Quick summary: lovely inn from another time with, yes, rooms on the small side, as they made them back then. Very comfortable bed; excellent housekeeping. Friendly, professional service throughout. Prices on the high side, reflecting the challenge of supplying a nice hotel on an island. We stayed a couple of nights as we visit with Maine-based friends every year and try to chose a different island experience. This year it was Chebeague's turn. First, we appreciated being met at the dock by the inn's shuttle. While not a far walking distance, it's nice not to have to tote your luggage. The procedure for parking and getting the ferry to the island works very well. We stayed in room 212, which has an upcharge for a private bath. Our friends stayed in a room where the bath was shared. Both bathrooms were fine - neat and clean. The room (212) itself was a corner room, with windows on two sides. This was useful in that we stayed in early August when it was deathly hot and humid (high 90's) on the mainland. To be honest, I was skeptical about the "cool island breezes" as I've heard that about older hotels without AC, and was sometimes disappointed in past years at other island hotels with only a fan. This room was VERY comfortable - it felt like a miracle as a relief from the mainland heat. I can't speak for everyone's experience, but really - this room and the public rooms were fine. Our room has a very comfortable queen bed with quality linens and pillows. Instead of a closet, an armoire stored your things. There is real personality in the room -- charming antique nightstands, lamps, two sitting chairs, and a table. No TV, to maintain the peaceful atmosphere of an older hotel. The wifi worked fairly well, but I don't expect much of wifi on the islands. The bathroom had a tiled shower, and shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and lotion were provided. There is a fan if needed, but glory be! Windows that open to a nice breeze! Excellent housekeeping. There is a VERY good on-site restaurant where we ate all meals (there isn't much else on Chebeague.) All was very tasty and well-prepared - the four of us sampled a wide variety from the menu. Staff were friendly and professional. Dining can also be outside on veranda, which is a nice option. The public rooms are also warm and welcoming - like being in a large family living room. We mostly walked around the island, sat for a while on the beach. My husband took a bike one day to do some photographing. There is an interesting local history museum that is mostly a collection of photos of island residents, but it is interesting in its own right. The inn was built for another time, and you find that charming and roll with it, or not. Given my experience with other hotels on islands off the coast of Maine, this one sets a wonderful standard of comfortable rooms, very good housekeeping, no musty smells, very good dining, etc. Wifi on the islands is what it is. Again, compared to some other island hotels, the breeze the few days we were here did a great job of cooling you off, when I knew the mainland was still stifling (reports from the Maine-based relatives.) Please also cut the innkeepers a break as everyone in the hospitality industry has had their challenge in staffing up this year. We had a lovely stay with no complaints. Also: there was a wedding when we stayed. It didn't seem to affect the high quality service. Due diligence: it feels like the residents of the island treat the inn as their de facto club house. It wasn't intrusive, but social and convivial. It just seemed like many people knew each other, not just in the wedding party. As for the price - it is on the high side. But the hotel is on a rock in the ocean, trying to maintain a high level of comfort and staffing. To sum: we'd love to come again. We lucked out on the cool breeze situation, and might consider visiting at a time when summer temps are less likely to be oppressive.…
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.