The Marathon Inn

We had a lovely three-day trip on Grand Magnan, and the hosts gave us very good advice about what to see. The historic Marathon Hotel is charming, and we enjoyed the breakfast service and drinks out on the patio. Our hosts were eager to please, and it was a pleasure staying there.

The historic hotel itself is a spectacular mix of buildings that feels like stepping back into the 1800s, and they’ve done a great job preserving its character. I loved the spaces and feel sad to leave one star for a property I admire. The rating is about the owner and management, not the hotel. His wife was the kindest, most pleasant person, and we saw him being kind to another group. Maybe other guests won’t have our experience, especially if nothing goes wrong with an online booking. But I would never put myself in the position of feeling so unwelcome as a group again. We arranged eight rooms by email months ahead for a group of 12 lovely, respectful seniors. The owner made us feel unwelcome throughout, from the correspondence through arrival. He seemed to have a grudge before we even got there, and was rude and aggressive. The helpful, hospitable person you think you’re meeting felt like a mask over someone angry, insulting, and controlling. Say one thing he doesn’t like, and that side comes out quickly. The website said there was a restaurant for dinner, but there wasn’t one. We only learned this when we asked about making reservations for our group a few days before arrival. He said dinner needed to be planned weeks ahead, but hadn’t mentioned this during the months we were booking, when we could have made other arrangements. It seemed he didn’t want to provide dinner for our group or hotel guests. When we said it would have helped to know earlier, he became rude and belligerent, repeatedly saying we were blaming him. He also said, “We rent rooms, we don't manage groups”. Doesn’t running a supposedly hospitable hotel include telling a group of 12 that the restaurant listed on the website isn’t actually available, so we can try to make other plans? Finding alternatives on the island isn’t easy. He seemed to attribute any pushback to others and respond in an arrogant, rude way. I expect he’ll reply with rude, untrue comments, which would only show where he is. It’s unfortunate for the owner of such a wonderful property.

Inside, the Marathon Hotel was impeccable. The beds were super comfortable, and the rooms were clean and tidy. The host and hostess were kind, helpful, and always ready to please. We were very pleased with our stay on Grand Manan Island, though the outside is dated and could use some upkeep. Take care, John and Gail.

Such a cool place. I loved staying at this charming historic inn and would stay again if, hopefully, I get to visit the magical island of Grand Manan.