The Brewster Inn

When one thinks of a B and B words like: quaint, charming, romantic, getaway and home away from home probably come to mind. All of those words are fitting for the Brewster Inn, in Dexter, Maine. We happened upon this jewel of a place in the middle of Maine while I was traveling with my husband and two small children. We were returning from a speaking engagement I’d had in Bangor earlier that day and the thought of a 6 to 7 hour drive back to New York City was less than alluring. We were honestly just looking for a place to lay our heads; we had no idea we were going to be exposed to a magnificent part of history.
This was my first time to Maine and since it was a business trip rather than a holiday I didn’t have the time set aside to see the sites or explore the surrounding areas, but if that had been on our agenda this would have been THE perfect base. The Brewster Inn is essentially right in the middle of the state and surrounding seasonal attractions are just minutes to a couple of hours conveniently from this gorgeous mansion. You can check out their very thorough website to see what’s around based on your interests or ask the unbelievably knowledgeable owner Mark Stephens. Whom, if you couldn’t tell by the site or the British flags is VERY British. Which means he is attentive but doesn’t fawn all over you, kind, but doesn’t gush, short and to the point because there’s no since in mincing words or wasting anyone’s time. I, who have previously lived in Britain was fine with his demeanor. Do not be put off if when you ask «how an Englishman ended up in Dexter Maine?», he tells you to read his story in the incredibly thought out and informational binder that is designed for each room. He gets asked that same question every time he has a new guest so I’m sure after years of the same query it gets old. I highly suggest you read his story then ask any follow up questions– he will be more than happy to indulge you. I did read it and came to find that this man, Mark, is someone to greatly admire as he followed his dreams and has paid with his blood, sweat and tears to make them happen and to create a gorgeous property that any guest should be pleased with. All he wants is for his guests to feel at home and have a positive experience– this is obvious when you see the great detail he’s gone through to renovate this 8,000 sq. ft former Governor and Senator’s mansion. He could tell you anything about the history of the house and there are plenty of photos and literature around the house to give you an exquisite glimpse of the past.
Considering how incredibly old the structure is, it was in impeccable condition– obviously very well loved and cared for. There are 9 bedrooms total each with a distinct feel and charm. We stayed in room #3 the Garden Room. It was lovely and so comfortable. My husband and I woke up at 6:45am and could have sworn it was 9am because we slept so soundly in the California King. We also had a lovely view of the garden, I’m willing to go out on a limb and guess that’s why the room has that moniker. It’s just a shame it was April in Maine, which meant it was still very cold outside and snow was on the ground. But I’m sure once spring really gets going and the flowers are in bloom it’s absolutely lovely. Gray and dreary you could tell it was a magical place that would be perfect for a picnic and the ideal place for a wedding.
We were exhausted when we arrived– too tired to go out and get dinner even though there were many options for food nearby. However we have children, which pretty much means there’s always an excuse to drink, so we did indulge in some vino as Mr. Stephens has a very nicely stocked wine and spirits collection. Because it is a bed and breakfast we were able to come down to the common eating area for coffee and tea at 7am and breakfast was promptly served from 8am — 9am (times change based on the season). It was simple and perfect. We even met a lovely couple from Massachusetts who were their visiting their grown daughter and grandchildren and another woman who was in town on a business excursion. The highlight of the morning was when Mark, showed us the train he has running along the wall of his sun room. He turned it on for my 2 year-​old and she went nuts. It brought a huge smile to all of our faces.
As I said we weren’t for anything other than a bed but what a pleasant surprise to have had such a lovely experience in such an incredible space with good energy– it made the stay all the more enjoyable. My only regret is that we weren’t there longer, but I have a feeling we’ll be back.
We were lucky to get in as it is kind of off-​season, but according to Mark he’s full to capacity from late June — October so if you’re thinking of visiting Maine a) THIS is the place to stay and B) don’t wait to make your reservation you don’t want to miss out on this.
As Mark said people don’t come to Dexter, Maine for the town they come for the Brewster Inn. Right you are Good Sir!

Our stay at the Brewster Inn was quite lovely. We stayed at the honeymoon suite and the room was incredibly comfy, clean and quaint. The gas fireplace and the whirlpool tub were wonderful perks to have as well. The owner Mark was always very helpful and incredibly concerned with the quality of our experience for the duration of our visit. The price of the room was reasonable enough and our overall experience was very warm; one that we will remember fondly.

A beautiful, cozy, clean B&B. Mark is a fabulous host, full of helpful information. The Inn is filled with books! I could have spent weeks there relaxing and reading. Hope to return and do just that!

My fiancé and i decided to take a little trip to maine with minimal planning. Marc was extremely helpful in pointing out options of things to do. He set up a massage appointment for us and it was quitr wonderful. He also made me gluten free breakfast foods on short notice (although he probably would have liked more of a notice. Bad planning on our part) he cleary takes pride in his business. The rooms are lovely. We stayed in the honeymoon suite and it was very spacious and is decorated lovely. The jacuzzi tub was huge! It really was the cherry on the cake. I honestly didn’t even need to leave the room, I could have stayed there the entire time it was so nice.

I recently stayed at the Brewster Inn on a trip to spread my mother’s ashes. Clearly not a vacation but Mark went out of his way to make this difficult trip as pleasurable as possible. His British humor is delightful and really helped brighten my stay.
The rooms were comfortable, quiet, and very clean. Great showers, and AC in the room which was needed during our 87 degree days.

What a lovely place to stay! Mark definitely took pride in the property and was more than accommodating. Unfortunately we did not get to try his breakfast!
Rooms were spacious and perfectly cleaned. I love the history write up in the provided book in the rooms. Great place to stay and if I ever find myself in Dexter, I will be stopping back.

I have been staying at the Brewster Inn for Thanksgiving off and on over the last 10 years. (Only off when there is room for me at my Nana’s because who wouldn’t want to stay with their Nana!)
This is a beautiful, historic B&B with very comfortable rooms! Under Mark’s tenure, I have enjoyed every visit! The Truman and the Beckford are my rooms of choice! Perfect size for me and my other half. They are tastefully decorated and include TVs, luggage racks and ipod compatible radios.
Mark is a very friendly and diligent innkeeper! He meets you at the door, gives you a lay of the land and each year, I get an update on the Inn! This year, he had the rock wall redone, worked on the gardens and had the floors refinished. He really shows his pride through the beautiful state of the home.
Breakfast is prepared by Mark and includes cereals, breakfast breads, fruit salad, juices, coffee and tea and a delicious hot dish! The great room is beautiful and sunny. The fireplace is inviting at night after the chill of the outside in November.
Dexter is a quaint town that has suffered some due to losing its major industry, Dexter Shoe but the downtown has some cute shops including a new general store, Fossa’s that carries all Maine items and has delicious brick oven pizzas!
So whether you are looking to get away from the craziness of ‘away’ or you’re visiting family, Mark at the Brewster Inn offers exceptional hospitality and care for a good price!

The Brewster is a fine, quiet inn located in the small town of Dexter, ME, about 45 mins. NW from Bangor. Its very clean and comfortable and quietly elegant. The beds are fresh and wonderful and the showers are even better! Lots of never ending hot water. The nights are dead quiet for a good nights sleep. Mark, the owner, is very knowledgable about the area, even hooking us up with a couples massage from Stressless Massage, just around the block. He is always in the process of making more improvements to make his customers happy. He’s even put in the great beginnings of an English Garden! He works hard do his best to accommodate your needs. He even moved his normal 8AM breakfast time forward 45 minutes so we could make our morning flight out of Portland! Thank you Mark!

This is a very nice, old school home. The bed is very comfortable. Mark is very helpful, even going out of his way to make sure a restaurant would accommodate our late arrival. This is a historic house, previously owned by the governor of Maine.

I travel all over New England for work. I stumbled upon The Brewster Inn and I am so thrilled! I arrived late and left early but Mark was there to accomodate. The house is beautiful with it’s only New England charm and very clean. I’m looking forward to heading back up to Dexter in March and staying at The Brewster Inn again!

The owners, Mark and Judith (lovely couple), were very hospitable and took every free moment to ensure any wants and/​or needs were tended to. The accommodations were charming and warm accompanied by the great history behind this beautiful home. This Inn, on the National Register of Historic Landmarks, was a pleasant discovery on our trip. We enjoyed our stay, and would recommend it to travelers.

We went there with my parents in law. Where to start… the best I suppose: The comfort. The rooms are great, you don’t have to like the decoration, but at least appreciate the effort. The only down is that the place is full of fake flowers, look like a cemetery somehow. But anyway, we had a great night of good sleep, good mattresses, nice heavy towels and guess what, bathrobes.
Now the bad parts, we are welcome by a guy in flip flop, shorts and tight T shirt showing a big beer belly… He is the landlord and seems ok with his own style in such a nice place. Then the dinner, well it just taste horrible, everything is over cooked, over dry and tasteless. We asked about a sort of stuffing we were served and the landlady brought us the «KRAFT» package to show us the recipe. Not really what we expected by the fine dining advertised on the web site. But we had a great laugh over it, without the landlords of course. Then the breakfast (flip-​flop, shorts and tight t-​shirt welcomes us as yesterday): there was enough and there was choice. But… it was crowded, you had to be in a tight corner at the buffet to spread the butter on your toast, followed by several starving guests, full handed (no tray…), glazing over your toasts. The fruit salad came from a tin, for sure, the orange juice was probably the cheapest in town, and all the food was crowded because the fake flowers were not removed from the buffet. We had fun.
To conclude, have dinner somewhere else, and avoid the crowd for the breakfast. But do sleep there, its a good place.

I enjoyed this B&B. The house had a lot of history and charm associated with. I stayed in the «Game» room. The room was huge — It was complete with a king size bed, a double bed, a fully stocked library of books and magazines. It also had a gas fireplace. The bed was fairly comfortable — not the best, but certainly not the worst. We talked with the innkeeper for a bit and he informed us that he has just sold the inn to an English couple. So I am not sure how that will affect the Inn or rates. The only reason I gave it a 4 was because it didnt have a decent breakfast. In fact it had nothing. Good luck finding breafast in Dexter, ME on a Sunday.