The Lodge at Moosehead Lake

My wife and I stayed at the inn this weekend on the strength of all the wonderful reviews here and in other places. I was totally disappointed about the entire experience. Yes the view is wonderful and the area is worthy of a visit. But just about everything dealing with the lodge was totally disappointing.
First, the innkeeper was cold and unfriendly. She as never around and never came and chatted with us during breakfast or any other time. We never met the husband. Breakfast was not good. The pancakes I had were dry one day. The frittata the next day were tasteless and dry. The hash on our last day was a disaster. We stayed for dinner Saturday night too and that was a disaster. How did everyone else have a great experience? The fillet was way overdone and tasteless. I was curious about ordering what we wanted way ahead of our trip. But I was willing to go with it. Big mistake. Totally done dinner in under an hour. Unsatisfied.
They advertised a pub with a pool table and darts. Never did we see anything like that. The advertised a fire pit at night. Never saw that either.
On checkout, the innkeepers were not around so we had to simply leave the keys and e mail her that we had gone. Never in my life have I had to do that before in all the places we have stayed.
This place is pretty expensive compared to other B & B’s. I don’t mind spending good money if it is worth it. This place is not worth the money we paid. W exhale it up to a mistake. I can only hope this review saves someone else from making the mistake we did.
Stay away!!!

We enjoyed unparalleled views from the private deck of the Loon Room. It’s a little pricey but, when you take in your picture perfect surroundings, that fact is quickly forgotten. We look forward to to our next trip up and this Lodge is the only place I would stay!

If you’re reading this, do your life a favor and just go. We’re 2 high maintenance city girls from Miami and have honestly never had such a beautiful time in our lives as the time we spent at this lodge in Maine. There’s not enough room to tell you how much I loved it. Everything, from dinner to wine to the room to tour guides, this place exceeded expectations. The pantry is always stocked to the nines, with soda, scones, and cookies if someone didn’t eat them all haha. Linda is an angel of a host and Dennis made our meals to perfection. The pictures don’t do it justice. Maine is heaven and the lodge at moose head lake is a dream. I’m very lucky to have been able to experience it :)

This lodge is utterly magical! We spent the weekend here in mid October and the view from the property which overlooks Moosehead Lake was breathtaking! All the foliage was a blaze with colors of autumn. Each morning and sunset was just a scene out of a photo!
The Lodge owner Linda was most gracious and very personable. Her husband Dennis was an amazing cook. I didn’t get to meet him but we had dinner at the Lodge each night and it was magnificent. Gordon Ramsey would have sat back in awe to the attention to detail, presentation and favors!
Our room was an oasis away from home. We stayed in the Allagash suit for our anniversary and the room had a stunning view of the lake and the room was impeccable in its appointments. The décor was beautiful there was much natural birch trees used in the room and throughout the in.
Chloe, the resident French Bulldog, was precious. I wanted to take her home with me. I can’t wait for my next trip! Thank you so much for all of your fantastic hospitality!

The lodge exceeded out expectations! It is pricey but worth it. Every amenity you can imagine in a top hotel room and all the thoughtful touches of an Inn. Chocolates on the pillow, ice waiting for you in the room in the late afternoon for pre-​dinner cocktails and an itinerary and weather report for the day ahead. Great breakfast, unbeatable views and beautiful setting. We will definitely be back.

My brother and I stayed at The Lodge at Moosehead Lake recently and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Amazing view, beautiful and comfortable accommodations, very friendly owners, good food, very cute dog, Chloe. The rooms are beautifully decorated and the main lodge is gorgeous. We enjoyed a few games of pool and took advantage of a couple of the movies that were offered to the guests.
The snowmobile adventures in Maine are tops. I highly recommend a guide who can show you through the best trails.
We stayed in the Allagash Suite. I will be returning soon. Thanks Linda, Dennis and Chloe!

Everything about this place was great. The rooms were incredibly comfortable (ours had a fireplace and whirlpool), the food was fantastic, the hosts were very attentive and THE VIEWS! I could have easily just spent a week sitting on the porch just looking at them. And be sure to take the Moose Safari; we saw 6 moose in the first hour! If you’re looking for a terrific fall experience, this is it.

Loved this lodge. After driving from Bangor to Moosehead lake I didn’t think the views could get any better, until we got to the lodge. We stayed in the Katadin Suite, it was beautiful. Great staff, good food, loved the moose safari too. We are already talking about a trip back soon.

Great place, Absolutely amazing food! Gorgeous location.
Only thing I would caution would be that there arn’t really any places around there, its about 50 miles into the mild of nowhere and if you go off season theres really only one restaurant other than eating at the lodge (although again, I would highly recommend just eating at the lodge, one of the best deserts I’ve ever had in there berry cobbler served in a personal rammikin), as well as only a few stores in the area. However as a vacation it was extremely relaxing and they made sure to be excellent hosts and made our stay as wonderful as possible

I would highly recommend staying at the Lodge at Mooshead Lake if the opportunity presented itself.
The Lodge is beautiful and the grounds and view of Moosehead Lake are stunning and very well taken care of.
My friend and I had the opportunity to stay here for several nights in the Mt. Kineo suite in the Carriage House. It was beautifully appointed and extremely comfortable. The deck overlooking the lake was such an added treat for us!
Because we went during ‘off’ season, the dining room was only available for breakfast. Each morning they serve a lovely breakfast, but disappointing for me, I don’t eat eggs. I was lucky half of the time with pancakes! :) The other mornings, the self– service table included fresh fruit, pastry, yogurt, and cereal with an array of juices to pick from.
The lodge is close enough to ‘town’ that it didn’t feel like we were in the mix of things, but it certainly wasn’t too far away to go for dinner, shopping, or a run to the grocery store.
Linda and Dennis were very nice, but the most charming hostess was their dog, Chole– she is NOT intrusive in any way… and not a beggar, but she just loves to be petted. As a dog lover, I personally couldn’t resist!
Linda arranged a moose peeping expedition for us with Mark, a wonderfully knowledgable and personable guide. Don’t pass up a tour with him!

Andrew F. Has got it right about the look and feel of the lodge and the innkeepers. But this review is about the food. The breakfasts included in the room rate were basic and nothing to rave about on any level. Dinner was another story. The menu promised a perfectly cooked filet and it was. What was stellar was the peppercorn sauce it was served with… rich, spicy and yummy! The clam chowder was tasty, but infused with sand and more like a broth than a chowder. My wife had a salad and a shrimp dish, both ordinary in all respects. In the final analysis, not worth the price.

«We want people to leave here feeling like they’ve been hugged.» — Linda Bortis
Lodging
The Lodge has five guest rooms in the main building and four suites in an outbuilding; all of which have their own unique character. For the most part these rooms were stunning, some more than others. The suites were definitely more spacious yet didn’t necessarily outshine the design choices in some of the other rooms.
We stayed in the Katahdin, purposefully designed for a romantic getaway and a favorite of honeymooners and folks celebrating their anniversary. Kramer notoriously tried to build separate levels in his living room to no avail but the Katahdin room does it with style. Everything from the ultra comfortable bed to the plush bathrobes was flawless in design and consideration of the guest. There were chocolate truffles to snack on, the weather report for the next day locally (and at home!), and more amenities than you could shake a stick at.
Co-​owner Linda Bortis commented quite correctly that it is the little things that make the big differences. When her and her husband Dennis moved in, they stayed in every room and tried to figure out what it might be missing, what it needed to make it that much more welcoming, and then they took care of it. It was hard to find anything that hadn’t been thought of.
Dining
The lodge boasts a restaurant staffed by a CIA graduate and assisted by both Linda and Dennis. The premise is ‘Up North’ cuisine which translates to foods with local color. Sweet Maine Crab Cakes, Maine Lobster, local bread and buffalo, Clam Chowder. Unpretentious food that isn’t afraid to be fancy. The restaurant overlooks the Lodge’s backyard and Moosehead Lake. A view so beautiful that even at sunset you don’t find yourself wanting for more sun when it is cloudy.
We ordered a bottle of Saint M Riesling which went absolutely beautifully with the entire meal. For the meal we each went three courses.
First course — Caesar salad and Firecracker Duck Spring Rolls
The salad was standard, nothing mind blowing although the croutons were a little softer than normal which made for a less abrasive bite when you got one. The spring rolls were delicious. The duck was maybe even unnecessary as the sauce it was served with and the various vegetables in the spring roll were flavorful enough.
Second course — Mini penne pasta with fresh tomatoes and BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich
The mini penne was visually appealing yet had little kick to it. The flavors were mild and none really stood out above the rest. The BBQ pulled pork was a whole other story; it was absolutely delicious. Not drenched in sauce yet extremely potent and flavorful, it was messy and filling as a BBQ sandwich should be but not a mess by any means. The home made sweet potato chips that came with it were hot out of the oven, some soft, some crispy, every single one delicious.
Third course — Lemon tart with fresh berries and chocolate cake
Although a bit tart, the lemon crème was delicious and didn’t need the accompanying chocolate flavor to make it great. The shell was dry which meshed well with the very moist lemon crème. The chocolate cake was merely chocolate cake; delicious yet average.
Location
Although not near any standard vacation destination in Maine (i.e. the Coast), Greenville, ME and the entire Moosehead Lake region is a haven for people who love the outdoors. Within short drives there are several major mountains to climb, there are lakes and coves to explore, and so much more. In addition, you are only two hours away from both of the major rafting locations in Maine, and less than an hour away from the Canadian border. The beauty that this region holds is a testament to the people who live there and how much they value the outdoors and the environment. Sure, it isn’t a resort town, how in the world isn’t that a good thing? Dennis summed their location up in one sentence which rang true for us the entire time we were there; «This area defies you to be tense and on a schedule.»
Hosts
After dinner we took a trip downstairs to Chloe’s Pub (named affectionately after their French bulldog Chloe) for a game of darts and a nightcap. As the game was coming to a close and the patrons were trickling out Dennis made his way over to us and we had a chance to sit down and chat about his experiences at the Lodge. Well spoken and thoughtful, he talked about what he loves about the business and shared his thoughts on the different types of people who show up at the Lodge.
Although he talked about his regular days being over twelve hours he also said he could take a brake and enjoy the natural beauty around him, something he couldn’t previously do while in corporate America. It was clear at this moment that to Dennis, and to Linda as well, the Lodge isn’t just a business or a job, it is a way of life. Fortunately for the world, it’s a way of life that you can share with them, even if only for a few nights.