The Holbrook House is located in Bar Harbor, Maine. It has a total of eight rooms available for guest reservation, each with its own unique name and theme. Every room offers a private bathroom and personal controls for heating and air conditioning. Some additional features in some of the units include a private deck or a fireplace. Breakfast is served each morning between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM with a fruit course and a main course that usually consists of a sweet or savory dish. Due to the inn’s location, a number of attractions are within walking distance or are a short drive away. According to the owner, one of the most popular attractions guests will visit is Acadia National Park, the entrance to which is a mile from the bed and breakfast. In the town of Bar Harbor, visitors can explore a variety of stores and try local restaurants.
Downtown Bar Harbor is where guests will find the Holbrook House. The building has a total of thirteen rooms offered for guest reservations, each with its own unique features. The rooms in the bed and breakfast are separated into two categories: Queen rooms and suites, and King rooms and suites, with eight rooms available from the former group and four available from the latter. In every room are private controls for heating and air conditioning and private bathrooms. Some rooms in both groups come equipped with a private deck, gas or electric fireplace, or a sitting area. Each room also has its own unique name to match the design style represented in the room’s décor. According to Michelle, one of the owners of the inn, the Blue Ribbon and Compass King rooms are booked the fastest, followed by rooms with a fireplace.
Breakfast is served to patrons staying at the inn at 8:00 AM, with a second seating offered at 9:00 AM. The breakfast is made at the inn each morning and is served in the building’s sun room which has been made into a dining room. Some of the food that is made for breakfast include Belgian waffles, blueberry-stuffed French toast, and smoked cheddar egg roulade. Along with these main entrees, a fruit course is offered as well, which consists of dishes such as pineapple carpaccio and grilled peaches with sorbet and raspberry coulis. For those with dietary restrictions, accommodations can be made if enough notice is given to the owners prior to the guest’s stay.
There are two main common areas within the Holbrook House where guests can gather if they wish. These areas are the parlor and the library, both located on the inn’s first floor. In the parlor, there are chairs and couches along with a wood-burning fireplace. The library also has seating and a bookshelf with an assortment of different literature available for guests to read. Outside the house, there is a large porch on the front of the building with some chairs. There is a patio behind the bed and breakfast with additional tables and chairs where guests can view the property’s garden.
Because of the inn’s location in downtown Bar Harbor, many of the attractions in the city are within walking distance of the property. One of the most popular attractions among visitors to the park is Acadia National Park, the entrance to which is about a mile from the bed and breakfast. Within the park, there are a number of different hiking and biking trails that travel around the park to different natural formations such as Cadillac Mountain, Jordan Pond, and Sargent Peak. North of the Holbrook House, patrons can visit and explore the Bar Island Land Bridge with the ability to cross over the bridge to Bar Island, tide permitting. With regards to places to eat, Michelle and Eric recommend that guests try Project Social, a restaurant that serves lunch and dinner in downtown Bar Harbor.
Michelle, who owns the Holbrook House with her partner, Mike, says they want guests to “feel like they are staying with a friend.” They work to provide that kind of atmosphere by doing what she calls the “little things” for guests, such as checking in with them occasionally to see if they need anything. Many guests who have stayed at the inn have commented that they have appreciated Michelle and Eric’s hospitality as well as the cleanliness of the building itself. Said one recent customer, “Amazing breakfasts and friendly, helpful staff and innkeepers. The location is perfect for walks into town and getting to the park (a quick drive or bike ride will get you there in minutes).” Other guests have mentioned the cleanliness of the establishment, saying the inn has “clean rooms, comfy beds, and plush towels.”
For guests who stay at the inn, there are a few policies that Michelle and Eric ask them to follow while they are there. One of the most important of these policies is that no pets are allowed to stay with guests at the inn. This is because the innkeepers have two personal dogs that live with them on the property. Michelle also stresses that while children over the age of twelve are allowed to stay, the bed and breakfast is aimed at an adult audience. The Holbrook House is open seasonally each year from May to October.
The Holbrook House was first established as a bed and breakfast in the 1980s; however, the building was built in 1876. It was built by the nephew of a prominent horseshoer that lived across the street. The house was used as summer lodging and accommodation for wealthy people who traveled there from larger cities such as Boston and New York City. In the early 1900s, the building was renovated and separated into four long-term apartments. Through the 20th century, the structure also served at various points as a hostel and as a nursing home before it finally became a bed and breakfast.
Michelle and Eric, the current owners of the business, wanted to enter the lodging industry because they wanted a career change. They decided to move to Bar Harbor and purchase the Holbrook House because of their love of the surrounding wilderness and outdoor activities that are possible in the region. When asked what her favorite part of running the bed and breakfast is, Michelle, says that she enjoys “meeting new people from all over the country and all over the world.” To try to keep the inn updated, Eric and Michelle will choose a room to completely renovate during the winter months when the business is closed to give the unit an updated theme and updated amenities.
74 Mt Desert St
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Michelle and Eric
