Getaways 32 p o r t l a n d monthly magazine courtesy photos gan its long career as an inn in 1902. Guests across the ages include Sen. Robert F. Ken- nedy, Senator and Mrs. Edmund Muskie, and Vice President and Mrs. Hubert Hum- phrey. The prevailing breeze is that Spruce Point creates a sense of homecoming. This is amplified by impulsive hospitality ges- tures on the part of the staff. If the way to the heart is through the stomach, Food and Beverage manager Sonya Dearborn had one couple smitten with a surprise anniversa- ry dinner overlooking the ocean, including a whimsical menu personalized with the name and wedding date of the lovebirds. At another table in time, the banquet manag- er noticed a group of guests looking flum- moxed at the lobster bake set in front of them. Diving to the rescue of the newbies, “She gave an impromptu lesson on how to crack a lobster!” Seacord says. Top of its Class Blair Hill Inn, Greenville The Extreme: In the age of internet takedowns, Blair Hill Inn scores 98 per- cent on Tripadvisor. “I could write a book about how fantastic, hospitable, and warm the staff is at the Blair Hill Inn,” one guest says. “Ruth, Dan, and their family blew us away with their hospitality. Ruth helped book outdoor adventures for us, while Dan cooked delicious homemade meals in the back. You could eat off the floors.” T he Resort: From a hilltop perch in Greenville, Blair Hill Inn com- mands a stunning view across Maine’s largest glacial lake. The inn’s many windows frame these cinematic views of Moosehead Lake and its islands. Innkeep- ers and self-confessed corporate escapees Ruth and Dan McLaughlin have presided over the smooth running of Blair Hill since they fled Chicago for the Maine hills with a wild dream 20 years ago. The rural setting does not equate to rustic amenities. “We have a space for helicopters to land and a Tesla and generic electric charging station– both free of ‘charge’ for our guests,” Ruth says. “We’ve also arranged for a seaplane to fly guests to and from Bangor Airport.” A Port in the Storm Boothbay Harbor Oceanside Golf Resort, Boothbay The Extreme: Now here’s something you don’t see everyday: Boothbay Har- bor Oceanside Golf Resort offers service with a smile–off dry land. The hotel boasts a “nautical concierge” service for guests and diners who arrive by boat. While you sip margaritas and munch on fresh sea- food, your pride and joy will be buffed to a high shine by expert hands. “We once had a couple arrive from Florida for a vaca- tion,” says Landon Flynn. “During the stay, the weather turned bad. They were wary of sailing home. We stored, cleaned, and brought in a specialist mechanic while the storm raged. Afterward, we even helped find an experienced captain to sail the yacht back for them.” The Resort: You can’t get much clos- er to the water than the Boothbay Har- bor Oceanside Golf Resort, just a stone’s skim from the town dock. The 18-hole golf course is a draw for enthusiasts, while pa- tient spouses can keep themselves enter- tained on the patio of Coastal Prime with a cocktail or 12. Rare Acts The Claremont Hotel, Southwest Harbor The Extreme: An emerald-green nine- hoop croquet lawn manicured to inter- national standards has been the jewel in crown of The Claremont Hotel since the Victorian age. World-class mallet stars travel each summer to play for glory in the Claremont Croquet Classic, a fixture since 1977. One summer, staff members dragged their eyes from the competition to notice a guest on the water struggling to start his Hinckley yacht. At that moment, the boat’s Boothbay Boothbay Moosehead Both you and your yacht will get pampered at Boothbay Harbor Oceanside Golf Resort. Escapethestressof theoutside world at Spruce Point Inn.