When it comes to location, few Maine hotels can rival that of the Black Point Inn. Built in 1878 at the tip of Scarborough’s Prouts Neck, the shingle-style inn tops a rise between Ferry Beach and Scarborough a.k.a. Jordan’s) Beach. Coastal views extend south to Old Orchard, north toward Casco Bay, and out to open ocean. Just a short walk or pedal away is the carefully restored Winslow Homer Studio (now owned by the Portland Museum of Art), where the artist painted many of his masterpieces. Tucked in between is a woodland sanctuary laced with trails and boardwalks.
A little history
I have history with the Black Point Inn, so please indulge me in a bit of reminiscing. My best job ever was here one summer during my college years. I was hired as a dining room waitress, but the hotel needed someone to serve drinks. I was of age, so I was given the job.
Now this was when the BPI was a classic, old-style summer resort owned by the Dugas family. Most of the staff worked in Florida during the winter, and Maine in the summer, and every job had its social place. As a cocktail waitress, I was considered upper staff. That meant I didn’t stay in the dorm, but had a private room in the same building as the executive and sous chefs; it also meant that I didn’t eat in the zoo mess, but in the side hall dining room, served by a waitress and dining off the guest menu with only the lobster and steak crossed out.
Wait, it gets better.
The genteel clientele comprised the newly wed and the nearly dead. Of the latter, many came for the summer, sitting in the exact same chair at the exact same table, ordering the exact same drink every day (Mrs. Robinson, small window table facing water, Crown Royal on the rocks).
I served drinks around the ocean-side pool at lunch, in the lounge in the afternoon, and in the formal dining room (jackets for men) during dinner service. That left plenty of time to hit the beach during the day, and at night—remember newly wed/nearly dead—the lounge usually closed by 10 or so, leaving plenty of time to catch last call in Portland.
In the years since, the resort has had its ups and downs. The ocean-view pool where lunch was served is now a private home (a newer, geothermically heated outdoor pool is behind the inn); the dorm and staff cottages are gone; conference space added and taken down; the public space on the first floor reworked. Now, under management of the Migis Hotel Group, the Black Point Inn is again flourishing as a classic summer hotel with luxurious touches, but without stuffiness.
At 140 years old, this gal is lookin’ good.
Arrival at the Black Point Inn
The first thing I spied upon approaching the inn was an inviting line of white, Adirondack-style chairs on lawn, positioned just so to take in the sunset views over Ferry Beach. On a clear day, you can even see Mount Washington’s distant outline as the backdrop.
Also positioned to take in those views are an ultra-spacious sun porch with inviting wicker furniture and games tables; an open porch with dining tables and more wicker lounging chairs; an indoor dining area and lounge; and the inn’s living room, with seating areas grouped around a grand piano and a fireplace. One signature of the Migis Group (owner of Migis Lodge on Sebago Lake) is that there’s always a wood-burning fire blazing, no matter what the temperature.
I arrived in time for afternoon refreshments, so I helped myself to a cup of Harney tea (big points in my book; hard to beat Harney for bagged tea) and a couple of cookies, while my bag was delivered to my room. I could have asked for someone to take me in the original, historical operator-required elevator, but I opted for the stairs.
Upon check-in I was told there was a wine-tasting starting that afternoon (other days offer beer tastings and live jazz), and I wasn’t about to miss that. I found a rep from Devenish Wines pouring various whites and reds on the porch. Complimentary cheese and crackers were also provided. I settled into a wicker rocker with a glass of Sancerre and a small plate of nibbles, and gazed out at the easy-on-the-eyes views.
Room with a view
I loved my spacious third-floor room with views northward along the coast. It had a nice sitting area, and a newly redone bathroom with dual sinks and large tiled shower. The rooms have air-conditioning, but I opted to open windows and let the sea breezes do the work instead.
Guests are provided with complimentary Wifi, bottles of Poland Spring Water, and nice bathrobes. The latter are handy when heading to the pool. A hefty book listed about everything you could consider, from activities and experiences to optional services, such as laundry.
I peeked into a few other guestrooms. Some are ideal for families, others for gal-pal trips, connecting rooms are an option. None of the 25 rooms or suites is alike. A few have private decks or big bay windows. I think most have water views.
The Black Point Inn is also a Maine certified-green Environmental Leader. Among its green initiatives: refillable shampoo and conditioner dispensers, water-conserving faucets and showerheads, composting kitchen food waste, geothermic heating and cooling system, and culinary partnership with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to support responsible harvesting of Gulf of Maine seafood.
Dining in or out
A friend met me for dinner. We had reservations for The Point, the inn’s more formal, white-tablecloth dining room, but it was such a perfect evening, we switched to The Chart Room, so we could dine at an outside table. My oven-roasted cod (with Laughing Bird shrimp, fregula sarda, and lemon-butter sauce) was moist and flavorful—and I’m fussy about fish; my friend’s lobster roll had her smiling. For dessert, we split a confit lemon honey tart. Neither of us planned to eat ore than a bite or two, but it disappeared and we each wished we’d ordered our own.
After dinner, I climbed the steep, narrow, winding stairs to the inn’s Widow’s Walk, accessed from the third floor, to catch sunset’s lingering smokey light.
The next morning, hearty Maine gal that I am, I enjoyed my traditional eggs benie breakfast outside as well.
Note: The restaurant is open to the public, and early and late in the season, the inn often runs two-for-one specials with coupons in the local papers.
Beaches, Winslow Homer, & the Cliff Walk
The Black Point Inn’s location is primo. For starters, there are the two beaches: quiet Ferry Beach, with usually gentle surf, and Scarborough Beach, with crashing waves.
Now add the Cliff Walk, a rugged, 150+-year-old coastal ramble that soars over cliffs and drops to rocky beaches, and passes the Winslow Homer Studio. Anyone familiar with the artist’s works likely will recognize scenes along the Cliff Walk from his paintings. For art lovers, the inn’s Winslow Homer Studio Tour package is a must.
For easier walking, opt instead for the woodland bird sanctuary, a gift to the people of Prouts Neck from Charles Savage Homer, Winslow’s brother. I loved moseying here. You might find a map at a trail head. In any case, look for the Homer memorial.
Amenities and perks
If I’d wanted, I could have borrowed one of the inn’s beach bikes for an easy pedal; a real plus for cyclists—the neck’s 25 mph speed limit is strictly enforced. Also available to guests are paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes—nice for exploring from Ferry Beach in to the Scarborough Marsh tidal estuary.
Other perks include access to the private Prouts Neck Beach Club and, for a fee, to a private ocean-side golf course and 14 private clay tennis courts.
Truth is, while there’s much to explore in the area, you could easily enjoy a classic late 19th-century-style vacation spending your days in the pool, on the beaches, hiking, paddling, or exploring a woodland, claiming the same table every evening, and never leaving Prouts Neck.
