For all of the tourists flocking to Maine in the summer, the locals (and the seasoned) know the very best time to be in Maine is in the fall. That’s when the crowds die down and the ocean water approaches something close to temperate. Should you be unlucky enough not to have a friend who lives here, first, you might rethink your social circle. Then you might check out our guide to Maine’s very best new hotels, where, thankfully, you’re all but guaranteed to be treated like family (it’s the Mainer way).
Dunes on the Waterfront, Ogunquit
Hotelier Tim Harrington renovated the longstanding family-friendly resort along a tranquil tidal river in one of Maine’s most quintessential summer towns to the tune of $10 million, and it shows. 24 updated cottages nestled among meticulously maintained lawns provide a secluded escape in walking distance to a pick-your-own lobster pound (with a well-worth-it rum punch) and the sprawling Ogunquit Beach. A short bike ride away, downtown Ogunquit exudes equal parts old school New England charm and modern inclusivity, with candy shops and toy stores alongside culture served up at the excellent Ogunquit Museum of American Art, award-winning Ogunquit Playhouse and karaoke scene emceed by local drag celebs.
The Nevada, York
A longtime landmark along York’s mile-plus-long Sands Beach, the 70-year-old Nevada motel—named for the U.S. Navy ship on which its first owner served in World War II—was completely overhauled for summer 2024. Owners Joe Lipton and Michelle Friar kept the building’s original motel-style aesthetic but with expanded rooms, all with private terraces and many with 180-degree ocean views; a lively in-house tiki bar and restaurant named for their daughter; and modern art and décor throughout.
Longfellow Hotel, Portland
A trip to Maine isn’t complete without at least a few nights’ stopover in its foodiest city. New for 2024, the Longfellow, located in the Italianate West End neighborhood and conveniently adjacent to the city’s most-Instagrammed coffee shop (it’s the VIP sticky buns), is the city’s first independently-owned new hotel in nearly two decades. Thoughtful design by Brooklyn-based Post Company takes equal inspiration from Maine’s city and country sides, with super-soundproofed rooms (fire station down the block? no problem!) and a most-modern commitment to avoiding single use plastics as much as possible. A casual breakfast and lunch café, literary-inspired lobby bar and second floor spa built around private infrared sauna rooms and featuring offerings like guided breathwork and meditation come together to form a true urban respite.
The Viewpoint, Cape Neddick
Perched on the Nubble Peninsula in Cape Neddick—an area so determinedly disconnected that you’d do well to expect more than a few dead zones; just go with it—the Viewpoint is intentionally removed from York’s beachfront bustle. In 2024, the hotel debuted seven new shoreside rooms built into the rocky coastline offering unobstructed views of the Atlantic, Cape Neddick Light and the occasional nesting bald eagle. While the views and the rooms’ sleek design make the hotel among the most romantic of the bunch—perhaps one reason Lady Gaga’s sister Natali chose it as her wedding venue—it’s also great for families, with an easy all-outdoor in-house restaurant, beautiful pool, lots of open lawn space and an excellent ice cream shop just across the street.
The Lincoln Hotel, Biddeford
Biddeford welcomed its first boutique hotel in 2022 and it’s a beauty, an auspicious sign for the up-and-coming former mill town often regarded as “Portland south” thanks to hyperactive creative and culinary scenes. (What many don’t know is that the city is also home to one of Maine’s most beautiful beaches, Biddeford Pool). The Lincoln’s 33 rooms—many of them extra-large—sit in a restored mill above a lively lobby bar (called “Lobby Bar”), Spinning Jenny’s Coffee bar, an outpost of the popular Maine-based mini-chain Batson River Brewing & Distilling and a rooftop pool. Start your evening with an old fashioned at Lobby Bar (there’s three on the bar menu) before heading to dinner downstairs at Batson River, where the Smash burger made with beef from Pineland Farms is the star.
The Norumbega, Camden
In 2023, partner-owners Brett Haynie and Will Tims, a trained architect, completed renovations on the former 19thcentury castle originally built as a (very) elaborate summer home for inventor Joseph Barkers Stearns (it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places). Nine rooms and two suites include the Sandringham, featuring a seating area in the castle’s turret and a grand marble bath, and the Library Room, which occupies the castle’s original two-story library and features a mahogany mezzanine and historic books and keepsakes. The inn’s public spaces, meanwhile, heavy in oak millwork, serve as a de facto art gallery, with original pieces by renowned midcoast Maine artists. Walk to Camden Harbor for a schooner sail or snack, or claim a spot on the terrace overlooking the great lawn for an afternoon well spent with a book or a cocktail from the bar (ideally both).
