Harbourview Inn

This was our first experience at a B & B and Harbourview Inn has certainly set the bar very high. The rooms were impeccably clean and tidy. Their service and friendliness were absolutely wonderful. Breakfast was a perfect beginning to our days in Smiths Cove/Digby. We will definitely return to Harbourview when we have the opportunity to visit the area again.

Stayed for 4 nights in May 2012. Two room suits were very clean and great for family of 4. Kids had lots of room. Parents had privacy! Amazing views of Bay of Fundy and easy walk to beach!. Great playground for kids! Breakfast was great and very fresh both hot and cold. Fresh fruit always at each serving. When kids did not prefer selection - hosts were very accommodating to modify order. Very happy we picked this place and would stay again!

I came here in May 2012, on the recommendation of previous guests. The place was clean, in a picturesque area, the hosts are helpful and friendly, and the breakfasts were delightful. I took advantage of the stay one night, get the second night at half price. It was a great place to stay to explore Digby, Annapolis Royal, Long Island, and Brier Island. Would highly recommend this place!

We spent 3 nights at the Harbourview Inn based on the description on the web and the location. We originally booked 2 nights and extended the stay to 3 nights when we got there as it was truly amazing. The Inn is beautiful and the location couldn't be better for touring around the Fundy bay area. The rooms are decorated to a very high standard and have plenty of space. What made the stay so amazing was the hospitality. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly and Darren and Vance couldn't have done more to make our stay memorable. We were in Nova Scotia for a week and the Harbourview Inn was the best place we stayed. We have already recommended this Inn to our friends in Ireland and plan to return ourselves the next time we visit Nova Scotia.

A harbour from the elements. Very much appreciated the client service when I called last minute.

The Harbourview was a wonderful place to stay. The rooms were clean, and full of amenities. It was like a home away from home, with a fantastic tub, shower stall, and kitchen to heat my meals. I was only there for work purposes but would stay here for leisure. T Fultz

Quaint B&B. Our accomadations were in a seperate house with private entrance. We were there after Oct 15 so breakfast was not available.

Wonderful inn with gorgeous surroundings. Best of all was the service and staff. We booked 2 rooms for our family, which included grandparents, parents and 3 teen age children. We were upgraded to a room which had 2 double rooms within a room and another room with 2 doubles. They also allowed up to bring our dog with us, and he had a great time too. We enjoyed drinks in the lounge area and breakfast on the sun porch. Both were lovely atmosphere with excellent service. Vance and Darren also made our arrangements for dinner the evening we stayed, which we all enjoyed at Cafe Compose and our whale watching trip with Mariner Cruises - which was a day of perfection! Highly recommend this inn for anyone singles, couples or families.

When we arrived we found that the room we had booked in January had been double booked. However, Darren was able to accommodate us by moving some of his other guests. We had a lovely stay and overall this was probably our favourite amongst the inns we stayed in.

Our room was clean, comfortable and just lovely. We felt welcome and at ease throughout our stay. We had to leave early for the Ferry and appreciated the very complete brown bag breakfast that was waiting for each of us in the refrigerator.

The rooms fit into the concept of an old captain's home, are lovingly tended to, and breakfast is served in a sun-flooded glass-verandah. Walls are really thin, so you should hope for neighbours that get up at about the same time in the morning. The shore is about a five minute walk away and can be seen from some of the rooms.

The Inn was a wonderful experience overall. We got an excellent breakfast in the morning and everyone was so friendly and helpful. What a beautiful old house.

It was a very friendly, clean and quiet place, that we really enjoyed and would recommend to anyone! Thanks Darren and Vance!

We stayed at the Harbourview Inn for three nights. We had a King bed (which is difficult to find in a B&B) with a water view. The Inn is not right on the water but there are water views and the grounds are beautiful. We really enjoyed the breakfasts in the sun porch overlooking the gardens. Darren and Vance were great hosts offering advice on our activities while staying at the inn and accommodating our late arrival and early departure. (We had to leave early to catch the morning ferry and really appreciated the breakfast in a bag that was left for us in the inn refrigerator.) We would definitely stay here again.

The room was clean. The bed was great - so much so I'm shopping for one for home. The ham and french toast breakfast was better than the food I'm used to in a hotel breakfast.

Lovely Inn in Smith's Cove, near Digby, NS. One drawback and one only. We didn't enjoy the noise from ATVs on the track that ran behind our room. It was far from a peaceful setting.

My wife and I stayed for one week. The room, service, and breakfasts where exceptional. The view of the harbor is wonderful. I would recommend this B&B to anyone, whether your stay is a week, a few days, or one night. Norm & Deana Roberts

Stayed at the Winchester House with my family for a three night stay. Enjoyed the innkeepers service (either Darren or Vance were always available), the breakfast was wonderfully tasty with very engaging staff, and the rooms were incredibly clean. The grounds were beautiful and access to the pool and beach were a bonus...only wish I had brought my court shoes!

Great place to stay. Charming surroundings and welcoming hosts.

Beautiful Inn and wonderful hosts. The breakfast room was quite enjoyable as it looked on to a nice garden. The food was wonderful.

I can't say enough about the Harbourview! The rooms are cozy and the beds are most comfortable. Darren & Vance are the best hosts who make you feel at home as soon as you arrive. Rosie the dog completes the package!

Received a warm welcome from the owner. Peaceful and quiet environment. Delicious breakfast and different every morning. Would definitely come back.

Great room for our family of 4. Two kids had their own beds in an alcove to the main queen bed: the girls nominated Harbourview as their favourite hotel/inn on our entire trip out East. Pool was shared by local cottage community, but it was huge, with lots of chairs and umbrellas and nearby playground equipment. Hosts were friendly and knowledgeable. Couldn't judge breakfast as we had to catch the early ferry, but our hosts did pack us all a nutritious boxed breakfast snacks and had them ready for us when we departed at 7 a.m. Would return if ever back in Smiths Cove.

We only spent one night at the Inn. I would have loved to have had time to relax on the front porch with a good book, but the walk down the lane was just as wonderful. Lovely retreat! Excellent breakfast!

Everything was very good, and the owners and staff were thoroughly agreeable and helpful. Our suite was excellent. We received good recommendations on restaurants and activities.

We stayed at the Harbourview Inn with our two border collies for six days. It was the best choice ever. We needed to relax and get away from everything, and the Harbourview was the perfect place. Not only were we made to feel completely at home, but so were our dogs. We would very highly recommend this place to anyone wishing to visit the Maritimes and especially to anyone travelling with dogs. The owners Darren and Vance were so welcoming and helpful, and so was their dog Rosie. What a find!

I have stayed here for several years and this is the best. I am picky about where I stay and this is perfect in every way. Darren and Vance are awesome innkeepers -- nothing is too difficult for them. The Inn is immaculate! The property is beautiful and in an ideal location between Annapolis Royal and Digby. I have recommended it to several friends and they have all felt the same. I have stayed here alone and with my teenage children. Could not find a better place to stay unless I was at home.

Charming Inn conveniently located in Digby Bay 'environs'. Super welcome, service and recommendations. Good hot buffet breakfast. Comfy bed in clean room where everything works. Highly recommended.

The room was fantastic. Loved all the flowers and the off road to walk to Fundy Bay, the swimming pool and Birch Chapel. The breakfast was fabulous and the Inn Keepers were friendly and helpful. My bed was just perfect! This would be a "must stay." Super clean, outstanding rooms which include a queen bed, a small sitting room and a nice size bathroom.

My daughter and I spent two nights in the Harbourview in two seperate rooms. On both nights we slept soundly and comfortably in an atmosphere I could only desctibe as visiting a favourite relative's home where you are given the best room and feel both welcomed and valued. The owners are both friendly and engaging and go out of their way to amke you comfotable. Lovely garden and quiet surroundings with a pleasant beach a short walk away. Also a pool but we never got there. A wonderful stay, a great place to rest and enjoy a micro beer after a drive,

Lovely location, clean room, welcoming hosts and a fine breakfast. Note, however, that the name 'Harbourview Inn', does not actually guarantee a view of the harbour. Nevertheless, I did enjoy the herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically across the plain.

We really enjoyed our room at the Harbourview Inn (Room 1). It was extremely nice, and the location was excellent! I would definitely stay here again and will definitely be recommending it to all of my friends and family!

Darren was a terrific host and was very considerate at looking after our stay.

Lots to do on the property, with the pool, shore and trails. The owners are very helpful with directions and restaurant recommendations.

Nice place, would have liked to have the time to explore a bit and meet other guests (we only stayed overnight for a ferry ride to St John). The owner recommended a restaurant in Digby for local seafood, and we very much enjoyed it. We had a to-go breakfast packed for us since we left early for the ferry, this was great and had enough food to keeo us going until lunch. It was a warm day when we arrived, but the room had nice big windows and they caught the breeze so we didn;t even have to try the window A/C unit. Owner was warm and inviting.

We only had one night to spend in the Digby area so we did our research through Purple Roofs and Trip Advisor. The inn is easy to reach from Halifax, in a great location for taking in whale watching tours or enjoying the natural beauty. Darren and Vance have a great inn and everything was better than expected. We'd highly recommend a stay at the Harbourview Inn!

The inn is situated off a main road, not far from the bay. It is surrounded by beautifully tended lawns and gardens where birds are attracted by the flowers and feeders. One can enjoy walking and biking trails, home to all kinds of berries which the proprietors pick to make homemade jams. The property shares private tennis courts and a full lap pool... something you don't find easily in a country-style Victorian inn! My husband and I had a very enjoyable stay.

We had a great stay at The Harbourview Inn - it is a lovely building, with lots of history and character, but with modern facilities - set in beautiful gardens and surroundings. Our room was comfortable, the breakfasts great and Darren and Vance wonderful hosts. What more can we say? Oh yes, the walk down to the beach was lovely, the tennis courts great, though we were sorry not to have time to enjoy the pool. Plus - the home made jams and jellies are amazing (we brought 6 jars home with us)! Our next visit will definitely be longer!

We made a three week trip from inn to inn in NS, NB, PEI and NL, this was really one of the best we had! Many Thanks to the Innkeepers Darren and Vance. Best regards from Leon K. + family from Germany.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at The Harborview Inn. It is a beautiful old Inn with a gorgeous view and a lovely garden. We slept with the windows open to catch the cool breeze from the water--delightful. Breakfast was served in a sunny, cozy side porch. Very convenient to the highway and Digby.

Very warm welcome; we felt at home and had a very pleasant stay (we stayed 5 nights!).

Darren and Vance do an exceptional job and are friendly and courteous . They personify what Innkeepers should be . I hope to return again soon and enjoy their fine establishment . You can not go wrong with this one . From Bob and Susan

Lovely room, friendly welcome. Would like to have been able to stay longer.

My husband and I have been staying at the Harbourview for the past 5 years. The Inn is wonderful, clean, private, comfortable and has exceptional Innkeepers who will accomodate your every need. We highly recommend this Inn and are planning to stay again next year. Thanks guys!

This is a great place. Darren and Vance are wonderful - friendly, helpful, knowledgable. They have great ideas for things to do, places to go and eat. I love the location. It is maybe 5 or ten minutes from downtown Digby so it is calm and peaceful. Be sure and visit Bear River, just up the road. This was my third year and I will be back next year as well.

I heartily recommend Harbourview Inn as a relaxing, beautiful place to stay. Rooms and beds are very comfortable. We did the Inn's Whale Watch package with OceanExplorations in the Zodiac, and that was fabulous! Harbourview is very professional about details, yet Darren and Vance are warm and friendly hosts. Darren gave us lots of great advice about walking trails, surroundings, ferries, etc and we spent a lovely evening chatting with him about the area. His roses rival those of the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens in beauty and scent (though not as many of course!). Note that the Gardens and a number of other must-see attractions are an easy drive from Harbourview.

Excellent recommendations for dinner (O'Neils, Boardwalk cafe)

While the staff were very warm and accomodating, the breakfast left something to be desired. There should have have been more hot coffee available and why not make eggs to order. There aren't that many people who stay at the inn at any one time. why not have more specialty items, muffins or croissants and make your breakfast stand out.

We paid for "waterview" room and caught a glimpse of water through the trees far away. Having to cart luggage up and down stairs makes this place unsuitable for seniors. The bathroom was TINY and the room was rather small for 3 people. The swimming pool was almost 1/2 km from the Inn. We had to catch the ferry at 8am so did not have breakfast and we were not offered any compensation - we had paid $20.00 a day extra for the 3rd person. In conclusion, we were on vacation for 17 days and Harbourview was the most expensive place we stayed and the only one that was a disappointment.

[Resource Id: innkeeperresponse, Set: reviews]
At the front door of Harbourview Inn, there are four steps to enter the Inn. For guests with mobility issues, there is also a wheel chair ramp on the side of the Inn. We have a lot of seniors that stay with us and do not seem to have difficulty accessing the inn. The size of the room that this lady was occupied was 12 feet by 19 feet...usually considered by most people to be large enough to accommodate 3 people comfortably. The third person was charged $20 a day for their queen bed and complete access to all the facilities that the Inn has to offer. When guests who are planning on catching the early morning ferry give us enough notice, we offer a continental breakfast to go. But when a guest only notifys us late in the evening when only one person is on duty, it is too late to start baking muffins. I am sorry that this lady was disappointed by her stay at our Inn. We try very hard to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for our guests and try to ensure that they are provided with maps and directons to local attractions, restaurants and artist's shops. We want our guest to enjoy their stay, to experience all that the local area has to offer and try to provide good value for the money that they spend with us. (PS:I am not sure what route this lady took to get to our pool as the distance from the inn to the swimming pool is 1/10 of one kilometer or about 500 feet...I just measured it.)

- Vance Simpson (innkeeper)

Stayed at the Inn with another couple. All of us had a wonderful experience! The innkeepers are fantastic, providing local info complete with maps and tips! They were warm and welcoming too! The Inn is spotlessly clean and lovely with gorgeous gardens and a clear water view. We would recommend it to all!

We have stayed at the Inn three times to date - each visit has been wonderful. The proprietors are great - as is the location, breakfast, tennis, pool, gardens and sunporch - one can read and relax, or enjoy the tennis and pool activities. We hope to return next year.

This is a beautiful, friendly B&B. My ratings are carefully considered and based on a comparison of the many places that I have stayed. The old house is well kept and the acre or so of lawns are beautifully landscaped. It would be difficult to find fault with this well run hostelry.

This was our first experience in a bed and breakfast and really couldn't have been better. From the arrival and introduction by Darren through the departure it was a wonderful stay. We felt at home, loved sitting in the comfortable common areas after returning from dinner - sipping wine while we planned the next day's excursion and watched the sun set. Breakfast was great with accommodations willing made for my wife's Gluten allergy.

We traveled to Nova Scotia to see whales and we chose Harbourview Inn to stay for two nights. It was really beautifull and nice place to stay with very special atmosphere, very good service and very friendly staff. I would recommend this hotel to a friend.

this was our favorite b and b during our recent visit to Nova Scotia and New brunswick. Rooms are large and have wonderful views. The owners are most amiable and helpful and the inn and grounds are beautiful. We did not want to leave.

The Harbourview Inn is located a short distance outside Digby, close but no problems with traffic noise! It is a short walk to the beach, which was fun. We stayed in Winchester House. The rooms were quite large (they are suites) with a large, modern bathroom. We did not realize that it was across the gardens from the main house and next to the road (no noise problems) but it did make us feel more isolated. Next time we would stay in the main house. We cannot say enough nice things about Darren, the manager. He is affable, knowledgeable, helpful! He made all the arrangements for our whale-watching trip, he was very familiar with the area, he had good maps, he even brought me a birthday muffin with a candle and sang Happy Birthday to me! :)

We stayed here two nights in June and had a wonderful time. The rooms are nice. Breakfast was great. Thanks Darren and Vance for the hospitality!

While touring the NE my party decided to travel in to Novia Scotia to briefly tour the countryside. The Inn was all the ad said it would be and the host was wonderful to talk with us and tell us all about the town. Wonderful experience and we all plan to return when we can schedule a visit. Next time it willl be for a longer visit. William--Memphis TN

Harbourview Inn is a great place to stay whether it is for a family trip, romantic getaway or alone for some relaxation. The owners provide service which is over the top. It is truly a home away from home. The breakfast is a great start to the day and is really delicious (home make jams and all)!

We were met in a timely manner with our late arrival. The rooms were beautifully decorated, the beds were so soft and comfortable, and the rooms very clean. We would recommend this Inn to anyone. Excellent location near Digby. We enjoyed using the popcorn that night and the morning coffee was delicious.

Nice quite spot, great retreat after a day of whale watching

No breakfast available at this time of year - from October to May of each year. We enjoyed our stay, it was very comfortable and very clean with all that we needed.

appropriate support for directions as well as dining, nice talking at the bar ( dining above cannot be rated: their was none! But also not expected...)

Very nice accommodation close to many different travel destinations.

Hosts could not have been more helpful. Breakfast was delicious and our room was very comfortable with a great view.

We recently spent a night at the Inn and wished we could have stayed longer.We will certainly recommend this place. It was a little hard to find- thank goodness for a GPS.

Darren & Vance made us feel welcome right from the start and they were very helpful when we asked for information on local tourist sites. It is a superb B&B, immaculately clean, lovely grounds, and very friendly. I would definitely recommend it to my friends and also encourage them to take the Whale Watching package, which is superb value and something that should be on everyone's bucket list!

Our room was large, clean, decorated beautifully, and very comfortable with all the amenties you could want. Unfortunately we did not have the time, on this trip, to enjoy the public areas of the inn but they were very nicely decorated and inviting. The innkeeper, Darren, was extremely helpful with local information! Very convenient location to Digby, restaurants, and the ferry.

Facility is very nice and staff very helpful and caring.

My wife and i thoroughly enjoyed our brief stay at the Harbourview Inn in Digby. The room was clean and tidy, bed was comfortable and bathroom was well sized and clean. The breakfast was enjoyable with great service. I would recommend this Inn to anyone, and we will be booking our room for the next Wharf Rat Rally soon.

My wife and I have been fortunate enough to stay at this 1899 Inn on four occasions and each time were treated royally. Breakfasts are a feature of this Inn being served in a bright and airy room overlooking the outstanding garden redolent with bird song. Access to the Inn Dog is encouraged for those who have left their dog behind. Rosie will walk with just about anybody The bar is more than adequate for those guests who want a casual drink of an evening sharing stories with the other guests, and the two Innkeepers who are themselves world travelers. Personal service abounds.

Our stay in Smiths Cove at the Harbourview Inn was an absolutely wonderful time! Darren and Vance went above and beyond in their accommodation, were extremely pleasant in conversation, and assisted us with all our enquiries!Their little dog,Rosie,was such a joy!We received first class sleeping quarters,as well as a superb breakfast daily! We will most certainly return to this special retreat,on our next visit to the wonderful province of Nova Scotia!Thank you,Darren and Vance,for such warm hospitality! John & Diane Bakker