HotelChatter

The biggest point to drive home about the Black Point Inn is that this is a property in transition and transitions are never easy. To truly understand that transition you really have to listen to a bit of back story, sorry.

Prout's Neck is a peninsula in the town of Scarborough and is mostly a seasonal community, always has been. There are a number of old summer cottages that have been in wealthy blue blood families for generations. As you can imagine, these families are from away. Massachusettes and Connecticut mostly. These folks have a habit of co-opting Maine summer life. Lounging at your summer cottage in the August sun tends to be a nice break from cashing your trust fund checks in Manhattan or Boston. We kid, we kid. There are also plenty of hard working executive types that are part of this community, however what can not be argued is that it is an exclusive community.

How exclusive? So much so that the three years ago the community of Prouts actually purchased the Black Point Inn. Quickly the sprawling 85 room property with an outdoor and indoor pool, and an expansive Bayview Room was scaled back. Today, there is one smaller outdoor pool and 25 guest rooms. But the biggest change is no more big outdoor weddings with bands. The "community" likes absolute quiet you see. The Black Point Inn still offers wedding packages, and it is an absolutely gorgeous spot for a wedding, but these days you will have to scale down your celebration a bit. If you are still enamored with the gorgeous setting, and who isn't, and want to get married there, here is what we recommend -- purchase the whole house for your wedding weekend (all 25 rooms), it is a requirement anyway, and take advantage of global warming by getting married in October or May. Why? Well that way you avoid all the summering folks from away and really have the 'Neck to yourself and your wedding party.

Aside from the wedding change, Mr. Porta is definitely in the midst of a challenging transition. The Inn has been scaled back to its original footprint, and now it is time for the new management to put their stamp on the place. Porta's group is trying to attract a local audience from in and around Portland. The Inn's long neglected restaurant is now, in the words of the Maine Sunday Telegram, in the midst of a "return to culinary glory". Furthermore, more and more corporate parties are being held at the Inn, probably due to its amazing setting and excellent food.

The Inn will stay open through January 1st, and reopen sometime early in the spring. Mr. Porta is also hoping to renovated the Inn's 25 rooms sometime before the spring of 2008. No doubt Neil's group has a challenge ahead, balancing the Prout's Neck summer folk with true Mainers and regular tourists is not an easy task. However, we are rooting for the Black Point Inn. Stay tuned.

TIP: When you arrive at the Black Point Inn you are no doubt arriving by car. As you get to the end of Black Point Road and approach the entrance of Prouts, slow down! The summer folk ask a Scarborough police officer to sit at the entrance and stop speeders. Actually, it is worse than that. If the officer does not recognize your car he may follow you and see exactly what you are up to on the island. Looking for expired inspection stickers or any reason to ticket you -- be prepared.