Black Point Inn

This was year two for us at Black Point Inn. It is the perfect, quiet, peaceful, charming getaway from our hectic life that we needed. A restaurant on grounds that served breakfast, lunch and dinner overlooking the water. A bar within the restaurant open till 9 at night. A common area with sofas, fireplaces, and outdoor porch that overlooks the ocean.

We were excited to explore this corner of Maine. The Inn looked promising, but I regret I must agree with others that found the dinner service poor—we waited 45 minutes to be seated despite having a reservation, and then what should’ve been a simple dish (salad with chicken) was truly awful. We canceled our dinner res for the second night. The room felt dirty with its stained carpet and mildew in bathroom. The overall experience did not match up with the expense which included a surprise exorbitant fee each night. Breakfasts were good and all staff very friendly.

Our experience at this charming Inn was so disappointing! My husband and I had stayed here several years ago and it was lovely. To begin with upon check in we were not informed of the amenities available to us ie beach club. Person at front desk was too inexperienced to be left on her own to welcome guests properly. The hotel has a charming elevator but requires a person to run it. Going up to our room wasn’t much of a problem because there was usually someone at the front desk that could accommodate is. Coming down from the 3rd floor, however, was an annoyance. You had to call a number to request the elevator but the phone was never answered in a timely fashion. A recording came on and if you stayed on the phone long enough an operator finally picked up. A frustrating waste of time! We ate at the Chart House the first evening and some of us ordered the “special.” It was uneatable and although we had planned to eat there again we quickly cancelled our reservation. When we wrote to the manager he explained that they are in transition period in their kitchen and was sorry about the dinner service. It wasn’t the service it was the food! I now understand why the hotel isn’t functioning properly. It is being mismanaged! On a positive note the wait staff and breakfasts were wonderful and eating outside overlooking the bay was a treat. In addition the small table in our room was broken. When we told the front desk they tried to fix it but it remained broken and unstable. Our overall impression is that for the prices they are charging for their rooms I should be giving it 4-5 stars not 2!

The inn is located in a beautiful spot. Our room looked out at Saco Bay. We enjoyed good breakfasts outdoors on the front porch. Dinner, however, was terrible. We ordered the special and it tasted awful. The manager’s response was that the kitchen is in transition and thanked me for my input. Frustrating! The elevator is man-operated so we had to find someone to take us up to our room; finding someone to go back down took too long as we waited for someone to answer the phone. At check-in, we were not told about the amenities; it was her first day but no one was helping her. Service is not good at this inn. Derek, the manager of the inn does not understand customer service. For the cost of the rooms, I would not recommend this inn.

Gorgeous location, but is it living on its laurels? We came for Sunday lunch & were seated w/ a lovely view, but the actual meal & service were terrible. Our chairs were covered in crumbs & we waited for 50 minutes for our food. When one of our diners asked for more coffee, the server said they were having "technical difficulties" so there was no more coffee served. Really?! Tea was Bigelow, an OK brand but a restaurant of this quality should serve organic tea. A disappointing dining experience.

Set between two beautiful beaches, the Black Point Inn (BPI) is a low-key getaway that is the ultimate in "old school New England". At over 160 years old, BPI is a gorgeous wooden frame building full of quirky, quiet charm. Prout's Neck is a private beach community, and the BPI sits at the very edge of the community. Guests have access to the Prout's Neck Beach Club on the eastern side (on the ocean) and to Western Beach on the western side (on the bay). There is also a lovely pool area if the beach is not your thing. Things to know before you go: This is NOT Ocean House—it's not a resort, but a true "inn". It's an old building and you can definitely hear the creaking of wooden floors, and there are not the kinds of "high end" amenities one might expect at this price point. For example, there is an elevator, but it's a very small, staff-operated, old fashioned type. There are three floors at BPI, so be prepared to climb some stairs. Room layouts are not all uniform, either, so if you have a specific need, let the front desk know. The restaurant, the Chart Room, is FANTASTIC. Breakfast is included with the room rate, and it is well worth it. Also, consider a room with an ocean view—these face on the "front" of the inn, vs. facing the pool side. (However, some pool side rooms do have lovely outdoor porches with comfy chairs.) Service is very laid-back, but attentive. Everyone we met was great and totally happy to help with whatever we might need. If you want quiet, beautiful sunsets, and incredible food, I can't recommend it enough.