Cliff House Maine
Property Overview
Perched on the panoramic Cape of Neddick, this place began its life as an simple seaside inn in 1872, but these days it aims to fill the area's luxury void with stunning decor that will turn city folks into immediate fans. This hotel never rests on its laurels despite being on the heels of a major expansion that has to date included a stunning 9,000-sq-ft spa, two new dining rooms and a comprehensive recreational roster (not to mention adding a chunk of new premium suites).
The hotel's zig-zagging design hugging the rocky cliffs provides nearly all of the public spaces with striking sea and cliff views. Something of a destination resort, the hotel's proximity to Cape Neddick Country Club puts it on the map for golfers.
A large porte cochere fronts the four- and five-story snaking, modern building. With the exception of a few vintage outbuildings, everything here is curt and modern. Reception is a regal contemporary space, with superlative architectural detail, big open spaces and startling views that stretch out into the deep blue Atlantic. The striving staff are as engaging as can be.
Check in was quick and easy. The property is really large so you expect to see crowds everywhere but throughout our stay we never saw a significant line or delay for anything even through the property was sold out. Only once during our stay did we even need to share the elevator with another guest.
Accommodations
The accommodations, the majority with at least a glimpse of the sea, are done up with a pinch of boutique panache. Fun and fashionable, the rooms' colorfully painted board-and-batten paneling and wood floors or graphic-print carpeting elevate the usual standardized look one associates with large-scale resorts in the Pine Tree State. Entry-level rooms are of fair size, and all come with Serta mattresses coated in Comfy Co.
Beautifully tiled and marbled baths come with hair dryers and Red Flower toiletries.
The suites are vast and all rooms have furnished balconies with glass partitions that create drama even from inside the quarters. Almost any room on a high floor with an ocean view is a prize, and many of the Premium rooms and suites come with gas fireplaces. Newest to the resort are Weare Cottage, plus the incredible Ledges wing where most of the spacious suites are located. Several have two bedrooms (the cottage has three) and terraces plus private dining rooms and kitchen facilities. Pets are not permitted.
Our room was a Premium Oceanfront King. We were able to breathe in the salty sea air and enjoy oceanfront views from our private balcony. The room had touches ranging from elegant hardwood floors to a Cuddledown® comforter made right in Maine. The room measured 475 square feet and had nautically inspired décor, an oversized flat-screen LCD television, plush hooded robes, and exclusive Red Flower bath products.
We were in the middle of 3 buildings which was a very convenient location. Closest to our room was Nubbs Lobster shack. This was the best place to get lunch and cocktails during the day. I enjoyed many cocktails from Nubbs but my favorite was a frozen key lime margarita.
The main building was right next to our building. It had the check in area, as well as The Tiller Restaurant, which was the best place for dinner or cocktails in the evening. We ate most of our dinners here including our catch and cook experience. Both the food and service were great.
See the video below for the view from our balcony.
Experiences
My Wife enjoyed the spa experience offered and raved about the relaxation room that you get to enjoy before and after your spa service.
The highlight of our trip was the cook and catch experience. This was something that has been on my bucket list for a while. The concierge at the property arranged a lobster boat trip for us. We drove about 25 minutes away from the property to go to the dock in Wells, ME. We were greeted by Captain Derek who gave us a great
boat tour. He explained the differences between what we were doing and what a commercial lobsterman would do. We pulled up pots and wound up with 4 large lobsters. We brought up several lobsters that weren't keepers and even got to see a stone crab. After lobstering we did a tour of Kennebunkport where we were even able to see the compound that President Bush summers at. After returning to the resort, The Tiller Restaurant cooked our lobster dinner from the catch we brought back. We decided to have it the "lazy" way. That means they took all the meat out of the shells for us!
Summary
If you want to travel to Maine THIS is the place to stay. Cliff House Maine was the nicest and largest resort in the area. We took a look at several other options in the Kennebunkport area and none were even close to Cliff House Maine. The service was always attentive and although it felt like a large resort when it came to the grounds and amenities there was no crowding anywhere on the resort grounds. Spring and Fall are both perfect times to travel to Maine. I would highly recommend this property and will likely visit again in the future.