As a lifelong Mainer, I’ve watched the state evolve from a quietly beloved summer refuge into one of the Northeast’s most talked-about year-round destinations. From the creative pulse of Portland’s Old Port to the working harbors of Mount Desert Island and the woodsy calm of the Lakes Region, Maine delivers a rare balance of rugged natural beauty and refined hospitality. This is experiential travel at its purest: lobster rolls eaten dockside after a schooner sail, spa treatments below towering pines, sunset cocktails overlooking the lake, and mornings on Acadia’s carriage roads followed by fireside s’mores. And there’s no shortage of beautiful hotels to call home when you’re here enjoying it all.
Whether you’re most intrigued by newly reimagined grande dames, cozy woodland retreats, or nostalgic lakeside resorts, the 11 standout stays below capture the culinary credibility, coastal elegance, and local spirit that define Vacationland at its best. Read on for the best hotels in Maine.
How we choose the best hotels in Maine
Every hotel review on this list has been written by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist who knows the destination and has visited that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider properties across price points that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination, keeping design, location, service, and sustainability credentials top of mind.
