Maine doesn’t dress up to catch people’s attention, it’s a rare summer destination, the less you try to frame it. No roof scene, no signature smell, no need. With over 3,000 miles of tidal coastline (than California than that of California), and from Winddog Island to Forest Mountains and Postcard Harbor, the landscape offers dramatic visual drama. You come here with cool air and icy water, pine-lined trails and salt water mornings, lobster rolls that haven’t changed for decades, and hotels in sync with the country’s most designed avant-garde city.
In 2024, the Michelin Guide attracted attention. In the second ever American hotel choice, it awarded multiple Maine properties (equivalent to the warm hospitality of the stars) of Michelin Keys, its brilliant hotels transcend aesthetics or services to provide emotional resonance and firmly rooted in proper accommodation. This is not surprising. Maine has always attracted another kind of traveler, someone who values luxury over performance. From modernists’ reclusiveness in Kennebunkport to reimagined Bar Harbor and Portland’s landmark hotels, the state’s highest property is bringing New England charm to the 21st century. The best thing is not to level regional characters into nautical cliches; they guide elements: salt, wood, stone and stillness.
Below is a curated editor of the best accommodations in Maine, everyone is thinking about thoughtful design and location-specific storytelling can enhance the way we travel, providing compelling case studies.
