Comfort Inn Ellsworth - Bar Harbor — Hotel in Ellsworth

We stayed here last year. It was a great experience, until a fumble at the very end.

The place was clean, quiet, and affordable. It was a nice place to stay while traveling to Acadia with our dog and toddler. They had nice little amenities like treats and a water bowl for dogs. They also had a different soup each evening around dinner time, which was free for guests (I did not have an $8 per night resort fee on my bill, contrary to other reviewers). The front desk staff in the evening, who were the ones we encountered most often, were very friendly. We were extremely satisfied throughout our stay.

The problem happened at checkout. On the morning of our checkout, I went to the front desk to drop our keycards off, but the man working the front desk was on the phone with another customer. I waited a couple minutes, but we were planning to do one last hike in Acadia on our way out and my family was in the car waiting for me, so I decided to drop our keycards in the return bucket and head out since they already had my credit card on file. I’ve never had any issue just dropping my room keys at the front desk and leaving when the establishment already had my payment info.

Later that morning, I got a voicemail from the front desk when we got back from our hike. The guy said that there was an issue charging my card, and I needed to call them back immediately because he would really hate to have to get the police involved…

I called the front desk back and asked him what the issue was, as they had successfully charged the deposit to that card on check-in. He said that sometimes there is an issue charging the card when it isn’t physically swiped at their payment terminal. I had told him that has never been a problem for me anywhere else, and asked why he thought it was appropriate to threaten me with the police over what seemed to just be a misunderstanding. He already had my credit card and identification on file, so it’s not as though we were trying to sneak out without paying. He blew that question off and said he just needed me to provide him with a different card number so he could try to complete the transaction. We provided him a new card, he quickly said “That worked” and then hung up the phone.

Great experience overall, until the poor experience at checkout. You should feel totally comfortable staying here, just don’t leave until you have the final payment receipt...

The rooms were small, no pool but that is not really the issue. I reserved two rooms traveling with family members. The front desk staff polite but not very helpful. When checking in I asked why it seemed I could get a lower price online and didn't receive much of an answer...just kind of brushed off, politely. So that night we went to dinner and returned to our rooms in time to watch a little tv. However, my tv was set so that every moment that did not have someone speaking was narrated. It was AGT so if a performance involved dancing (music) or magic etc. the music could not be heard because instead I had to listen to a blow by blow description of what was happening on screen...like what color suit he wore, what dance step performed etc. Highly aggravating. I tried and tried to find a setting to turn off the narration with no luck so I gave up and went to sleep. The next day after hiking all day and having dinner again I lay on the bed (since there were no comfortable chairs in the rooms) to watch tv. Same thing. Had my traveling companions try to find a way to change whatever the setting was to no avail. Went to the front desk. She said it must be set for a blind person but she couldn't do anything about it and had no solution. Not helpful. Did not offer another room with a tv that worked normally. By the way I operate a couple airbnbs in Daytona Beach and my cleaners are instructed to turn the tvs on and make sure previous guests have not changed any settings etc. I asked for the name of the regional manager and she said there wasn't one but I could speak to the hotel manager in the morning when she came in (which I did not as she was doing an interview when we were checking out.). So we tried to sit together in the empty lobby where we could sit in chairs (not beds) and watch a little tv. Nope. Desk clerk did not know how to get the tv on a channel. No clue at all. Really??? So the next morning we checked out and the new desk clerk asked how our stay was and I said unsatisfactory and explained why. He just shrugged it off....didn't offer any compensation or to speak with the manager....nothing. I will likely not stay in a...

I can't say enough about how well managed this hotel is, and management makes all the difference in a hotel. Aamir is among the most informative, caring and helpful people you will meet in any hotel, no matter the number of stars, and he has a staff well-versed in how customer care is paramount. We traveled to Ellsworth/Bar harbor, like most travelers, to visit the spectacular Acadia National Forest. We were their late in the shoulder season, so many shuttles, like the new LL Bean one, weren't yet operating. The drive to the forest was pretty much a straight shot along highway 3, took about 30 minutes, and was not a problem from the hotel. The hotel itself was super clean. There were perks here you don't find even at other Comfort Inns, we later learned, like free nightly soups, teas, beverages (including iced coffees and syrups), and ice creams. A great place for families and travelers. There was a coin-op laundry, but there's only two washers/dryers ($2 each), so you have to have good timing. But the star of the show was Aamir, who gave us superb tips on how to make the best of the national park and the establishments for everything from the most enjoyable lobster brunches to bicycles. The hotel itself impressed us with its cleanliness, and we're sticklers for immaculate places, and we enjoyed our quiet room. Very convenient location if you've spent a long night watching the Cadillac Mountain sunset and want to stop over at one of the two supermarkets and enjoy a salad downstairs in the dining area which is the (free continental + waffles and eggs) dining area. A great choice because they...