The 10 best hotels in Maine for every kind of traveler

Maine is best known for its jagged coastlines, sprinkled with beaches in the southern parts and tucked-away seaside towns as you drive north on Route 1. But visitors shouldn’t ignore the rest of the state’s forested mountains, pristine lakes, and burgeoning small cities. These 10 hotels get you to the heart of quintessential Maine.

The Claremont

Best for: outdoor exploration

Southwest Harbor is known as the quiet side of Mount Desert Island. Next to Acadia National Park, the Claremont is just a 15-minute drive from bustling Bar Harbor. Nostalgic and luxurious, the hotel was for 43 years home to the Claremont Classic, a croquet tournament that hosted players from around the country. A court is still available for guest use and lessons are available twice each week. Garden tours, mixology classes, and daily yoga are among the activities offered. Large groups can rent one of two signature houses on property. 

Good to know: The Claremont has its own boat, The Lady Clare, which can be booked for public and private tours.

Blair Hill Inn

Best for: historic stay

Overlooking Moosehead Lake, Maine’s largest, the Blair Hill Inn is a boutique hotel just down the road from picnic-perfect Lily Bay State Park. Once a popular getaway for the well-heeled New England elite in the 1830s to the 1930s, Moosehead Lake is now a laid-back community that gets a short summer rush. “Because we’re removed from the crowds often found on the coast, our guests come here for solitude and are surprised to find our property, which offers luxury accommodations, farm-to-table fine dining, and a full-service spa,” says innkeeper Jennifer Whitlow. Off-property, visitors can board Katahdin, the last of the historic steamboat fleet that once ferried tourists across the waters, for a nostalgic guided tour of Moosehead Lake.

Good to know: Request room 10 for an expansive private courtyard with lake views.

The Woods

Best for: luxury escape

Designed by Pete Nelson of Animal Planet’s Treehouse Masters, The Woods is home to one luxury treehouse, offering a private and secluded getaway with lakefront access, 60 miles northwest of Portland in the lakeside town of Norway. “While some pockets of the state are booming with growth and development, our land stands similarly to how it was decades ago,” says Samantha Masabny, CEO and co-creator with her husband, Rob. “Guests are allowed the opportunity to just enjoy the natural landscape without it feeling over-designed.” Surrounded by 10 acres of woods, every window of the treehouse is met with a canopy of trees, creating the feeling that you really are sleeping in the sky. 

Good to know: Less than a 10-minute drive from the treehouse, The Woods Store sells branded clothing, but also features the wares of local artists and makers. While in town, enjoy a cup of gelato under a colorful umbrella installation at Dolce Amici.

Chebeague Island Inn 

Best for: romantic getaway 

Guests board a ferry to reach the walkable island of Chebeague, situated just a 20-minute drive north of Portland. The island has less than 400 year-round residents, but the population quadruples during the summer. The Inn offers the island’s only restaurant open for dinner, so it’s common to see the fisherman who dropped off lobster in the morning returning in the evening for a bite. “From the slow ferry through Casco Bay to bellying up at the bar beside the local lobsterman, the island forces you to slow down and is a snapshot of days gone by,” says executive chef Marsh Elliot. Chebeague is five miles by one-and-a-half; walking to Hamilton Beach from the Inn is a 10-minute walk, but golf carts and bicycles are available for farther destinations.

Good to know: For an added adventure when visiting the beach, walk across the sandbar to Little Chebeague Island. 

Cliff House 

Best for: exquisite views 

In 1872, as the railroad started bringing tourists to the U.S. northeast, Elsie Jane Weare, wife of Captain Theodore Weare, purchased Bald Head Cliff and opened a hotel charging $6 per night, all meals included. Closed during World War II, Cliff House was used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a radar station. The hotel remained in the Weare family until 2014. While the rates have changed, the property still sits 90 feet above sea level, offering the same awe-inspiring sunrise vista over the Atlantic Ocean. “One of my favorite views is from the spa’s relaxation lounge,” says general manager Nancy White. “It’s tucked in the cliff and feels suspended in midair.”

Good to know: Check out rotating local art exhibits in the resort’s Gallery. Tap into your own creativity by booking a plein air painting experience with the artist in residence. 

The Dunes

Best for: beach vacation

Recently renovated, the Dunes is dotted with 23 one-, two-, and three-bedroom whitewashed cottages overlooking popular Ogunquit Beach. Situated between picturesque sand dunes, all cottages are equipped with screened porches, fireplaces, and a breakfast delivery of coffee and pastries. Take a golf cart to the town’s center for dinner at M.C. Perkins Cove or walk next door to the lobster pound where you can choose your own live lobster before it’s handed over to the chef.

Good to know: Step into a rowboat to get across the tidal river to the beach at high tide.

Sebasco Harbor Resort

Best for: lighthouse living 

If you’ve ever wanted to sleep in a lighthouse, 90-year-old Sebasco Harbor Resort, nestled in one of the state’s quieter coastal areas, can make this dream come true. With 10 guest rooms and a top-floor observatory with window benches and comfy chairs, the lighthouse assures a birds-eye view of the harbor (don’t miss sunset). Guests also enjoy boat tours, family bingo, s’mores with campfire singalongs, and an old-school arcade with candlepin bowling. Attractions within 10 minutes’ drive from Sebasco include more lighthouses (Doubling Point and Sequin Island) and two state parks (Reid and Popham Beach).

Good to know: Every Thursday night the resort hosts a lobster bake from 6-8 p.m.

The Lincoln Hotel

Best for: gourmet tastes

Located in a revitalized old mill in Biddeford, just 20 minutes south of Portland, the Lincoln is the town’s first boutique hotel and the only hotel in Maine with a rooftop pool. If seafood is calling, try the lobster gnocchi from on-site restaurant Baston River Brewing and Distilling. Or stop by Fish & Whistle on Main Street for fish (usually local pollock) and chips. To satisfy other cravings: Indian, Vietnamese, Thai, Greek, Mexican, and Mediterranean fare are also within walking distance.

Good to know: Plan on a breakfast of buttermilk pancakes from the Palace Diner, a dining car outfitted with 15 counter stools—but arrive early to avoid long lines.

Migis Lodge 

Best for: family fun

Generations of families have vacationed at this 108-year-old, all-inclusive, summer-camp-like resort on Maine’s arguably most popular lake: Sebago, a 30-minute drive west of Portland. The daily calendar is packed with activities such as pickleball, bingo, or a picnic lunch on a private island. Kid-specific experiences include a boat ride to the candy store and an underwater scavenger hunt.  

Good to know: The Friday night Lobster Bake is a guest favorite and a great time to mingle with locals as the dinner is also open to the public.

5 Lakes Lodge

Best for: quiet retreat 

Perched on a private peninsula beside South Twin Lake in Millinocket, with Mt. Katahdin as the backdrop, this serene lodge is surrounded by water views. While relaxing is easy, guests can also book moose safaris, sea plane rides, whitewater rafting, and scenic boat rides.

Good to know: If you plan on visiting Baxter State Park or hiking Mt. Katahdin, reserve a parking spot in advance as they sell out fast.  

(For more tips for what to do in Maine, see our Explorer’s Guide.)