If you’re planning a trip to the Pine Tree State, learn about the many lodging options in its showcase city with our guide to Portland, Maine, hotels and inns.
Portland, Maine, is one of New England’s hot spots for great food, arts, and attractions. If you’re looking to make a getaway to this historic coastal city, you can choose from a diverse lineup of hotels that offer boutique luxury or sweeping views of the water (or both!) and provide comfort and relaxation in the heart of downtown. Keep reading for our guide to Portland, Maine, hotels and inns.
Sunrise in Portland, Maine Photo Credit : Courtesy of VisitPortland.com
You and your significant other can leave both car and cares on the mainland when you hop a Casco Bay Ferry to Great Diamond Island, where bicycles and electric golf carts are the chief alternatives to walking. An inspired redeployment of the former barracks of the 1890s Fort McKinley, the 44-room Inn at Diamond Cove offers a plush and tranquil retreat. To up the intimacy factor, ask for a parlor suite with fireplace for snuggling on a cool night, and reserve a waterfront table at the inn’s sister restaurant, Diamond’s Edge. A 2018 Yankee Editors’ Pick for “Best Romantic Getaway.”
Light, airy rooms at the Danforth Inn. Photo Credit : Courtesy of The Danforth Inn
The innkeepers have revitalized this 1823 Federal mansion with a mix of period and contemporary Asian-accented art and antiques. That and their exceptional service make it one of our favorite downtown Portland hotels. The luxury inn’s justly acclaimed fine dining restaurant, Tempo Dulo, serves authentic Southeast Asian cuisine with locally sourced ingredients. A 2016 Yankee Editors’ Pick for “Best B&B.”
The tastefully updated Inn at Park Spring occupies an 1835 brick townhouse in the upscale West End neighborhood, putting guests within easy walking distance of the sights, shops, and restaurants of downtown and the arts district. The guest rooms and public places are decorated with restraint (nothing froufrou here), and attentive innkeepers pamper guests with hearty breakfasts and afternoon treats. A 2017 Yankee Editors’ Pick for “Best City B&B.”
Built around a courtyard in a prime Old Port location one block off the waterfront, the Portland Harbor Hotel pampers guests with handsomely updated rooms and suites. Other highlights: a cozy lounge, the Eve’s at the Garden restaurant, and concierge and spa services. A 2013 Yankee Editors’ Pick for “Best Boutique Hotel.”
Yes, those are real typewriters on the walls of the lobby at the Press Hotel. Photo Credit : Courtesy of the Press Hotel/Irvin Serrano
The Press Hotel’s decor takes its cue from its home in the former headquarters of the state’s largest newspaper. Fronting onto Congress at the end of Exchange and Market streets, the hotel is an ideal base for exploring the city. The Inkwell coffee shop provides a place to unwind, while the hotel’s Union restaurant earns raves. A 2016 Yankee Editors’ Pick for “Best Downtown Hotel.”
CHAIN HOTELS IN DOWNTOWN PORTLAND
Portland is home to many great hotels, both boutique and chain. Photo Credit : Courtesy of VisitPortland/Corey Templeton
If you’re looking to stay in a chain hotel in downtown Portland, Maine, hotels like the Marriott Residence Inn and the Holiday Inn Portland–By the Bay have waterfront locations that are hard to beat. The Hyatt Place Portland has an enviable Old Port locale, just steps from the city’s bustling waterfront, while the Hilton Garden Inn blends in with Commercial Street while offering ocean views.
OPTIONS BEYOND DOWNTOWN
These hotels just outside city limits offer peace and serenity while keeping the amenities of Portland, Maine, well within reach.
Walk off the ferry from Portland to Peaks Island, and it’s just steps to the Inn on Peaks, where each suite has a water view, a gas fireplace, a Jacuzzi, and a private deck for taking in sunset views of Portland’s skyline. A 2016 Yankee Editors’ Pick for “Best Island Inn.”
A pool, a boardwalk, on-site butterfly and bunny preserves, kids’ programs, lawn games, and a dog-friendly policy make family vacations easy at this seaside inn. A 2013 Yankee Editors’ Pick for “Best Beachfront Family Escape.”
Only 15 minutes by ferry from the mainland but somehow still a world away, this meticulously renovated seaside inn blends simple charm with contemporary style and a top-notch dining room. A 2013 Yankee Editors’ Pick for “Best Island Escape.”
Where are your favorite Portland, Maine, hotels and inns? Let us know!
This post was first published in 2017 and has been updated.
Heather Tourgee has served as an editorial intern for Yankee Magazine and the Old Farmer's Almanac. She is a junior Environmental Nonfiction major at Middlebury College with a minor in German. When she isn't working in Dublin, you can find her on the rugby pitch, traveling, or enjoying the outdoors.
