Situated between the Atlantic Ocean and Acadia National Park, sits oceanside hideaway, Salt Cottages, near Bar Harbor, Maine. Interior designer and Salt Cottages’ creative director, Krista Stokes, has imbued the property with nautical charm and a rich Americana style. Behind each of the hotel’s 40 maritime-inspired accommodations’ signature red doors are clean white walls complemented by soft blue vaulted ceilings, neutral tones, textures and pops of patriotic colors. The 30 stand-alone cottages, ranging from studios to two bedrooms, and 10 boutique bungalow-style rooms have been thoughtfully designed to reflect the spirit of coastal Maine. The room interiors feature wicker, rattan, bamboo, linen and other natural fibers alongside Du Chateau flooring, Schoolhouse Electric lighting and vintage-inspired and locally-sourced decor. The property’s public spaces like the expansive heated pool, hot tubs and manicured lawn (where they have ample lawn games like cornhole) in addition to a kid-and-adult-friendly Clubhouse or games room with vintage video games, ping pong and pop-shot basketball games keep all ages entertained in any weather. A snack bar and café, Picnic, offers guests coffee, ice cream, pastries and other snacks throughout the day and campfire s’mores at the fire pit are a real crowd pleaser after dinner in town.
The cottage accommodations
DuJour spoke with the property’s general manager, general manager, Miles Hanson, to discover what makes it so special.
What’s the most requested room at the property?
Ocean Studio Cottage number 1
What makes it so special?
It’s the closest to the ocean and has an incredible view when you’re sitting out on the patio. Cottage 22 is also popular, particularly for our repeat guests. They enjoy it because, in addition to being a two-bedroom cottage, it’s set slightly off the road and toward the back, giving just enough privacy while still offering an ocean view from the patio area.
The pool area
What is the nightly rate for this cottage?
These one-bedroom cottages range from $679 up to $899 and our two-bedroom cottages range from $1,029 to $1,229.
What’s your favorite design element on property?
Our vintage VW Bus. I think it’s just the coolest thing, with the vintage luggage adorning the top of it. It’s such a focal point and perfect mascot for the property. It’s definitely a real head turner and I can’t tell you how many people stop by just to take photos of it.
What special perk or amenity do you offer that no one knows about?
The campfire s’mores we offer every night is a special perk, but some people overlook the Clubhouse. I think many parents view it as an amenity their kids might enjoy during the booking process, but not something they’ll really take advantage of. However, I often see parents out there playing Ms. Pac-Man or other vintage arcade games. One of the coolest things I’ve witnessed was a mom and her younger son–maybe 10 or 11 years old–playing a match of ping-pong together. It reminded me of some of my own vacations with my parents at that age, and all the emotions that come with those memories.
The Clubhouse games room
What’s your personal favorite room? Why?
Cottage 18–a recently retrofitted cottage with bunk beds, which makes it a really fun experience for families with young kids. It also has one of my favorite views on the whole property, because it’s set higher up on a little hill. When you step out of the cottage, you’re greeted with an elevated view of the property with the backdrop of the ocean.
What’s an interesting tidbit about the hotel that speaks to its status as an icon?
You can avoid having to go into crowded Bar Harbor on the 4th of July and view the fireworks right from our property. This year, a guest told me that it was a fantastic way for her little kiddo to experience fireworks for the first time because she could watch all the pretty explosions in the sky without having all the noise associated with them.
A guest cottage