The Inn on the Harbor earns its name. The Stonington property hugs a thin strip of land between the road and the water, and its huge deck hangs over the harbor. Guestrooms and an apartment fill a handful of cheek-by-jowl downtown buildings.
The front-side streetscape only hints at its hidden treasure, but if you peer through an alley doorway, you’ll see the prize that awaits those staying here: Views over the working harbor and the islands to Isle au Haut, home to a remote section of Acadia National Park.
Pre Covid19, guests at the Inn on the Harbor would grab their continental breakfast in the lobby area, and enjoy it there, on the huge main deck, or in their rooms. This season, breakfast is being delivered to the rooms each morning. It includes a fresh baked good — one day we had mini banana breads, another fruit tarts, both delicious — along with fresh fruit and any requested beverages. The main deck is big enough to accommodate a good number of socially distanced guests.
Both harborside and streetside guestrooms, all named after windjammers, are available, and no two are alike. Harborside ones offer front-row seats on all the action in the harbor. Some rooms have private or shared decks. A few have fireplaces. All have refrigerators. Two are pet friendly (max 50 lbs, $25 fee/stay; be sure to read the policies section).
Staying at the Inn on the Harbor
I’ve stayed in this property a few times over the years, most recently in American Eagle, a two-bedroom, second-floor apartment with a private entry and deck; perfect for social distancing. I especially love how comfortable this apartment is, but I’ve also enjoyed staying in different guestrooms; it’s a really nice property that’s neither fussy nor frilly. (See video below).
American Eagle’s spacious living area offers an L-shaped couch positioned to take advantage of the views. A woodstove promised coziness on cooler nights. It was warm and mostly foggy and drizzly when we were there, so no need for a fire nor really for the provided binoculars. In other years, I’ve watched windjammers sail into the harbor under full sail.
The well equipped kitchen is open to the living area. We enjoyed a dinner of halibut sourced from Coldwater Seafood, a great market on the edge of town that also sells meat, poultry, cheeses, and other deliciousness.
One bedroom has a queen bed, the other two twins; both have windows on the street side and share the full bathroom. Beds were very comfortable with nice linens. The only thing we thought odd was the artwork, which seemed out of place for a seaside inn in Maine.
Location, location
The Inn on the Harbor’s downtown location makes it easy to wander along the waterfront, browse the shops and galleries, and check out the restaurants. It’s a 10-minute walk to the Isle au Haut passenger ferry, which accesses a remote section of Acadia National Park that’s laced with hiking trails.
But one doesn’t need to go to the island to hike; Island Heritage Trust manages numerous preserves in Deer Isle with trails. Some offer water access for launching kayaks. And of course, there’s Nervous Nellie’s, an open-air theme park of the imagination.
Although we moseyed around and visited other attractions on Deer Isle, we pretty much hung out in the apartment. The fog and drizzle meant that the sea kayaks we’d brought with us never made it off the car top.
Then, just as we were preparing to leave, the sun cracked through the clouds. We’d already checked out, so we spent some time just enjoying the common deck before the clouds won and the sun disappeared again.
A tour of the American Eagle apartment at the Inn on the Harbor in Stonington, Deer Isle, Maine.
