First a disclaimer: Yes, I honestly do write guidebooks, and have several titles to my credit. In the course of my work I do not review places independently that I otherwise cover for my publishers.
The above notwithstanding, the Shore Path Cottage is a very rare exception. I gladly would tell the world about this gem of a B&B in Bar Harbor!
It is wonderfully unique: It stands as the only accommodation of its kind on the fabled Shore Path, a genuine, late Victorian Era bed and breakfast with unobstructed water views (our room alone had three windows to the ocean, including one from the bath).
From the minute you first walk into the spacious (and toasty warm) parlour, you really are in another world. The owner, Roberta, a longtime resident, author, chef extraordinaire, and one of the most delightful persons you'll ever meet, is attentive to the nth degree. We were greeted with gingerbread cookies, warm scarves and hats (we arrived in late October), a candlelit fireplace, and what was unquestionably the best home made food on the island. Breakfast was superb, and Roberta even packed us lunches for our trip to Schoodic Point!
The rooms are far larger than any you'd ever find at one of the mass-market places, and each is appointed in a very welcoming, period- authentic manner. We stayed in Roberta's Room, and liked it so much we stayed a third night. A huge king-size bed, fresh linen, and a well-stocked library awaited us, as did a mountain of new toiletries, fluffy towels and robes. Falling asleep to the sound of the waves or the rain was so relaxing! It was so comfortable (and romantic) we barely made it out of bed each morning.
All of the regular amenities are here as well: free parking, Wi Fi Internet access, direct oceanfront views, and more. The beauty of the Shore Path Cottage is that you really are made to feel completely at home in a beautiful, intimate environment that is just minutes away from the shops and restaurants and of course, Acadia National Park.
If you want to be penned into cookie-cutter rooms like sheep and pay through the nose for it, there's two monstrous hotels up the road, and if you want to be squeezed into faux B&Bs without a view (let alone the hospitality of Roberta!), there are plenty of those as well. But if you want the very best during your time in Bar Harbor/Mt. Desert Island, the Shore Path Cottage is unquestionably the place to go.