A Stay at the York Harbor Inn

During July of 2007, my husband and I enjoyed a stay at the York Harbor Inn, which can be found on the beautiful and scenic drive along Coastal Route 1, in York, Maine. The Dominguez family owns The Main Inn, as well as four other properties; the Yorkshire Building “The Carriage House”, the Harbor Hill Inn, the Harbor Cliffs Bed & Breakfast, and the 1730 Harbor Crest Inn.

During our visit, we were lucky enough to get a sneak peek at room #12 which was designed and decorated by, LL Bean of Maine. I couldn’t wait to see the room once I heard it was photographed for one of LL Bean’s catalogs. Upon entering the room, we felt as if we were tucked away in a rural mountain cottage until, that is, we stepped out onto the deck and saw the glorious ocean view. 

Then there is room #11, with its very unique door. Almost half the size of a normal door and angled to follow the slope of the ceiling, we were told that some guests refer to this room as the “gnome room”. The story of Alice in Wonderland flooded my thoughts as I tried to envision normal sized suitcases fitting through that tiny door. 

Our home for the night was the 1730 Harbor Crest Inn. After stepping over the threshold of the front door, I was impressed by the elegance of the first floor décor and the size of the common rooms. In the front foyer, a mini internet area was tucked discreetly into a space that might have been a closet; or left behind from an old stairway. 

To the right, a pleasant room with several tables and windows that are dressed in a cheery blue and yellow fabric; even on this gloomy day, the room created a feeling of vibrancy and happiness. On the left-hand side of the front hall, a blue and white sitting room; and to the rear of the foyer is another relaxing sitting room with a corner gas fireplace. 

Looking out the windows, we could see private sitting areas just waiting to be enjoyed. With only seven guest rooms in the inn, we felt like we were alone in this grand home, and we were already making plans on where to sit later to enjoy a quiet moment.