With its picturesque coastline, vibrant arts scene and standout food, Portland, Maine has long been an enticing destination. Now, there’s even more reason to visit. Pastry chef Atsuko Fujimoto of Norimoto Bakery and the Zu Bakery each won a James Beard Award, tons of new eateries have sprung up and five hotels have opened since 2020.
One such property is the Longfellow Hotel, located in the city’s West End, about a 30-minute walk to the Old Port district. A Small Luxury Hotels of the World, this 48-room haven is all style and substance. From the moment you step into the pale blue-gray lobby with its soaring ceilings, winking bar and splashy gold velvet banquettes, you know you’re somewhere special. Image credit: Carley Rudd
The property’s made-in-Maine ethos starts with the hotel’s name, a tribute to Portland-born writer Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Most of the hotel’s mod, minimalist furniture and artwork are from local makers. The creative dishes served at Twinflower Café (try the brown rice bowl with pickled vegetables) and Five of Clubs bar feature abundant Maine-sourced ingredients. The offerings in both eateries are as delicious as they are healthy.
The hotel’s devotion to wellness goes beyond its cuisine and its spirit-free functional cocktails. It has a spacious fitness center, complimentary bicycles and Astraea spa, with treatments ranging from herbal compress massages to sleep meditation sessions. Guestrooms have high-density foam mattresses and alarm clocks with built-in meditations. Image credit: Carley Rudd
Throughout the hotel, you’ll find numerous green elements, including no single-use plastics. Rooms open with keys, not plastic cards, and feature water carafes, bamboo bathroom tissue and refillable jugs of natural, vegan, cruelty-free body products. The cottony in-room throws are woven from recycled plastic bottles and even the tops for coffee-to-go at Twinflower Café are biodegradable. The hotel has electric vehicle charging stations and electric luxury car service to area restaurants.
Fun fact: Portland has more restaurants per capita than any other U.S. metropolis except San Francisco. Tandem Bakery, next to the Longfellow Hotel, has lines out the door with folks eager to snap up its southern-style biscuits. Nearby Salvage BBQ attracts smoked meat enthusiasts. The recently open Thistle & Grouse offers hearty sharables, like charred cabbage Caesar salad, crispy duck drumsticks (the bomb!) and Maine lobster Bolognese. Popular Asian restaurants include the just-open Oun Lido’s, serving Cambodian food. Image credit: Tandem Bakery
One of the best new restaurants is Twelve, located on the waterfront. Executive chef Colin Wyatt, formerly of Manhattan’s Eleven Madison Park, oversees the kitchen, which turns Maine-sourced ingredients into groan-worthy dishes. Take the lobster roll, for example. Served warm, it consists of buttery lobster chunks cradled in a shatteringly crisp split croissant, versus a hotdog roll.
For a novel experience, order the fixe menu. It provides a front-row view into the kitchen from the chef’s bar. Watching Wyatt and his team prepare your fresh-caught tuna starter, roasted lamb and seasonal dessert is like attending a Zen ballet. Add the wine pairing for a banner night. Image credit: Gary Deetz
Beyond dining, Portland offers lots to do both indoors and out. The Downtown Waterfront Loop Walk is a leisurely 2.6-mile stroll and mostly flat, with short ramps to floating walkways and the Hawthorne Bridge. Hop aboard Casco Bay Lines’ year-round ferry to explore the coastal islands or sample artisanal brews and spirits at the city’s many breweries and distilleries. The Portland Art Museum has excellent exhibits, while the side streets around the Old Port have cool galleries, cute boutiques and cafes where you can kick back and watch the city go by.
