My husband surprised me with a visit to the Blue Hill Inn and it was everything we wanted for a special weekend away.

From the moment we walked through the door, we were greeted with a smile by everyone and experienced delightful service from all the staff. Our room was delightful, with the most comfortable comforter and pillows I've ever known, which felt like sleeping on a cloud, and the wood burning fireplace warmed up the chilly evening with a romantic touch.

After exploring the town, my husband took a nap and I lay in the hammock in the inn's garden and read a book from their bookcase, then we visited the lobby parlour for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres before going out for dinner (the most delicious brie en croute ever!).

Wherever we turned there was a friendly face and a smile. The owner, Sara, was always present and we found her to be a wonderful and very hands-on owner who mingles with her guests and tends to their comfort.

Breakfast fare is simply delicious and almost worth the five hour drive from home to start the day with the chef's wonderful bread pudding, pancakes and other goodies.

We will certainly return the the Blue Hill Inn when we come back to this beautiful part of the world.

My husband and I stayed for 2 nights over Labour Day weekend and absolutely loved it. The Inn has real olde worlde charm and is beautifully furnished. Great breakfasts and evening hors d'oeuvres and complimentary coffee available all day. The bed linens are crisp and our bed was very comfortable. Vases of flowers are around along with other little touches. Sarah, the owner/inn keeper could not have been more helpful suggesting local trails and restaurants - all excellent. A good base for driving to the Acadia NP and Castine. etc.. Blue Hill itself is lovely and unspoilt. If you stay while the Blue Hill Fair is on, do go its great fun!! Thank you to Sarah and her staff. A great find!!

Authenticity is one of the nicest things about this very nice inn. It's the kind of old Federal Period building that almost speaks to you if you listen. The architecture is a bit quirky with a few odd angles and old pine floors. The gracious, connected drawing rooms have the air of being a place where many interesting conversations have occurred. In fact, we had one ourselves with a fellow guest, a fascinating woman who teaches human rights law in Milan, Italy. International travelers have always found their way to this seafaring coast, and that tradition continues.

The historical ambiance of the Blue Hill Inn does not mean that you are in any way deprived of creature comforts. The beds are very comfortable, and the breakfasts in the spacious and relaxing new dining room are delicious. The staff is charming, intelligent, and very welcoming. We particularly appreciated the thoughtfully chosen books and well appointed desk in our rooms and the internet connection downstairs.

To see more of how Maine once was and, in a few rare places, still is, I recommend driving or bicyling around Cape Rosier, a nearby rural peninsula. We saw a schooner in full sail crossing the bay there, quite a breathtaking sight. You won't find better seafood anywhere than at the Bagaduce Lunch, an unpretentious (but James Beard Award winnning) takeout place, where you can eat at picnic tables at the waters edge.

The Blue Hill Inn offers a window on real Maine. We were lucky to stay there.

We carefully read through many Trip Advisor comments looking for that special place to stay in Maine to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We wanted to be in a place without strip malls, tourists, and general hullabaloo. We found it in Blue Hill, which is a lovely elegant small town in the general vicinity of Acadia National Park . . . but not so small that it doesn't have one extraordinary restaurant, an artisanal bread bakery, a good wine store, and a few things to do. What's nice about this particular Inn is that it is located in the town itself, which means you can walk down the street to get your morning newspaper or to a restaurant for lunch or dinner.

As of July 2007, the Blue Hill Inn came under new management. The current innkeeper and her staff are young, energetic, caring, thoughtful, and talented. Our breakfasts in the dining room were terrific, with lots of options, all homemade. At cocktail time the hor d'oeuvres were delicious with herbs from the Inn's garden, free non-alcoholic beverages, and wine and spirits available for purchase.

We stayed at the Cape House, which is a small cottage that is part of the Inn but independent from the Inn itself. It was absolutely immaculate, a point well worth mentioning, and everything was in good working order. For us, the high ceilings, full kitchen, and privacy were well worth the extra cost, And falling asleep in the large four-poster bed in the flickering firelight was incredibly romantic. There is also a private deck with a venerable willow tree growing through it. The deck is a tad slippery in the rain, but in dry weather it's a great place to relax, with the soft willow branches providing both shade and privacy.

The Inn itself is absolutely charming. Built in the 1840's it has small low-ceilinged rooms, and is decorated to the period, with antiques, bright wallpapers, and lace galore. If you are very tall or want lots of privacy, you might opt for the more modern Cape House. If you want to experience the way people really lived in our nation's past, choose one of the rooms in the Inn itself. A few have working fireplaces. All have private baths.

We visited in the late fall so have no idea what Blue Hill is like in the summertime. But from walking the main street from one end to the other, it is clear that this community has not succumbed to brand-name stores and mass marketing. And because the town is centrally located, it is possible to get up in the morning and drive to a different place and have a different adventure each day.

We thank the Blue Hill Inn for a most memorable visit, and we recommend it to others wanting to experience the beauty of Maine. All in all, it was a very happy anniversary for us!