Herbert Grand Hotel

I’ve been negligent in covering the ski scene in Maine, largely because we haven’t gone downhill since kids arrived (though everyone in the family goes cross country skiing). Sugarloaf is Maine’s premiere ski resort and a great recommendation to lodge off-campus is at the Herbert Grand Hotel in nearby Kingfield. Built around 1917, this is truly a “grand” hotel, replete with oak doors, brass fixtures and an expansive lobby area.

The primary attraction for my wife and I was that in spite of the grand character, they let dogs stay with you – which may explain why everyone simply refers to this establishment as “the Herb”. The rooms are a bit cramped and certainly not high-tech, but mesh well with the old world atmosphere. What we found to be really cool was that most of the other guests came here so they could likewise bring their dogs along – so it was our kind of crowd, lol.

It is hard to describe the marvelous evening we spent sitting in the lobby one Saturday night after a full day of downhill skiing. Though bitter cold outside, we were cozy by a roaring fireplace and enjoyed idle conversation with two other couples sitting around (their dogs by their side, of course). The sole bummer of the evening was when a guy sat at the baby grand in the lobby and played “Send in the Clowns” while his girlfriend provided retched vocals, lol. Regardless, this event contributed to the charm of a relaxing evening at the Herb.

By no means five stars, but a unique and memorable place to park if you are venturing to the Carrabasset Valley!