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. 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.