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Where to stay in Acadia

An oceanfront 1903 summer cottage on Bar Harbor's Shore Path, and a downtown hotel by the Village Green with free breakfast.

  1. Balance Rock InnLuxury · Bar Harbor, on the Shore Path above Frenchman Bay$$$$
  2. Acadia Hotel – DowntownMid-range · Downtown Bar Harbor, beside the Village Green$$$$
Standout pick
Balance Rock Inn · $$$$
Easy choice
Acadia Hotel – Downtown · $$
Best time
Jun–mid Oct
Ideal stay
2–3 days
Base town
Bar Harbor

Acadia has no lodge inside the park, so Bar Harbor, its gateway town, is the base. Our exclusive pick is an oceanfront Gilded Age inn on the Shore Path; our accessible pick is a small downtown hotel beside the Village Green. Prices are shown as a level, from $ to $$$$: rates move with the season and the room, so check the live price before you plan.

Balance Rock Inn

$$$$
Pick no. 1 · The standoutLuxuryBar Harbor, on the Shore Path above Frenchman Bay

Oceanfront boutique inn in a 1903 Gilded Age summer cottage, 27 rooms

Photos: Balance Rock Inn, official website. Shown courtesy of the property.

A 1903 summer cottage on the Shore Path, with a heated oceanside pool and a AAA Four Diamond restaurant.

  • Heated pool
  • The Veranda
  • Piano Lounge
  • Breakfast
See prices (official website)Opens the hotel’s official website.

Why we picked it

We would book it for the setting: a Gilded Age 'cottage' on the water, the Shore Path at the bottom of the lawn, a heated pool facing Frenchman Bay, and dinner at The Veranda after a day on the Park Loop Road. Main Street and the Village Green are a short walk, so the car can stay parked in the evening.

Best for

  • Couples
  • Special occasions
  • Food lovers
  • A shingle-style summer cottage built in 1903 for railroad tycoon Alexander Maitland, now a AAA Four Diamond boutique hotel
  • On the ocean beside the historic Shore Path, with a heated oceanside pool and views of Frenchman Bay
  • The Veranda, the inn's AAA Four Diamond restaurant around an open kitchen, plus a Piano Lounge and an outdoor fire pit

What the hotel offers

As listed on the hotel’s own website.

  • Heated poolOceanside, facing Frenchman Bay
  • The VerandaAAA Four Diamond restaurant with an open kitchen and ocean views
  • Piano LoungeLighter fare and drinks with ocean views
  • BreakfastServed on the Veranda and the sundeck
  • FireplacesIn many rooms, plus an outdoor fire pit
  • Ocean viewsOcean View rooms and suites look over Frenchman Bay
  • Spa bathsWhirlpool tubs in some rooms
  • Wi-FiComplimentary
  • Air-conditioningIndividual AC and heat controls
  • Bell service and turndownBellman at check-in and check-out; turndown on request
  • Pet friendlySelect rooms, $50 per pet per night
  • Shore PathThe oceanside path past the Balance Rock, from the inn's grounds

Acadia Hotel – Downtown

$$$$
Pick no. 2 · The easy choiceMid-rangeDowntown Bar Harbor, beside the Village Green

Small hotel in an 1880 ship captain's house and its Boat House, in the center of Bar Harbor

Photos: Acadia Hotel – Downtown, official website. Shown courtesy of the property.

An 1880 captain's house by the Village Green, with free breakfast, a hot tub and suites with mountain views.

  • Continental breakfast
  • Williams on the Green
  • Outdoor hot tub
  • Fitness room and sauna
See prices (partner link, Trip.com)Official website Opens Trip.com, one of our booking partners.

Why we picked it

We would book it as a practical base for Acadia: a free breakfast before an early start, the Village Green and the park buses next door, bike storage for the carriage roads, and a hot tub and sauna after the hike. The suites with two bedrooms and mountain-view decks make it a good fit for families or friends traveling together.

Best for

  • Hikers and cyclists
  • Families (suites)
  • Travelers without a car
  • Free continental breakfast, a fitness room and sauna, and a seasonal outdoor hot tub
  • Rooms facing the Village Green or the mountains, and suites of up to 1,200 sq ft with decks over Cadillac and Dorr Mountains
  • Two blocks from more than 130 restaurants and bars, with free bike storage and its own restaurant, Williams on the Green

What the hotel offers

As listed on the hotel’s own website.

  • Continental breakfastComplimentary, every morning
  • Williams on the GreenThe hotel's restaurant and bar
  • Outdoor hot tubSeasonal; Cadillac Mountain Suite has a jacuzzi tub
  • Fitness room and saunaOn site
  • Wi-FiFast and free
  • RefrigeratorSmall fridge in every room
  • Air-conditioningIn every room
  • Off-street parkingFree when booking direct, $10 a night via third parties; limited
  • Bike storageComplimentary
  • Wraparound porchLarge porch to relax after a day out
  • Mountain-view suitesPrivate decks facing Cadillac and Dorr Mountains

On the ocean or on the Green: how to choose

Both hotels are in Bar Harbor, a short walk apart; the difference is the view and the budget.

The Shore Path: an inn on the bay

Balance Rock Inn sits on the water above Frenchman Bay, beside the Shore Path. Choose it for a special trip: ocean-view rooms, a heated pool and dinner at The Veranda.

Downtown: the practical base

The Acadia Hotel is beside the Village Green, where the Island Explorer buses stop. Choose it for free breakfast, a hot tub after the hike, family suites and free parking when you book direct.

Planning your days in the park? Our Acadia National Park guide covers the Cadillac reservation, the best hikes, the fees and the best months to go.

Our Acadia travel guide

Hotels in Acadia: your questions

Where should I stay to visit Acadia National Park?

In Bar Harbor, the gateway town: there are no hotels inside the park. Both our picks are in town, a few minutes by car from the Park Loop Road, and the free Island Explorer bus leaves from the Village Green, next to the Acadia Hotel. Read our Acadia National Park travel guide

How far ahead should I book a hotel in Bar Harbor?

Book months ahead for July, August and the first two weeks of October, the fall-color peak. Balance Rock Inn has only 27 rooms and asks for 14 days' notice to cancel; the Acadia Hotel asks for 7 days.

When is the best time to visit Acadia?

June to mid-October. Early October brings the fall colors and the biggest crowds; the Cadillac Summit Road needs a vehicle reservation from late May to late October. When to visit Acadia National Park

How do I get to the park from my hotel?

By car, the park is a few minutes from downtown Bar Harbor. Without a car, take the free Island Explorer bus from the Village Green, next door to the Acadia Hotel and a short walk from Balance Rock Inn.

Which hotel suits families?

The Acadia Hotel: free breakfast, King rooms that take a pack and play, and the Dorr and Sargent Mountain Suites with two king bedrooms. Balance Rock Inn prices rooms for two, with extra guests at $60 per person per night.

What about park entry and parking?

Acadia charges $35 per vehicle for a 7-day pass, and non-US residents pay an extra $100 per person (16 and over). In town, the Acadia Hotel's off-street parking is free when you book directly ($10 a night through third parties).

Can I book these hotels directly?

Yes. The See prices button under Balance Rock Inn opens the inn's official website. For the Acadia Hotel it opens Trip.com, one of our booking partners.

Exit 10And now?Our Acadia guideWhat to do, where to eat, getting there
Exit 17The East Coast CitiesRoad trip · 10–12 daysExit 24Acadia or Arches?Compare them side by sideExit 31Trip budgetRooms, food, car, gas, passes

Hotel picks for other destinations

Picked by Kylian Dev. These are editorial picks: no hotel paid to be here, and we never describe a stay we did not make. Facts come from each hotel’s own website; the Trip.com buttons are partner links (how we make money).