Portland, ME has been on my bucket list for a long time. The moment I saw pictures of it, I fell in love with the rustic brick buildings, cobblestone streets, and coastal charm. This year, my husband and I finally had the opportunity to cross this destination off our list, and it exceeded all expectations!
Portland was the second stop on our summer New England road trip. It's located right on the coast in the southern part of Maine and is the largest city in the state. This city is known for its culinary scene, coastal charm, beaches, and easygoing nightlife. In my opinion, the best spot to stay in this city is the Old Port Historic District, where you'll find incredible restaurants and shopping.
We stayed in the charming Portland Harbor Hotel, located in the heart of Old Port. The location of this hotel was so amazing that we only had to use our car once! This 4-star hotel is equipped with many amenities, including a cozy restaurant called the Harbor Bistro + Terrace that serves breakfast and dinner.
I would like to thank the Portland Harbor Hotel for hosting my stay, as always, my opinions are my own.
This boutique Hotel offers many different room options from garden-view rooms to executive suites. Each room has gorgeous wood flooring and is decorated with coastal decor, including local artwork. The amenities include a fitness center, complimentary wifi, complimentary Starbucks drip coffee in the lobby, and even a pantry nook located on each guestroom floor. It was so nice to have access to complimentary sparkling water, snacks, and a Keurig machine!
If you're traveling with a car, the hotel offers convenient valet parking at a rate of $40-$45 per day (depending on the time of year). The valet attendants provided excellent service, and I strongly recommend utilizing this option. Overnight parking in a nearby garage costs roughly the same or even more.
We stayed in the Whirlpool spa suite on the 3rd floor, which had a beautiful view of the garden courtyard, a separate sitting area, a king bed, and a spa tub. The room was incredibly cozy and spacious. My favorite thing about this room was the peaceful view of the courtyard and the two large windows that provided plenty of natural light.
The restaurant in this hotel is called the Harbor Bistro + Terrace. It serves both breakfast and dinner, using ingredients sourced from local farmers and fishermen. The dishes are coastal and contemporary in nature. The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a bar indoors. We were fortunate enough to stay there for two beautiful days and were able to enjoy the courtyard seating for both meals.
I loved having the avocado toast for breakfast. It was seasoned and topped with delicious tomatoes and onions. For dinner, I enjoyed the grilled watermelon and feta salad. This salad was not only delicious but also unique compared to any other salad I've tried before. Some other main dishes include lobster rolls, grilled swordfish, and pan-fried chicken. After dinner, we moved to the cozy fire pit and had dessert. I chose the fried dough, which came with a coco hazelnut dip, fruit coulis, and salted caramel dip. My husband had the berry pound cake topped with local berries. It was the perfect way to end the night!
Click here and start planning your stay today at the Portland Harbor Hotel!
Wander Around the Cobblestone Streets of Old Port
When you exit through the doors of the Portland Harbor Hotel, you will find yourself standing on the cobblestone streets of Old Port. This was our favorite area in Portland, and here are some of my recommendations for things to do!
Take a ferry to a Casco Bay island
Did you know Portland has six islands you can take a ferry to?! We were able to walk from the hotel to the ferry in no time. We chose to spend a couple of hours on Peaks Island which is about a 17-minute ferry ride. We rented bikes to get around the island and checked out the beautiful coastal scenery. You can also find restaurants and even the world's largest umbrella cover museum here!
Try a local beer at The Thirsty Pig
This restaurant is a great place to try different local beers made in Maine. They also make house-made sausages and specialty hot dogs with a selection of different toppings to try. We loved sitting outside on their gorgeous patio area too!
shop local at the Maine Souvenir shop
This is one of my favorite souvenir shops I've ever been to. Most of the items are created by local artists. There's such a fun variety of shirts, stickers, and hats.
Try a potato donut at The Holy Donut
Adding potato to donuts makes them more fluffy, tender, and sweeter! The Holy Donut is the best donut shop around and is just a short walk away from the hotel. We got there right before it opened and there was already a line starting to form. I tried the maple and blueberry lemon glaze donut. Both were delicious.
