The Candlebay Inn is located in Freeport, Maine. Currently, the establishment provides six rooms to visitors. The building where the units are located was originally built in 1848, most notably by John A. Briggs. Since 1994, the building has served as an inn for visitors to the area. Breakfast is provided every day to those staying there. Additionally, the business is dog friendly and is willing to accommodate dogs of any size and weight. There is a back patio in the yard where seating and tables are located. The property is situated on half an acre of land, which is open to any pets that were brought on-site in addition to patrons. Notable nearby attractions include L.L. Bean, Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, Hedgehog Mountain, and Bradbury Mountain. Common activities to take place at these locations include hiking, visiting the beach, and exploring lighthouses.
The Candlebay Inn is located in Freeport, Maine. The inn offers six rooms that are available for guest reservation. Connie, the owner, says that every room is different, but they tried to keep “the theme nautical.” Of all the units available, the owner says that the most popular among visitors are The Bayberry Room and The Evergreen Room. The Bayberry Room’s success is attributed to it being the largest in the house, as well as a bay window and soapstone fireplace that has candles in it. Each room has “Larry, the lobster with two soft peppermints for eyes,” says Connie. The owner’s granddaughter gave the lobster its name when they first started adding him to the rooms. Each room also has a private bath that may vary in size depending on the unit. The diversity in the size of bathrooms is due to the house being built in the 1800s; the bathrooms weren’t added later until the 1990s.
Common areas in the building include a parlor and the dining room that can be utilized after breakfast. This dining room can be used for working, playing games, or eating meals brought in by patrons. Formally, the dining room is used as the location where breakfast is served daily between 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM. Coffee is out earlier, around 5:30 in the morning. Connie’s daughter cooks the meal and operates the kitchen. Breakfast varies daily between different options, and the owner states that they are willing to accommodate any dietary needs, restrictions, or preferences if notified ahead of time. Items that could be prepared for breakfast include a "pineapple upside-down French toast" or breakfast casserole. The business tries to alternate between sweet and savory meals when possible. One guest stated, “The breakfast was amazing. The pumpkin spice French toast was divine and quite possibly some of the best French toast I have ever had.”
Other features that are on the grounds of the property include gardens that see frequent maintenance and upkeep. The Candlebay Inn is located on half an acre of land. On the premises, guests can use tables and chairs on a patio located at the back of the building. Connie reports that visitors don’t use the patio often, opting instead to walk to the downtown area. The inn is within walking distance of multiple outlet stores and restaurants.
Connie, the owner of Candlebay Inn, attributes the success of her business to the fact that they are centrally located and says that they have "some of the lowest prices per night in the area." Attractions in the area include L.L. Bean’s, two national parks within five miles of the property, Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, Bradbury Mountain, Hedgehog Mountain, Audubon Society Preserve, and Portland which is about a 15-20 minute drive away. Additionally, there are beaches relatively nearby, with about a 35-40 minute drive. Overall, popular activities in the area include hiking, exploring the lighthouses in the area, and visiting the beach. Broad Arrow Tavern is right across the street and is a restaurant that Connie recommends visitors try. Other recommendations include Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro, the Lobster Cooker and Pub, and Jameson Tavern, which is reported to be the oldest tavern in Maine and is also a location where several documents of historical significance to the United States were signed.
The Candlebay Inn is open and operated year-round, with the busiest season of operation being between July and August. Other months are relatively busy, though September is the exception, seeing a "winding down" in the business's activity. The holidays have been known to increase the occupancy of the inn. Connie reports that the typical demographic of guests for her business seems to be more “middle-aged to older.” There are also a relatively high amount of repeat guests “that trust us,” says Connie.
“Comfortable and relax[ing]” is how the owner describes the atmosphere of her business. She also reports that a unique thing about their inn is the fact that it is extremely “dog friendly” and can also accommodate small kids as well. There are no restrictions on the breed or weight of the dog, the owner only asks that "the animals be well behaved." One previous guest comments on this by saying, “This is a wonderful Bed and Breakfast with an awesome hostess! We loved our stay here, and the fact that we can bring our dog too was great. The room was clean and comfortable. Plenty of space for us, and we enjoyed having breakfast in the common area as well.” Overall, Connie’s goal for her business is to have “people feel at home when they come here.” The owner is honest with her guests and says that her establishment is not fancy but comfortable and historical.
The Candlebay Inn was originally built in 1848 by Henry A. Bailey, Hezekiah B. Means, and Philip A. Briggs; however, it wasn’t converted into an inn until 1994. One of the most notable owners of the home was John A Briggs, a shipbuilder and master carpenter who lived in the home. While living there, he built the largest ship to ever launch off the Harraseeket River. When the inn was first established it was called Bayberry Bed and Breakfast, later transitioning to the name Captain Brig’s House. Eventually, the name was changed to Candlebay Inn by the current owner. The inn’s original owner renovated the building at that time to add a bathroom to each room. Other additions to the inn include new paint jobs and carpeting. Future plans include small uplifts such as replacing the roof, painting the front door, and painting the outside of the building as well, to name a few.
Over the years, the business passed through different owners; Connie is the current owner of the inn and has been since the end of 2014. Before owning the inn, she was a business manager of a veterinary hospital. Maine was always a place that Connie wanted to live, but it didn’t work out for her to move until she purchased the business. Originally she wanted to be a lighthouse keeper where patrons would have to row to get to but instead ended up with a historical inn instead. Currently, Connie says that her favorite part of her job is the guests. “We have a great time at breakfast,” she reports, saying that they take that time to chat and get to know each other. Stephanie, Connie's daughter, and her grandaughter help operate the business on a day-to-day level.
Connie says that there isn’t any other history regarding the people who originally constructed the building. People of note who have lived in the building include the first librarian in Freeport and John A. Briggs, who built the largest ship to “ever launch off of the river in South Freeport,” says the owner. The house currently has a plack outside of it that says “Home of Captain John A. Briggs; Criteria 1848.”
8 Maple Avenue
Freeport, Maine 04032
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Connie
