The Bayview Hotel is an ocean-front hotel that can be found on the edge of the Mt Deserts Narrows in Bar Harbor, Maine. The hotel is open for guest reservations from the first of May to the thirty-first of September, and visitors can pick between the 26 available rooms, all with access to their own decks and views of the ocean. Something that is unique about The Bayview Hotel is that the hotel has a shuttle that can take guests to places and restaurants in the downtown area. One notable location in the area that tends to be popular with guests is The Acadia National Park.
The hotel stands three stories tall and has a grand total of 26 available rooms, all spread out among the three floors. There are a number of different kinds of rooms available that can enhance visitors' stays, dependent on what they are looking for. Guests may pick from the Ocean King and Ocean Queens bedrooms on the ground floor, which is found by heading down one flight of stairs. On the second floor, the same floor as the lobby and lounge, guests can rent out the Island King and Island Queens rooms for a higher quality experience than the Ocean rooms. Finally, on the third floor, which is just up one flight of stairs, guests can spend their vacation in one of the Peak King rooms. Since the Peak King rooms are on the top floor, they provide the best views of the bay and ocean. Each room comes with a coffee maker, refrigerator, television, and every room has its own private balcony that faces the bay. Guests also have access to the outdoor pool and are given a spot to park in their round-turn parking lot in front of The Bayview Hotel.
The manager of The Bayview Hotel explains that the most popular room among guests tends to be room 305. The room is one of the Peak King rooms and is found in the center of the upper floor. Due to the location, the manager claims that it has the best view of the Mt. Desert Narrows and the rest of the ocean. Specific details are not known at the present time, but the owner explains that a reality show star stayed in room 305 while filming the show.
Inside the lounge, which is called Rusticator Lounge, they have a gift shop available that sells a variety of trinkets and souvenirs. One popular item they have for sale would be the Ranger candles. The Ranger candles are handmade candles that guests can take home with them to use. All of the products that guests can purchase at the gift shop are locally made.
Breakfast is available to everyone that stays at The Bayview Hotel. Guests can get it in a grab-and-go bag to eat later, or they can have it delivered right to their room so they can eat in peace or on the patio. Breakfast is a continental-style meal and is served between 7 and 10 in the morning, though the manager mentions that they aren't really strict with the timing and can usually accommodate for a little earlier or later if guests need it. Breakfasts in the past have consisted of homemade granola, which is made vegan and gluten-free, as well as fresh pastries, muffins, Danishes, croissants, assorted yogurts, and orange juice. One of the more popular items tends to be blueberry muffins.
Expanding beyond the property limits, guests can find a number of things to do in the city and the surrounding area. The bay and a couple of beaches are within close proximity and allow guests to spend time doing activities on the edge of the water or in the water. Down the street, to the northwest, guests can find The Bar Harbor Ferry, which can take guests out on the ocean and into Nova Scotia, Canada.
One unique thing about The Bayview Hotel is that they have a personal shuttle that guests can take to visit the downtown areas that are further than walking distance. The shuttle is only available to patrons of The Bayview Hotel, so guests don't need to worry about making stops to other parts of town or taking many detours. The manager explains that he and the staff always recommend three restaurants whenever asked by visitors. The first recommendation is called Havana, which is a Latin American-themed restaurant. The next restaurant he mentions is named Salt n' Steel, which is a more refined eatery that serves a number of high-quality dishes. The last recommendation is called Galyn's, and they serve seafood dishes and offer a variety of wines. One common theme with most of the restaurants in the vicinity is that most of the food and dishes are made from local ingredients, which is primarily seafood.
The manager of The Bayview Hotel, whose name is Matt, explains that the hotel's goal is to create an environment that is welcoming and relaxing to its visitors. The staff does their best to interact with the guests and provide a more personable experience. The manager elaborated a bit more, saying, "we want our guests to feel like they are family coming for a visit." The typical demographic of guests tends to be adults over the age of 50, although the hotel sees a wide variety of visitors throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Matt notes that many of the visitors they've seen in the past have come from many parts of the world, including The Netherlands, Germany, Australia, and more.
The Bayview Hotel has several policies that they ask guests to follow while they are staying on the property. Among them is a no smoking policy. They ask that guests do not smoke at any time on the hotel's grounds to help maintain an air of cleanliness for other visitors and staff members. The Bayview Hotel is pet-friendly, but they have a policy in place that says that pets are only allowed in the Ocean King and Ocean Queens rooms on the lower floor.
Matt explains that one of the number one reasons people visit and stay at The Bayview Hotel is due to how close it is to the Acadia National Park. According to Matt, one of the entrances to the national park is within walking distance and is about one mile away from the hotel. The Acadia National Park is a large forested area that has a large number of hiking trails and camping locations. There are also a number of ponds and lakes that are scattered throughout the forest.
The Bayview Hotel has received an abundant amount of reviews over time. Many guests comment on the views of the ocean from the rooms and patios, while others mention the staff and the quality of service they were provided. One review from a previous patron reads, "wonderful amenities, beautiful rooms, and very friendly staff. Free shuttle downtown, but it's also an easy 1-mile walk."
The Bayview Hotel has been around since it first opened its doors about 37 years ago, in 1984. Throughout all of those years, the property has gone through three different owners over that time period. The manager explains that the first owner who took possession of the property only had it for about a year when he decided he didn't enjoy the hotel industry. It was then sold to a family that ran it for a majority of The Bayview Hotel's lifetime. Sometime in about 2018, Kim, the current owner, took over; and has been running it ever since. Kim has spent the last few years that she's owned the hotel to remodel and refurbish the building from the ground up. The manager says they are close to finished with the inside of the hotel's remodeling, and they plan on spending time fixing up and reshaping the outside within the following year.
The manager admits that he doesn't know much of the history of the building, but he does recall that there was a structure that stood where The Bayview Hotel stands now, but it was in such disarray and ill-repair that they decided to demolish it and construct a new, more stable building in its place.
111 Eden Street
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Kim
