By Dan Schlossberg
ConsumerAffairs.com
December 12, 2005
Though Maine may not be much of a magnet for winter travelers, one property near Portland is a notable exception.
The Harraseeket Inn, a 20-year-old bed & breakfast built on a 200-year-old foundation, is close to capacity through mid-December and so busy for New Year's weekend that a two-night minimum is mandatory.
Voted one of the top 250 resorts in North America and among the top 700 in the world by readers of Conde Naste Traveler, the Harraseeket carries a four-diamond rating from Triple-A. It also carries a reputation for entertaining guests in all seasons.
Eighteen of its 84 rooms have Jacuzzis and many have fireplaces. There's a large pool, compact workout center, two restaurants, and future plans for a full-service spa. A Sunday brunch with live jazz was added earlier this year.
A daily treat is afternoon tea, better described as a small feast. It's so elaborate that locals pay to join the party.
Tea time is a welcome ritual after a day of shopping at a few of the 170 Freeport factory outlets (all within walking distance). Author Stephen King, a Maine resident, actor John Travolta, and singer Cher Bono are among the celebrities sighted in the wee hours at the main L.L. Bean store, two blocks south of the inn and open around the clock.
Another Harraseeket hallmark is the "Innkeeper's Dinner," a 2005 creation similar to the captain's dinner on a cruise ship. Singles or couples interested in meeting other guests and receiving VIP service simply have to sign up. Recommended items prepared at tableside include Caesar salad, chateaubriand, and a Harraseeket staple called "chocolate overdose." Maine products are always preferred.
The inn's Indian name, borrowed from a nearby waterway, means "river of many fish" and explains why L.L. Bean thought he found the perfect spot for his hunting, fishing, and sporting-goods business.
The inn has come a long way since its start as a five-room B&B.; In addition to its main building, the Harraseeket has eight on-site townhouses ideal for families and long-term guests. Each has three bedrooms.
Because the inn is close to lakes, mountains, museums, colleges, Boothbay, Bar Harbor, and Portland, many guests use it as a central base for extended visits.
For further information, contact the Harraseeket Inn, 162 Main St., Freeport, ME 04032 (Tel. 800-342-6423, Fax 207-865-1684, www.harraseeketinn.com).
---Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ is president of the North American Travel Journalists Association, and a frequent contributor to AAA Traveler and USAirways Magazine.
