Family To Re-Open Iconic Western Maine Hotel & Restaurant

For over 120 years, the Solon Hotel has provided lodging to visitors traveling along Route 201.  When the establishment first opened, the road was gravel and the preferred methods of travel were horse and buggy or train.  When it first opened, they would have been lucky to see one automobile (horse-less carriage?) per year.  Now, especially during the summer, thousands of cars, trucks, and SUVs pass through the area each day.

In recent years, the building fell on hard times.

Now, it looks like the place is in the process of getting a much needed makeover.

According to the KJ, Faith and Bruce Goguen, of Embden, purchased the hotel in September and are in the process of making some much needed renovations.

Their hope is to be open for cocktails and light fare by February, but they have grand plans for the iconic establishment.  By the spring, they hope to open an Italian and Portuguese restaurant.  By the end of the year, they plan to have rental rooms available.

Given the remoteness of the area, and limited dinning & lodging options, they'll be close to being the only game in town.

The site has been associated with hospitability for almost as long as European settlers have lived in the area.  Before the current building was constructed, the site was the home to the Caratunk House, a hotel that had 30 rooms.  The Caratunk House burned down in 1873.  The current place, which was originally named Gray's Tavern, was built in 1895.

In addition to the hotel, the family owns rental properties and a dispensary.  We wish the Goguen family the best of luck with their new business.