3.5 stars.
Point…read moreLookout is a picturesque resort with stunning views of Penebscot bay from "The Summit". This is where, if you go for a wedding, the ceremony will be held. It's also where we had breakfast the following morning. It was the highlight of the trip.
The reception was held in a different building that was also very nice, but didn't have the same views. It didn't matter much - the sun sets early these days so there was nothing to see. The cocktail hour featured pass horderves including a lobster shooter and steak with blue cheese dipping sauce. No complaints here.
The salad and bread were nothing special, but I had the salmon for dinner and it's one of the best pieces of fish I've ever had. I highly recommend it. The cake was pretty good too. We had our choice of three types, and of course, I tried all three. Chocolate was my favorite. (lemon was my least favorite, with chocolate mousse being second). Overall, the food was good.
Another positive was the bowling alley. If you go with a group (eg Wedding party) you can reserve all 8 lanes. We had fun for 3 hours. It included music, finger food and a cash bar.
I also enjoyed the hiking trails, though I have one gripe - they should be rated (beginner, intermediate, etc.) We hiked a trail to the lake and my blind, 80-year old uncle had a tough time. This trails had hills, rocks, roots and deep puddles. I would consider this intermediate. At least one other trail looked like a x-country ski trail (just grass) and was much easier (it would be a beginner trail!)
Overall, the staff were polite and friendly. During our 3 day stay, we encountered only one rude person, and she was the check-in person (in other words, the first person we met). I forget her name, but long story short we wanted to know if we should grab ice from the machine or whether there was some in the cabin and she rudely replied "Well, how should I know what's in the cabin!" Um, OK crabby lady... but she was the exception, thankfully.
Actually, a highlight regarding service was when my cousins locked themselves out of their cabin and a staffer from the reception went to get them a new key so they wouldn't have to leave! Excellent job!
As far as the cabins go, they are nicely appointed and plenty warm (We went on a chilly November weekend). Our only complaints were a lack of seating in the living room (could have used a sofa or another chair when entertaining) and the very hard mattresses. Also, the beds are queens, so understand that. My parents ended up ordering a cot because the bed was too small (no big deal, only $20 a night).
Also, the housekeeping does not really clean the cabin. They don't do dishes or make the bed during your stay. They will drop off TP and fresh towels. This didn't bother me much, but it was a surprise.
One last note on the cabins - the last sign for cabins 40-106 is insufficient in the dark. The sign says take a left by the Athena U building, but really, it's a hard left up a hill (almost a U-turn) and it's easy to miss. You could end up down an alley by a dumpster which several of us did.
Lastly, I will say that though I enjoyed my time here, for better or worse, it felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. (some people might enjoy this). I lovingly referred to Northport as East Bumf***, Maine. It's about 4hrs from Boston with traffic.
For some reason, my cell service didn't work, though others with AT&T had fine service all weekend. Northport doesn't have much going on, nor does Lincolnville (I did visit the one pub, Whale's Tooth, and it is very dated and caters mostly to locals in the off-season). Camden is 15 min away and does offer plenty of restaurants and shops. We went here several times.
Overall, it was a lovely wedding and fun to see my relatives. Not sure I'll ever be back but some recommendations nonetheless: Think about adding a little store where people can buy essentials and maybe a six-pack of beer; perhaps add a pub; I heard the frisbee disc golf course is non-existent and this could be fun; throw in a mini-golf course while your add it - really anything to make it feel like an all-inclusive resort so you don't really have to leave if you don't want to.