This review makes several interesting points that we are pleased to address.
1. When a guest makes a reservation with us we are careful to point out that we are not in Bar Harbor but in Southwest Harbor which is 11 miles away on the SW part of Mt Desert Island. The majority of guests choose to stay with us just for that reason. SW Harbor is a lovely alternative for a quieter experience with great access to Acadia as the town is surrounded by the Acadia where some of the most beautiful hikes, ocean and mountain views and lakes are located. The closest entrance from the inn is less than a mile. Yes the carriage roads are on the Bar Harbor side but there is no need to go all the way to Bar Harbor to access them. We know the perfect place to park without a hassle. In addition SW Harbor has some of the finest restaurants and shops on the island in walking distance to the inn. Our local bike shop Southwest Cycle will provide all the necessities for a great day of biking and a free shuttle service also offers an opportunity to not have to use your car at all.
2. The side tables in this room are indeed small but offer a handy place to put your evening drink and a good book. We have never been told that they are unstable but be assured that we will make sure that they are both functional and stable or replace them.
3. This bathroom while not gigantic is very functional, bright and offers a full size medicine cabinet and small table for storing necessities. With all due respect I do have to say that the amount of make-up brought by this guest was, by far, more than I have ever seen in any guest room ever. I can’t imagine any bed and breakfast having adequate space for such a large quantity but we will do our best to expand storage in this room.
4. No excuse here. The towels should have been changed as this is our policy. Somehow our housekeeping staff made an error. I hope this guest will please accept our sincere apology for the mistake. Had it been brought to our attention we would have changed the towels immediately.
5. We are a certified “Environmental Leader” in the hospitality business in Maine and our amenities are packaged in 100% biodegradable fairly expensive packaging. We therefore choose to use a combination shampoo/conditioner to cut down on waste. Plastic shower caps are available upon request as we keep a small supply to again eliminate waste. We are happy to hear that the make-up towels which are not disposable were helpful.
6. Unfortunately as a small business there is no way to serve a full breakfast in a cost effective manner outside our regular breakfast hours. A continental breakfast can be made available at just about any time. We do alternate between a savory and sweet main entré each day but there are always alternatives on the continental menu. Along with organic cereals and granola there is hand cut fresh fruit salad served every day and we are happy to make toast or fry eggs on the sweet days if a guest requests it. We are sorry not to have been asked. Our breakfast is not a “surprise” Our evening innkeeper just didn’t know for sure what we were serving and was embarrassed to say so. Our great staff are typically students from Europe and do a wonderful job. Communication however can sometimes be an issue. Guests are usually most understanding.
7. As far as restaurants are concerned, several award winning restaurants are located in walking distance to the Harbour Cottage Inn.

Thanks for reading this long response. We are certainly not perfect but we do our best and get it right most of the time. I can only ask these guests to accept our apology and to ask them to give us another opportunity to serve them. Unfortunately we were not given an opportunity to make things right during their stay. Thanks again!