The Inns at Ullikana, Bar Harbor

Call off the search because there will never be any reason to stay anywhere else, once you have found ULLIKANA. We discovered this charming oasis in 1996 and have gone back almost every year since then. To begin explaining why, it all starts with the owner/inkeepers, Roy and Helene. They love sharing their beautiful homes (They also have an equally lovely house across from Ullikana called Yellow House) and their hospitality is so genuine, you feel like friends after your first stay. Roy will help you find the perfect trail, while Helene will welcome you with open arms and fill your senses with the smell of her simple yet elegant home cooked breakfasts. Belgian waffles, chocolate crepes and homemade muffins served with fresh fruit are a couple of the deliciously perfect morning meals that we have come to enjoy and look forward to year after year. Throughout our numerous stays, we enjoyed sampling the different rooms in both of their inns. Helene has decorated all the rooms herself with a perfect combination of comfort and style. She has infused her own personal, eclectic and artistic tastes into each of the rooms. With a love of art, nostalgia and history, there is so much to appreciate, and it's clear that each item has personal meaning to the owners. The walls of their homes along with their larger than lifesize sculptures on the lawns catch both the eye and interests of the guests. When my husband and I began staying at Ullikana some 14 years ago, we both had rather stressful jobs at the time, and it's hard to describe the magical transformation that would take place when we woke up at Ullikana after driving 8 hours the night before to get there. We'd be greeted by a smiling Roy, who brought us a basket of muffins letting us know what delicacies awaited us. All our stress would disappear as we gazed at the Harbor from Ullikana's outside breakfast garden. After receiving Roy's expert advice and approval regarding which trails we planned to hike that day, off we'd go to the fabulous Acadia National Park to soak up the experience of hiking the incredible, pristeen trails. We'd then look forward to coming back "home" to wine and cheese, mingling in the garden with other equally happy-to-be-there guests, then later, pouring ourselves a cup of tea in the oversize mugs that Roy and Helene left out for us at night. Since those first visits to Ullikana, we've been to Paris, Barcelona and other great vacation spots, but the few times we didn't make it to Bar Harbor and Ullikana, we felt that something was missing in our lives. The years that we took other trips, the urge to visit Ullikana was too great and we had to sneak in a second holiday in the form of a long weekend, just to get our fix. We were always glad we did, especially upon arrival, driving up the gravel pathway to the house, feeling the cool Maine night air (when we usually arrived) passing the welcoming little fountain in front of the entrance to the house and finally- opening the door and smelling that familiar smell of- well, home. We just learned that this year is Ullikana's 20th anniversary. Roy and Helene sent out a gracious thank-you letter to their guests. We are very happy for them and their success- and can't think of two nicer people who deserve it more. What we love about the last 14 of those years visiting Ullikana is that nothing has changed. The rooms are still comfortably chic, the breakfasts are still comfortably delicious, and of course the warm welcome is still comfortably familiar. We know that we will continue visiting for years to come because as I said in the beginning, when you’ve found heaven, why look further?