New Owner of Stratton Motel

[Nameless]

The new owner of Stratton Motel, Don, is great. He has a nice little hiker hostel setup with a kitchen, common area, and 6 beds split between 2 rooms. For $20 you get free internet, free long distance, shower, and a bed. Don is one of the nicest people I met on the Trail, willing to do anything for a hiker. He does free shuttles to and from trail heads, and to the post office and laundry mat if you want (its about a quarter mile, so I always walked). There is a good store for resuply, and a bar and pizza place across the street. He helped me greatly finding a person to give me a ride to Bangor since I had decided to get off the trail. I even forgot to pay for 2 nights when I left, and he didnt even knowtice. I called back to pay, and it took me a second reminder for him to remember to charge for 2 nights. I was hiking with a group of 4, and a few more hikers rolled in the night all of us were there, so he had a BBQ for us, free of charge (but we all insisted on pitching in money anyway, so it ened up not being free, but by our choice). We had a great time. I wouldnt miss the place for the world when I hike the trail again. Don deffinatly went above and beyond what I could expect from a hostel owner. Oh, he also has some motel rooms for I believe 45 a night.

Pink aka Twinkie

[TJ aka Teej]

Thanks for the report about Don! It's always great to see positive feedback about those who do their best to provide for hikers.

[Sly]

I stayed there in '98. They haven't raised the fees but $5 since then!!! That's great, so is Stratton, so is Maine!

[Cookerhiker]

Thanks Nameless! Perfect timing - I'm starting Maine in about a month.

[shades of blue]

Spent a two nights here slack packing. Don is great, and their is a great diner just across the street. There is a pizza place with karoke close by also. The only complaint that I had was that the shuttles didn't leave until 1/2 hour or hour later than agreed upon. This may have been an isolated incident though. I would highly recommend this hostel.

[Jack Tarlin]

I second what Nameless had to say: I've heard nothing but great things about this place and the guy who runs it; this includes very positive reports from the Southbounders that I've met in Hanover the past few weeks. Apparently, this place is really pulling out the stops for hikers, including doing favors (rides, shuttles, etc.) for folks who aren't even staying there. I look forward to checking this place out for myself right now, but from everything I've heard, this is a pretty fine place.

[Cookerhiker]

I'm in the middle of 3 nights at the hostel including a slackpack day and a zero day. This is a wonderful place for thruhikers as well as long-distance section hikers. In addition to the details provided by Nameless, let me add that this facility has the best fully-equipped kitchen I've ever experienced on the AT. The internet service is fast, long distance phone calls are free, and Don does a lot of free shuttles. Today with the one restaurant serving breakfast closed amid pouring rain, Don drove 3 of us a mile down the road to another restaurant and then picked us up afterwards.

[V8]

Yet another fan of the Stratton Motel - we were able to get their help for a section hike with a shuttle down the exceedingly rutted Caribou Valley Road, for a very reasonable fee. Also, the motel unit was clean and comfortable. This kind of service makes section hiking possible - thanks!

[Skyline]

I guess Charlie finally got his wish and sold it. Glad to hear it's still hiker-friendly, maybe more so.

[neighbor dave]

just spent 4 nights there. don is a great guy! very friendly and very accommodating. i've been goin there for around 10 years now. don,(the new owner) is just a great guy all around and really looks after the folks who stay with him. a future trail legend for sure. he's got a bus he calls the stratton booger(it's green) to help hikers get to and fro. don't pass this town without staying there,you won't regret it,at the very least stop in and say hi.

[RITBlake]

that place rocked. Perfect location, price, services etc. No shortage of food options and its not too far off the trail. We spent a day or two their after a very cold and wet couple days on the trail. Don is a tough looking, but great guy.

[neighbor dave]

jus spent 2 nights in da roadhouse. doin' some bushwhackin' of 3 k peaks up dere. don,as usual was a great host offrin ta shuttle us up some skeery dirt roads into oblivion,ta whack. great guy fo sho. he's all geared up an' waitin' fer the thrus!! hi don!!! thanks again!!

[weary]

I second what Nameless had to say: I've heard nothing but great things about this place and the guy who runs it; this includes very positive reports from the Southbounders that I've met in Hanover the past few weeks. Apparently, this place is really pulling out the stops for hikers, including doing favors (rides, shuttles, etc.) for folks who aren't even staying there. I look forward to checking this place out for myself right now, but from everything I've heard, this is a pretty fine place.

It certainly is an inexpensive and friendly place for hikers to stay. Don does have an interesting financial arrangement, however. A couple of us stayed their last fall. He quoted a price of $20 or $25 a night, I forget which. But when I pulled out my credit card to pay, I was told it was another $7 to compensate for credit card charges "and state sales taxes if we used a card."

These forums had an interesting discussion of hiker ethics a few months ago.
A question for those who criticized unethical behavior of hikers. Is it unethical to patronize people who use cash payments as a way to avoid paying the legitimate taxes leveled by that "great" state of Maine.

Or is it alright to break state tax laws, just not hostel rules?

Weary

[neighbor dave]

in g*d we trust,all others pay cash
or.... if yer lookin' fer credit,you'll need ta go ta the credit manager, hellen waite,so if yer lookin' fer credit go to hell and wait!!!

[weary]

in g*d we trust,all others pay cash
or.... if yer lookin' fer credit,you'll need ta go ta the credit manager, hellen waite,so if yer lookin' fer credit go to hell and wait!!!

That's sort of my philosophy. I give a lot of money to trail charities that I agree with. I figure the state has both more money and more enforcement powers than I. I did sense that most of those disagreeing with my philosophy were critical during the prior debate. I would like to have Jack and others tell us what they think about hikers taking part in a fraud on Maine taxpayers.

Weary

[fiddlehead]

A question for those who criticized unethical behavior of hikers. Is it unethical to patronize people who use cash payments as a way to avoid paying the legitimate taxes leveled by that "great" state of Maine.

Or is it alright to break state tax laws, just not hostel rules?

Weary[/quote]


I for one would have no problem getting away with not paying the state of Maine tax. I worked in Maine for a year when i lived up at Sugarloaf Ski area after my first thru-hike in 89. I paid state income tax but was entitled to a refund when i did my taxes that year. I tried calling them (after requesting my refund which i never got) at least 10 times and always got put on hold or changed to another extension. I never got a penny of my money back (it wasn't a lot and i think they figured it wasn't worth their trouble) but it was mine and i worked hard for it. So, the "Great state of Maine" is great in lots and lots of ways, but their tax collectors need to get their act together to fit in with the statement : "the way life should be"
Also, it's unfortunate, but businesses have to pay between 2.7 and 4% charges for credit cards so, many places won't take them for that reason. To take them for a small business is often a money losing proposition and done for the convienience of their customers. Here in Asia, where i now live, it's normal for places to add 3-4% to the bill if you are using credit cards.

[neighbor dave]

i agree with fiddlehead!
hey weary,maybe you should mind yer "own" bussiness. what you've stated is pure speculation, and definately not appropriate for this forum,a very lowball move in my opinion.

[DawnTreader]

fiddlehead,
I have worked in Maine and have payed state taxes three years in a row. The State taxes were hard to figure out, and rather annoying, especially since I do not live in the state. I had to pay once, and twice I have been refunded.. Small amounts, but refunded none the less. I had no trouble with the system and my refund came promptly.. I wonder why yours was so different?? Maybe they've figured some things out since 1989...

[fiddlehead]

I suppose you're write DawnTreader. I tried really hard and the next step was to drive to Augusta and try to actually deal with someone face to face and it just wasn't worth the money for gas or the frustration of them telling me i had to come back on a Tuesday between 1 and 2PM or something like that.
It was only for about $20 or so, but i'll never forget them for their BS.

[Jack Tarlin]

Lots of businesses give discounts to cash-paying customers (gas stations do it all the time).

And as a business owner, Fiddlehead knows all about credit cards. They can be a real pain in the ass for small businesses.

Weary does not necessarily know about the state of this guy's tax payments or compliance, so his negative comments seem a bit out of line.

If a hiker (or anyone else for that matter) is concerned that their dealings with someone are "off the books", they can always request a receipt.