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Lindenwood Inn
Clark Point Road, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679
800-307-5335
Lindenwood Inn Home Page
August 2008
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Welcome to
www.weloveourlife.com. This is our page dedicated to our experiences while staying at
the Lindenwood Inn in Southwest Harbor, Maine.
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Accommodations
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We stayed in the Penthouse Suite on the 3rd (top) floor. The room
had dormer windows and sloping ceilings so it’s not a good room for
you if you are tall. Keith is just under 6 feet, but he managed to
bonk his head pretty badly the first night. We joked that they
should provide guests in this room with bike helmets for protection.
The room was painted a sort of chartreuse (vibrant light green) color,
with a non-working fireplace in a brick color. There were a couple
skylights with blinds.
On one end was an iron queen-size bed with side tables attached to
it that would fan out – we think it was custom made for the room.
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On the opposite end of the room are two sitting chairs, a small TV,
and a small refrigerator. There is a window-unit air conditioner
(which we did not have to use) as well as a ceiling fan (which we
did use). There was a full bath with shower/tub combination.
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The
highlight of the room is a door that leads out to a rooftop deck.
There was a gazebo on the deck over bamboo table and chairs. There
was also a lounge chair and a two-person hot tub.
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There were some
nice views of the harbor from the deck. Unfortunately the weather
didn’t cooperate, so we could only spend limited time on the deck
(it was chilly and rainy). We did our best to use the hot tub.
There were plenty of towels and two robes were provided.
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We liked the fact that the décor of the room (and of the inn in
general) was not fussy Victorian, but rather soothing colors and
interesting artwork.
Inn Amenities
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This inn boasts a nice outdoor area with small inground pool and
hot tub. There is a rock background next to the hot tub and the
interior of the pool and spa was different – almost an air-brushed
soothing deep blue. Again, the weather was not good while we were
there (rain, wind, chilly) so we didn’t get to use these amenities.
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There is a public restroom located just inside near this area
and plenty of towels are available. Trust us, if the weather had
been good, we would have been out there! It looked so inviting.
The inn had an ample porch where guests could hang out – but again,
the weather while we visited pretty much eliminated that. There are
two gas fireplaces downstairs which were lit at night while we were
there – in August! (That tells you how chilly and damp it was.)
They play an eclectic mix of CDs on the main floor. There is also
a guest computer with Internet access available, which is great to
look up restaurant menus.
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Inn Food
This is a B&B and served breakfast from 8-9 while we visited. We
found most guests showed up bright and early for breakfast. There
was a self-serve element in the bar area where guests could help
themselves to coffee, tea, juice, fruit, and bread (which was
generally some type of muffin). Then guests sat at a table and
were served the entrée. One morning we had pancakes, another
morning was waffles, and one was a single side of an English muffin
topped with some dry scrambled eggs and shredded cheese that did not
melt. Each of the entrees had what appeared to be a fatty and
undercooked slice of bacon, which we pushed away (we noted other
guests doing the same).
In all honesty, we were a little
disappointed with the breakfasts. We had just come from the Log
Cabin Inn several hours south on Bailey Island in Maine, and their
breakfasts were superior.
If you plan to hike in Acadia National Park and are staying at this
inn, you may want to bring along something additional to fortify you
for your physical activity.
Inn Bar/Lounge
The inn does have an honor bar. There is pretty much anything
you could want. It seemed there was usually an icy pitcher full of
mojito makings – all you had to do was add rum. There were fresh
limes for margaritas. There was a good selection of beer and wine
(and soft drinks) in the refrigerator, as well as spirits. A good
selection of glassware hung over the bar. This was definitely a nice
amenity for guests.
Inn People/Service
The innkeeper Fred was not present when we checked in, but he
left a note for us with instructions as well as the key. We did
meet him later and he is a very nice, talkative guy (from Sydney,
Australia). He and his partner (who owns the inn) have been in the
area a long time and can provide plenty of tips. He is pretty much
what you think of when you think of an innkeeper. Amazingly, he knew
most of the guests – many are repeat visitors. Additionally, it
seems a lot of the guests at this inn plan long stays – there were
people there during our visit who were there 5-8 nights. They must
enjoy it if they keep returning.
Area/Attractions
Southwest Harbor is on the quiet side of Mount Desert Island,
which is also home to the more touristy town of Bar Harbor. One of
the main reasons people visit this island is to go to
Acadia National Park.
Much of the island is a part of this beautiful park. There are
plenty of hiking trails. Had the weather been nicer, we would have
done some hiking, but it was too wet and rainy so we confined most
of our sight-seeing to the car (yes, we’re sure we missed some great
things, but when there is so much fog it is difficult to see 10 yards
in front of you, that definitely puts a damper on things). We do
feel we managed to cover a good portion of the island.
There are also a number of bus and boat tours you can take in the
area – again, the weather prevented us from doing that.
Dining
Sips - Clark Point Road, Southwest Harbor, ME 207-244-4550
Sips is a delightful bistro that derives its name from its extensive
wine list and the fact that you can get a 2-ounce taste, a 5-ounce
glass, or a full bottle of wine, as well as a flight of different
wines. They had a very interesting menu. Keith had an apple walnut
salad that was almost an entrée in itself. For dinner he had a
chicken brioche, which he said was wonderful.
Lori went with a special, which was lobster ravioli. The ravioli
was cheese with the lobster on top. We had a delightful bottle of
sauvignon blanc. This place is busy (and rightfully so), so go early
and/or make a reservation.
Parkside Restaurant - 185 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 207-288-3700
Parkside Web Page
We drove into Bar Harbor for lunch after climbing Cadillac Mountain
in Acadia National Park (OK, we were in a car). We lucked out and
found a good parking spot on the street. This place looked like it
would do the trick. There is a massive covered porch in front of
the restaurant with trellises and plants and lots of tables. There
is indoor dining as well – this restaurant appeared to be huge. The
hostess took us up to the second floor and explained there was a
covered outdoor area that overlooked the park in the center of
town. Indeed it did and we had a nice view. There is a wide variety
on the menu and we expect nearly anyone could find something they
would like. Our server was excellent and very friendly and kept our
iced tea topped off. Keith went for the French Dip and Lori had a
simple cheeseburger. We’re sure it would have been a great choice for
dinner as well but we were staying on the other side of the island.
We would describe the menu choices as mostly traditional with some
that were a bit more interesting.
Bella Mare - 48 Shore Road, Southwest Harbor, ME 207-244-9144
Bella Mare is on the other side of the harbor – a quick 5-minute
drive from where we were staying. They are located across the road
from the marina and there is a view of the harbor through their large
windows. There are tables outside for dining (but you guessed it –
the weather precluded outdoor dining). The people at this place were
super friendly – our server had a huge smile on her face the entire
time we were there (we heard other guests at our inn mention the same
thing and relate to the innkeeper that they had a wonderful
experience). We had made an early reservation (this place fills up
as well). We had a bottle of Kris pinot grigio. Keith had the side
of sausage as his appetizer and Lori had the la caprese salad (fresh
mozzarella, tomatoes, and vinaigrette with fresh basil, which of
course she shared with Keith). Keith had the Penne Bolognese for
his entrée, which he said was excellent and spicy. Lori just had
to get the lobster sambuca – a combination of two of her favorite
things. The sauce was incredible – it had a sweet taste to it yet
was peppery. Lori ate more of the pasta than she usually does just
to get at that sauce! We would recommend this place. We noted that
they also had selections for children.
Gilley’s Head of the Harbor Restaurant - Southwest Harbor, ME 207-244-5222
As its name implies, this place sits high up at literally the head
of the harbor in downtown Southwest Harbor, Maine. It is a simple
seafood place lined in wood with plenty of windows overlooking the
harbor. We had lunch here. Lori had yet another lobster roll and
Keith had a cheese burger. Both were accompanied with wonderful
home-made potato chips. Since it was our last full day in Maine,
Keith had a local microbrew and Lori had a glass of wine.
XYZ Restaurant - Seawall Road, Southwest Harbor, ME 207-244-5221
Lori found a brief review of this restaurant in an issue of
Downeast Magazine
and thought it sounded like something we would enjoy, so we used our
GPS to find the place and made a reservation. They serve authentic
Mexican food (from the interior region). This is not the sort of
place to get a huge burrito smothered in cheese. Guests drive up a
secluded gravel road to the restaurant, which resembles a sort of
small ranch with a front porch. Tables with colorful coverings are
scattered throughout the rustic dining room, and there is a bar as
well. The margaritas are very good (and we are purists). The owner
of the restaurant warmly greets guests and seats them, and circulates
throughout the restaurant. They use fresh-squeezed lime juice, not
sour mix, and good anejo tequila. Along with our drinks arrived
some fresh bread with a combination of olive oil and fresh lime
(which tastes better than it sounds and was a great idea). Keith
had the all-beef chili as an appetizer. This was not ground beef,
but rather shredded beef and was extremely spicy (the way he likes
it). Lori had the queso fundido – freshly shredded cheese with spicy
chorizo sausage. We were each given two containers of freshly made
tortillas that tasted wonderful – and were replenished without our
having to ask. Keith chose an interesting-sounding chicken dish –
it was a version of chicken mole (with chocolate sauce) but instead
of chocolate they
used peanuts. It was incredible tasting and he raved about it and
ate every bit of it. Lori had a combination – some shrimp done in a
light Mexican sauce accompanied by chiles rellenos (baked, with an
incredible mix of cheese within combined with corn kernels). You
can tell that everything is made on the premises – the overwhelming
sensation is that it is incredibly fresh.
This is a very worthwhile restaurant, especially if you appreciate
true caliente cuisine. This is a small restaurant (only 50 seats)
and reservations are a must. There were NO empty seats while we
were there, and it’s no surprise. People take their time and enjoy
their meals.
Additionally, here is a
link to a wonderful review
of this restaurant.
Nightlife
There was a bar downtown called the Lazy Moose. We went there
after dinner at Sips. Drinks were generous and the owner and
bartender were extremely friendly. There is a pool table and we
played for awhile. They do serve food as well. There was a sign
up indicating they have entertainment and karaoke on select nights.
Weather
OK, you can’t really go by our experience. We were on Mount Desert
Island during the first week of August – when supposedly the weather
is at its best. It seemed to be on its worst behavior while we were
there – rainy, gray, and chilly. In fact, the last day we were there,
the sky opened up in the afternoon. Poor Lori was in the beginning
stages of a cold and after riding the local ferry all she wanted to
do was warm up in our rooftop hot tub. Finally she gave in, put on
a hat, and kept her wine covered so it wouldn’t get diluted by the
swiftly falling rain. Seriously, in the summer the temperatures are
in the 70s by day and can get down into the 50s at night. Be
prepared for changing weather – shorts, pants, jacket, etc.
Tips and Suggestions
Again, GPS was a huge help to us on the island. If you go, try to
make sure you do a tour on water as well as on land. And enjoy the
lobster! Southwest Harbor is quiet and is dominated by fine dining
and B&Bs. We prefer that. For those with children who want more
tourist activities, Bar Harbor is probably a better choice. We did
visit Bar Harbor and found it to be busier than what we were looking
for.
Here are some links that may be helpful in learning more about this area:
Maine Vacations Network
Mount Desert Island
Acadia National Park
Acadia Magic
Acadia Chamber
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