Room is the casual cocktail lounge with a rich history. It dates back to 1887 when it was the home of the Oasis Club. Offering cozy tables, inside bar seating and a few seats out on their balcony, this is a great place to have a relaxed drink.
Birch Point
The Birch Point building is where the complimentary continental breakfast is served. There you can find typical breakfast fare like fresh fruit, breakfast breads, bagels, assorted muffins, pastries, cereals, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, juice, coffee, and tea. This building is also home to the pool bar & grill, which features excellent cocktails, local beers and pool bites.
The Grounds
Just look at the picture below! These are the gardens which run alongside the Main Inn guestrooms and lead to the pool. Everything was in bloom in July when we were there and it was really beautiful.
There are also a couple large open areas onsite where people can congregate and relax. One is a large sloped lawn area in between the Main Inn guestrooms and the harbor. In addition, there’s a circular lawn area between the Main Inn and the parking lot. Every night, the staff uses this circular lawn to build a bonfire. Guests can roast marshmallows and enjoy smores!
Miscellaneous
Bottom Line
There’s something special about the Bar Harbor Inn. It’s one of the more pricy options in Bar Harbor, but it’s worth every penny. I loved it’s modern luxury while also feeling like I stepped back in time. The location is second to none, the grounds are immaculate and the hotel staff is overwhelmingly nice. If you’re going to Bar Harbor and can swing the cost, I would highly recommend the Bar Harbor Inn.
