At last, you decided when to come to Mount Desert Island for your vacation! You thought through the most important hotel amenities to suit your needs, and have chosen the perfect hotel for your stay. And now, it’s time to place your reservation.

I have a three simple recommendations which will set your course directly toward a more restful and less stressful stay on Mount Desert Island.

#1 Call the local number when you place your reservation

Generally, there are three options for booking your reservation. You could:

1. Reserve it online with a hotel booking website,
2. Book your reservation via the hotel’s website, or
3. Book your reservation over the phone

Here on the Island, setting up your reservation over the phone can be as basic as calling the owner’s home, or getting through to the front desk. In addition, some of the bigger hotels on the island have a reservations call center. Some may also have an agreement with a hotel reservation systems company to answer the phone when the local call center people go home.

Of these three choices, I recommend that customers check out what a hotel has to offer through the hotel’s website whenever possible… and book their reservation by calling the local number during business hours. Here in Bar Harbor, these phone numbers will have the area code (207). And the first three numbers of the phone number will usually begin with “288”, as in (207) 288-3351.

The hotel reservations answering services after hours will do an excellent job in setting up your stay at a time that is convenient to you. However, they usually aren’t informed of all the options available to guests. They are there to take care of basic reservations, and don’t live locally.

Whether you speak to the owner at her kitchen table, the front desk of the hotel or a Downeast Maine-based call center, the local team is your best link to the full line of options available to you at your hotel of choice.

Try to call them directly during normal business hours, usually between 10 AM and 6 PM, Eastern Standard Time.

#2 Ask direct questions

Once you are on the phone,

Here are some examples of questions which may be profitable to ask:

1. Are you in Maine right now? If so, where? If not, how do I get in touch with the local phone reservations office?
2. When is the first day the hotel is open?
3. What day does the hotel close for the season?
4. What is the highest price the room I’m interested in goes for? When is it available at that price?
5. What is the lowest price the room I’m interested in goes for? When is it available at that price?
6. (once you’ve asked #3 and #4, ask…) When would the room I’m interested in be available for _______ or lower? This question will help you find the balance between the price you want to pay and the days away from peak season.
7. I am a member of AAA/AARP (or, I am a First Responder, member of the military, teacher, etc.) Is there a discount available on the rooms for people like me? If so, is it available year-round or only during a certain period?
8. It’s my birthday (or, our anniversary). What sort of things do you offer to help us celebrate that?
9. Does the use of the gym (pool, etc.) come at an extra charge, or is it included in the price of the room? (For example, the Harborside Hotel requires you to pay a $30 Resort Fee to access their wifi, pool, onsite parking, etc.)
10. What sort of vacation packages do you offer? What’s included?

#3 Note the deposit amount and cancellation policy

To book a reservation, the guest will pay a credit card deposit to hold the room. This is usually the cost of the first night’s stay. The rest of the payment will be required at checkout.

However, the amount of the deposit can be as high as the cost of three night’s stay! And the amount can vary according to season.

Personally, if the deposit amount is higher than one night’s stay, then make a mental note that booking this hotel reservation involves some risk. The high deposit amount indicates how concerned the hotel is about a lost reservation.

Cancellation Policies: no more than 7 to 10 days

The same is true of a hotel’s cancellation policy. Typically, the hotel will allow you cancel your reservation within 7 to 10 days without penalties. When the number of days of a no-penalty cancellation is longer than that, proceed with caution. Fourteen days is iffy, but 30 days is unreasonable.

Longer periods before grace stops is an indication of how difficult it is for the hotel to find a new guest if one of their guests cancels. On the other hand, when the number of days is lower, it’s a good sign that you have chosen a great hotel.

The Bluenose Inn and the Bar Harbor Inn offer cancellation insurance. That is, if you purchase the cancellation insurance for $20-30 when you book your reservation up to fourteen days before the arrival date, you can cancel your reservation up until 10 AM of the confirmed arrival date.

I know of no greater evidence that these two hotels feel confident that the quality service they offer their guests will easily provide them a walk-in or two to replace any cancelled reservation.

Nevertheless, once you’ve booked your reservation, be certain to put a reminder on your calendar of the cancellation without penalties date.

What kind of experiences have you had while booking your Bar Harbor hotel reservation? Please let us know about it in the comments section below.