… and where to find them on Mount Desert Island

When someone mentions amenities, we usually think of coffee machines, shampoo, refrigerators and microwaves. These things are wonderful, and necessary. However, there are amenities that come with a particular room or a specific hotel. They will add quality to your stay on Mount Desert Island, far more than any kitchen appliance can bring.

I list five most priceless hotel amenities below, in order of importance. Before you choose a hotel to stay on Mount Desert Island, decide which of these are most important. Then do the math, and figure out whether the difference in price is worth it.

#1: Special Consideration for those traveling with you

Before anything else, choose amenities which will help meet your special needs, and the needs of your traveling companions.

Amenities if someone traveling with you needs a wheelchair

The Bar Harbor Inn, the Harborside Hotel and the Bluenose Hotel all have excellent wheelchair accessible rooms. Many of these include walk-in showers. Wheelchairs can be rented via Coastal MedTech or Blackbear Medical.

Amenities if you are traveling with children

If traveling with children, your best option is to stay at one of the 19 Best Kid-Friendly Bar Harbor Hotels or Cabins. You’ll find them listed at Family Vacation Critic.com. Some of them have playgrounds and pools, others have kitchens, s’mores and room tents for the kids to sleep in! Others provide bedtime story books and stuffed animals for the kids to remember their stay.

If you were planning on renting a room for the kids and one for you, save the extra hassle. Reserve a suite at one of the Witham or Walsh properties.

Amenities if you are traveling with your dog

If you bring your dog with you, be sure to choose a pet-friendly place to stay. Bark Harbor, a store for pets in downtown Bar Harbor, has an up-to-date list of places to stay with dogs on Mount Desert Island. You can find it on their website, or pick up a guide in their store on 150 Main Street in Bar Harbor. Your can also call them year-round at (207) 288-0404 during their business hours. They can answer any question at all about bringing your furry friend with you to the Island on your vacation. They are the experts on this subject!

#2: Whenever possible, stay in a hotel on the Island

During peak season, try to stay in a hotel, cabin or campsite on the Island. After taking care of your family or fellow travelers, this is the most important of the “amenities” you could choose to improve your Maine vacation.

Yes, if you stay in Ellsworth, you would definitely save money on your hotel room. However, the stop and go traffic across the Trenton Bridge in the summer is absolutely crazy.

And what if there is an accident on or near the Trenton bridge? When this happens, we all wait for the Fire Departments, Police and Tow Trucks to clear the scene of the accident… sometimes for several hours! This seems to happen several times each summer, and is no fun!

Peak Trenton Bridge traffic runs from 8:45 AM to 6:45 PM. If you travel during this time, you could waste as much as an hour trying to get across.

I’ve seen it time and again: you will get extra rest in the morning by staying on the Island. And you’ll enjoy more down time after sunset. This will definitely be worth the extra $20-50 you might spend to stay on the Island instead of off it!

#3: Stay right next to what you want to do most

Are you hoping to go hiking or biking? Then Acadia Inn or the Bar Harbor Motel would be just right for you. The Carriage Roads begin right behind the property! And if you’d rather not walk too much, the Island Explorer bus stops right in front of them!

Are you planning on enjoying the excellent dining and shopping in Bar Harbor? The Harborside Hotel and Marina and West Street Hotel, owned by the Walsh family, are right by the dock. This provides easy access to the ferries, bus and boat tours. The Witham family owns the Villager Motel, the Bar Harbor Grand Hotel and the Bar Harbor Inn, which are all right in downtown Bar Harbor. Besides these, there is the Inn on Mount Desert, Balance Rock Inn, the Anchorage Motel, and many other great hotels.

You may even wish to avoid the crowds and excitement surrounding Bar Harbor altogether! If so, we recommend the Astcou Inn, the Otter Creek Inn and Harborview Motel and Cottages.

The cruise ship crowd can’t get out to the western part of the Island, known as the Quiet Side of the Island. As a result, what you’ll experience there will be very different from the hustle and bustle of Bar Harbor, especially during peak season.

In a way, it’s a chance to experience the peace and restfulness of Bar Harbor as you would have, a hundred years ago.

#4: A view of the ocean, the mountains or the bay

How much time will you be staying in your hotel room?

Is your room is merely a launch pad for the day’s activities? If so, it doesn’t really matter much what things look like outside your bedroom window.

But if you prefer to wake up slowly and walk around the room in your pajamas… You might enjoy curling up with a book at night on the porch, or a watching a game on TV. Perhaps you would like to catch up with work while you’re here. If so, be sure that a view from your window is a part of your vacation package.

All of the Walsh properties in Bar Harbor have rooms with a beautiful view of the sea. And the Witham family has the Bar Harbor Inn and Atlantic Oceanside. The Balance Rock Inn also has beautiful oceanview rooms, along with the Harborview Motel and Cottages.

This is not an exhaustive list; there are several other hotels with a great view of Cadillac mountain, the ocean or the bay.

#5: Activities to help you unwind at the end of the day

How does swimming in a pool or relaxing in a Jacuzzi sound after a long day of hiking? Or a game of billiards at the Inn on Mount Desert? Or a freshly baked cookie and a game of hearts beside the fireplace at the Bar Harbor Inn? How about a taste of the autumn popcorn bar at the Acadia Inn?

Each hotel on the island has something they do to make your stay extra special. Be sure to ask what activities or treats your hotel choice offers to their guests.

Which of the amenities listed above is most important to you? Please let us know by leaving a comment below.