[Editor’s Note:
The following is a “lost” travel review of a Maine inn; learning of the scheduled February 2014 DVD release of the second season of "Newhart" coinciding with a desire for a homey diversion
from DVD reviews for Thanksgiving day prompted publishing
this review today.]
My
highly significant other and I intended to have a grand day out in Boston in
June, but anticipated heavy rains associated with Tropical Storm Andrea
resulted in planning to be spontaneous at noon on that
Saturday. We decided at the beginning of that week that a last-minute getaway was
a good “Plan B.” A “Plan C” and a “Plan D” also entered the equation.
The
Hotel Tonight app listed great bargains at noon each day for hotels that night.
We focused on Kennebunkport, Maine because it was only an hour from home, and
because it is a quaint resort town. Additionally, I had
determined that Kennebunkport is the real-life setting of Schooner Bay in the uber-awesome
Hope Lange ‘60s sitcom “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.” Jessica who?
We
narrowed the lodging candidates to one hotel that was charging $199 and the
Edgewater Inn, nee the Green Heron Inn, which offered a $139 rate. Joking in
reference to my fiscally conservative nature, I immediately responded that I
wanted the $139 option.
The Trip Advisor reviews for both properties showed that the Edgewater
Inn left its competitor in the dust. Seeing the wonderful spa-like rooms, pet-friendly
policies, and description of the truly sumptuous three-course breakfast on the Edgewater
Inn’s website solidified a desire to stay there.
I
actually groaned when learning that the Edgewater Inn offer was gone; I shouted
“book it, book it, book it” when on being told a few minutes later that it
reappeared. I was very pleased that our second effort succeeded.
The
bright sunny reception area and comfy adjoining living room truly are welcoming
and induce a nice feeling of calm. Having innkeeper Caroline Neish, who has the
classic blonde looks of “Newhart’s” Julia Duffy but the warmth of that series’
Mary Frann, greet guests with a smile and a virtual hug enhances the
experience. It feels like visiting the sibling who you like.
As an aside, this comparison was written long before having any hope of "Newhart" S2 ever being released.
As an aside, this comparison was written long before having any hope of "Newhart" S2 ever being released.
Toronto
native and world-traveler Neish and her husband, Peter Ciriello, were long-time
seasonal residents of Kennebunkport when they purchased the property in June
2012. Neish’s 25 years of hotel development experience for companies such as
Starwood and Accor helped the inn’s $400,000 transformation from a “tired”
facility to a spa-like boutique inn succeed. Future plans include building a
brick-oven and creating a small private beach and bar area along the Kennebunk
River behind the inn.
Each
guestroom is painted in soothing creams or pastels and feature seascapes, which
are for sale, by a local artist. Neish generously upgraded us to the corner Pemaquid
Point room. The baby blue walls and dark Pottery Barn style furnishings go well
with the dual views of the river and awesomely quiet environment at the inn.
Additionally,
the queen-sized bed is very comfortable. The pillows achieve an ideal balance
of firmness and softness, and the soft pure-white sheets encourage lingering in
bed.
The
Pemaquid Point room’s bathroom has a nice large stall shower with a rock floor
and great Canadian-based Olive Branch Botanicals brand amenities. The soft,
fluffy, bright-white towels are as nice as those of the many spas that I have
visited.
A
quick tour of the other nine traditional guest rooms confirms that they share
the spa-like feel and great cleanliness of our room. A two-bedroom luxury suite
in the main building and a two-bedroom two-floor cottage on the property are
perfect either for two couples or a family that is looking for a mellow
environment in which to unwind and contemplate life’s larger mysteries.
Personal
“deep thoughts” regarding whether enough wishing wells were haunted to prompt
Canadian-born easy-listening star Gordon Meredith Lightfoot, Jr., to sing about
that subject led to discussing the horror movie “The Ring.” As a related aside,
I will never be convinced that liking pina coladas or “kinda” liking the film “Breakfast
at Tiffanys” are enough to sustain a romantic relationship. That is not to mention the plethora of impossibilities in the song "Brandi."
Returning
to our primary topic, Saturday afternoon was spent exploring the retail
district of Kennebunkport, which is an easy fifteen-minute walk from the inn.
That district is neat and sedate, and I imagine that everyone is off the
streets by eight most evenings. Further, the shops are clean, and the merchants
are friendly.
After
dinner, we walked to the beach roughly one-half block from the Edgewater Inn.
We enjoyed strolling out onto the point on the rocky shore, which was kept
shipwreck free. Watching the sun set over the town was very nice, but my effort
to urge a crab who was stranded in the parking lot back onto the beach only antagonized the poor
crustacean.
Yet
another great feature of the Edgewater Inn was that it fulfilled its promise as
a boutique getaway spot by providing both a bed and breakfast. The first two
courses of the Sunday morning three-course feast were tasty melon balls
accompanied by granola and yogurt followed by wonderful honey corn muffins and
tiny ramekins of a hearty cheddar and pancetta quiche.
I
chose three really large buttermilk pancakes with Chantilly butter,
medium-amber maple syrup, and bacon for my entrée. My hopefully longtime
companion had the eggs benedict. We both loved our meals, and neither of us
could finish them.
The
chocolate and sea salt tea was an especially special treat. It tasted like a
light hot chocolate, and it being tea allowed the delusion that it was healthy.
The excellent server, who was attentive without even bordering on being
intrusive, provided an additional treat in the form of the story of the seal
who was rumored to live in the river.
The
après-pig out walk on the beach led to discovering a beautiful one-room
stone-and-wood Episcopal church right on the water. It seemed that the church
might have once been a private chapel for the nearby Bush family Walker’s Point
retreat.
Meeting
Domino, a year-old mixed breed rescue dog, on the very canine friendly beach
was another nice surprise.
The
bottom line is that Kennebunkport’s proximity to Boston, the Edgewater Inn’s
spa-like environment, and the affordable cost of venturing up there make a
visit to that great destination very worthwhile for locals and a great stop for
folks from outside the area to include in a New England adventure.
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