Noble House InnLynn Williams grew up in the world of hospitality. As the daughter of innkeepers — her parents ran Camden’s Birchwood Motel for 40 years — she met travelers from all over, while honing her own hosting skills. “I learned a lot about the world from that,” Williams says. “And I learned that I was good at interacting with visitors. It made me even more sociable than I naturally am.”
After leaving Maine, Williams met her husband Matt, whose career as a retail creative director brought them to Massachusetts, Florida, and Wisconsin. When the pandemic affected his industry and future job prospects, the couple decided to return to Lynn’s roots. They searched for hospitality properties for sale and found Bridgton’s Noble House Inn, a 1903 home and carriage house on Highland Lake that once served as a senator’s retreat. The Williamses were attracted to the property’s history and that it was in need of an update. “We wanted to make it our own,” Lynn says.
Innkeepers Matt and Lynn Williams and their pup, Tug. Photos by Dave Waddell
The couple took over ownership in January 2022 and have since worked to make the property more luxurious and modernize the rooms and suites. They did it all, one room at a time, without pausing operations and also jumped into hosting events. “Matt renovated the whole place with interior design experience that he brought over from store design,” Williams says. “We’ve incorporated his expertise with my expertise in hospitality, while working together to build a wedding business.”
Noble House appealed to Serena and Sean Tibbetts when they decided to tie the knot. They wanted a venue close to their new home in Bridgton to help introduce family and close friends to their town. “I called Noble House Inn and chatted with Lynn,” Serena says. “It felt like she could offer exactly what we were looking for.” The inn’s five acres include a ceremony space with arbor that is surrounded by birch trees and meticulously maintained gardens. Receptions can be indoors or outside under a tent. The couple planned their nuptials for October 2023, when autumn foliage would be at its peak, showcasing the beauty of the grounds.
Tibbetts arranged all the wedding details herself, but she credits Williams for helping her visualize the event and connecting her with local vendors, including a caterer, baker, and day-of coordinator. The inn hosted the entire weekend of events, including a welcome party with charcuterie and cornhole, a rehearsal dinner, an outdoor ceremony, and a tented reception, where Williams helped Tibbetts surprise her new husband with a whiskey bar. “Everyone who attended kept saying how much it felt like us,” Tibbetts says, “but I couldn’t have done it without Lynn.”
Between events, guests walked the short distance to downtown Bridgton’s shops and restaurants, enjoyed the firepits and wooded footpaths on the inn’s grounds, and relaxed in their rooms, some of which are outfitted with fireplaces or whirlpool tubs — amenities available to Noble House Inn guests beyond weddings. The inn also offers breakfast and has a brand-new bar. “We’re a full-service inn that hosts guests year-round,” Williams says. “We get vacationers, staycationers, and skiers in the winter.” A self-described “coastal girl,” Williams now loves living by the lake. “Our business is more four-season, and Bridgton is a really cute town,” she says. “Falling back into hospitality has been an easy fit for me, and this is such a special spot.”
