With its sweeping lawn set with colorful Adirondack chairs and views of the distant Harbor, the Harbour Cottage Inn in Southwest Harbor is a delightful respite on the other side of Mount Desert Island from Bar Harbor. This is the “quiet” side of the Island and it is charming and relaxing. The cozy public rooms provide a wonderful welcome with a feel as if you are visiting the summer home of a friend. With hardwood floors, plump couches and chairs, bookcases and a warming fireplace, I could easily imagine curling up here with a book.
THE ROOMS
There are 10 rooms and one cottage, most with views of the Harbor. All have private baths, plush robes, high speed Internet access and some feature a whirlpool bath or a steam/sauna shower. Rooms are tastefully decorated in soft shades and the beds are covered in summer quilts. Our room had a gentle cross breeze and a great bed, and we enjoyed one of the best night’s sleep of our trip. The sheets and towels smelled as if they were dried outside on a clothesline and the shower was wonderful.
THE RESTAURANT:
Breakfast is served in a cheerful dining room with a sunny blue and yellow theme and out on the beautiful porch. Rich custom-blended Maine roasted coffee, a selection of organic teas, fresh fruit and a variety of home-baked muffins make a great start and are followed by a delicious hot entrée that may be Maine blueberry pancakes or omelets with fresh basil and Vermont cheddar…..delicious.
For dinner we enjoyed a delicious meal at Fiddler’s Green. Get there early to sample one of their unique martinis. We had a Maine Blueberry Martini and a Raspberry Lemon Martini that were wonderful.
Terrific small plate appetizer menu, we enjoyed grilled spicy lamb sausage w/ peppers, onions, scalloped potato, asiago cheese with spicy mustard on a fresh baked torpedo roll and baby back ribs, smoked with mesquite & hickory and served with orange-chipotle barbeque sauce.
Entrees were Maine lobster strozzapretti, with fire roasted tomato, fresh basil, caramelized shallots, roasted pecans and a vino verde cream sauce and a wonderful 8oz. rib-eye with caramelized onions, fries and a broiled tomato. Simple, but very well done.
Pretty good wine list with lots of “by the gl;ass” choices and reasonably priced bottles. Good cross section of regions. Our Luigi Bosca,’06 Malbec, Reserva, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina at $28 was a steal.
THE RATES:
Most rooms are in the $145-$197 range with suites a little higher. Quite a bargain!
WHAT OTHERS SAY:
“Nestled in a picturesque harbor town on Maine’s popular Mt. Desert Island, the Harbor Cottage Inn offers a perfect New England getaway.” Few tourists discover the pleasures to be found in other parts of this popular Maine destination. Dubbed “the quiet side,” the western portion of Mt. Desert Island is home to quaint harbor towns, each of which provide a postcard-perfect picture of a quintessential Maine coastal village.
“From the delicious, home-cooked breakfast, welcoming ambiance and amazing hospitality of the Harbour Cottage Inn, to the stunning beauty and natural majesty of Mt. Desert Island, a visit to Southwest Harbor will never disappoint.”
“The inn is casually elegant and inviting.” Indeed it is — with pleasing color combinations and tasteful accessories found in each and every room.”
“When guests enter the reception area of the Harbour Cottage Inn, they feel that they are being welcomed into a private, yet exceptionally decorated, living room.” COUNTRY ACCENTS Spring 2008