A Historic House on the Water
Two Centuries of Hospitality. Four Centuries of History.
An intimate four bedroom Georgian inn in Annapolis Royal, once known as Port-Royal and the capital of Acadia. Stay beside the Annapolis Basin, walk to gardens, galleries and dinner, and discover a small town with an outsized place in the history of North America.
A Historic Waterfront Residence
Hospitality at Bailey House is personal but unobtrusive. Guests are free to settle into the house at their own pace, knowing we are nearby whenever needed. With just four rooms, the atmosphere remains quiet, private and distinctly residential. Built around 1817 on foundations at least a century older, Bailey House has stood beside the Annapolis Basin for more than two hundred years. Bailey House remains very much a historic home, carefully preserved and shared with guests who value authenticity, privacy and a sense of place.
A Small Town at the Centre of a Much Larger Story
Annapolis Royal has more than four centuries of history, but it is far from a museum town. Founded as Port-Royal in 1605, it became the capital of Acadia, and from this sheltered basin French settlement spread around the Bay of Fundy and along the coast of Maine. It was here that Acadian culture first took shape before those traditions travelled across North America after the Acadian dispersal.
Following the British capture in 1710, the town was renamed Annapolis Royal and remained Nova Scotia’s seat of government until Halifax was founded in 1749. That layered history is still visible today in Fort Anne, the waterfront, gardens and historic streets.
The town also has a lively contemporary side, with nearly three dozen galleries and artist studios, along with independent shops and restaurants. Summer days are as warm as mid-coast Maine, while evenings beside the Basin are about 5°F cooler.
From Bailey House, guests can explore the town almost entirely on foot: history, gardens, galleries and dinner are all just a short walk away, with the waterfront waiting by the inn.
Part of staying at Bailey House is getting to know the place around it. Before you arrive, we are happy to talk through what interests you and help shape your time here. Once you are settled in, we can point you toward galleries, historic places, walks, restaurants and corners of the surrounding coast that might otherwise be easily missed.
There is no itinerary to follow. Think of it simply as having someone local to help you make the most of a remarkable little town.
A Historic House, Still in Use
At Bailey House, history is part of everyday life. Antiques, portraits and traditionally made furnishings are not kept behind ropes or arranged as exhibits; they remain part of the rooms, just as they have in old houses for generations. The breakfast table predates the house by more than a century; the longcase clock is as old the house itself and still keeps time. Both remain very much in use.
Each of our four guest rooms has its own character and connection to Annapolis Royal’s past, with names recalling figures including Prince Edward, Princess Louise and Dame Marie de La Tour.
And then there is the water. Bailey House sits directly on the Annapolis Basin, with gardens overlooking the changing tides and a landscape that has shaped life here for more than four centuries. It is a setting best enjoyed slowly: a morning by the water, a walk into town, and the pleasure of returning to an old house that still feels very much like a home.
Mornings & Evenings at Bailey House
Mornings begin with a generous, locally inspired breakfast in the Georgian dining room, followed perhaps by a little time by the water. In the evening, restaurants are an easy walk away, and the garden across the road is a quiet place to watch the tide change before returning to the house.
Bailey House has just four guest rooms, each with a private ensuite bathroom, high-thread-count 100% cotton bed linens and towels, Egyptian cotton bathrobes, Canadian Oneka bath products and a Dyson hairdryer. Our two Georgian waterfront bedrooms have Stearns & Foster mattresses. Breakfast is included with every stay.
