Favorite Bar Harbor Hotels & Inns | Maine Lodging
Looking for a place to stay in the beautiful hub of Mount Desert Island in Maine? These are our favorite Bar Harbor hotels and inns.
By Heather Tourgee|May 11 2022|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine KeenanJust a stone’s throw from Maine’s iconic Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor is considered by many to be the perfect New England getaway. From sprawling resorts to cozy B&Bs, this seaside town is home to a range of lodging options. Read on to see our favorite Bar Harbor hotels and inns.
Photo Credit : Courtesy of the West Street Hotel
Favorite Bar Harbor Hotels & Inns
West Street Hotel
From the hotel’s rooftop pool you can watch downtown shoppers, excursion boats heading out to sea, cruise ships coming into the harbor, and more. Don’t miss out on the world-class dining opportunities located on-site, or the luxurious spa.
Acadia Hotel
Driving through the narrow streets of Bar Harbor can be exasperating—and unnecessary, if you opt to settle in at the Acadia Hotel on the town green. It’s steps from the Shore Path, close to most of the restaurants and shops, and about two blocks from the pick-up spot for Acadia National Park tours. The modern, simple guest rooms are modestly priced, and the hotel has loaner bicycles available for getting anywhere you don’t want to walk to.
Claremont Hotel
The fjord of Somes Sound cleaves Mount Desert Island in two. The 24-room Claremont in Southwest Harbor sits on the take-a-deep-breath-and-exhale western lobe, removed from the bustle of Bar Harbor and the main attractions of Acadia National Park. Since 1884, it has welcomed guests to its six-acre spread at the mouth of Somes Sound with views across to Greening Island. Six modern inn-style rooms and 14 cottages are other options, but stretching out on a sleigh bed in the main inn, with the breeze ruffling the window sheers, feels like visiting the home of the Down East grandma you wish you had.
Photo Credit : Courtesy of the Bass Cottage Inn
Bass Cottage Inn
Each of the 10 guest rooms at the Bass Cottage Inn has been named for an herb or spice with which it shares attributes. Check out fresh and soothing Verbena or subtle and refined Sage for an immersive, elegant lodging experience. The setting is peaceful, tucked away just off downtown, and guests also enjoy a decadent breakfast at no extra charge.
Wonder View Inn
Traveling with a pet? A motel-style option set on estate-like grounds, Wonder View welcomes furry guests with a bowl, a treat, and recommendations for places to go, things to do, and dog friendly restaurants. Enjoy breakfast with a view at the Looking Glass restaurant.
Photo Credit : Courtesy of the Bar Harbor Inn
Bar Harbor Inn
Another area hotel with a storied past, the Bar Harbor Inn once hosted President William Howard Taft on his three-day excursion to Mount Desert Island in 1910. Dining options range from upscale, in the Reading Room, to more casual, at Terrace Grille. Be sure to check out the heated pool, and help yourself to afternoon tea and cookies.
Bar Harbor Grand Hotel
A replica of the 1866 Rodick House, a guesthouse that was destroyed by a fire in the 1940s, the Bar Harbor Grand Hotel boasts all the modern amenities you could need. The heated pool and long front porch with plenty of rocking chairs are reminiscent of a bygone era and will remind you why this is one of the classic Bar Harbor hotels.
Photo Credit : Courtesy of the Saltair Inn
The Saltair Inn
Try to resist the lure of the Adirondack chairs positioned just so on the oceanfront lawn of this gracious inn, located in the center of the town’s historic district. Your distinctively decorated, spacious guest room is the perfect oasis after a busy Downeast day. Named a 2011 Yankee Editors’ Pick for “Best Oceanfront B&B.”
Moseley Cottage Inn & Town Motel
This beautiful property has been a bed-and-breakfast since 1884. Located on a quiet side street, it’s within walking distance of downtown shops and restaurants. Whether you opt for one of the nine Moseley Cottage guest rooms or accommodations at the adjacent Town Motel, you’ll have a great place to recharge after taking in the sights of Mount Desert Island.
What are some of your favorite Bar Harbor hotels and inns?
This post was first published in 2017 and has been updated.
SEE MORE:
Favorite Acadia National Park Cabins You Can Rent
Acadia National Park | Things to Do & See
Exploring Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park
10 Prettiest Coastal Towns in Maine
Here’s my review on The Birches B&B. My wife and I – along with friends from California – stayed at this wonderful inn most of last week. It’s in Southwest Harbor, ME, near Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park… The review:
Perfect!!! That one word sums up our experience at The Birches Bed & Breakfast in Southwest Harbor, ME! From the Boston area, we are repeat visitors to The Birches, and we haven’t been disappointed yet! Susi Homer, our innkeeper, is an amazing hostess. Her full-course breakfasts can’t be beat; the room (we like the Turret Room) is always in great shape; the housekeeping and other staff, including a special mention for Mike, are helpful to the Nth degree; and the grounds and water view can’t be beat! Susi will put together a customized Mount Desert Island itinerary for you, if you wish. She did so for our party of four that included an electric boat tour of the harbor areas, a photo tour of the island, a two-hour birding excursion, and a horse-drawn carriage ride through Acadia National Park. All that was wonderful, but a stay with Susi at The Birches makes the vacation, as we said above, “Perfect!”
Guess you are stretching “Bar Harbor” to include all of MDI. That’s okay because all of MDI is close to Acadia National Park.