"" HIKER BEWARE "" !! Over priced and scam you out of every penny you got !! Dirty and rude ! The…read moreowners demeanor was very childish and his actions rude! Place is a party house ! We left and stayed at the lake house ! Shaws isn't a place to stay at if you want to relax before finishing up a thruhike ! Its a party spot for adults who haven't grown up! Its a joke ! Odin ECT 2025

Accommodating and welcoming. I would without hesitation recommend Shaw's for their expertise and…read moresupport and their genuine love. It's hard to describe the connections that they make with you. With me a struggling older hiker they welcomed me, spent time getting to know me and helped me sort out my issues. Everything is clean, breakfast was plentiful and delicious. Poet was behind the flattop killing it. I've stayed in both the bunkhouse and a private room, both were comfortable with plenty of blankets. The gear resupply selection was excellent. The value is in the service (love) and location and options. Their crew is dedicated and meticulous.

Food was decent. View is beautiful and we found the service to be good. Could use some healthier…read moreoptions on the menu

Awesome environment with all an AT hiker could ever hope for:…read more- beds - highly efficient washer/dryer for $5 - couches - TV/movies - coffee in the AM - microwave/fridge/toaster Not to mention the fact that he staff are all about the nicest folks you will ever meet. (Larger bed upstairs not the most comfy but considering all else - who cares!)

We stayed in the family room this weekend. The location is great--so close to the mountain and the…read moreoutdoor center. Everything was clean and comfortable. Breakfast could have been a bit more robust but it was sufficient.

Love this hostel. Stayed here as a section hiker and they couldn't have been more friendly…read more "Hostel" doesn't really fit because it is very upscale. But it still has all the vibes of a hostel. Good resupply, shuttles, trail info. Upgrade to a private room if you can. Would love to see this place in the winter. I think it would be ideal for a family who plans to ski.

I visited Phil's, for the first time, in May. Stayed for a couple days to do a check out hike for…read moremy upcoming trip through the 100MW. On that trip I was the only guest. Phil gave me a tour of his place and provided some valuable tips. Coffee was ready in the morning - I appreciated the company (from both Phil and Woody). Used the grill that evening and spent time reading in the "community center". I felt totally at home and had a chance to destress from life. My sister and I returned at the end of June for our hike. Cabin was ready when we arrived. Phil was as engaging as ever. He dropped us at Abol Bridge in the morning. Unfortunately my sister fell and tore her ACL on the hike. Phil provided instructions for how to get her out and even, personally hiked in to look for us. After she got off trail, he helped me plan a two day solo hike. Really awesome place! I now think of Phil as a friend. I'd highly recommend.

My friend and I used Phil for our section hike of the 100 mile wilderness. Phil was wonderful to…read moreus. He gave us so much useful information about the trail, campsites and a resupply. The food drop was essential so we didn't have to carry 8 days worth of food. I can't thank him enough for making us feel so safe and secure. He sat down with us and went over our maps and made sure we didn't have any questions. He dropped us off at the trailhead. When we finished a day early he made sure we got picked up and we didn't have to wait long. His rates are very reasonable and he really went above and beyond for us. His cabins were so clean and comfortable. The shower was clean and had hot water. There is hardly any cell service in the 100 mile wilderness so using my Inreach was critical to staying in touch with him when we finished. He was also nice enough to text my husband with an update when my device wasn't working well. When we finished he offered us both use his personal phone to call our families which was a really nice gesture. I highly recommend Phil Pepin and his services. This stretch if trail is very remote and difficult. He knows the ins and outs of the area and that was very comforting to us!! Thanks Phil!!!!

Stayed in a private room and the bunk house during a trip to the 100 mile wilderness. Used the…read moreshuttle service and a resupply. Everything went so smoothly and the level of knowledge of the employees and owners about the trail gave me the confidence boost I needed. If you are looking for an outfitter you can stop looking and start booking. Great resupply/ equipment store at the hostel as well. A one stop shop

Words of warning: Ole Man (Paul Renaud) can be very abusive to hikers and I experienced it first…read morehand. He accused me just before boarding the shuttle to Baxter State Park of not paying for the shuttle - in front of a group of other south bound hikers who were to be my "trail family" over the next few weeks. It was a shocking, humiliating experience to say the least. I HAD paid; he also had time to discuss this with me privately the previous day. (fwiw, I am a retired engineer with ample income to cover these trivial costs). When I could bring myself to talk about it to other hikers the stories flowed. Abusive behavior toward a deaf hiker who could not hear him, threats to call the police on another hiker whose crime was to show up and find out he did not have enough money to stay at the lodge, and abusive behavior toward his employee, ez rock, a gentle helpful guy. This behavior is not only abusive to the hiker experiencing it but an embarrassment for those having to witness it. One hiker told me to not let him ruin my hike; unfortunately it did for several days. It may be time for Paul, Ole Man, to retire from this work he obviously cannot handle appropriately.

Great people, fellowship and hospitality!!! Highly recommend…read moreto AT hikers, leaf peepers, or anyone wanting to decompress.

We'd never heard of the Charles Inn, and came upon them while booking a long weekend on Expedia…read more It's in a GREAT location in historic downtown Bangor, within walking distance to plenty of shops, restaurants and cafes. There's an adjacent coffee shop so there was the bonus of being greeted with the coffee aroma when entering the lobby. The hotel and café staff were pleasant enough. Bangor, Maine is the hometown of author Stephen King, and The Charles Inn has a Stephen King suite. I took two steps inside, saw the poster of Jack Nicholson in the "heeeeere's Johnny!" scene opposite the bed, and asked for a new room. Not my cup of tea, but apparently it's a very popular request to stay in this suite. While it may sound strange, staying at the hotel reminded me very much of sleeping over at my grandmother's house, where she lived the 40 years I had her -- some quirky things, some good things, some not-so-good things -- antique furniture, gold-framed mirrors, huge windows that didn't block out much noise, curtains that didn't quite close all the way, a toilet than runs constantly unless you jiggle the handle just right, creaky floors, abysmal water pressure, and generally in need of a good cleaning. The fan in the bathroom didn't work, and there was practically no place to hang anything. There was a small rack near the door with three flimsy hangers. Being late fall in Maine, having a place to hang coats and hats is important. We ended up just tossing our things on the bed which was not ideal. Another thing to note is that while "free parking" may be advertised, that translates to "street parking," and depending where you park, the time limit could be 90 minutes, 2 hours, or 4 hours. There is no hotel parking lot. There is a parking garage just down the block, but it's closed and locked on weekends -- so if you park there on a Friday afternoon/ evening, you're not getting out until Monday. The entire parking situation was very odd to me and is important to know for others traveling here. For the proximity to things downtown, I'd recommend the Charles Inn. For me, I'm not sure I'd stay again for the lack of some conveniences. When I'm traveling I'm trying to avoid hassles and annoyances and I can't say that my stay was void of either.

We chose Charles Inn not only because of the price but of its location. In the heart of Main…read moreStreet, everything is walkable! We stayed in the Stephen King Suite (we visited Bangor for the Stephen King tour so we decided go big or go home). The room is themed Stephen King but it isn't over the top. Let's start with the cons: -The amenities were bare and we had to request quite a few packets of shampoo (yes, packets...not bottles. 4 packets barley cleaned my hair). -uncomfortable bed -scary elevator ride -needs an update stat -terrible water pressure Pros: -extremely convenient location -if you're doing the Stephen King tour, the bus picks you up at the hotel -accommodating and friendly staff -pet friendly -walkable and safe -grass near the area to take your pet -cafe inside the lobby -keys to access the building at night One of the things that I loved was that we got in around 1am and they left the keys out for us to enter. We just checked in online and everything was ready. Also, if you're looking into this place because it's HAUNTED, I definitely had a few experiences. The lobby and third floor are said to be haunted. The Stephen King Suite is on the second floor but I had sleep paralysis in this room (last time I had sleep paralysis was in a haunted apartment in Texas over 7 years ago). The lobby creeped me out when I had to take our dog out in the middle of the night. I lit was a very heavy feeling and so I booked it to the elevator. So overall, this hotel is fine. It's a bit dirty and needs an update but everything else is fantastic. For a couple of nights, it isn't so bad.

The staff is very rude and dismissive. Don't go here if you want to relax. They cant even treat you…read morelike a person they will just ignore you.

Butterfly in the garden at the Sterling Inn . A pleasant and welcoming environment with a dedicated…read morestaff.

The red house was very homey and comfortable. We had a nice evening, it was very clean. Quite and…read morepeaceful location. If your looking to get away from the crowd, this is a great place to stay. Lou was very hospitable. Just a few minutes from Stonington, a quaint Maine fishing town, so glad we came out here.