My perfect vacation is some version of hiking, biking, and kayaking…coupled with the luxury of a stay in a beautiful inn.  Throw in a massage and a gin and tonic in an Adirondack chair, and that’s bliss. 

Acadia National Park certainly ranks high in outdoors excitement.  It also offers a wide variety of lodging, ranging from classical hotels to charming B&Bs to great rentals.  Whether you’re looking for a romantic cottage overlooking a harbor or a large, comfortable home for a family reunion, you are going to have a lot of options to rent.  Among Mount Desert Island’s excellent real estate brokers, many have knowledgeable and efficient rental services, including The Davis Agency, Mount Desert Island Real Estate, MDI Vacation Homes, and The Knowles Company.   

Location may be more of a factor in where to stay on Mount Desert Island than on some of our other favorite island resorts.  For example, both Mount Desert Island and Martha’s Vineyard are roughly 100 square miles and comprised of several towns and villages.  However, Mount Desert Island has a fiord dividing the island and two-thirds of its area is national park.  Circumnavigating these areas can take extra driving time.  Therefore, if you choose a more remote area of the island for its solitude and views, the trade-off will be extra time in the car to get to hiking trails and restaurants.  The villages of Mount Desert Island have very different personalities, so explore your options and look at some maps to make the best choice for your vacation.

Acadia Cottages
410 Main Street, Southwest Harbor, 207-244-5388
http://www.acadia-cottages.com

My friends Carol and Reiner had planned to camp with their two boys when they visited Acadia, but then opted to rent one of these cottages.  They were very happy.  Located on the “quietside,” Acadia Cottages offers privacy and convenience.  It's within easy walking distance of charming Southwest Harbor, which has some terrific restaurants, bakeries, and ice cream shops, as well as a food market, gourmet wine shop, and boutiques.  Carol highly recommended the “rustic king suite,” which gave them “plenty of room,” plus the benefits of a full kitchen.  Acadia Cottages also gets high marks for being “immaculately clean” and well-equipped.  Guests rave about everything from the quiet to the welcoming owners to the laundry cabin with free detergent.  A great choice for families with kids.

 

 

Ann's Point Inn
Ann's Point Road, Bass Harbor, 207-244-9595
http://www.annspointinn.com

Even pampered business travelers will find this 4-room inn a delight. Sitting on a peninsula that juts out into Bass Harbor, you’re rarely out of sight of water, spruce trees, lawn, and birdlife. The inn boasts huge new bathrooms, wireless Internet service, exquisite breakfasts that alternate sweet and savory, comfortable public rooms, and an indoor pool and sauna. Featuring gas fireplaces, the rooms are all newly renovated with sleigh beds or four posters and upholstered chairs with simple lines. I didn’t spot a single fussy Victorian wreath or lace pillow anywhere. And you can sleep with an easier conscience because this is “luxury with a low-carbon footprint.”  In addition to recently adding new decks and patios, the owner installed a solar pool heater and 3500 watts of electricity generation using solar panels. 

The Claremont Hotel
22 Claremont Road, Southwest Harbor, 800-244-5036
http://www.theclaremonthotel.com

The Claremont, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a classic Maine hotel that sits on six acres situated at the mouth of Somes Sound.  From rockers on the porch and Adirondack chairs on the lawn, guests gaze out at sailboats and the mountains beyond.  Along with the 24 rooms in the historic (1884) hotel, there are 14 housekeeping cottages and the Phillips House with six private inn-style rooms.  While you may be able to find other inns and cottages with fireplaces and decks, it is hard to match the classic amenities of the Claremont, including the dock, moorings, rowboats, bicycles, clay tennis court, and two tournament-class croquet courts.  We are particular fans of their lecture and concert series and the handsome hotel bar.

Harbour Cottage Inn
9 Dirigo and Clark Point Rd., Southwest Harbor, 207-244-5738
http://www.harbourcottageinn.com

This lovely Victorian inn, replete with rolling lawn, Adirondack chairs, and an American flag, has some whimsical surprises within. The brightly colored common room is cozy and chic; the breakfasts offer surprising twists, such as pesto on scrambled eggs. The rooms are more of what you would expect from a Victorian inn in Maine. But what Harbour Cottage really has going for it is location, location, location. You can walk to two great (and very different) restaurants, Red Sky on Clark Point Road and Beal’s Lobster Pound on Southwest Harbor. I also like this location because I love the public library in town and the community center, where you can pay a low day rate to use their gym or attend yoga classes. Before you book, check out the interesting packages they’ve put together with other local proprietors, such as Downeast Friendship Sloop Charters.