Atlantic Oaks By the Sea

The Atlantic Oaks is set on the former estate of Sir Harry Oakes on 14 acres of lush lawns and gardens. The Atlantic Oaks offers 8 distinctive guestroom buildings, many of which are authentic weathered shingle style cottages.

Upon arrival at the Oakes, the knowledgeable and courteous staff will take care of you so that you can relax and have a good time, because that's what your stay at the Atlantic Oakes is all about.

The owners of Atlantic Oaks are long-time residents of the the Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island area. As such, they know every nook and cranny of the Island and will be more than happy to help you design a memorable vacation.

Every room has an ocean view, the different categories reflect the quality of the ocean view.

Hotel Room



The Indoor Pool



The Fitness Center

The Willows

The property also features a summer estate built in 1913 called "The Willows" which is operated as a Bed and Breakfast.

The Willows was built in 1913 for Miss Charlotte Baker, a patron of the arts who operated a finishing school for girls in her native Boston. The entire project was completed for $50,000. Local newspaper accounts of the time clearly thought this to be quite an extravagant sum to spend on a summer home.

The name Willows was chosen because of the stately willow trees that lined the curving entry drive. Miss Baker enjoyed her home for a number of years and was active in the arts in the summer community. The great room with magnificent views of the bay was her conservatory and she frequently hosted concerts, poetry readings, piano recitals and other affairs connected with the summer art scene. When not otherwise in use, the conservatory served as Miss Baker's art studio, where she liked to paint scenes of Frenchman's Bay as viewed from her picture window.

After Miss Baker's death, The Willows was acquired by Sir Harry Oakes. Oakes was a multi-millionaire businessman who also had homes in England and the Bahamas. Lady Oakes preferred to summer in Maine to escape the oppressive summer heat of the Bahamas and Sir Harry would join her when the demands of his business empire allowed.

In the summer of 1947, a wild fire destroyed much of Bar Harbor including most of the summer homes. Where once there were over 200 summer estates, after the fire only a few remained and Lady Oakes disposed of the property since none of her former acquaintances rebuilt. The property changed hands a number of times and fell into disrepair until the Cough family acquired it, lovingly restored the Willows and began to operate it as a Bed and Breakfast.

The grounds at "The Willows" are very spacious and have a park-like feel. Here, in a nutshell, is what to expect when you arrive at The Willows.