To say that the Norumbega Inn is impressive is to understate the obvious. It looks like a castle sitting along Route 1 in Camden, Maine amid lovely grounds. We drove by it several times while we were staying in nearby towns and were impressed by how majestic it is. Entering the front hall does nothing to change that impression. A beautiful carved staircase goes up on the left with a tete-a-tete on the first landing with a fireplace. It looks like the perfect place to just sit and relax especially in the cold weather with a fire blazing.
Our room was located down one flight on the first level of the house. In case you might be thinking basement, get that notion right out of your head. While it does have amazing brick walls with arched doorways, nothing could look farther from a basement. The bedroom has four windows and a slider to a private deck and is light and bright. The walls are a regal burgundy color and the room is dominated by a king size four poster bed. A sofa done in a whimsical pattern of hot air balloons with a down seat makes a very comfortable place to sit and watch TV or for me, work online.
You enter the spacious room through a public lounge with a Keurig coffee maker where you will find a selection of delicious shortbread cookies. You can also choose to watch TV or just relax in this space on the large leather sofa. Additional public spaces are offered on the first floor including a curved wall library, a parlor with fireplace and the dining rooms.
Our bathroom was huge with a six foot jetted tub as well as a tub and shower. Again, large windows open onto the back of the house. Plenty of high-end amenities are offered and if you want to wear a robe, the closet has two. The shower has impressive pressure and the towels are plentiful and luxurious.
Breakfast is served from 8-9:30 a.m. and is a multi-course affair. Phil Chrispo, one of the innkeepers is a former CIA instructor and you will be dazzled by the array of delicious creations that are presented to you. Our first morning it was an amazing ramekin of oatmeal combined with millet and quinoa with a fruit compote on top followed by mini corn muffins and fruit scones and then the main course of French toast with strawberries, blueberries,and real Maine maple syrup. You always have two options for the main course, a sweet and a savory, obviously, we chose the sweet.
Every day but Wednesday, you have the option of having Phil cook dinner for you as well. If you have the opportunity, I recommend you do it. We were here two nights and one of them was Wednesday but Thursday evening we had an amazing dinner that wowed us through every course. He is a very creative and talented chef and it is one of the best meals we have ever had.
Phil and his partner Sue have been the owners and resident innkeepers here since 2013. They have done amazing things to this beautiful home including replacing the outdoor decks. Many of the rooms have private outdoor space but there is a shared deck that runs around part of the building. Linda, the assistant innkeeper was so helpful and more than willing to answer any questions we had.
My husband and I were totally enchanted by the Norumbega Inn and will recommend it to everyone we know. We, of course, hope to return here again ourselves as soon as possible.
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