RCI Resorts in Maine

I am looking for recommendations for RCI resorts in Maine. We would prefer to be on the ocean.

The only one I have been to is the Samoset in Rockport which is mid-coast. It is a gold crown RCI resort and really nice- golf course is on the ocean. Views of ocean from the units- depending on the unit you are in.

It is about a 2 hour drive to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park from there- doable. Close to Camden and other places of interest.

Hard to get into in the summer. We exchanged for an April week- snow covered the golf course. It would warm up into the 50s and was sunny most of our week so we were fine with it.

I have stayed at the Trade Winds resort in Rockland. While Samoset is listed at Rockport, it is between Rockland and Rockport (and, I believe, actually closer to Rockland). Of the two, Samoset is hands down the nicer resort. Trade Winds, close to the sea, is an older motel converted to a timeshare. In many ways, it shows it origins.

That having been said, there is one advantage to the Trade Winds. Located in town, it had easy walking access to restaurants, a light house museum, the Puffin preservation society, art houses, etc. Great location, very mediocre resort. So, it depends upon how much walking access means to you.

"Roger" said:

<snip> While Samoset is listed at Rockport, it is between Rockland and Rockport (and, I believe, actually closer to Rockland). <snip>

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I'm not quite sure what you mean by this statement. Samoset Resort (where we have owned and used weeks for some years now) is located entirely within Rockport (although not particularly near Rockport's tiny "town center" or its' sheltered harbor) and Rockport is the town to which Samoset interval owners pay real estate taxes.

Rockland and Rockport are of course adjoining towns. The long granite breakwater which extends southward from near the south end of the Samoset property in Rockport actually protects nearby Rockland Harbor, which is "inside" (i.e., west of) that breakwater, so some geographic confusion is perhaps understandable.

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To OP: Samoset (affiliated with both RCI and II) is a very difficult "trade", except off season (early Spring and late Fall; you surely don't want to be there in winter).
Two other RCI-affiliated timeshares further south in coastal Maine (in Ogunquit, to be precise) are Hillcrest Condominiums (RCI #0392) and Seacastles (RCI #1574).
In nearby Wells, although I would not recommend it (basically just a converted motel, situated right on busy U.S. Route 1), there is also Sea Mist (RCI #3643).

Two other timeshare properties "downeast" in coastal Maine are Acadia Village Resort in Ellsworth and Harbor Ridge in Southwest Harbor, but I believe that both are only affiliated with Interval International as an exchange company (i.e., not with RCI) and your posted inquiry clearly specified interest in RCI affiliated properties.

"Roger" said:

I have stayed at the Trade Winds resort in Rockland. While Samoset is listed at Rockport, it is between Rockland and Rockport (and, I believe, actually closer to Rockland). Of the two, Samoset is hands down the nicer resort. Trade Winds, close to the sea, is an older motel converted to a timeshare. In many ways, it shows it origins.

That having been said, there is one advantage to the Trade Winds. Located in town, it had easy walking access to restaurants, a light house museum, the Puffin preservation society, art houses, etc. Great location, very mediocre resort. So, it depends upon how much walking access means to you.

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Is this the same Trade Winds that was on Hotel Impossible??

Samoset/Trade Winds

We've stayed at both Samoset and Trade Winds.

Trade Winds was for winter break in February. I loved being right downtown so that we didn't have to move the car every day. Restaurants, the Farnsworth Museum, etc are walkable. The kitchen in the room was quite adequate. We actually LOVED being there in the winter....skiing at Camden Snow Bowl was fun for the kids. Cheaper than the big mountains and not nearly as crowded.

Samoset is admittedly MUCH nicer. We stayed there for April break. We had a 2 BR condo. There are only 11 of those onsite, so it was a lucky trade. Kids had a blast in the very nice indoor pool, we went to Camden Hills state park, Owls Head Museum, and such.

We're going back to Trade Winds this next Feb break. It isn't fancy, but it's only an hour away, and being close to skiing for the kids is a bonus.

Good luck with your decision!

No more Cappy's Chowder House in Camden, Maine

Many visitors to Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine visit nearby Camden and its' downtown and harbor. For many years (since about the 1980's, unless I'm mistaken), Cappy's Chowder House occupied a prominent downtown corner location in Camden. No more.

Earlier this year, Cappy's Chowder House was closed / sold / reinvented / reopened as a Sea Dog Brewing Company pub / restaurant (I believe that Sea Dog Brewing Company is a "chain" and a subsidiary of Maine-based Shipyard Brewing).

Personally, I never cared much for Cappy's anyhow (or its' mediocre chowder or overall menu). We haven't been in the new place yet and probably won't be doing so anytime soon --- I am merely reporting on a significant change to the downtown Camden commercial landscape for any interested prospective visitors to the area.

YUM!

theo said:

Many visitors to Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine visit nearby Camden and its' downtown and harbor. For many years (since about the 1980's, unless I'm mistaken), Cappy's Chowder House occupied a prominent downtown corner location in Camden. No more.

Earlier this year, Cappy's Chowder House was closed / sold / reinvented / reopened as a Sea Dog Brewing Company pub / restaurant (I believe that Sea Dog Brewing Company is a "chain" and a subsidiary of Maine-based Shipyard Brewing).

Personally, I never cared much for Cappy's anyhow (or its' mediocre chowder or overall menu). We haven't been in the new place yet and probably won't be doing so anytime soon --- I am merely reporting on a significant change to the downtown Camden commercial landscape for any interested prospective visitors to the area.

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We have a Sea Dog very close by to us...it's across the Androscoggin in Topsham. Yes, it's a local chain, but the food is really pretty good. We'll have try it out when we head that way for Feb break. Thanks for the info!