In a state famous for its bed and breakfasts, The Inn Britannia could easily be at the top of the list.

Nestled on five acres of gorgeous English gardens and dense natural woods, Inn Britannia offers the most elegant accommodations, the most bountiful gourmet breakfasts and the friendliest hosts on Maine’s mid-coast. Built in 1830, Inn Britannia is an historic sea captain’s home - lovingly restored, beautifully decorated and comfortably furnished with exquisite antiques.

Two long-time friends, Caren Lorelle and Susan Pluff dared to take on the daunting task of restoring the lovely, old, 10,000 square foot house. When I asked Susan what persuaded them to buy such a large property in need of much repair, she replied, “it has good bones.” They turned a part of the house that had previously been used as a youth hostel into two private apartments and a large kitchen. With the help of a very competent local restorer, they managed to raise one part of the roof to create a bedroom with a cathedral ceiling, which they named the Windsor Suite. Complete with a gas fireplace, wet bar, cable television and a separate sitting room this is truly a room meant for royalty. It is often used as the honeymoon suite. In a very short time, with gallons of vibrant paint and a lot of hard work, they created six more distinctive bedrooms for a total of seven. Both lsdies had been avid antique collectors all their lives, including making frequent trips to England to add to their collections. Their priceless collection now furnishes the guestrooms and common areas of this spacious mansion.

Each room is named for a location in England. The signature Britannia Suite, decorated in rich blues is reminiscent of Stratford-upon-Avon. A full collection of Shakespeare’s works and other memorabilia from the bard and his home decorate this beautiful first floor bedroom. The London bedroom is decorated in shades of deep burgundy and furnished with London memorabilia. The Dover room has a collection of antique bluebirds and the Brighton captures the colors of sunshine and the seaside. The Nottingham, of course, is done in the soothing shades of the forest, while the Cotswolds incorporates the roses and lilacs of an English garden.

The grounds are equally as spacious as the house. Their gardens have been designated as the only “Backyard Wildlife Habitat” certified by the national Wildlife Federation on Maine’s mid-coast. Dotted with numerous birdfeeders, fountains and comfortable lawn furniture, it is the perfect spot for afternoon tea.

As amazing as the house is, it is their truly gourmet breakfasts that have made the Inn famous. They do use a cookbook….one they have written themselves. I was so impressed that I bought several copies. Served at small individual tables in the cozy wood-beamed original dining room, breakfast is an important occasion. The tables are set with imported linens, English china, sterling silver, delicate crystal and always, fresh flowers from the garden. At Christmas the gals keep the Inn open and serve all three meals. It has become a busy time of year for them with many families returning year after year.

We did not spend very long in Searsport and we probably should have stayed longer. It is a delightful small town with first-class antique shops, the Penobscot Marine Museum and lots of fine dining.

The first evening, on the recommendation of our hosts, we went all-out with fine dining at Foxxys. An excellent choice. After a full day of exploring Searsport and the surrounding countryside, we decided to eat at the Angler’s Family Seafood Restaurant on our second night in town. Everyone assured us that it was the most popular place in town with the locals and we certainly could not disagree. When we sat down, the waitress almost seemed surprised that we needed a menu. There was not one fancy item on the menu, but if it was seafood, it was all good. That was fine with us.

Before we left Searsport, we discovered one last hidden gem. Both David and I are avid golfers and it was a stroke of good luck when we discovered the Searsport Pines Golf Course. This 9 hole course was recently voted the number 1 golf course in Waldo county for good reason. Both scenic and challenging, it was a memorable round of golf. With elevated tees and greens, tall pines, narrow fairways and water hazards it was a definite challenge to our skills. The course is easy to walk and enjoyable for all levels of players. It is definitely on my list of “things to do in Maine.”

As we reluctantly said our good-bys to Caren and Susan, little did we know that many of the other bed and breakfast owners throughout mid-coast Maine were aware of the talented duo. Thanks ladies, we were very fortunate to find you and would like to pass the word on to others.

The Inn Britanica is hosting a very special Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday get-way. During these special times, in addition to breakfast, a typical Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner will be served including fine wines. Families are welcome and the prices include an extra third night for free and a fourth night for half price. This is a very popular event at the Inn, so book early.