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The Inn at St. John Celebrates Its Second CenturyMaine Hotel Offers Affordable European Charm
by Angela Wibking
Included in the nightly rate is a continental breakfast
served in the lobby. The inn is in the process of expanding its public spaces,
though, and by next spring guests will be able to enjoy breakfast in a new
dining area adjacent to the lobby. The morning fare includes coffee, tea and
juices and an assortment of baked goods. The inn also sets out trays of cookies
in the afternoon and complimentary coffee and tea are available at all hours.
The front desk is manned day and night with a friendly, efficient staff that
knows the city and is happy to recommend sights and restaurants. Adding to the
inn’s considerable charms are its affordable rates, which range from about
$50-$135 in the summer and fall and from $40-$75 in the winter, depending on
room size and bath facilities. Summertime and the fall foliage months are the
busiest times in Portland, so book early during these times. Smoking and
non-smoking rooms are available and pets are welcome.
For a hearty breakfast, lunch or dinner try Becky’s, on
the wharf at the end of High Street. It’s a friendly no-frills diner frequented
by the locals that serves up massive omelets, blueberry pancakes and home fried
potatoes from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. and excellent fish chowder, fried haddock with
French fries and everything from BLTs and burgers to Italian sausage and tuna
melts anytime after 11 a.m. (noon on weekends). The booths are always packed at
peak hours but the seats at the counter turn over pretty quickly. For a more elegant dining experience, make a reservation
at the Roma Café, a Portland institution since 1924. Housed in a historic brick
mansion, the restaurant features seafood lasagna, chicken and Maine shrimp
fettuccine, veal marsala, poached Maine salmon, roasted rack of lamb and, of
course, Maine lobster. We had the twin lobster special for just $15 each,
followed by a shared slice of white chocolate cheesecake. Another dining choice
is DiMillo’s Floating Restaurant, at Long Wharf in the Old Port section of
town, where every table has a great view of the surrounding yachts and other
boats bobbing in the harbor. We enjoyed a broiled seafood platter of scallops,
Maine shrimp (smaller than the Gulf variety) and haddock there our first night
in town.
Head north of Portland and you’ll come to the village of
Freeport, renowned for its upscale outlet stores and the flagship L.L. Bean
store that’s open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Don’t miss the Mangy Moose,
a store where everything from computer mouse pads to men’s underwear has a
moose on it. For some quintessential Maine scenery drive out to Orrs and Bailey
islands (connected to the mainland by short bridges). Be sure to have lunch at
Cook’s Lobster House, where the lobster and other seafood couldn’t be fresher
or the service friendlier. The views of the harbor are also outstanding from
inside or out: if the weather is fine you can enjoy your lobster or haddock in
the fresh salt air and sunshine on the Moby Deck. For more information on the Inn at St. John visit their
web site at www.innatstjohn.com or
call (800)636-9127. Be sure to ask about the inn’s Internet discount. Photos by Angela Wibking |
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The coming turn of the century will
be a once in a lifetime experience for most of us, but for the Inn at St. John
it will be the second time around. The 40-room inn in the heart of the seaport
city of Portland, Maine was built by railroad tycoon John Deering in 1897 and
was known then as the Hotel Victoria. It’s not hard to imagine how travelers
felt as they arrived at the hotel 100 years ago, checked in at the desk in the
cozy lobby and climbed the stairs to the sunny rooms on the upper floors. It’s
not hard to imagine because current owner, who bought the property five years
ago, has succeeded in restoring the inn to its turn-of-the-century self. That
wasn’t an easy task since the building had fallen on hard times in the last 30
years, eventually hitting bottom as seedy residence hotel.
Today, however, those hard times are a
distant memory and the entire inn sparkles with brass and crystal light
fixtures, newly painted and wallpapered rooms and fresh carpeting. Each guest
room is unique but all are decorated with a 19th century Victorian
flair. Some rooms have big bay windows and private baths. Others share a
semi-private hall bath with one or two other guest rooms. And some, like our
own cozy but comfortable corner room on the second floor, have their own
unshared private bath a few steps down the hall. The inn also offers the sort
of amenities many larger, more expensive hotels seem to be forgetting these
days. We were delighted to find a hair dryer in our bathroom, along with soap,
shampoo, lotion and even shaving cream. Plush terry robes are also provided for
travelers who forget to bring their own for the short trip down the hall to the
bath. All rooms have color cable TV, a telephone with free local calls, tourist
information and a basket of treats that included bottled water, pretzels, chips
and mints.
Another big plus is the Inn at
St. John’s convenient location at the corner of Congress and St. John streets,
just a short walk from the city’s historic Old Port district by the bay and the
new Arts District filled with museums and galleries. The compact central city
(on a one-mile wide peninsula in Casco Bay) is packed with coffeehouses (we
counted 11), pubs and seafood restaurants, so it’s no wonder that downtown
Portland has been compared to Seattle before that West Coast port became a
boomtown. There’s lots to do so plan to stay busy: Take a short cruise to the
islands in Casco Bay, stroll along the working harbor or shop the boutiques and
antique stores in Old Port. Admire the Homer and Wyeth paintings at the
Portland Art Museum or explore the Children’s Museum of Maine. Bargain hunters
will want to cull through the markdowns at the L.L. Bean outlet on Congress
Street, while those looking for memorable souvenirs should check out Just Maine
Made, for made in Maine crafts. Literary visitors have several bookstores from
which to choose, but we especially liked Books, Etc. on Exchange Street, a
thoroughfare packed with retail therapy opportunities.
More sightseeing and shopping
opportunities abound just a short drive from the inn. (There’s free parking for
guests with cars, but the inn also provides free pickup from the Portland
airport.) In Cape Elizabeth, a few minutes south of Portland, you’ll find
Maine’s oldest lighthouse, Portland Head Light. Built in 1791, the red brick
structure set in the midst of Fort William Park in a photographer’s delight. A
few miles further south, you’ll find another lighthouse and a delightful casual
eatery called The Lobster Shack. The restaurant’s setting, in the shadow of the
lighthouse on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic, is as awesome as the piled-high
plates of fresh fried seafood served up there.