Maine has no shortage of places to rest after a day spent hiking, sailing, or wandering cobblestone downtowns. From storied summer houses passed down through generations to grand coastal hotels steeped in tradition, the state offers something for every kind of traveler.
For this year’s Stylish Getaways issue, however, we’re traveling to ten hotels and inns redefining the Maine escape through design, each offering a fresh interpretation of what a Maine stay can look and feel like.
Along the way: a reawakened Biddeford mill, a Portland stay specially designed for sleep, lovingly restored inns in Camden and Harpswell, a famed restaurant-driven destination offering a retreat from the digital world, three MICHELIN Key winners, and two highly anticipated openings in Kittery and Portland.
Beginning at the southern tip of the state and tracing the coastline north, this is your design-minded road trip to ten of Maine’s most stylish stays.
FORESIDE INN: Harbor Heritage, Reimagined
Coming Spring 2026
Nestled next to the Kennebunks, “Kittery isa little gem,” says Elisa Winter Holben, principal and design director at Kittery-based architecture and design studio, Winter Holben.
A culinary gem that’s home to excellent shopping and arts scenes, Kittery has been going through a major transition but maintained its “down-to-earth vibe,” Elisa says. “It has stayed true to its roots and is a little off the beaten path.”
So when Elisa and husband and business partner, Brandon Holben, set their sights on a bed-and-break-fast that had lain in disrepair since a fire in 2002, along with a neigh-boring parcel of land, they found an opportunity to bring the first of its kind inn to Kittery’s downtown.
Opening this spring, the 24-room Foreside Inn honors its roots in transitional style. Historic in form and adorned with modern details, the inn’s custom wallpaper and artwork nods to the surrounding Kittery shipyards, cranes, and working waterfront.
“Brandon and I wanted to make sure we kept some historic references but brought a contemporary flair for the modern traveler who comes to Kittery not just for the history but for modern amenities, art, and restaurants,” Elisa says. “If you’re not trying to be part of the huge flock of tourists, it’s quieter.”
AWOL KENNEBUNKPORT: Untucked Coastal Luxury
Photos by Read McKendree
Imagine summer in Kennebunkport and what comes to mind? Preppy pastel clothes, lobster bakes, the Bush compound, perhaps, but AWOL Kennebunkport is redefining what it means to summer there. Nestled in a pine grove, the hotel comprises a historic home surrounded by standalone cabins mere steps from the village center.
A two-time MICHELIN Key winner, the hotel’s design pays homage to Maine’s coast with the region’s textures and colors: seagrass, rattan stools, and a palette of sage greens, neutral browns, and creams. Elder &Ash, a Massachusetts-based design firm, leaned into an aesthetic that’s “heightened luxury, untucked,” Shelby Gamm, a hotel spokesperson says.
One of their signature features is at once utilitarian and epitomizes the casual elegance at the hotel’s core: a breakfast toast bar, where guests can have a sweet start to the day with Nutella and bananas on sweet homemade bread or go the savory route with sourdough bagels from LaMarca and Sons. “We call it a DIY project,” Shelby says.
The 17 suites across the main house and cabins each offer unique touches, too. Many have working fireplaces, private outdoor gathering spaces, and decadent soaking tubs. And after a day’s exploration, the Boston Textile Co. linens are the perfect match for sun-kissed skin.
THE EVALINA HOTEL: Layered in Legacy
Coming Spring 2026
For visitors who want to sample the way Maine life might feel before relocating, a new apartment-style hotel in Portland’s Old Port pairs the comforts of a luxury stay with a deep respect for its history.
Opening this spring inside a historic 1800s building overlooking the waterfront on Commercial Street, The Evalina Hotel is an intimate,15-suite retreat. The property takes its name from one of the building’s earliest owners, Evalina Fox—a detail that quietly informs the hotel’s aesthetic direction.
“The Evalina Hotel is rich with history, and we infused the new suites with a feminine and natural warmth through color and texture, grounded in a peaceful, serene atmosphere,” says Marieke Thormann of hospitality management firm Fathom Companies.
Custom reeded nightstands by Matt Hutton of Studio 24b and deep crimson kitchen islands bridge heritage and contemporary. These thoughtful details complement the exposed masonry, original granite lintels, and wood-beamed ceilings; an approach rooted in preservation rather than reinvention.
“The design was inspired by a desire to create a hospitality experience that truly feels like home,” Marieke adds, “welcoming, layered, and deeply connected to its surroundings.”
THE LINCOLN: From Mill to MICHELIN
Photos by Trent Bell & Shawn O’Connor
Step inside the historic Lincoln Mill in Biddeford and discover a striking blend of industrial heritage and contemporary ease. Whether spending the night or cozying up with a cocktail in the intimate lobby bar, a visit to The Lincoln is inspiring, a microcosm of the transformation underway in this mill city.
“We’re always thinking about new ways to surprise and delight,” says Rebecca Johns, the hotel’s general manager. At check-in, guests are offered a glass of prosecco. Checkout brings a sweet farewell in the form of chocolates from Maine Needham Company, located just over the bridge in Saco.
This spirit of subtle decadence was woven into the playful and inventive design when Atlantic Hospitality first dreamed of opening a hotel inside of the mill. For decades, Biddeford was a prominent textile hub, but when the market began to change in the1960s, production slowed, and mills like the Lincoln Mill sat empty. The careful collaboration between designers Krista Stokes, Hurlbutt Designs, and Mark Cotto preserved the building’s historic architecture. Bold patterns, designer fireplaces, red and black Persian rugs, and boucle chairs bring sumptuous warmth to the exposed bricks and beams in each guest room.
And since opening in 2022, the 33-room boutique hotel has most certainly found myriad moments to delight and surprise, and was awarded MICHELIN Keys in both 2024 and 2025.
THE LONGFELLOW: Well Designed Rest
Photos by Carley Rudd
In Portland’s West End, The Longfellow pairs restorative sleep with serious design credentials. Interiors by the award-winning Post Company establish the tone immediately. Wood-plank floors flow throughout the hotel, where chaise lounges and sculptural armchairs re-place standard-issue seating. The Longfellow’s 48 residential-style rooms and suites balance modern amenities with classic appeal, and even the use of physical room keys lends a touch of quiet tradition. The result is a stay that feels less like a hotel and more like a well-appointed home designed for the best sleep of your life.
“Sleep is woven into every part of the guest experience, from the design of our rooms to the menus at our bar and spa,” says co-owner Tony DeLois.
That philosophy extends beyond the visual. Partnering with Sleep Wise Consulting, the team optimized each room for true restoration, incorporating custom mattresses, Loftie alarm clocks, and a thoughtful sleep guide to help guests adjust everything from screen time to room temperature.
Downstairs, Five of Clubs transitions from daytime coworking lounge to evening cocktail destination, its artwork and finishes subtly referencing a ship captain’s quarters. After a treatment at the onsite Astraea spa, guests might end the night with a tart cherry mocktail, another detail designed with deep rest in mind.
THE HARPSWELL INN: Reviving 18th Century Bones
Photos by Matt Genders
When the pandemic caused many city dwellers to seek a more tranquil life, Kelsey Robertson and husband, JohnHensley, left the bustle of Washington, D.C. and returned to her home state of Maine. An urban and community planner, Kelsey had always dreamed of a different life governed by a slower pace, as an inn keeper.
“For my tenth birthday I asked for a subscription to Architectural Digest, and I have been waiting to get my hands on a historic home in Maine to redesign basically ever since,” Kelsey says.
Built in Harpswell in 1761, the Summer House was the first property the couple scouted. Looking out at views of the working waterfront, two picturesque islands, and delectable sunsets, Kelsey immediately felt she was home.
Kelsey and John encourage guests to slow down—complimentary kayaks and stand-up paddle boards for exploring the bay, a 24/7 honor bar, rocking chairs on the wraparound porch to enjoy the limelight hydrangeas.
The Harpswell Inn marries modern and historic finishes. Each room is distinct, featuring antique upholstered benches from Wiscasset’s Widener Company (see Alexander Widener’s “Must Haves”, page 21) or Lulu and Georgia tiger print swivel chairs. The lounge got a bold facelift with built-in bookshelves, a vintage typewriter, a mid-1800s chess table, and contemporary accent chairs.
“We were drawn specifically to the work that the property and the building needed,” Kelsey adds. “The bones of the 1700s building are fantastic, including centuries-old wide plank wood floors, but I wanted a place I could also put my own design stamp on.”
THE MILL AT THE LOST KITCHEN: The Taste of Freedom
Photos by Meredith Brockington & Nicole Franzen
When Erin French opened The Lost Kitchen in 2014, diners responded with empty stomachs and immense curiosity. Erin and her husband and business partner, Michael Dutton, receive over 65,000 postcards annually requesting reservations at the exclusive, 50-seat restaurant. Epicures from the world around started making pilgrimages, and Erin’s hometown, Freedom, was suddenly on the map. With so many out-of-towners journeying north, the couple realized people needed a place to spend the night.
“As demand for The Lost Kitchen went up, we were starting to geta lot of commentary from our customers about the possibility of having places to stay because we’re so remote,” Michael says.
When the pandemic upended the restaurant industry, the couple built three cabins across the mill pond as private dining pods, which they soon realized could double as a place to spend the night, so called The Mill at The Lost Kitchen. Inspired by crisp, Scandinavian aesthetics, the cabins feature lightly stained woods, earthtones, and windows that emphasize the views and life beyond their walls.
“It was very important that people felt like they were immersed in nature,” Michael says. “It’s meant to be a retreat of sorts, to make people feel disconnected from the digital world.”
THE NORUMBEGA: A Storied Stay
Photos by Harry & Lyss, Capshore Photography, Hannah Hoggatt, & Douglas Merriam
In Camden, a storied stone castle stands watch over Penobscot Bay. The Norumbega Inn, originally commissioned in the 1880s by inventor and Maine native Joseph Stearns as his grand summer home, has been ushered into a new era.
Husbands and business partners Will Tims and Brett Haynie reopened the 11-room inn after a comprehensive renovation in 2023. Coming from a background in architecture and hospitality, Will imagined a hotel that would steward Stearns’s legacy with contemporary verve.
“We wanted the inn to reflect our interpretation of Maine style, which to us is eclectic, layered, inspired by the great outdoors, and pragmatic—with an element of surprise,” Will says. “The original builder of the Norumbega was an entrepreneur, a scientist, a Mainer, a father, and a worldly traveler—these characteristics served as inspiration for how we chose the art and accessories that complete the design.”
They collaborated with New York- and Miami-based design firm studiocake to refresh the property and balance old and new touches like vintage Italian light fixtures, antique rugs, and work by Maine artists.
As for Will’s favorite room in the MICHELIN Key awarded inn? Don’t miss the Library Suite.
“The primary sleeping area is within a double-height lofted space with a suspended mahogany library and stained-glass window,” he says. “The stair to the mezzanine is concealed by an antique English needle-point screen from the same period the house was built. A separate sitting room features a gas fireplace and a cozy built-in daybed, also framed by bookshelves. It’s a bibliophile’s dream.”
ARAGOSTA AT GOOSE COVE: A Chef’s Retreat
Photos by Capshore Photography, Wylde Photography, & Chris Plumstead
Growing up with a chef father, Devin Finigan has always known her way around the kitchen. The Vermont native moved to Deer Isle at twenty and cut her teeth in kitchens up and down the Blue Hill Peninsula. Now, at Aragosta at Goose Cove, the James Beard nominee marries her love of local cuisine with Downeast hospitality.
“My inspiration for the interior design at Aragosta was trying to highlight the beauty of the natural landscape,” Devin says. “I wanted to bring texture and soft light into the interior of the seaside cottages, as well as the restaurant.” Partnering with friend and interior designer Krishna Fitzpatrick and carpenter Brad Rice of Moose Island Builders, Devin brought the outdoors in with driftwood, lots of plants, bright windows, soft white walls, and a design that’s Scandinavian “meets Maine ocean.”
Each of the nine cottages, named for local flora, invites guests to unwind in stylish simplicity. With an electric fireplace, record player, and Le Labo toiletries, it’s hard to leave the cottages’ privacy, but the views and food are impossible to resist. The cornerstone of any visit is the tasting menu at the sea-to-table restaurant. For Chef Devin, Aragosta is “magical, a chef’s dream” and a “masterpiece of Maine beauty.”
“We are so hyper fresh, local, and exclusive to things you will only eat at Aragosta, featuring exclusive oysters from our oyster sea farm, handpicked herbs, edible flowers from the gardens, honey from our honeybees, and mackerel from off our boat,” Devin says.
Devin lives on the property full-time. For guests who want to take her kitchen back with them, her cookbook, A Kitchen on Goose Cove: Recipes from the Heart of Maine, is out this spring.
THE ASTICOU HOTEL: A Legacy on Mount Desert Island
Photos by Erin Little, Katie Nielson, & Charlotte Arsenault
In Northeast Harbor, just a ten-minute drive from Acadia National Park, The Asticou Hotel has returned to its rightful place in Maine’s summer story. First opened in 1883, the historic hotel underwent a massive renovation and reopened in 2025, its grand presence and coastal charm newly awakened for a modern era.
Rather than reinventing the landmark hotel, the redesign honors more than a century of seaside traditions. Interiors draw deeply from the textures and tones of Mount Desert Island, blending heritage with the comforts and amenities expected of contemporary resorts. The 82-roommain hotel, along with 17 new suites and 15 private cottages, now reflects a palette inspired by bark, moss, slate, and native lady slippers. The effect is both grounded and quietly refined, an aesthetic that feels inseparable from the surrounding landscape.
Across the property, experiences unfold with equal attention to setting. A row of pink umbrellas punctuates the pool deck overlooking the harbor, while a subterranean spa offers a serene counterpoint todays spent exploring nearby trails. Guests may also extend the sense of coastal immersion beyond the hotel grounds by booking a private charter boat tour offered at the hotel’s sister property, The Claremont.▪
