The Thistle Inn

Arrived at this dilapidated building on December 12th around 3:30pm. Nothing is upgraded. The entrance is a mess and when you open the porch door you are greeted by an odd musty smell that permeates the building. The building feels unsafe and presents a real challenge climbing the stairs with luggage. The room was very small and not comfortable. The wall heater is very inconsistent in keeping the room warm. It is either very hot or cold. The reviews my wife and I read about this place do not hold water. There was nothing quaint or charming about this place. It is run down and a waste of money. It was so bad we did not stay and forfeited the 200.00 we paid for the night. After visiting the beautiful Boothbay botanical garden all in lights for the holidays we drove back home.

Do not stay here. The "Inn" is in disrepair. No innkeeper or staff are on the premises. It's all locks and codes. There is zero atmosphere at the Thistle Inn. Pulling into the parking area we were shocked our GPS brought us to this haggard looking house. It's a sad house with no upkeep especially the exterior. The walkway is in disrepair, the exterior needs a lot of repair and paint. When you enter the house you see folding chairs stored next to the staircase. No decor or any welcoming sign for the guests. The steps and rise of the old staircase are pretty steep and downright dangerous. It feels like one has entered a shabby old house on the bad side of town. However, the room was clean, very small. The bathroom was larger and this too was very clean. The mattress felt firm but since we ended up not staying there I can't speak about the comfort. The TV had two remotes and it was difficult to watch any programs having to manage both remotes. We were in Boothbay Harbor to tour the Botanical Garden light show. After we did this we decided it was not worth staying at this inn. We felt it was substandard. It is attached to a restaurant it is not affiliated with. Information in the room stated we should park across the street in marked spaces. We saw two parking lots both across two streets as this is on a corner. Both parking lots were unmarked for cars so we decided to leave our car parked in front of the house. I think that is parking for the restaurant. We drove the 2 hours back home and decided to stop patronizing these small inns especially those with no employees around.

These are decent basic accommodations close to the center of town. Our large first floor room was clean, and the king size bed was comfortable. There was plenty of hot water, but the high rise tub was difficult to get in and out of. There is a very small fridge. The window AC had good temperature control and very satisfactory cooling on a hot summer day. Two big disappointments are the minimal number of TV channels available (not even ESPN), and the very weak internet connection. While not up to the quality and features of Boothbay Harbor's upscale hotels, the Thistle Inn's rates are much lower and will certainly appeal to many travelers.

We stayed in the crows nest. It was a beautiful apartment with lots of room. The email directions on where and how to enter were unclear an it took me 15 minutes of running around in the rain to figure it out. There were supposed to be instructions on WiFi, parking etc next to the door but there were none. We needed heat and none turned on in the living area. I was able to figure out the mini split in the bedroom. I called the number given in the email several times but there was a recording and no call back. Another guest gave me another # to call the second day He came and fixed the gas fireplace. Too much of an adventure. The Thistle Inn needs to get it's act together. The place was lovely but.....

We ate at this restaurant after my Husband's celiac acted up and the Waitress, Amy, was very helpful in helping us choose meals that would be good for us. She is a gem and very accommodating . The food was delicious and I would encourage you to stop by for a bite if you are in Boothbay Harbor!