This is a unique place, and I struggle with the rating because on one hand I can see the thought…read moreand care that went into restoring it, and it is privately owned so I tend to give benefit of the doubt to owner, because owning a business is so difficult.
This place is located in one of the most beautiful areas in Maine. The grounds and the buildings are gorgeous, as are all of the surroundings. The exterior of the buildings is immaculately maintained and the landscaping is lovely.
We stayed in the Cabin. I booked it because of location and the history of the building. The photos showed it was primitive but clean, and I'm fine with primitive, as long as it's clean.
Check in process is very old fashioned...you arrive to find your name on a public bulletin board outside the office, and go to your unlocked cabin to find your keys and a printed welcome note with instructions. Obviously this is not an automated process, and a decent amount of effort goes into this process every day. It was actually quaint.
The management had sent a very nice email with a long, detailed list of interesting things to do & amazing sights in the area, along with how to access them. This was very thoughtful & helpful!
As stated earlier, the location is breathtaking. Several wildflowers were blooming, including lupines, and the sweeping views of the water were just gorgeous. We loved strolling the grounds and got some amazing photos. It truly felt like "real Maine", not some tourist version.
When we arrived & got into the cabin, we noticed an odor that went beyond the usual musty old cabin smell. But it was still at the beginning of the season, so I assumed the old cabin had been shut up all winter and just needed to be aired out. It was fairly dark inside even with the curtains open. I was disappointed to see the leather chair that looked comfy in the photos was actually very old and the seat had what looked to be broken springs showing through, so we didn't sit on it.
The kitchen appeared clean & very well appointed with everything you'd need to cook your own meals, including a full size fridge, toaster, microwave and a gas range, and every cooking and eating utensil, including a tea kettle. The bathroom appeared clean, with thick towels, a hair dryer, and soaps/shampoo/conditioner. We opened the windows to let the fresh air in, anxious to go exploring the lighthouse and surrounding area.
When we returned, the cabin had still not aired out. Upon turning down the beds, we saw there was a lot of pet hair on the bedspread and on the pillowcases and sheets (we were not traveling with animals). Upon turning on the lamps we saw the shades were stained and there were cobwebs and piles of pet hair on the floors and in the corners, and it was at this point that we noticed one of the bath towels didn't look clean. I'd now lost faith, but there is very little in the way of other places to stay in the area & it was already getting late.
My husband said "it's only one night" and we were getting up early the next morning anyway, so we quickly ran to the local Dollar General just before they closed and bought our own blankets and towels.
We made the best of it, getting up at 4am (the sky was already getting light at this time) to see the sunrise at West Quoddy Lighthouse, which was an amazing experience!
In the light of the morning we saw just how much pet hair was on the floors, and it was pretty gross, but by then we were leaving, heading out for our next adventure.
This is my advice to anyone booking the Cabin at West Quoddy Station: check your expectations. We didn't experience any of the spaces other than the Cabin, so this review is only for that particular building. The Cabin IS quite primitive, it smells very musty, and the level of clean was not to our personal satisfaction. But if you're up for some history and adventure and as my husband says "you don't mind feeling like you're staying in some random guy's hunting cabin", you might find yourself having an adventure in an historic building at one of the most beautiful spots in the U.S.
