11 Best Hotels in Portland, Maine

Though it's located a brief walk from many of Portland’s most popular sites—from East End Beach and Casco Bay Lines to shopping in Old Port—it isn’t just the location that brings many guests back to this hotel. Rooms are swathed in classic-meets-modern design, and many have unobstructed views of Casco Bay. Bathrooms have rain-forest shower heads, and a tapas bar, fitness center, coin-operated laundry, and a convenience store are all on the property.

Housed in an 1823 Federal-style mansion with a rooftop cupola, Blind Tiger is an enclave of both historic elegance and personalized comfort. Rooms are elegant and serene, outfitted mostly in soft shades (one lovely exception: the deep blue walls of a king-bed room named Diavolo) and punctuated by soft abstract art pieces and contemporary lighting. And when you’re done exploring the city (service is incredibly thoughtful and informed, and willing to provide directions and recommendations), there’s a subterranean billiards room for hanging out in.

One of the newest additions to Portland's hotel landscape, there’s a soft contemporary feel throughout the property—abstract carpets, plenty of warm lighting, textured headboards, compact tables, and multimedia artwork give guest rooms a nice mix of sleekness and coziness. The design aesthetic extends through the lobby as well as in its two eateries, Salt Yard Café & Bar (which serves breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks) and Luna (the rooftop bar-restaurant with terrific views of the city and harbor). 

For a place to sleep that's convenient to both the Portland International Jetport and The Maine Mall, this Hampton Inn location is a comfortable bet. It's also just off the Interstate 95, if you are traveling to other points by car, and it offers a complimentary hot breakfast, an indoor pool, and a fitness center. 

The classic facade of this handsome 1884 Italianate in the architecturally rich Western Promenade area gives no hint of the splashy, modern (but cozy) surprises within. Large common spaces have who'd've-thunk-it combinations like bright faux-marble walls, a painted checkerboard floor, and a leopard-print runner; most guest rooms are hand-painted with fun florals, bird motifs, and even gold pom-poms---no two rooms are alike. The inn feels like a laid-back gallery, with almost every available surface covered by art; somehow it all comes together, creating a whimsical, outrageous, and wonderful effect. The delicious breakfast, featuring a wide range of buffet-style options—including, of course, pomegranates—can't be beat.

Just 2.4 miles from Portland International Jetport and close to the Maine Mall, South Portland’s recently renovated Marriott now sports sharp, contemporary design with funky industrial lighting fixtures, ergonomic furnishings, and tech perks like free Wi-Fi. 

This 1869 Victorian-era town home has a curved mahogany staircase to the third floor, a bay window overlooking the street from the front parlor beneath a gleaming crystal chandelier, and gleaming pumpkin-pine floors. The six elegantly styled yet comfortable guest rooms have distinctive beds (including low four-posters) and updated en suite baths with tile showers and pedestal sinks. A two-course gourmet breakfast is served, rooms boast flat-screen TVs and electric fireplaces, and a small but lovely English garden beckons from the backyard.

Not part of a chain despite the "Regency" name, this brick building in the center of the Old Port served as Portland's armory in the late 19th century. Suites on the fourth level have floor-to-ceiling windows, private balconies, sitting areas, and wet bars; all rooms have desks, flat-screen TVs, and terry robes.

Set among the glorious homes of the Western Promenade, this 1871 Georgian displays much of the era's grandeur, with high pressed-tin ceilings, intricate moldings, and ceiling medallions. Modern touches include Wi-Fi flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, and private bathrooms. A 2019 renovation added midcentury-modern furniture and cozy sitting areas painted in warm, soothing tones of gray, blues, and greens. The inn also has a cozy patio, which is a great place for coffee in a neighborhood not known for green space, and the foyer’s centerpiece is an automated wine machine.