Frequently Asked Questions

Hartstone Inn stands on Elm Street in the heart of Camden village, four buildings past the stop sign as you drive north on Route 1. Our hotel in Camden, Maine puts the harbor, the shops and the restaurants of downtown within an easy walk of the front door.

Knox County Regional Airport (KRKD) is the nearest at approximately 12 miles. Bangor International Airport (BGR) is approximately 60 miles away, Portland International Jetport (PWM) approximately 85 miles, and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) approximately 185 miles.

Hartstone Inn sits approximately 190 miles northeast of Boston, roughly a 3.5-hour drive. Rental cars are available at Boston Logan International Airport for the journey up the coast.

The Amtrak Downeaster runs from Boston to Brunswick, hugging the Maine coastline for much of the route. From Brunswick the remainder of the journey to Camden is by road, and rental cars are available there.

Yes, Camden Harbor and the village center are a short walk from our door. The shops along Elm Street, Bay View Street and Main Street are all reachable on foot.

Camden rewards visitors in every season, and the top things to do in Camden, Maine sit within a short drive or walk of the inn. Sailing on Penobscot Bay, hiking the Camden Hills, touring the region's art museums and browsing the independent shops downtown are the mainstays.

The Mount Battie Trail begins nearby in Camden and climbs 1.1 miles one way with 600 feet of elevation gain, taking 1 to 2 hours. The summit opens onto views of Camden Harbor, the sailboats below and the islands of Penobscot Bay.

Five museums sit within easy reach of the inn:

• Farnsworth Art Museum and the Wyeth Center, home to the Wyeth family collection
• Center for Maine Contemporary Art, focused on contemporary work
• Penobscot Marine Museum, covering the region's seafaring history
• Owls Head Transportation Museum, with historic aircraft and automobiles
• Merryspring Horticultural Nature Park, a nature park with gardens and trails

Schooner Surprise and the smaller Sloop Anjacaa sail Penobscot Bay from Camden Harbor, carrying up to 18 and up to 6 guests respectively. Camden Harbor Cruises add lighthouse tours, lobster-trap hauls and eco excursions where seals, porpoises, osprey and bald eagles are often sighted.

Trails around Camden and Rockport suit every level:

• Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport: 1.8-mile loop, 300 feet of gain
• Mount Battie Trail, Camden: 1.1 miles one way, 600 feet
• Spruce Mountain, West Rockport: 2.4 miles, 685 feet
• Ragged Mountain, Camden: 4.6 miles, 1,007 feet
• Bald Rock Mountain, Camden Hills State Park: 3 to 3.5 miles

Curtis Island and Indian Island lighthouses are visible on the shorter harbor cruises from Camden. The three-hour Sunday lighthouse cruise adds Rockland Breakwater, Owls Head and Browns Head lighthouses.

Camden's independent shops cluster along Elm Street, Bay View Street and Main Street, all walkable from the inn. Stonewall Kitchen Camden Company Store, The Smiling Cow, Owl and Turtle Bookshop Cafe, The Leather Bench, Motifs and the multi-dealer antique mall at 10 Mechanic St are among the favorites.

Our accommodations fall into four categories:

• Traveler's Room, a compact room with a queen bed and private bathroom
• Superior Room, individually themed with queen beds and select fireplaces
• Deluxe Room, European-inspired with queen or king beds, fireplaces and Jacuzzi tubs
• Suite, the largest option, with separate living areas, fireplaces and private entrances

Yes, five accommodations include a Jacuzzi tub:

• Provence Room, a Jacuzzi tub with shower alongside a gas fireplace
• Mansard Room, a large Jacuzzi tub with shower on the third floor
• Junior Suite, a two-person Jacuzzi with a separate shower
• Cottage Suite, a large Jacuzzi tub with shower
• Arbor Suite, a two-person Jacuzzi tub

Fireplaces feature in the Provence Room, Loft Room, Paris Room, Junior Suite, Cottage Suite, Arbor Suite and Normandy Suite. Several are gas fireplaces set beside a sitting area with club chairs.

Five suites offer their own entrance:

• Junior Suite, in the former carriage house
• Cottage Suite, with a private garden entrance and patio
• Arbor Suite, entered at street level
• Garden Suite, a bi-level layout in the original carriage house
• Normandy Suite, a bi-level suite with mountain views

Yes, complimentary breakfast is included with every room and suite. It is served each morning and forms part of the reason our bed and breakfast Camden Maine reputation has held for so long.

The Provence Room pairs a gas fireplace with a Jacuzzi tub across 200 sq. ft., while the 325 sq. ft. Mansard Room adds a four-poster queen bed and distant ocean views. For a romantic room in Camden, Maine with more space, the Cottage Suite opens onto a private patio with a small pond.

Yes, the Paris Room, Cottage Suite, Arbor Suite, Garden Suite and Normandy Suite all have king beds. The Normandy and Cottage Suites feature four-poster and wrought iron king beds respectively.

Our rooms and suites are designed for up to 2 guests each. The Garden Suite additionally lists a sofa bed within its bi-level living area.

Yes, the Hartstone Inn Restaurant and Lounge serves coastal Maine cuisine to guests and to visitors from the wider community. It is the most established fine-dining restaurant in Camden operating inside a historic inn.

Chef Tom E. White leads the kitchen, known locally in Camden as the Kilted Chef. He builds seasonal menus that combine classic technique with produce from Maine's coast and farms.

The kitchen focuses on coastal Maine cuisine with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, so the menu changes through the year. Innovative treatments of traditional seafood dishes anchor the list, drawn from the marine bounty of the Maine coastline.

Yes, our bar pours cocktails and mocktails that are made fresh and rotated to reflect the season. An award-winning wine collection is available by the glass and the bottle.

Outdoor Cart Happy Hour is a relaxed afternoon service of casual plates, handcrafted cocktails, local beers and wines, served outdoors. It is open to everyone, not just house guests.

Yes, curbside pickup is available from our curbside menu and your order is ready when you arrive. Delivery is offered for an additional fee through Craft Delivery Service.

Yes, our in-house sommelier curates personalized wine tastings and food pairings, arranged by our team ahead of your stay. Many guests combine the session with a daytime visit to Cellardoor Winery.

Yes, Hartstone Inn is an established wedding venue in Camden, Maine for intimate and elegant celebrations, with a stated commitment to inclusivity. Customizable packages cover the ceremony, reception dining, accommodation and coordination.

The Signature Wedding Package covers 30 guests and includes 10 rooms for 3 nights with a suite for the couple, an onsite event coordinator, a full bar package, passed appetizers, a charcuterie display and a champagne toast. Reception dining is a 5-course plated dinner or a carving-station buffet with a dessert display, and venue, decor, chairs, tent, linens, glassware, lighting, parking, setup and cleanup are all included.

Yes, the Wedding in a Wink elopement package is $6,000 on a weekday and $8,000 at the weekend. It includes 8 rooms for 2 nights for up to 16 guests, a professional officiant and ceremony at the inn, a 5-course reception dinner, wine and beer service with 2 signature cocktails, decor with house-designed centerpieces, house music and a full made-to-order breakfast each morning.

Ceremony location away from the inn, DJ or live entertainment, photography, sound system, specialty lighting, wedding flowers and cake, and travel to and from your honeymoon are all excluded. Our team connects couples with local suppliers for these elements.

Yes, a dedicated onsite event coordinator is included in the Signature Wedding Package. They manage setup, service and cleanup across the celebration.

Yes, dogs are welcome in 3 designated suites, which makes us a genuine pet-friendly hotel in Camden, Maine rather than a property that merely tolerates pets. A treat is waiting in the room on arrival when requested in advance.

Three suites accept dogs:

• Normandy Suite, a 600 sq. ft. bi-level suite with a private living room and four-poster king bed
• Cottage Suite, a 450 sq. ft. suite with a king bed and private garden entrance
• Junior Suite, a 450 sq. ft. carriage house suite with a sitting room and gas fireplace

A maximum of 2 pets per room applies. Let our team know at the time of booking so the room is prepared correctly.

No, dogs are not permitted in the main inn, in any interior common areas, or in the restaurant. The three pet-friendly suites each have their own access, which keeps the arrangement straightforward.

Camden's historic streets and tree-lined neighbourhoods suit long walks, and the Mt. Battie Trailhead is close by. Sea Dog Brewing Co. in the heart of downtown has a spacious dog-friendly patio, and several local outfitters welcome dogs on kayaks and paddleboards.

Yes, a treat is left waiting in the room on arrival when you request it in advance. Mention your pet when booking so the team is prepared.

Check-in is anytime after 3 PM and check-out is at 11 AM. Contact the front desk in advance if you need a later departure and the team will do its best to accommodate the request.

A credit card is needed to guarantee every reservation, along with a deposit of one-half of the stay. The minimum deposit is the value of 1 night.

Guests are responsible for charges on all rooms and days reserved when notice of cancellation is given less than 48 hours before the scheduled arrival. During high season from May to November the notice period extends to 1 week, and all cancellations carry a $20 processing fee.

Yes, a $100 hold is placed on your credit card at check-in to cover incidentals such as items taken after bar hours. The hold is not charged unless incidental expenses are incurred, and the unused portion is released automatically after check-out.

Yes, Hartstone Inn is entirely non-smoking. Non-compliance results in a cleaning fee starting at $150.

Yes, gift certificates are treated as cash toward a stay and are purchasable in any dollar amount. They arrive as a PDF by email and are redeemable for lodging or dining at our luxury inn Camden Maine guests return to year after year.