Maine mountain inn makes room for Rover

December 30, 2007|Checking In, Hilary Nangle, Globe Correspondent

WATERFORD, Maine - "Hey, Bernie," I addressed the dog slumbering at my feet, "you received your own confirmation letter." He thumped his tail in reply. We had chosen the Bear Mountain Inn for a quick escape because it had a pet-friendly cottage, and we wanted to take our 18-month-old Leonberger with us. While many accommodations market themselves as welcoming dogs, the fine print often restricts those to purse-sized pooches. Bernie, at 95 pounds and growing, certainly didn't qualify as one of those.

Less than an hour after I made the reservation, Bernie received a letter penned by the innkeeper's dogs, Dakota and Cheyenne, detailing what would be provided - bowls, pooper-scooper, and treats - and what would be expected of him: "Please insist that your human companions take you with them whenever they leave the inn's property. . . . Your parents are responsible for any damage you may cause, so you'd better be on your best behavior. . . . Remember that not everyone loves us four-legged friends. . . . Please insist on being kept safe and sound on your leash while enjoying the outside property of the inn. . . . Do not leave your 'you know what' in the yard." All reasonable requests, and Bernie thumped his tail again in agreement.

Waterford is one of those delightful little towns you discover when you're on your way to someplace else. It snuggles in the hilly folds between Bethel and Bridgton, on Route 35, a quiet road that noodles around numerous bodies of water. The area is best known for its children's summer camps, but tiny, bordering on precious Waterford has a general store, a buffalo ranch, and a handful of well-preserved homes amid its forested mountains and nine lakes (officially, they are ponds). Summer, when the area attracts water-sports enthusiasts and hikers, is prime time, but it's spectacular in autumn and, we found, blissfully peaceful in winter. For those who savor low-key escapes, Waterford is a find.

Complementing the gentle yet genteel landscape is the Bear Mountain Inn, a classic New England farmhouse and barn dating to the early 1800s. The property is bordered on three sides by water - Bear Lake, Mutiny Brook, and Bear River - and by Bear Mountain on the fourth. Nature trails, groomed by snowmobile for skiers and snowshoers, are etched across the inn's 52 acres, and one connects to ITS 89, Maine's Interconnected Trail System, providing snowmobilers access to the system webbing Maine and some of New Hampshire. There's even a tubing hill. In summer, guests have use of a private beach, canoes, and a barbecue area.