| Monday April 20, 2009
10:50 AM
Where to Stay? Best location in Bar Harbor / Acadia
Mount Desert Island is a magical place -- the only place on the US Eastern seaboard where you have mountains, forests and the ocean all cheek by jowl in the same place. But there are lots of accommodation options if you are planning your trip to visit us. What's the best place to pick? Like lots of things in life - LOCATION IS EVERYTHING.
Bar Harbor is the center of activity on the island. It's important to be close to things you want to do. That way you'll avoid unnecessary car trips.
Bar Harbor itself has literally dozens of lodging options to choose from. There are 'big box' motels that are at or along the shore. They are lots of things, but 'quaint' ain't one of them.
We believe the best location blends proximity to the things you want to do with the peace and quiet you deserve. That way you can avoid unnecessary car trips when you sample Bar Harbor's fine dining, shopping, ocean excursions or visits to Acadia.
There are 2 inns in "The Field" that meet these criteria. The Field is a quiet enclave nestled between Bar Harbor's Main St. and the scenic oceanfront Shore Path. The Bass Cottage Inn and the other lovely inn are located on a quiet private road, but you're close to everything Bar Harbor has to offer.
So, when choosing a place for your romantic getaway to Downeast Maine, LOCATION IS EVERYTHING.
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Tuesday April 14, 2009
5:22 PM
Snow and Ice Are Gone!
I am getting a chance to enjoy Mt. Desert Island before innkeeping season begins. Here is a photo of Little Long Pond near Seal Harbor on Easter Sunday. A beautiful and sunny - albeit chilly - day. The ice is gone from all of the islands ponds and lakes . Crocuses and even tulips are poking up at The Bass Cottage Inn. Jeff has been lining up a new garden care-taker since Colleen, who has taken care of our flower beds since 2004 has moved over to Blue Hill and we hear is engaged. We thank her for her green thumb over the first 5 seasons and wish her all the best.
Every year at this time Chris and Jeff get reacquainted with painting, etc. in a cold inn. There won't be heat in the Inn until early May and one just gets tired quickly working in the cold. Still, this is a seasonal rite of passage so that the Inn will look shiny and new when we open for the season on May 15. Teri picked out some new bed linens and paint colors last fall which I'm sure will please visitors.
With Easter and Passover behind us it seems that folks are remembering that they should plan a holiday trip to Bar Harbor. The pace of online reservations and calls into our reservation office has definitely picked up. Perhaps this corresponds to the improving weather across the country....or maybe a glimmer of hope for the economy.
Don't wait too long if you wish to visit Bar Harbor and The Bass Cottage Inn! warmer weather and happy times are ahead.
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Friday April 3, 2009
3:27 PM
Where's the Inn Dog?
Many of you know that we have a lovely and lively Airedale Terrier named Riley (see left). We also get asked "Where is Riley?". The short answer is that he's the Inn Dog in Absentia. He's at our home on the island keeping the home fires burning.
The long answer is that we'd love to have him in residence at the inn, however, it would be problematic. First, as a young Airedale he would get into lots of things he shouldn't bother with. Riley is an imp that loves all people and all dogs. Not squirrels, however. Second, and most important, we've learned that some guests are quite allergic to pets which is one reason we offer a pet-free environment. Naturally, guest comfort comes first.
In our early days at The Bass Cottage Inn we had our first Airedales, Dooney and Archie. In fact, you can see photos of them in our Guest Pantry. Dooney was our first...he helped oversee some of renovation before succumbing to cancer. Archie saw us through our first few years and did spend some afternoons snoozing on the couch (before we learned about guest allergies).
Archie was a gentle little goof-ball. One day when I was giving some guests a tour of our common rooms, they spotted him immobile and in a deep sleep on the couch. "Is that real?" the woman asked. He was so quiet the guests thought he was a stuffed animal.
One day some guests left the front door open while they unloaded their bags. After a fashion, I figured out that Archie had vanished -- Archie had gone 'on tour'. In a panic, I sent out to find him, following our standard route along Bar Harbor's scenic shore path. "Have you seen a black and tan dog?" I asked each visitor along the path. Yup....everyone had seen him. When I reached Albert Meadows, a nearby side street, I saw Archie walking out of one of the antique shops!! Good thing he didn't have a credit card.
So, Riley is our Inn Dog now but he is content to keep Innkeeper Jeff company at home during the season in between romps around Little Long Pond. And, he keeps an eye out for squirrels.
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Monday March 30, 2009
2:29 PM
Bar Harbor slowly springs back to life
Many of you have only been to Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island during the warmer months. So, you remember the cheerful hustle and bustle of a seaside resort. But, Bar Harbor enters hibernation after the end of the Bass Cottage Inn season. By New Year's Day, the town and the island enters the sleepy off season. At the outset, it's great. Time to rest up, recharge the batteries, reconnect with friends and, perhaps, escape for a warm weather vacation.
Then it's late March or early April and we start getting restless and we begin to look forward to the season ahead.
Bar Harbor in May is like a desert after a rain storm. Life starts blooming again and there's a sense of excitement and expectation in the air. Thankfully, the snow has receded (although you'll still see it deep in the woods). You'll see shopkeepers in their still-shuttered shops stocking the shelves. Innkeepers, like us, will be patching and painting for the season ahead. All throughout Bar Harbor the town springs back to life as the days getter sunnier, longer and -- just perceptibly -- warmer.
Each year it's the same and each year we look forward to it at The Bass Cottage Inn. Gotta go paint. See you in May.
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Tuesday March 24, 2009
11:38 AM
Time for a real holiday
In these interesting times we are prone to focus on the negatives in life, forgetting what makes us happy. While the unemployment rate is up, the fact is most of us are still working hard - in fact, harder than ever. So, remember that a healthy lifestyle requires that you take the time to plan some active downtime.
What better place to pick than The Bass Cottage Inn in Bar Harbor, Maine near beautiful Acadia National Park. Rather than expensive fly-away vacations to exotic (and sometimes unwelcoming destinations), pick an exquisite, romantic seaside inn located in an historic village in Downeast Maine. Enjoy inexpensive, healthy activities like hiking, kayaking or whale watching. Savor a dinner out with fresh, local, non-trendy ingredients. Finally, nestle into your comfortable room at The Bass Cottage Inn.
Don't wait to the last minute to pick your dates and accommodations. Call us at 866-782-9224 or visit www.basscottage.com
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