Save
Share
21 Albert Mdws, Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island, ME 04609-1701
E-mail hotel
Update from hotel: This property has indicated that they are taking safety precautions against COVID-19 and is temporarily closed until 2021-05-12.Read more
Lowest prices for your stay
Hotel direct offer!SPRING SPECIAL
Lock in the lowest price from these sites
StayForLong
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
Full view
View all photos (576)576
360
Panoramas (32) Videos (2)
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Travel safe during COVID-19
Visit our Travel Safe hub to see how we're helping you make more informed travel decisions during COVID-19.
A note from Balance Rock Inn
Updated 21-03-04
About
#19 of 45 hotels in Bar Harbor
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Travellers' Choice
Known as Bar Harbor's hidden gem the Balance Rock Inn is just steps from downtown's shopping and restaurants. The Inn is tucked away on a secluded property that offers breathtaking views of Frenchman Bay. Balance Rock is a AAA Four Diamond Inn with 26 luxury rooms and suites. Accommodations offer old world charm with today's modern conveniences. Guests are offered an incomparable list of complimentary amenities such as WI-FI, a full service breakfast, small fitness center, heated pool, firepit, and the list goes on. The Veranda is Balance Rock Inn's AAA Four Diamond restaurant. The restaurant is the perfect compliment to the Inn. The Veranda offers innovative cuisine and a refined dining experience with the best view town has to offer. With a history of excellence in service and hospitality Balance Rock Inn combines old world sophistication with new world luxuries - A perfect vacation destination for spring, summer, and fall.
Read more
Room & Suite (196)196
Full view
Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Pool
Fitness Centre with Gym / Workout Room
Free breakfast
Bicycle rental
Boating
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
Wifi
Pool with view
Outdoor pool
Heated pool
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Complimentary welcome drink
Outdoor dining area
Wine / champagne
Golf course
Hiking
Mini golf
Canoeing offsite
Concierge
Newspaper
Non-smoking hotel
Outdoor fireplace
Picnic area
Sun deck
Umbrella
24-hour front desk
Ironing service
Show more
Room features
Bathrobes
Air conditioning
Fireplace
Housekeeping
Private balcony
Cable / satellite TV
Flatscreen TV
Complimentary toiletries
Safe
Seating area
Telephone
Wardrobe / wardrobe
Bottled water
Clothes rack
Iron
Private bathrooms
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Radio
Hair dryer
Show more
Room types
Ocean view
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Historic Hotel
Harbour View
Languages Spoken
English
Location
Full view
100Great for walkers
Grade: 100 out of 100
67Restaurantswithin 0.5 km
44Attractionswithin 0.5 km
Contact
21 Albert Mdws, Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island, ME 04609-1701
Getting there
See all nearby hotels
620Reviews14Q+A100Room tips
Reviews
Traveller rating
- 400
- 129
- 47
- 32
- 12
Time of year
Traveller type
Language
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Popular mentions
This is hands down my favorite Hotel in the world to have the ultimate relaxing vacation. Ever since I discovered Bar Harbor, Mt. Desert Island, and the Balance Rock Inn, I try to go at least once a year. I prefer June or September because the area is a bit less crowded. The Balance Rock Inn is located in the heart of Bar Harbor on the Shore Path, overlooking Frenchman’s Bay. The view from the Hotel towards the water is breathtaking. It’s also a very short stroll to downtown Bar Harbor. It reminds me of some of the exclusive small hotels along the California coast. Its high end without being ‘stuffy’ (think jeans and sweaters). It’s a AAA 4 Diamond Hotel and recently recognized by Wine Spectator and the reasons are evident. The food at The Veranda, it’s restaurant/bar, is outstanding. I learned the chef/owner was trained at the Culinary School in CA and interned at The French Laundry. Dinner was so memorable that you must go there at least one evening. The risotto is a must if they are serving it, as the menu changes. I had mushroom risotto that was, in a word, AWESOME. Everyone in our party raved about their selections. They also have a covered and open air patio overlooking the Bay to enjoy an evening cocktail. …
Read more
Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
Helpful
+1
Hotel's Favourite
We loved the Balance Rock Inn. Such a quaint luxury inn. Richard and Justin were very welcoming and friendly. Richard offered great recommendations and made sure all of our needs were met and he was a pleasure. As well as Sarah at the restaurant. This inn is the perfect mix of new school comforts with old world charm. Felt like home. Everyone calls you by name which is nice. The restaurant was fabulous. Romantic dinner at sunset with great ambiance and food. Breakfast was wonderful also. The mini crustless quiche were my favorite. I loved how they gave the options at breakfast. We had a great room with a balcony and were very pleased with it and the furnishings. Especially the sleep number bed! Our suite had a very nice view. The inn is conveniently located on the shore path and close to town, but you don’t feel like you’re in the middle of all of the touristy things! Would definitely recommend and visit again. …
Read more
Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Helpful
Response from Claire Miles, Owner at Balance Rock Inn
Responded Dec. 8, 2020
Dear mccason, Thank you for sharing! We're so happy that you enjoyed your time with us at Balance Rock Inn. Your experience is our number one priority. We want to ensure each guest feels welcomed and attended to. We look forward to your return. Sincerely, Claire Miles
Read more
great place - right on the ocean - can sit and gaze all day! helpful staff, good breakfast, drinks by the fire at night, clean, cozy room with fireplace . walk along the ocean to the downtown. cant wait to go back1
Read more
Date of stay: October 2020
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Helpful
Response from Claire Miles, Owner at Balance Rock Inn
Responded Dec. 8, 2020
Dear lvtraveler0389, Thank you for the review! We can't wait to have you back! Sincerely, Claire Miles
Read more
The wife and I were celebrating our 10th anniversary. We called and were told that the Penthouse suite was an ideal choice and although it was being renovated currently, it would be an excellent choice. Going off of an outdated description and no photos, we booked anyway....the cost was just over $1,000 a night with taxes. We arrived and found the Balance Rock to be a well appointed and comfortable property. The front desk person told us that we were staying in the nicest room on the island. High Praise!! We were shown around and to our room.......it was..........ok. The biggest initial complaint? It wasn't finished. Paint on the floor, hastily thrown together furnishings and electric window blinds that didn't function were noticed immediately. NO TUB! A penthouse suite with a nice shower but no bathtub? We gave the doorman a $20 after explaining to him that it was my wife's birthday and the next day our tenth anniversary.....we never saw him again. Ghost. The first night, we woke up to find the room a crisp 60 degrees as the heat stopped working. Not a great start to our anniversary. No one checked to see if we needed anything, toiletries, towels, etc.....We called to find out that we were supposed to put our trash and dirty linens in a basket and leave in the hallway. When we told them we had no basket, they said, "throw them on the floor!" OK............... Capable restaurant staff and professional. Front end folks were far from welcoming. It felt like everything was an inconvenience. Very disappointing. While we understand that the year has been a challenge to hotels in particular, this was far below what we expected.…
Read more
Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Claire Miles, Owner at Balance Rock Inn
Responded Dec. 8, 2020
Dear JustinH3045, Guest feedback is very important to us at Balance Rock Inn. We take input from our guests and make sure that these concerns are addressed so they are not overlooked for future stays. The Penthouse is newly renovated but we assure that we would never put forth an unfinished product. We always promise transparency and apologize if you felt this fell short with your guest room. I truly apologize that we failed in making your special anniversary memorable for all of the right reasons. Kind Regards, Claire Miles
Read more
We stayed a couple of nights in September and we were so disappointed with our room. We enjoyed the warm welcome and the fantastic decor of the property. It made the discovery of our "suite" way worst. Furniture were old and did not match with the luxury and style of the common areas; the multiple doors with access to the hotel corridors was unsettling. We felt a hotel guest may accidently pop in because the door locks did not even feel reliable. The bed head was against the wall adjacent to the elevator and finally, the entire suite smelt of mold! What a disappointment ! Unacceptable at this price.
Read more
Date of stay: September 2020
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Avoid suite with "kitchen"
See more room tips
Helpful
Response from Claire Miles, Owner at Balance Rock Inn
Responded Dec. 8, 2020
Dear en-europe, Thank you for taking the time to give us feedback about your recent stay with us. We want to offer our deepest apologies your guest accommodation did not exceed expectations. We hope that the Inn and staff experience helped to make a more enjoyable stay. Please contact us directly so we can make your time with us up to you. Kind Regards, Claire Miles
Read more
ALSO KNOWN AS
balance rock hotel bar harbor, balance rock inn bar harbor
LOCATION
United StatesMaineDownEast and Acadia MaineMount Desert IslandBar Harbor
NUMBER OF ROOMS
26
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about Balance Rock Inn
Which popular attractions are close to Balance Rock Inn?
Nearby attractions include ImprovAcadia (0.4 km), Shore Path (0.2 km), and Criterion Theater (0.4 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Balance Rock Inn?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free breakfast, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
Which room amenities are available at Balance Rock Inn?
Top room amenities include air conditioning, a flat screen TV, and a fireplace.
What food & drink options are available at Balance Rock Inn?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Balance Rock Inn?
Conveniently located restaurants include Thrive Juice Bar & Kitchen, The Stadium, and Cafe This Way.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Balance Rock Inn?
Yes, guests have access to a pool and a fitness centre during their stay.
Are pets allowed at Balance Rock Inn?
Yes, pets are typically allowed, but it's always best to call ahead to confirm.
Are there any historical sites close to Balance Rock Inn?
Many travellers enjoy visiting St. Saviour's Church : (0.5 km) and Sieur de Monts Spring (3.0 km).
Does Balance Rock Inn have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the harbour view available here.
Is Balance Rock Inn accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access and reduced mobility rooms. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.