Karen G.
Yelp
***This Review gets 2 Stars, only because the view outside on our balcony was stunning, otherwise it would've been a 1 Star review (because 0 isn't an option).
We booked a "1 King Premium Oceanfront View" room two months before our trip to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Based on the photo from their website, we were expecting a room with a large picture window, as well as a French door, to see the gorgeous Oceanview. Upon arrival, we were given keys to a room in the Stone House, which unbeknownst to us did not include an elevator. It was up a set of stairs, above a Dining area which looked like a Wedding Reception area with round tables.
We walked into a dark room, with the only "light" coming from the edges of two Roman Blind shades that were closed and covering two small windows on each side of the French Doors. No other windows. And why weren't the shades open to display the STUNNING view, you ask? Well, we asked the same question. We found out why, when we tried to open the two Roman Blinds. One didn't even HAVE STRINGS to open it, and the other side had BROKEN STRINGS that they had tied up so they wouldn't drag on the floor!!! Really?
So we called down to the front desk to explain the situation and ask for another room, where we could actually SEE the Oceanfront View that we paid over $500/nt to see (this was the Advanced Booking rate, otherwise it would've been $730/nt!). The young lady said they didn't have another Oceanfront Room available, and said that nobody had ever complained of NOT SEEING THE VIEW before us. You're kidding, right? THIS is your Customer Service? Nobody that has stayed in that room could possibly miss the fact that the blinds didn't work. She offered a smaller room, without a view, to which we declined. I asked for a discount on the room rate, seeing as it WASN'T an Oceanfront view, to which she said she could give us a free breakfast. I told her we weren't staying there for their breakfast and didn't want free food, only the view that we purchased. Instead she sent Maintenance up to our room to see "if" there was an issue. Chris, the Maintenence employee, was very kind and brought a Clamp to hold one of the Roman Blinds up...no kidding! He then came back with a second Clamp for the other side. Lucky for us, my husband is tall and could reach way up to take them down each night, so that the other three Oceanfront room occupants couldn't look into our room--oh yeah, because the balcony was one long balcony that you sat out on right beside your neighbors. No privacy whatsoever. We felt like we were intruding on the couple sitting out there already, so waited until they went inside before we went outside. (That was on us and our comfort level, but just FYI to future visitors.)
Other things about the room to note, it almost felt like they hadn't finished the room remodel and quickly started booking it, as the threshold between the room flooring and the stone flooring in the bathroom wasn't there, and there were picture hooks on the wall above the bed that didn't hold anything.
For a "resort" one expects a few minor details, to which there were none. No extra towels, blankets, or bath robes (we stayed at other hotels that were 1/2 what we paid for at the Holiday Inn Resort Bar Harbor that included 2 robes with the rooms). There was one Club Chair in the room to sit on, but only one, so who wants to sit on the edge of the bed? No one, that's who. We met the couple next door to us in the Bar Lounge and found out they had a small Cafe table with two chairs in their room, which we were missing, but pictured on their website for this room category. Gosh, I would've taken the hard chair as a second seat.
And then to complete this "relaxing resort" feeling, we were awakened at 6:30am each morning to the sound of kitchen staff and people talking/laughing loudly downstairs in the (wedding) dining area. Guess they had a Breakfast Event scheduled each morning...sure would've been nice to actually SLEEP IN on our vacation.
Do I recommend staying here? Absolutely NOT! The Customer Service was a joke, you'll be risking actually getting an Oceanview that you can see, and honestly, it didn't feel resort-like at all. There are so many other places to choose in Bar Harbor, that you'll receive better care from. Give them your money, NOT THIS "RESORT"!