On Aug. 18, Spruce Point Inn received TripAdvisor’s Annual Traveler’s Choice Award for the eighth consecutive year. According to TripAdvisor, the designation puts Spruce Point in the top 10% of  hotels worldwide. Great service in a great location has become common place for the Boothbay Harbor resort, but going forward, the job of hosting guests in the COVID-19 era is becoming more challenging. 

In 2020, COVID-19 delayed the inn’s mid-May open to June. Typically, the inn hires 110 staffers each season, but the pandemic resulted in a scarcity of eligible domestic and foreign workers. Typically, a third of Spruce Point employees are international workers. But the inn had to make do with only 43 employees due to travel restraints preventing many workers from traveling to Maine. 

The pandemic also resulted in cancellation of 36 of the 43 weddings scheduled. Despite all the challenges, second year General Manager Gil Hartmann expects to receive TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award for a ninth straight year. “It’s wonderful, we’re thrilled, but it’s also expected,” Hartman said regarding the award. “This has been both the most challenging and rewarding season we’ve ever had. I’ve seen our staff step up to the plate. I’ve seen our guests step up. It may take longer to clean our rooms, with more regulations and fewer staff, but it’s getting done,” he said.

As the season extended into summer, more guests started to return to the inn. Hartman reports capacity for July and August is near 98 percent which mirrors last season’s marks. And he reports fall reservations are also strong. The recent bump in guests resulted in an influx of workers from Texas. Benchmark Resorts and Hotels assists new owner Jeff Broaden in managing the resort. Benchmark found a work crew of 11 Texans ready to fill vacant jobs. 

Even with the boost in workers, Spruce Point remains undermanned requiring staff to double- and triple-up on duties.Workers may work the front desk in the morning and bus tables at night. And Hartman reports everybody pitches in to clean rooms.“Everybody, and I mean everybody is working multiple jobs. I’m cleaning rooms, too, which has been a great experience,” he said. “I’ve been able to get to know our staff on a different level and it’s really been a great experience.”

The Dover, New Hampshire native has worked in the hospitality industry for 16 years. He has worked for Marriott in Boston, as well as inns and hotels in Portland and Camden. He is not surprised guests began returning to Boothbay Harbor during the pandemic. He described Spruce Point Inn’s location as the star attraction. “Eighty-one rooms on 57 acres. That says it all. It’s such a great location, and it’s such a relaxing location. I’ve never had a bad day here.”

Two years ago, Broaden bought the property planning to preserve the inn’s traditional look. Hartman describes the new owner and management group as committed toward continuing the inn’s legacy. This is Hartman’s second year as general manager. As a New Englander and hospitality industry veteran, he was well-acquainted with Spruce Point Inn’s legacy. He described Maine’s summer weather, Boothbay Harbor’s ocean view and Spruce Point Inn’s classic look as major factors in attracting vacationing families each year. 

The resort also reminds Hartman and guests of a memorable movie location.  “Guests tell me all the time they think ‘Dirty Dancing’ was filmed here,” he said. “I see it too. This place is beautiful and the historic look is really something to experience.”

So how does Spruce Point make an inn in 2020 resemble its 1920 appearance? The owner and management team preserve the traditional look with a method called “refreshing.” In the past two years, the inn has been “refreshed” with new carpeting and decorating the rooms with furniture and paintings found in storage. “Jeff doesn't want to change a thing. So what we do is refresh the appearance striving to keep the same classic, old New England inn-look,” he said.

Another reason Hartman is confident about the inn’s future success is the reaction of guests. In past seasons, he estimated 60 percent of guests stayed for five days. But this year, many guests are extending their stays to 10 days with one guest staying for 12 weeks. “It’s 81 rooms on 57 acres. It’s beautiful and very relaxing. You can’t beat it,” he said.

Hartman points to the recreation room as an example of the inn’s relaxed and welcoming  attitude. The building houses two washer and dryers and a room full of video, board and table games. “Nothing is coin operated. We want our guests to relax and feel free to use the facility,” he said. 

In past years, most guests were from Massachusetts. This year, Hartman reports New York has overtaken the Bay State in visitation. He also reports significant increases from New Hampshire, Vermont and New Jersey.

Despite new safety protocols, guests are still flocking to Spruce Point. The inn closely fallows Maine’s pandemic guidelines as well as their own corporate standards for monitoring guests’ health. Massachusetts residents are required to either quarantine for 14 days or, after arriving, show a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours. Once guests arrive, the staff strives to make their stay comfortable and help them forget all about COVID-19.

“Our guests enjoy their stay mostly because of the location. Boothbay Harbor is beautiful in the summer, but our staff is also a big factor. I love their passion for what they do, and this is probably the best staff we’ve ever had,” Hartman said. “Our job is to meld into the background and not be a constant reminder of the pandemic.”

COVID-19 has made dining a major challenge for the resort. Spruce Point created an indoor private dining space this season to allow extended families to dine safely together. Plus, more outdoor dining is taking place for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The deck was usually used for lunch in past seasons but it’s now being used for all daily meals. “Just look at the (ocean) view. We began using the deck more for outside dining because you can spread people out, but look at the view, it’s fantastic, who wouldn’t want to dine here,” Hartman said. 

Earlier in the spring, Crow Point Yoga began holding classes at Spruce Point. Crow Point couldn’t use its studio due to Gov. Janet Mills’ State of Emergency Order limiting public gatherings. So Spruce Point offered space for the yoga classes. “It was a win-win. They needed a place, and our guests can participate in the classes,” Hartman said. 

For Spruce Point officials, offering the local business space was an easy decision. On-site yoga classes gave guests one more activity, and it also cemented what Hartman described as a strong relationship with the Boothbay region community. “This is a close-knit community. I hear people (in the Boothbay region) ask how we are doing, and they really care. Everybody wants everybody to succeed,” he said. “Because we all know if one business does well then that helps everybody else.”

Each year, TripAdvisor tabulates reviews, ratings and saves that travelers share from across the globe which spotlights the very best, according to the company website. “Winners of the Travelers Choice Award should be proud of this distinguished recognition,” said Trip Advisor Chief Commercial Officer Kanika Soni. “Not only are these winners well deserving, they are also a great source of inspiration for travelers all over the world as they begin to venture out, again.”

Spruce Point Inn is at 88 Grandview Ave.