As a new visitor, when you first walk into the Pomegranate Inn, you
are immediately ensconced in an eclectic mix of images, sounds, furniture and
kitsch. These details were not lost on this reviewer and it went straight up
and down, from room to room. The two layers of tablecloth of gold checker board
and silk satin red and green and yellow plaid design on the side table by the
three bay windows in our room, the ornate cupid stenciling into the wood on our
rooms dresser, the distinctly Eastern design to the lamps in a room otherwise
devoid of such influences (influences which worked!) the small, sprightly
growth in the far corner above the shower which sat right on top of another
small gold pot of red leaves on the tile extension to the bath tub where clean
and fresh towels lay; it was all taken in and recognized for what it was; a
concerted effort by a professional to create an experience at their inn. While
the mastermind of this inn takes on a low profile, Innkeeper Leslie is her de
facto representative and you won't find a bigger champion of Portland in
general or the Pomegranate Inn in specific.
There were a number of positive things working
for the Pomegranate Inn including the fact that it was clean and well
appointed. While some of the pieces in the eclectic collection of artwork and
furniture are definitely showing their wear, these are carefully selected
pieces which serve a greater purpose in creating an ambiance of home. There was
a large crack in the ceiling above our bedroom which raised cause for alarm at
first; it ended up being more a function of the building that we were staying
in than of any disrepair by the owners and is probably one of a nagging million
little things that need to be done.
The space and the rooms at the Pomegranate Inn
are lived in. This, again, may seem sort of obvious, but the fact that others
have stayed and continue to come back is always a great comfort for the wayward
traveler looking for a bed. The Pomegranate Inn is not too immaculate to feel
like an imposition but it's also not dusty and unused making the space feel
haunted.
The bed at the Pomegranate Inn was blissful to a
fault. My wife and I ended up snoozing in the morning and missing our marked
time to hit the road. Fortunately for us, everything moved a little late that
day; this probably had a lot to do with the fact that we got such a healthy and
refreshing night's sleep at the Pomegranate Inn.
When we got down to breakfast, this event was no
less grand. Silly me, I forgot to mention that my dear wife has sworn off meat
in observance of Lent but when Innkeeper Leslie came out with fruit and
announced frittatas with bacon bits in them, the introduction of my wife's
needs didn't have this lady miss a beat. She boldly announced in her chef's
smock that she's whip up some fresh scrambled eggs and the rest, as they say,
is history!
All in all the Pomegranate Inn is a great space
in a cozy neighborhood near the downtown of Portland Maine. If you're not
comfortable with their alternate side of the street parking rules you should be
sure and ask innkeeper Leslie about where to put your car before the night is
up. It would be a shame to have to get up in the middle of your blissful sleep
to do an auto move that can be avoided!
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