Maine lodging guide hotels inns and accommodations

Maine offers one of the most varied lodging landscapes in New England — from grand oceanfront resorts and historic harbor inns to remote sporting camps on wilderness lakes, family-run bed and breakfasts on the coast, and vacation rental cottages overlooking tidal rivers. After thirty years covering Maine travel, we’ve found that where you stay in Maine matters as much as where you go: the state’s geography is spread across a territory larger than the other five New England states combined, and choosing the right base saves hours of driving and shapes the entire trip. This guide covers Maine lodging by region, by type, and by traveler — with direct booking options throughout.

Quick answer: Maine lodging breaks down by region and budget. Southern Maine coast (Ogunquit, Kennebunkport, Wells, York): classic New England inns, beach resorts, B&Bs — book 3-4 months ahead for summer. Portland: full hotel range from boutique to chain, walkable from the Old Port. Midcoast (Camden, Rockland, Boothbay): historic inns, harbor-view B&Bs, windjammer packages. Bar Harbor / Acadia: widest range, highest demand — book 4-6 months ahead for July-August. Western Maine (Bethel, Rangeley): ski lodges, lakeside cottages, sporting camps. North Woods (Greenville, Jackman): sporting camps, remote cabins, wilderness lodges. For vacation rentals statewide, see MaineVacationRentals.com.

Augusta

Senator Inn & Spa

Bangor

Bar Harbor

Bath

Belfast

Bethel

Bingham

Bingham Motor Inn & Sports Complex

Boothbay Harbor

Brewer

Brewer Motor Inn

Brunswick

Calais

Camden

Castine

Deer Isle

Goose Cove Lodge

Eastport

Kilby House Inn

Ellsworth

Eustis

Farmington

Freeport

Greenville

Greenville Inn

Jackman

Kennebunkport

Lewiston

Lincolnville

Glenmoor by the Sea

Machias

Machias Motor Inn

Millinocket

Moosehead Lake

Greenville Inn

Mount Desert Island

Claremont Hotel

Ogunquit

Old Orchard Beach

Oxford

Inn at Poland Spring

Portland

Presque Isle

Rangeley

Rockland

Rumford

Pioneer Motel

Saco

Scarborough

Southwest Harbor

Mooring Inn

Stonington

Inn on the Harbor

Waterford

Country Road Motel

Waterville

The Lockwood Hotel

Wells

York

Maine Lodging by Region

Southern Maine Coast Lodging

The southern Maine coast — York, Ogunquit, Wells, Kennebunkport, Old Orchard Beach — has the densest concentration of lodging in the state and the highest summer demand. Kennebunkport is the premium destination: historic inns, luxury boutique hotels, and B&Bs in restored captains’ houses, with prices to match. Ogunquit has a large resort-hotel inventory concentrated near the beach and Perkins Cove. Wells and York offer more affordable alternatives with easy access to the same beaches.

Book 3-4 months ahead for July and August stays anywhere on the southern coast. Memorial Day through Labor Day is genuine peak season — last-minute availability is scarce and prices are at their highest. October (foliage season) books out almost as fast. Off-season (November through May) offers dramatically lower rates and availability, though many smaller inns close after Columbus Day.

See our destination guides: Kennebunkport lodging, Ogunquit lodging, Old Orchard Beach lodging. For vacation rentals on the southern coast: MaineVacationRentals.com.

Portland Lodging

Portland has Maine’s strongest urban hotel inventory — a full range from boutique design hotels to standard chains, concentrated in the Old Port and Arts District. The Press Hotel (housed in a former newspaper building) is the city’s most distinctive boutique option. Inn at Diamond Cove on Great Diamond Island offers a unique island lodging experience accessible by ferry. Standard chains (Marriott, Hilton, Westin) cluster near the waterfront and Congress Street.

Portland is walkable — staying in the Old Port or West End puts you within walking distance of the city’s best restaurants, bars, and the working waterfront. Book 6-8 weeks ahead for summer weekends. See our Portland destination guide for full city context.

Midcoast Maine Lodging

The midcoast — Bath, Brunswick, Wiscasset, Damariscotta, Rockland, Camden, Belfast — has Maine’s most charming inn and B&B inventory. Camden in particular is known for its harbor-view inns, with properties like the Camden Harbour Inn and Whitehall (where Edna St. Vincent Millay performed) ranking among the most atmospheric lodging in New England.

Rockland has grown significantly as a lodging destination with the expansion of its arts scene — the 250 Main Hotel is the city’s boutique anchor. Belfast offers a quieter alternative to Camden with a growing B&B scene. For sailing and windjammer trips departing Camden and Rockland, most schooners offer overnight packages that include berth accommodation — a uniquely Maine experience worth considering.

See our guides: Camden lodging, Belfast lodging, Rockland lodging. Vacation rentals: MaineVacationRentals.com.

Bar Harbor and Acadia Lodging

Bar Harbor has the highest lodging demand in Maine — the combination of Acadia National Park, a concentrated downtown, and limited island geography creates genuine scarcity in peak season. Book 4-6 months ahead for July and August. The full range exists here: grand resort hotels (Bar Harbor Inn, Atlantic Oceanside), boutique inns (Ullikana, Primrose Inn), standard chains, and B&Bs. Prices peak in mid-July through mid-August and drop significantly after Labor Day.

Strategic tip: staying in Ellsworth (20 minutes from Bar Harbor) or on the quieter side of Mount Desert Island (Southwest Harbor, Bass Harbor) offers dramatically lower rates with easy Acadia access. Southwest Harbor in particular is one of Maine’s most underrated lodging bases — half the price of Bar Harbor, equally beautiful, and closer to some of Acadia’s best hiking.

See our Bar Harbor destination guide. For vacation rentals on MDI: MaineVacationRentals.com.

Western Maine Lodging

Western Maine lodging is defined by the ski and outdoor recreation seasons. Sunday River (Bethel area) has the most developed ski-resort lodging in Maine — slopeside condos, hotels, and the Grand Summit Hotel all ski-in/ski-out. Bethel village (10 minutes from Sunday River) has inns and B&Bs at lower price points. Rangeley offers lakeside cottage rentals, the historic Rangeley Inn on Main Street, and sporting camp options — ideal for combining Saddleback skiing with the lakes experience.

See our guides: Bethel lodging, Rangeley lodging. For cottage rentals: MaineVacationRentals.com.

North Woods Lodging

North Woods lodging — Greenville, Jackman, Millinocket, and the surrounding wilderness — is dominated by sporting camps and remote wilderness lodges. This is genuinely different from anywhere else in the state: lakeside cabin complexes where meals are included, guides are available, and the nearest town may be 20+ miles away. Attean Lake Lodge (Jackman) and West Branch Pond Camps (Greenville area) are two of the finest traditional sporting camps in Maine.

Greenville has motel and inn options for visitors not wanting the full sporting camp commitment. Millinocket, the gateway to Baxter State Park and Katahdin, has basic motel lodging and a growing outdoor-recreation-focused B&B scene. See our Greenville guide and Jackman guide.

Maine Lodging by Type

Hotels and Resorts

Full-service hotels concentrate in Portland, Bar Harbor, and the southern coast resort towns. Maine’s resort hotels tend toward oceanfront or lakeside settings rather than urban convention-center properties — the Samoset Resort in Rockport (golf course on Penobscot Bay), Bar Harbor Inn on the harbor, and Cliff House Maine in Ogunquit are the classic examples. Chain hotels (Hampton Inn, Marriott, Hilton, Holiday Inn) operate primarily in Portland, Bangor, Augusta, and the larger service cities.

Bed and Breakfasts and Inns

Maine’s B&B and inn inventory is one of the strongest in New England — restored sea captains’ houses, Victorian mansions, farmhouses, and historic downtown buildings converted to intimate lodging with full breakfasts. The midcoast (Camden, Belfast, Rockland) and southern coast (Kennebunkport, Ogunquit) have the highest concentration. See our dedicated Maine Bed and Breakfast Guide for the full directory by region.

Vacation Rentals and Cottages

Cottage and vacation rental culture is embedded in Maine summer life — families returning to the same lakefront or oceanfront cottage for generations. The rental inventory spans from basic camps on inland ponds to luxury oceanfront homes. MaineVacationRentals.com covers vacation rentals and cottages across all Maine destinations. For Vrbo listings statewide, the MaineVacationRentals.com directory pulls current availability across platforms.

Sporting Camps

Maine’s sporting camp tradition is one of the great unsung travel experiences in the United States — remote lakeside cabin complexes with meals included, guided fishing and hunting, and genuine wilderness character found nowhere else in New England. Attean Lake Lodge in Jackman, Grant’s Kennebago Camps in Rangeley, and Nahmakanta Lake Wilderness Camps represent the finest examples. See our Maine Sporting Camps guide for what to expect and how to book.

Campgrounds

Maine has an extensive campground network — state park campgrounds, private RV parks, and remote backcountry sites. Acadia National Park’s Blackwoods and Seawall campgrounds book out months in advance for summer. Baxter State Park campgrounds require advance registration and fill quickly. Private campgrounds along the coast (particularly near Old Orchard Beach and Bar Harbor) offer full hookups for RV travelers. See our Maine Campgrounds Guide for the full directory.

When to Book Maine Lodging

July and August (peak season): Book 3-6 months ahead for any southern coast or Bar Harbor lodging. Popular inns in Camden and Kennebunkport fill equally fast. Last-minute availability exists but expect limited choices and premium pricing.

Fall foliage (late September through mid-October): Midcoast and western Maine lodging books up surprisingly fast for foliage weekends — often 6-8 weeks ahead. Aroostook County (which peaks first, third week of September) has more availability. See our Maine Fall Foliage guide for peak timing by region.

Ski season (December through March): Sunday River and Sugarloaf slopeside lodging books 4-8 weeks ahead for peak January-February weekends. Mid-week stays available with shorter notice. See our Maine Skiing guide.

Shoulder season (May-June, late October-November): Best availability and rates. Many coastal inns open in mid-May; most close after Columbus Day. The shoulder season is genuinely the best value in Maine lodging — full experience at 40-60% of peak rates.

Maine Lodging FAQ

Where should I stay in Maine for the first time?

For first-time visitors, Portland is the strongest single base — central location, walkable, Maine’s best restaurant scene, and easy day-trip access to Freeport (30 min), Kennebunkport (45 min), and Bath/Boothbay (45 min). For the classic Maine coastal experience, Kennebunkport or Camden. For Acadia, stay in Bar Harbor or Southwest Harbor. For a quieter, more authentic Maine experience, Belfast or Rockland offer midcoast lodging without the crowds of Camden or Bar Harbor.

How far in advance should I book Maine lodging?

For July and August, book 3-6 months ahead for popular coastal destinations. For fall foliage weekends (late September through mid-October), book 6-8 weeks ahead. For ski season peak weekends (January-February), book 4-8 weeks ahead. Shoulder season and mid-week stays can often be booked 1-2 weeks out, sometimes less.

What is a Maine sporting camp?

A sporting camp is a traditional Maine lodging form — a remote lakeside complex of individual cabins with a central dining lodge, typically including meals, access to fishing and hunting, and a wilderness setting far from roads and towns. Maine’s sporting camp tradition dates to the late 1800s. Most operate on the American Plan (meals included). They range from rustic to remarkably comfortable. See our Maine Sporting Camps guide.

Are there vacation rentals available in Maine?

Yes — Maine has an extensive vacation rental inventory, particularly lakefront and oceanfront cottages that have been rented by families for generations. MaineVacationRentals.com is our dedicated Maine vacation rental directory covering properties statewide. Vrbo and Airbnb also have strong Maine inventory, particularly in popular destinations like Bar Harbor, Camden, and the southern coast.

Find Maine Lodging

Browse lodging by destination: Kennebunkport, Ogunquit, Portland, Camden, Bar Harbor, Bethel, Rangeley, Greenville, Jackman. For vacation rentals: MaineVacationRentals.com. For B&Bs: Maine Bed and Breakfast Guide. For campgrounds: Maine Campgrounds Guide. For ski lodging: Maine Skiing guide.

Maine Lodging Guide: Hotels, Inns, B&Bs & Vacation Rentals