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As
Featured in Montreal Gazette
July 2007
'The Yorks,' where
heritage meets great views
Overlooking the Atlantic, York Harbor Inn offers a wide range of
attractions
By
Rochelle Lash, Freelance Travel Writer
Thursday, July 05, 2007
 The York Harbor Inn long has been a centerpiece of "The Yorks,"
a trio of quaint, historic communities on the southernmost coast
of Maine.
The "Yorks" are linked by a six-kilometre stretch of coastal
Route 1A and are a five- to 10-minute drive from each other.
York Harbor is a picturesque seaside village of elegant manor
houses and a handful of inns along the Atlantic coast. York
Village, one of the oldest communities in the United States, was
incorporated in the 1600s. It is home to historic buildings,
including the fascinating Old Gaol, where prisoners were fed
lobsters, which were plentiful and had yet to be considered a
delicacy.
York Beach has a vintage air and timeless amusements for kids -
the sand, the ocean, a carousel and old-time candy shops and ice
cream parlours. Goldenrods Luncheonette has used the same recipe
for saltwater taffy since the 1890s, and Sweet Josie's Candy
Shoppe has made fudge, ice cream and penny candy for decades.
The York Harbor Inn began during the 1800s as a stagecoach and
rail stop halfway between Boston and Portland, Me. It gradually
grew into a handsome 54-room inn with an unusual configuration:
it's a cluster of B&B-style lodges with different names and
innkeepers. This adds up to a variety of accommodations, ranging
in design for families and sports fans in need of conveniences,
comfort and roomy spaces, to couples seeking privacy, luxury and
romantic surroundings.
"We wanted to have a substantial-sized establishment, but we
wanted to maintain the intimacy of a country inn and the
historic aspect of York, yet with all the comforts possible,"
said Garry Dominguez, who owns York Harbor Inn with his brother,
Joe. "We call our collection of B&Bs 'the campus.' "
At the heart of the establishment is the Country Inn, the main
building with 22 guest rooms, a formal dining room, the Ship's
Cellar Pub and a ballroom. The Harbor Hill Inn, the Yorkshire
Building and the Harbor Cliffs B&B are situated on the same
property, within 30 meters of the main lodge. The 1730 Harbor
Crest Inn is a hilltop B&B about a kilometer inland. The inn
makes the most of its waterfront location. The dining room and
many guest rooms have glorious views of the Atlantic.
All lodgings feature appealing antique-style furniture, wireless
Internet, cable television, telephones and hairdryers. The wide
price range for rooms is based on size, view and extra
amenities. Some rooms have decks overlooking the Atlantic, gas
fireplaces in the shape of iron stoves, whirlpool tubs and
heated bathrooms floors.
York Harbor Inn is considered to have the best dining in the
region, with such casual fare as lobster flatbread, seafood
ravioli, burgers and lobster rolls on the same menu as seared
scallops, lobster Thermidor, ahi tuna and filet mignon. The
dining room, decked out with white tablecloths, has a formal
service with sorbet between courses and truffles with coffee.
Locals and tourists gather in the Ship's Cellar Pub for lunch,
dinner and live entertainment. Built to look like the interior
of a grand vessel, the pub has a fine mahogany bar, nautical
artwork, portholes, and studded leather seats in "the bow."
Happy-hour wines by the glass cost $5, and a free buffet of hors
d'oeuvres is offered during the week. Local singers perform on
most Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sunday.
The spirit of summer will explode at York Beach during York
Days. The July 27-Aug. 5 festival features concerts, sandcastle
building, craft fairs and fireworks. The Nubble Lighthouse, a
local landmark perched high on a rocky cliff overlooking the
ocean, is a focus for the annual event Christmas in July. The
Nubble will be draped in shimmering white lights and a nighttime
concert will take place in the surrounding park on July 29.
- - -
If you go:
York Harbor is a five-hour drive from Montreal. Take Highways 10
and 55 to the U.S. border, then Highways 91 and 93 to southern
New Hampshire and Route 101 east and Interstate 95 north into
Maine to Exit 7 for York/Ogunquit.
York Harbor Inn: 800-343-3869, www.yorkharborinn.com. Prices of
rooms and suites range from $149 to $289 U.S. a night (weekdays
to weekends), for two, double occupancy, including continental
breakfast. Three luxury suites cost more. Golf and dinner
packages are available. Prices on most rooms decrease Sept. 2.
Lunch and dinner are served daily.
Tourism information: 207-363-4422, Old York Historical Society,
207-363-4974, www.oldyork.org.
York Days Festival, 207-363-1040, July 27-Aug. 5.
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