Going to Bar Harbor? Think Southwest!
Written: Jun 01 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Price, cleanliness, comfort, location
Cons: slanted bathroom floor, no heater in tub/shower room
The Bottom Line: I look forward to visiting Harbor View Motel & Cottages again.
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| cmaw63's Full Review: Harbor View Motel & Cottages, ME |
When planning my visit to Bar Harbor, Maine, I knew I wanted to stay where I would have an ocean view. I checked so many hotels, motels and cottage rentals I lost count. What I could afford didn't have a view. What had a view was outside of my trip budget. That is until I finally found Harbor View Motel & Cottages.
Harbor View Motel & Cottages is located in Southwest Harbor, minutes from Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor and all that Mount Desert Island has to offer. I found that Lynn, the manager, was easy to work with and able to cope with my date changes and many questions. Pulling up to the motel to register, it was exactly as I pictured an oceanfront place should be. Weathered by the wind and salt water it looked beaten, but sturdy. The three story main hotel was flanked by single level units. All have a balcony or deck to relax on. Three cottages sit back and to the side of the motel. Three sit to the side, in a row, leading to the water. One more rests next to the motel. Although the cottages are usually rented on a weekly basis, since I would be visiting in the off season she let me choose one for my 3 night stay. I picked cottage 19 for $98 a night.
Cottage 19 is the closest to the water in the pack that sits off to the side of the motel. The view is partially obscured by trees and brush, which at first bothered me. But, my mother and I ended up enjoying the many birds that called that area home. The woman that lives in the house next door has several bird feeders in her yard. While more trees kept our cottage private from the home we got to watch colorful finches, cardinals and other birds we couldn't identify from the half wrap around deck attached to our cottage. We fed chunks of bread to a mother duck and her 13 babies as they waddled up to the deck.
While the "ocean view" was more of a mud flat view, when the tide came in the water was only several feet from our cottage. Other cottages had a better view of the small bay, but we had the birds.
Entering the cottage we were pleasantly surprised. The door opened to a large dining room/living room area. A table and four chairs, large microwave stand, microwave and toaster were in the dining room. The living area had a love seat, two easy chairs, coffee table, lamps and a small television with cable. The furniture was dated, but everything was spotlessly clean. A large picture window looked out towards the bay and trees.
The next area was the kitchen. Everything we could have wanted was available. From the refrigerator, stove and double sink to silverware, pots & pans and dish soap it was a fully stocked kitchen, only missing food.
A bedroom on each side of the kitchen meant mom and I would have our own sleeping areas. Mom chose the room with two twin beds, I took the double bed room. The bed linens were clean and the blankets warm. Neither of us had any complaints about the comfort of our beds. Each room had a closet, dresser and nightstand. I found an extra blanket in my closet, mom found a fan.
The bathroom was actually two small rooms. In one there was a sink, toilet and dresser. Several towels and washcloths hung above the dresser. Unlike hotel towels these were something you might find in your home. All were standard size, but different colors and soft. The water heater sits tucked in to one corner. I will note that the floor slants in this part of the bathroom. It wasn't a problem, just surprising. The other room had the bathtub/shower combo. The shower had decent pressure and enough hot water that mother and I could take back to back showers without running out.
Unfortunately it was very cold when we visited Maine. We were able to keep the cottage warm thanks to the base board heaters in each room. Every one of them had their own thermostat. I kept my room much cooler than mom did hers. The bathroom was, by mutual consent, kept warmer than the rest of the rooms. The one place that didn't have a heater was the tub/shower room. We were able to overcome the cold in there by turning up the kitchen heater and leaving the door open. It was still cool when I got out of the shower, but tolerable.
Overall I was very happy with my stay at Harbor View Motel & Cottages. If I felt the need for a full view of the bay I sat at one of the picnic tables set on the grounds of the motel. And, I don't believe cottage 19 could have been any cleaner than it was. The minor problems were far outweighed by price, location and comfort. When we visit Mount Desert Island again, and we will, I look forward to staying at Harbor View Motel & Cottages a second time.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
cmaw63
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 in Pets, Home and Garden, Books |
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Member: Julie
Location: Illinois, USA
Reviews written: 307
Trusted by: 73 members
About Me:
I'm a grandma! Hayden Elizabeth was born Nov. 15, 2009.
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