Emerson Inn by the Sea

...our mindful pause at Emerson Inn By The Sea was truly wonderful. My husband and I so appreciated the incredible hospitality and kindness we experienced by the staff who welcomed us to this beautiful quintessential New England Inn - truly - a hidden gem. The Emerson is an opportunity to experience New England history. We visited in May, pre-season, so the restaurant was not open, however, the hostess Roberta; kindly recommended a fabulous traditional New England dining option a few minutes away in Rockport which was so delicious... We especially loved the amazing view from the vast porch space - following dinner and a game of cards in the Parlor Bar (fyi: I really enjoyed sipping the amazing local Pilsner: Piscano by Rockport Brewery) -- we discovered a row of inviting rocking chairs to pause; experience and just be on the porch. We enjoyed this quiet time for almost two hours, we were offered soft, warm blankets as we sipped our wonderful libations from the beautiful PARLOR Bar which is open to the public offering live music and interesting experiences... This was an anniversary adventure we will never forget as we experienced a most peaceful and beautiful sunset listening to the waves on the porch... Before departing in the morning, we especially appreciated meeting the inn owner - her passion, vision to enhance the already beautiful property and love as owner and steward to this amazing inn was remarkable. She has mindfully designed the interior space to honor the history of this remarkable building with an eclectic collection of antiques and contemporary decor. The guests rooms are typical of New England Inns - small yet well appointed - and very clean. I was so grateful to witness the beautiful sunrise from our room window as well.... Perhaps you too are mindful of supporting small, local, women owned businesses - this is a gentle nudge to visit the website and plan a little get away soon - I highly recommend Emerson Inn By The Sea for your next mindful pause... Your destiny awaits... Mikki Lessard Sanctuary Soul to Soul

We had an extremely disappointing stay at your establishment. The room was unbearably hot, making it nearly impossible to sleep, leaving us exhausted by the end of our stay. Although a fan was provided, it did little to improve the air circulation. Even after opening the windows, the room never cooled down. Despite assurances from Sara that the air conditioning was turned on, we returned to find the room still uncomfortably warm. Upon asking again, we were informed that the system had been switched back to heat. Oddly when you walked in the hallway, it was several degrees cooler. This level of miscommunication and lack of control over the room’s temperature is unacceptable. Additionally, we discovered mold in the heating and cooling system. While efforts were made to clean it, traces remained, which is concerning. This stay was a far cry from our previous experience two years ago when we enjoyed a made-to-order breakfast and a much more comfortable environment. Unfortunately, what was once a wonderful experience has now been overshadowed by these issues. The only positive was the new addition at ground level, which we did appreciate. However, overall, we left feeling deeply disappointed. Your staff are awesome and the location is awesome, but if you have a miserable stay that all goes for not!

Emerson Inn By the Sea is a lovely hotel. It was so lovely we did not want to leave. The view sitting on the front porch is stunning. The salt water pool is lovely. The location is great. Many of the rooms are small, but the space is well used. All of the staff from housekeeping, servers and front desk staff were very nice and helpful. The bar is great, and there is a piano player many nights. Also great game room down in the lowest level. The breakfast is wonderful! We ate dinner a couple of evenings at the Emerson Inn and the food was delicious. I would like to suggest that the menu include a couple of lighter options on the menu other than salads. There were many days we did not want to leave the Emerson for dinner, but were not hungry for a big dinner. Overall, the Emerson By The Sea is a gem. I look forward to staying there again.