Bliss Farm Inn

A Blissful Retreat into the Maine Countryside

Bliss Farm Inn is a Maine farm bed and breakfast, full of historic charm and modern luxuries. Located in Durham, the Inn has a long history of welcoming weary travelers. Considered to be the oldest building in Durham, the Inn was built in 1772 as a farmhouse for Sea Captain O. Israel Bagley and was used as a place for town meetings, public worship services, and for a while as the town’s schoolhouse. It then became known as the Bliss House. For over 176 years, the Bliss Family continuously owned the property. In 1982, after being vacant for a couple of decades, it was purchased by the Burns Family who are credited with painstakingly renovating it, and adding electricity and running water for the first time. Since then, there have been 5 sets of innkeepers who have called the Inn their home and their passion with the most recent being James and Marianne Roberts and their Royalsborough Inn before it changed ownership again in 2021.

Dave and Mary McLellan are the latest stewards of this special historic property. Mary brings her experience as an assistant innkeeper for the Washington DC based Swan House in Dupont Circle to her new role as a Maine Innkeeper. The McLellan family has brought a renewed energy to the Inn which shows in the refreshed landscape and historic rooms, everything brought to new life and waiting for your visit. Each of the five guest rooms represent a different period of the farmhouse and Inn. Decorated with antiques, photos, and custom accent pieces, the rooms also blend in a few contemporary conveniences like comfy robes and a refrigerator stocked with soft drinks and juices.

Bliss Farm Inn offers several accommodation packages. As a guest at the Inn, you begin your mornings with complimentary candlelit farm-to-table breakfast and enjoy snacks and beverages throughout your stay 24/7. The Inn also offers a few special amenities. They partner with vendors to provide guests with locally sourced high quality products. The house made charcuterie board features a selection of artisan meats and cheeses blending sweet and savory flavor bites. Fresh and locally arranged floral arrangements by Wildflower Floral Designs are available, please order 48 hours in advance to have ready when you check-in. Additionally, Bliss Farm Inn has teamed up with one of the best chocolatiers, Wilburs of Maine, to bring guests a one of a kind Maine-themed box of chocolates, and also with Sweet Cakes Bakery for locally made sweet treats.

Another vendor, Maine Bay Canvas has recently partnered with the Inn to provide for all your outdoor event needs for any special occasion, whether it is a wedding reception, a family reunion, or a birthday party. The Inn is looking forward to their first summer season welcoming guests from all around the country, and perhaps the world as travel restrictions, finally, are eased.

And the latest exciting news for the Inn, they are now offering to the public, “Date Night at the Inn Dinners.” I was unable to attend the February dinner as it was so popular that it had already sold out, but I look forward to the next one scheduled for March 12th. The meal is a fixed menu for the dinner service. They are hoping to offer these “Date Nights” at various times throughout the month based on Inn occupancy.

Bliss Farm Inn has been receiving raving 5 star reviews from their guests. While each review is unique to the guest’s experience, they all share praise for innkeepers Mary and Dave for being so accommodating, friendly and exceeding all expectations for a truly memorable stay at the Inn. Professional local writer, Hillary Nangle, aka Maine Travel Maven praised the Inn by writing “highlights (at the Inn) include full breakfast with eggs from the farm’s chickens, plentiful snacks, and pleasant common areas including a cozy library, a great room, and dining room. BLISS indeed.”

Time together in an Inn where time stands still. Have you made your reservations?