Granite Inn
546 Main Street
Rockland, ME 04841-3341
Reservations: 800-386-9036
Fax: 207-594-9036
Your hosts: Ed and Joan Hantz
Sporting the only granite façade left in Rockland, the Granite Inn
began as a private residence when the granite Federal Colonial house was built in 1840
attached to a little 1790 house (at left). Today, the Granite Inn, occupying the granite
house along with the large wing to the rear added by the Elks’ Club in 1906, offers a
unique B&B experience and the ideal mid-coast location for exploring Maine’s arts,
heritage, and sights. Known for its warm hospitality, comfort, artistically decorated
rooms, and innovative cuisine, the Granite Inn offers a wide range of amenities to
romantic couples, families, business travelers, and people traveling with pets. Amenities
include complimentary high-speed internet access, flat screen televisions, and “raidable”
guest pantries with refrigerators and hot/cold bottled water dispensers.
The Granite Inn has been certified by the state of Maine as an environmental leader in the hospitality industry.
The Granite Inn offers a variety of B&B experiences.
There are six spacious guest rooms furnished for double occupancy and two two-room
suites that comfortably sleep four. All guest rooms have private baths. If you want to take
the pulse of Maine’s second largest harbor and watch the sun rise over the water, choose
one of the two rooms in the original granite building that face the ferry terminal and
Knight Marina. On the other hand, if you want a more serene setting, pick one of the
rooms at the quiet end of the building – one even has a fireplace.
Joan, co-owner of the Inn and a graphic designer by profession, has been the interior
decorator for the eight guest rooms and suites. Each is uniquely decorated in an artful
counterpoint of authentic antiques and modern furnishings. All guest rooms offer either
queen or king beds (some convertible to two twins), fine linens, plush towels, wireless
high-speed internet access, flat-screen television, alarm clock, and pillows, pillows,
pillows. Irons/ironing boards and hair dryers are available on request.
In the quiet season, (mid-October through mid-June) room rates range from $95 (double
occupancy) to $125 (the suites). During the summer season, (mid-June through mid-
October) the same rooms range from $150 to $210 per night.
The first thing you see as you approach the Granite Inn is its front
porch. A welcoming expanse that faces the harbor, guests often take their morning coffee
out to the porch to greet the morning sun and watch the ferries load. In the late afternoon
the porch is in shade, a frequent gathering place to debate where to have dinner. And,
during Rockland’s festivals, the porch offers a front-row viewing stand for the parades.
After a warm welcome from the inn’s official greeter – Zack, the English Springer
Spaniel, step through the front door into the Granite Inn’s grand living room with two
large, comfortable sitting areas, a wood-burning fireplace, distinctive woodwork, and
deep window sills (due to the thick granite walls) filled with flowering plants. One corner
of the living room contains a game table and one corner of the dining room contains a
large TV with DVD player and a guest “swap” library. Both the first and second floor
halls contain guest pantries complete with refrigerator, hot/cold bottled water dispenser,
and “bottomless” cookie jar. A serve-yourself, single-cup coffee/tea brewer is also
available at any time.
The dining room is a versatile space that has seen baby showers, breakfast business
meetings, school alumni reunions, and private brunches. The room can accommodate a
sit-down dinner for 30.
In the bright dining room, the Granite Inn’s hearty breakfast
is served either family- or buffet-style depending on the number served and the menu of
the day. Guests are encouraged to participate in the traditional B&B experience by eating
at the large central table, but individual tables are also available. Breakfast entrées range
from apple pancakes to a large variety of healthy quiches and crêpes, accompanied by
fresh fruit and muffins or scones, fresh-baked from scratch each morning.
This stately home’s history began in 1840 as a Federal Colonial residence built
by local craftsmen from granite quarried in nearby St, George. Since that time it has gone
through many incarnations serving as a home and office to at least two physicians. In
1906, the Elks’ Club purchased the house and added a large wing to the rear. In 1920,
General Pershing gave an address on the front steps of the Elks’ Club. In 1984, the
building was transformed into a B&B, and has remained Rockland’s only historic
harborfront B&B ever since.
In 2006, Edwin and Joan Hantz purchased the inn, moving from Rochester, NY, with
their daughter Giuliana and Springer Spaniel, Zack – and began to renovate. The front
porch extending the length of the building was added, and room by room, renovations,
refurbishing and redecorating occurred. While the historic architecture and many of the
beautiful touches such as the living room woodwork and Terrazzo tile floors were left in
place, the inn has been renewed in a clean contemporary style interspersed with family antiques. At the Granite Inn, history has been preserved with a simple, elegant, and
updated panache.
While many of the amenities are fully appreciated only by
adults, all ages are welcome and the inn is both child- and pet-friendly. Three double
rooms and one of the suites are on the first floor.
The inn is fully sprinkled and meets all safety requirements. The entire building is non-
smoking.
From Portland, Maine: Take I-295 to Exit 28 in Brunswick. Take Route 1
north and follow into Rockland. Continue on Route 1 north onto Main Street. The Granite
Inn is about 10 blocks ahead on the left, opposite the ferry terminal.