We are back in the real world after our amazing trip to America, visiting Maine for the first time as well as a whistle stop re-visit of Boston – we had an itinerary full of gorgeous views and luxury yet personal accommodation. A real chance to zone out and reconnect. Hours, in fact days, went by with us chilling and staring at views! In fact the views were so good that I only read two books in ten days… It will be a while before I’m ready to share all the memories and tips (part of that is due to the sheer number of photos we took as well as because we are off again to visit friends in Vienna on Friday) so here’s the summary straight from Instagram!
I broke my first rule of holiday for the very first time – and used one social media platform while we were away. Microsoft lent me a Lumia phone and its camera was fantastic – so I shared my photos as we went on Instagram! Sharing a few photos each evening was plenty of social media for us and didn’t impact on R&R whatsoever – it was nice to post the views and visits as we went but I do enjoy being completely shut off from the rest of the online world!
And so – we started in the Concorde room – fizz, spa treatments and good food – a quiet haven away from the busy airport!
Let the holidays commence in style!
RG @mr_samparker: OK. So we just sit in here then? No tests, assignments, role-playing tasks, discovery calls, no psychometrics, no unexpected extra final interviews. We just drink fizz, get on the plane, lie down and watch rubbish TV for as long as we can stay awake for. Suits me. Good. #BA #BAFIRST #ConcordeLounge #LuxuryTravel #AvGeek #PaxEx #FirstClass #ConcordeRoom #Luxe #Relaxed #regramapp
On the plane the fun continued – flying right up front in the nose cone. It is a lovely small British Airways first class cabin and the crew were superb.
Time to go! #upintheair #AvGeek #PaxEx #BAFIRST #LuxuryTravel #onholiday #Relaxed #inthenosecone #747 #nosecone #FirstClass #britishairways
We’d been to Boston before so chose to do different things to last time. We walked for miles and miles on a hot and humid day. We headed over to Harvard as well as seeing some new bits of the Freedom Trail.
Today we walked and walked – all round #boston then over to #bunkerhill then to #HarvardUniversity – plenty of red brick and ivy and this “statue of three lies” (#veritas indeed)
I also got to meet a fellow blogger – Alison from Green With Renvy – always fun to put a face to a name and she was marvellous with food recommendations for us!
Visiting hours in prison @liberty_hotel former jail!! #bloggersmeet @greenwithrenvy #friendsallovertheworld #tbloggers
We stayed at The Liberty Hotel – I can’t say that we were that impressed compared to previous Starwood ‘Luxury Collection’ properties, but it was free (points redemption) and we were jet-lagged so it did just fine in reality. More akin to a business hotel – although the history and common-areas were fascinating.
Staying in a jailhouse for the first time @liberty_hotel – do all prisons have funky bars and comfy beds?
Our first stop out of Boston was a private island retreat. The Inn at Cucklolds Light will forever more make other holiday retreats hard to find that match up! I reviewed this for The Lux Traveller – enjoy.
We are marooned on an island – but don’t worry it is the height of luxury – as Mr P just said the #InnAtCuckoldsLight is bonkersly-good!!
The view – incredible. Just 6 people on an island with stunning views at all 360 degrees. It paired particularly well with a cold glass of blush before dinner!
As locations for #sundowners go this takes the prize! Epic view from our Island home!! @mrsoaroundworld – #cheers from the east coast!!
We were incredibly lucky to enjoy three stunning sun-sets. Our hosts were perfect – keeping an eye on the light-situation as we ate dinner to make sure we could take a break from dining at the most opportune moment!
Our first island sunset
I enjoyed my first lobster, and then swiftly followed that with my second! Such fun! It is rare to need a dining-lesson but I am glad I had one!
So last night for dinner I had my first lobster… Then my second too!! Fantastic feast!!
We had a lighthouse tour and saw the views from the top as well as learnt the history of the Cuckolds. We also tested out the fog horn – glad we weren’t too close by at the time!
A tour of the 1892 lighthouse today commanded some stunning views
Whilst there were only 6 of us on the island, we were surrounded my locals! Many many seals and also loads of very cute Eider(down) ducks.
Meet the locals! More seals than humans here at The Cuckolds
We found we couldn’t stop taking photos of the island!
Final evening in paradise
Or the view, with or without a wine glass accompaniment!
Bonsoir @visitmaine #winelovers
And then we had to leave – that was tough! Leaving an island paradise means you have to get on the ferry-boat home, if we’d needed to drive away ourselves, we would probably still be there!
Final glimpse of the magical lighthouse getaway – onwards to Camden today
Thankfully though – our next home, The Inn at Sunrise Point in Camden was another stunner and we had a gorgeous cottage and garden view.
Happy to be staying near Camden at the @sunrisepointinn – gorgeous views of Penobscot bay
Camden itself is a gorgeous old port town with a large number of Schooners and plenty of waterfront dining and bars as well as quintessentially nautical shops full of lovely gifts and treats.
Camden in Maine is picture postcard perfect!
We had been told the view from the top of Mount Battie would be a stunner, and so with bad weather forecast, we shot up there in our car (love this about America – you can drive to the top of big mountains) before supper on our first evening. The view really was gorgeous!
And this was yesterday… Stunning vista from the top of #MountBattie
Thank goodness we did – the next day we headed to Acadia National Park in monsoonal conditions! Check out the comment on the photo below about what I should have been able to see from the top of Mount Cadillac!
What a difference 12 hours and the leftover rain from #TropicalStormBill makes… Here I am at the top of #cadillacmountain in #AcadiaNationalPark (as shot by @mr_samparker who wasn’t stupid enough to get out of the car). In fact the signpost at the top says “from the summit you finally get the sense you are on an island… The view to the north offers an astonishing panorama of the gulf of Maine…” Can’t say I saw it!!
Properly soggy having enjoyed very British weather – we lit the fire, dryed out and enjoyed some local plonk in our cottage!
The worst of the weather has passed now (thank goodness) and we are warming up in our cottage – fire on to warm us and dry our shoes and socks! Sweet treats from our local and lovely @martha_andthe_meadow care package and some local #breakwatervineyards wine
Another stop – this time in Kennebunkport – famous for where the Bush family have their summer residence. I struggled to find accommodation here as there are so many large hotels, but happily I found the Captain Fairfield Inn which was a fitting end to our stay. A relaxed and funky vibe.
A charming home for the next few nights – happily ensconced at the @captainfairfieldinn in #kennebunkport
We had one last dining treat (this was a foodie trip indeed – more to follow soon) and ate at Earth at the Hidden Pond Hotel. Incredible setting and scrummy food!
Supper at Earth @hiddenpond – quirky and quite fantastic! Just look at this bar with with hung tree!
More exploring in Kennebunkport the next day in the sunshine – a pretty town and plenty of waterfront. Many many large and ugly houses here in a ‘more money than sense’ kind of manner, but in such a gorgeous setting it didn’t detract as long as one looks out to sea!
The chapel by the sea in Kennebunkport – a Gorgeous spot indeed!
The Captain Fairfield has a lovely grass garden area – so we made the most of the sunshine, knowing more rain was imminent for our last day.
Afternoon in the sunshine in the @captainfairfieldinn garden reading our books – after the mornings monsoon this is much appreciated!
A hotel recommendation for supper and drinks – wine and tapas at the Old Vines. Very enjoyable and very friendly and off the tourist track.
Fantastic recommendation for dinner and drinks tonight – when the bar serves great wine, great food and the manager is English and knows my little school in Surrey – well we felt right at home!!
A final full day exploring and the second monsoon arrived for about 3 hours, after it had departed we went off in search of more lobster – and had our third of the trip.
It is all about the #lobster in #Maine – and we’re not complaining, had our third each in a week today, in a roll, in the sunshine in #Kennebunkport
Our final day dawned bright and sunny – thank goodness. We grabbed a few hours on one of the sandy beaches in Kennebunk.
Final day in #maine and making the most of the #mainesummer #sunshine on the #beach in #Kennebunkport
We needed to get back to Boston but were in no hurry as we had a late flight. We spent a stunning day in Ogunquit which kept the arrival of holiday blues at bay.
Not a bad place to spend an afternoon before heading back for our flight! #mainesummer #Ogunquit #maine #beach #sunshine #picoftheday #bestoftheday #beautifuldestinations
Final lobster – number 4 – was enjoyed with a sea view and a glass of wine.
I make that my 4th lobster!! By the #beach in #Ogunquit enjoying the #mainesummer
Thankfully the flight home was another highlight – first class always is! Boston airport is a living hell, but thankfully the first class dining room was quiet, we could eat before boarding which meant one glass of fizz and a good nights sleep.
Enough comfortable sleeping to be ready for a day of work! Always a pleasant end to a trip!! #BAFirst #inthenosecone #upintheair #britishairways #firstclass #747 #redeye #frequentflyer
An incredible trip – we loved every minute of it (even the rain as it felt like home). Follow the links for more information about our fantastic accommodation and the foodie delights we enjoyed!
I did a Maine road trip last year stopping in Camden and Acadia as well. Thanks for bring back some great memories!
Author
We went to Cellardoor – thank you for the recommendation!
What a wonderful stay and great photos (except for the photo that looks like I’m your grandmother). Glad you enjoyed our little piece of the US. Hope we can rendezvous again for a longer stretch of time!
Author
I look like the giddy tourist, you don’t look bad at all! It is lovely – we are pretty sure we want to come back!
That camera is pretty darn good looking at the quality of the photos; I’ve been bad lately and just been using my iPhone for my blog…bad blogger! It looks like you had such a great time, can’t wait to read more about your trip.
xx
Around the World in 80 Pairs of Shoes
Author
Smartphones are getting good – I am sure they are better than my little point and press and dragging the DSLR around in my handbag is a bit of a pain! More to follow soon, when life calms down again! xx
Beautiful – look forward to reading more about your trip. Maine’s new to me but I spent a summer in Cape Cod and Boston about 15 years ago and the buildings take me right back there.
Author
Thanks Lucy – you have to go back, we visited Cape Cod a few years ago and would pick Maine over it in a heartbeat – it is just a massive scale, even prettier, more varied and empty – somewhere between your Canada and Cape Cod trips probably!