The National Park Service has developed a vehicle reservation system to reduce traffic and parking congestion so visitors can plan ahead and have a more enjoyable visit to Acadia National Park. As a pilot to prepare for the 2021 season, reservations will be required for vehicles to enter the Sand Beach Entrance and Cadillac Summit Road from October 1 to 18, 2020. Vehicle reservations are available for purchase only online at Recreation.gov.   Beginning on October 1, The Sand Beach Entrance will require vehicle reservations from 7 am to 5 pm. The Cadillac Summit Road will require vehicle reservations from 4:30 am to 6:30 pm. All reservations provide a timed entry, but do not require a departure time. Reservations do not guarantee a specific parking space. If you leave the area with your vehicle, you need another reservation to re-enter. In addition to having a valid entrance pass, reservations must be purchased for $2.00 each online; reservations will not be sold at the park.  Conducting a pilot of the vehicle reservation system in October will help the park prepare a full season of vehicle reservations in 2021. The Chamber anticipates that this new program will help provide a better overall visitor experience for those coming to our area. Offering certainty to be able to visit two of the most popular destinations within the park will remove the stress of finding parking during peak visitation times.

For a limited time, our guests will receive a coupon good for $5.00 off per person for tours at Coastal Kayaking, located within walking distance of the Mira Monte.  These professionally-guided tours explore the scenic rugged coast of Acadia and are a great way to view coastal wildlife including seal, bald eagle, osprey and porpoises.  Tours fill up very quickly, so we highly recommend making reservations directly with Coastal Kayak Tours before your trip by calling (800) 526-8615 or by registering on their website at https://www.acadiafun.com.  Don’t forget to mention that you have a coupon from the Mira Monte when making your reservation.  Happy Kayaking!

We’ve always been a little dubious of newfangled tech when it comes to the inn.  After all, we’re all about tradition here at the Mira Monte, and personally handing keys to our guests has long been part of the B&B experience.  At the same time, a growing number of our visitors have told us that they’re looking for cardless and keyless door locks when making their booking decisions, particularly during the COVID crisis.   We decided to try a pilot project before going “all in” and equip our 6 rooms in the suites and Ashe cottage with a “smart lock” system just to see what people thought.  We’re happy to report that our guests’ love the new locks- so much so that we’ll be changing over the entire lower floor of the main inn by the end of July and the remainder of our upper floor rooms by spring 2021.  Here’s some of what you can look forward to:

• No keys or cards to contend with. Say goodbye to forgetting the keys or locking yourself out!
• Access codes are unique to you.  Combinations are changed for each guest.  We’ll pick a memorable code for  you, or you can specify one of your own.
• Late arrivals aren’t a problem.  Simply request your access code and let yourself in when you arrive.
• Check-out is easy.  Close the door behind you, and your’e done (just don’t forget to say goodbye)!  Access codes expire automatically after you leave.
• Use a key if you prefer.  You will always have the ability to use a traditional key if you like.

Our guests love our new locks, and we think you will too!

You’ve seen them in all the old horror movies, the door that leads nowhere, the hidden passage behind the library bookshelf.  Tug on the bust of Beethoven or remove a dusty volume of Shakespeare and the bookcase slides away to reveal… a hidden staircase leading to a dank and dismal dungeon… the dwelling place of a fearsome monster… or the skeleton of some unfortunate soul in bricked-up wall.  We think that every rambling old home needs at least one “door to nowhere.” We have quite a few of our own at the Mira Monte, though unlike the horror movie variety, our sealed portals belie a much less sinister purpose.

Back in Victorian era, servants were expected to remain out of sight and had their own separate entrances and hallways in order to travel within the home unseen, to appear only when bidden.  Many of our old doors once served such a purpose.  Today of course these passages and entrances are no longer necessary and the spaces behind have been put to better use.  Yet other sealed doors were to former bedrooms that have been remodeled and converted into bathrooms or other guest areas.   We’re afraid there are no monsters here at the Mira Monte (although we really do have a housekeeper named Igor).  Come see our “doors to nowhere” on your next visit. You might even get to meet Igor too!

The library bookcase hides a sealed door to a guest room.

A former Servant’s hallway paralleling the main hall has been incorporated into guest rooms.

A disused bedroom has been converted into a guest bathroom- a whirlpool tub lies beyond!

An old servant’s entrance can still be seen by the back stairs

A hatch in a guest bedroom formerly held a ladder to the attic.

One of our rooms just received a major makeover!  We rather liked the old Newport room, but our guests remarked that the room was dark and a bit dreary, while the carpeting had definitely seen better days.  The new Newport room features a bright designer interior in shades of blue and aqua that reflect the tranquil coastal setting of our seaside town. Even the rooms antique Eastlake-style chairs have been reupholstered in a vibrant peacock pattern.  Photos of our updated room follow, along with a “before” shot at the end.

Visitors from out of state who are not residents of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York are required to submit a certificate of compliance upon check-in to help ensure that Maine remains COVID free.  We at the Mira Monte as well as all other lodging establishments within Maine are required to comply with this executive order.  We ask that you review the form prior to making your reservation and turn in the completed form with you upon check-in.  Please feel free to contact our office at (207) 288-4263 if you should have any questions.  This Certificate of Compliance must be provided to check-in at all Maine lodging, campgrounds, seasonal rentals, and other commercial lodging, such as Airbnb.

For 2020, we’ve given our smallest suite a designer makeover and a brand new name!  An autumnal palette evokes images of a journey on the fabled carriage roads of Acadia National Park.  Contemprorary furnishings add a sophisticated look.  We’ve removed a wall separating the kitchenette from the living room and added a 2 seat breakfast bar for a brighter, airier feel.  Here are a few photos of the new room, followed by a “before” shot.  Oh, don’t worry about the antique furniture; it found a home elsewhere in the inn.  Let us  know what you think!