TL;DR
- Picturesque setting: Perched on a hill above Camden Harbor.
- Historic mansion: 19th-century stone house with natural grandeur.
- Midcoast beauty: White building, stone walls, landscaped grounds, colorful trees in fall.
- Comfort and care: Contemporary furnishings complement the mansion without overpowering it.
- Check prices here
Sure, Camden, Maine is very picturesque anyway, but the Camden Harbor Inn takes the cake.
Perched on the top of a small hill leading up from Camden Harbor, the 19th-century mansion displays the sort of natural grandeur that no number of uniformed bellboys or gilded door-lions could reproduce.
It’s pure Midcoast beauty, the bright white building, stone walls and impeccable landscaping including a formidable tree set to turn all sorts of colors in the fall.
Once inside, the contemporary furnishings don’t match perfect with the rest of the experience, but they’re ultimately innocuous, letting the house do most of the work.
If you want inspired design around every corner, you could do better, but if you simply want top-notch comfort and care, the Camden Harbor Inn will keep you more than happy.
What are the rooms like?
- Number of rooms: 20 including Superior, Harbor View, Bay View Deluxe, Junior and Grand Suites, plus a villa.
- Decor: Bright, colorful accents, glass elements, and comfortable hotel-y touches.
- Luxury amenities: Feather beds, mini bars, TVs, coffee machines, Molton Brown toiletries, plush bathrobes.
- Extras: Suites may have soaking tubs, fireplaces, and even a sauna.
There are Superior, Harbor View and Bay View Deluxe rooms, alongside Junior and Grand Suites. A nearby ‘villa’ is available for booking as well, on the hotel website.
Each room category has slight different decor, all of it a bit less subtle than the common areas.
You’ll find colorful accents, gleaming glass, and some very cute lighting elements. Like the rest of the decor, it’s a bit hotel-y for a mansion inn, but it’s bright, friendly, and exceedingly comfortable.
All rooms include lovely feather beds, mini bars, TVs, and coffee machines. The bathrooms have the same uninspiring decor, but are the definition of luxury.
All include Molton Brown amenities and super-cozy bathrobes, white the suites have extras like soaking tubs, fireplaces, and even a sauna if you’re lucky enough to snag one of the Grands.
What are prices like?
And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?
- Onsite bar and restaurant: Glass of prosecco on arrival, contemporary French cuisine at Natalie’s.
- Juliana Lounge: Coffee, tea, snacks, and reading material available all day.
- Bar menu: Cocktails, locally sourced ingredients, seafood, and tasty bites.
- Spa: Massage-centric treatments for relaxation after driving or exploring.
The hotel is run by Relais & Chateaux, and it’s not hard to see you’re in expert hands.
The onsite bar and restaurant will have a glass of prosecco ready for you on arrival, while tea, coffee, and snacks are available all day in the Juliana Lounge.
You can enjoy reading material and comfortable seating while you indulge.
Natalie’s restaurant is the onsite restaurant, home to your complimentary breakfast and a nice menu of contemporary French cuisine.
The bar, which goes by the same name, is the spot for a drink, with incredible cocktails and a tasty bar menu with a good number of locally-sourced ingredients and a nice way with seafood (no surprise there).
Though on the rarer side for a countryside hotel, the Camden Harbor Inn also features a massage-centric spa where you can get all those driving muscles worked on before you continue up the coast.
How is the neighborhood? Anything interesting nearby?
- Location: Camden, Maine on the Midcoast, ideal base for exploring.
- Main attractions: Historic buildings, restaurants, cafés, yoga/art/jewelry studios.
- Outdoor activities: Short hike on Mt. Battie Trail for sea views.
- Nearby towns: Rockland (20 min), St. George, Port Clyde; ferries to Vinalhaven and Monhegan.
- Natural beauty: Acadia National Park, Mt. Desert Island, Deer Isle to the north.
Camden, is one of the most populated towns found along the Midcoast, an excellent choice for a base as you explore the area.
Most of the local highlights are along Main street, which is just Route 1, the road you’ll take to get anywhere else.
It’s just a short drive to many other cute towns and scenic roadways.
In Camden, you’ll find historic buildings, cute restaurants and cafés, and a nice selection of yoga, art, jewelry, you-name-it studios.
Off the main drag you’ll find a short hike up Mt. Battie Trail to catch some stunning sea views.
20 minutes away you’ll find Rockland, home to the Maine Media School of photography, the Coastal Children’s Museum, and ferries out to famed artist island Vinalhaven.
If you’d rather see famed artist island Monhegan, head a bit further souths to St. George or Port Clyde.
Acadia National Park, one of the most beautiful spots in Maine, is to the north, near the equally lovely Mt. Desert Island and Deer Isle.
And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?
Some things guests liked:
“It was perfect don’t change a thing. I cannot single out one thing but if I had to I would say the staff made the stay complete there so friendly and the food was exquisite….”
“Excellent service. Great rooms, lovely sweets bar. Camden is gorgeous and well worth a long detour….”
Some things guests didn’t like:
”Steep stairs to room, limited choices in a la carte menu if you are eating multiple nights….”
”The narrow steps throughout the facility were difficult for these old knees. they were so helpful to get suitcases up the stairs, but it was still a limiting feature to navigate….”
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