We have stayed at Black Bear many times traveling between CT and Nova Scotia. They allow dogs which works for us. The rooms are clean and the beds are decent. Water gets hot. The AC works amazing which is also a requirement for a good review. Breakfast is hot waffles, yogurt, cereal, fruit, steak and egg omelette bake, homemade muffins and biscuits. We walk a couple of miles into the business park every evening. There are sidewalks and lights so we feel safe. Staff is friendly. Check in/out always goes smoothly. I took off points because the price is a little high. I wish they had a frequent stay program so we could earn a little savings.
Very clean hotel,check in was easy as we booked through Hotels.com . Had requested early check in ,for our two rooms ,but only one was available when we arrived. No big deal. We also requested adjoining rooms , did not get these either, although we were next to each other’s they were not adjoining. Rooms were clean,air conditioner worked great! Only issue was our king sized bed , it was dated , soft with no support at all. Did not have a very good sleep. Other than that , we would rent again as location, closeness to amenities, cleanliness were all top notch.
The bedroom was cute, loved the black bear theme and the companion teddy bear on the bed. Beds were comfortable. Room had a fridge, microwave, and Keurig. Desk. While there were both weddings and baseball teams staying at the hotel, I did not have a problem with noise. Bathrooms rather outdated. Small-ish. Our round shower curtain hanger was broken, so the curtain kept sliding down and opening. I did like having an extra sink outside of the bathroom. What was lacking - common areas and breakfast. Breakfast was very limited. No protein options as far as I could tell. The fresh fruit, assorted melon, was pretty good. Bread options were “meh.” The breakfast sitting area was very small and fairly crowded - not much room at all. The common area by the front desk was also small. Limited seating. Also, computer and printer right there as well. Limited privacy as those places were within feet of the front desk. Outside, they have a beautiful large yard out back, and to the sides, but no tables or chairs. The only tables and chairs were in front of the hotel as you drive up to the lobby. You’re not permitted to drink alcohol in the hotel apparently unless you’re renting space …? We were asked to leave the building with drinks? And then the next night, when respecting that, and we were sitting outside, they told us we couldn’t drink there either. Would have been nice to have a fire pit and a common area (or 3 or 4) or a usable patio - a bit removed from the main building. There is not much to do in the area, and far better to be safe at the hotel than on the road. Outdoor games would have been appreciated - volleyball, cornhole, CanJam… something like that. Anything. Especially for the price we paid. That was probably my biggest complaint. Lots of outdoor space but nothing to do/nowhere to socialize really, and very limited indoor space. Bear theme was cute. Could do some very simple budget friendly things to make it more appealing.…
What a great place. The theming is adorable. The staff is courteous, helpful, and nice. Every single one I dealt with was professional and kind. The room was beyond immaculate when we arrived. The bed was the most comfortable hotel bed I've ever slept in. We stayed here during a week visit to Acadia National Park - way affordable compared to anything near the park; and any place that was in the same price range closer to the park was dumpy in comparison. This place was fantastic for the price. Eventhough it was over an hour away from the park, it made the long daily drive easier to deal with because we came back to such a nice hotel (lots of great souvenir stores, lobster restaurants, and locally made wares along the way anyway). And nearby downtown Orono - 5 minute drive - is very cute and had some really great places to eat (Family Dog!). And nearby you have everything you need - gas stations, various food establishments, stores with necessities. Great place that I would fully recommend to anyone needing to stay in the general area. 5 stars!…
We stayed 1 night in two rooms on the first floor. While rooms appeared clean, both rooms had a musty, moldy smell. Flooring in one room was carpet and damp. Flooring in the other was LVT and loose. There seems to be a dampness issue in the floor as the hallway had dehumidifiers running. We complained at the front desk the evening of our stay and morning we left and received no viable explanation or adjustment on our bill. If you stay here in the summer months do not stay on the 1st floor.
Our room smelled musty. The carpet was all bunched up and gross. The mattress must have been very old because we sank into it so deeply; very uncomfortable. The light bulb in the lamp by the bed was broken. Otherwise, it was a cheap hotel room with a pretty bedspread and cute teddy bear. And the price was too high.
This place worked, and the staff was great and you can see everyone is really trying. We enjoyed the positive quotes and the strawberry muffins. It does need updating. You can see they are trying for that lodge feel, it is a work in progress. Convenient to the interstate which helped for our plans, but not close to anything specific.
Great place to stay if you are visiting U-Maine Orono. Clean, updated room & bathroom, super strong shower, friendly, helpful staff, comfortable beds (we slept well), welcome bag with water, snacks & chocolate was a pleasant surprise & a complimentary delicious breakfast of bagels, homemade muffins, yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, fresh cut fruit & make-your-own waffles .. 5-star stay, 5-star service.
Since my last visit here the management has invested in new beds for all the rooms. Previously the beds were adequate , now they are very comfortable and we had a great sleep. They also started to put a Black Bear on all the beds too. Nice touch. As I've said before, this is now the only hotel in Orono and now its a little better.
I was here for one night for a business trip. Staff were friendly and the hotel and room were very clean and comfortable. It's nice to stay in a place with local character and attention to detail. I would absolutely stay again.
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