I have a pretty good gig most days, of course—there’s simply not a bad business trip when you work for Coastal Living—but I don’t usually call the editor-in-chief after dinner on the road. The White Barn, though, a Relais Gourmand restaurant with 13 talented chefs and a mind-reading waitstaff, delivers an incomparable dining experience. Executive Chef Jonathan Cartwright orchestrates the meal, which takes place in two rustic barns original to the Kennebunkport, Maine, property.

The century-old inn itself is worth a trip, especially if you choose to stay in one of its three waterside cottages just down the road. There, the Kennebunk River’s autumn show impresses even the most jaded New England tourists. On the far bank, a few blocks from the Atlantic, beech, birch, and maple trees flame red and orange. A chill in the air warrants a blaze in the cottage’s wood-burning fireplace, and the bed’s white Frette linens send a siren call.

Fishing shacks for much of their existence, the cottages became overnight accommodations in the 1960s. When the inn (part of the luxury Relais & Chateaux group) bought them a few years ago, they were converted into upscale retreats.

Given the amenities, it’s a wonder anyone leaves the cottages, but southern Maine tempts guests with other diversions. Visitors can go apple picking or leaf peeping, wander Kennebunkport’s boutiques, or walk on the beach. The White Barn’s Hinckley yacht can be chartered for picnics and cocktail cruises. And the area’s abundant antiques and art galleries draw visitors year-round.

The primary reason to leave that comfortable cottage, however, is the White Barn’s restaurant. The attentive waitstaff must rehearse their roles, given their ability to appear and disappear at exactly the right moment. But the food steals the show. Changing weekly according to what’s in season, the menu might include steamed Maine lobster on fettuccine with carrots, ginger, snow peas, and a cognac coral butter sauce, or pumpkin crème brûlée with a bourbon walnut tart and maple ice cream. Oh, and there’ll be a tray of homemade chocolates waiting for you at bedtime, though I don’t know how anyone has room for them.

“We did it twice,” says guest Debora Raike of dinner in the barn. “I just prayed for hunger on the second day.” California residents, Debora and her husband, Larry, drove to the inn after a visit with their college-student son in Boston. The restaurant was by far their favorite part of the weekend, she says. “It was our birthdays, our anniversary, and Christmas all wrapped up in one.”

Jonathan, the inn’s chef, is proud of professional accolades, but Debora and Larry’s opinions matter more. “We keep trying, keep training, keep listening to customers’ comments,” he says. Remember that leisurely stroll on the beach? Calorie counters might want to add a flat-out sprint before (and after) an evening of Jonathan’s offerings. The concierge will kindly provide a neighborhood running route and set up a post-workout massage in the inn’s spa.

After a few days of being spoiled rotten, Henry and I reluctantly give up the waterside cottage and return home. And when I get back to the office, Kay greets me with one comment: “You’re welcome.”

White Barn Inn & Spa; 207/967-2321 or whitebarninn.com.

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