Payne Homestead

We visited friends on the beautiful island of Vinalhaven this week. For those who have been there or plan to go there are very few places to stay. We could only find one motel and two B&B's. I took a chance on the Payne House and it was a great pick. The home itself is lovely and clean. Donna, our host, was wonderful. It was a relaxing stay. Her breakfasts were perfect, it is evident she loves what she's doing. It will close in October for the winter but we will look forward to staying next year.

It's pretty obvious the place is up for sale and the owners have just given up. Their college age son was our "host" . I'm not sure where to begin. The house smelled like burned popcorn , the kitchen was dirty to start. Then I was accidental witness to the fellow running from the shower to answer the telephone. Either run a B&B or not. If you want a B&B experience with good hosts this isn't the place for you. If you're just looking for a place to lay your head for the night and don't mind a stray nude college kid then check it out.

This inn is no longer a B&B as the owner is scaling back operations and the place is for sale. The rooms are quaint but could use some updating. Paint is peeling in places, walls have cracks, some wall art is very faded. It just looks as thought no one who cares has cast a critical eye on the place in a long time. The outside deck sold use some comfy lounge chairs and be more inviting. It would be ideal to have some young blood swoop in and give the old girl a face lift!

There seems to be a very limited number of places to stay while on this island, but from the looks of the other places. . . this is definately the place to stay! It is a beautiful old victorian home. The guest rooms are all on their own floor so you definately feel like you have private space from the family. We stayed in the "Rose Room" which is the only room with it's own private bath and also separated from the other rooms so felt very private. It is most comfortable (great bed) and clean. The breakfast every morning was great. Donna, the innkeeper is most hospitable and went out of her way to provide comfort.

The Moses Webster Lodge is a historical landmark that holds many mysteries. The first sighting of the elusive ghosts were over a century ago but are still present to this day. The first night of our stay was when I saw my suitcase levitate and then slam into the wall and dump out all my clothes onto the floor. The next morning while I was going down the stairs I saw a spirit grab at me but it was just an image. The ghost hunters would love this place because it really is haunted but not in a bad way