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Portland
See main listingMaine's largest city - a working waterfront, Old Port cobblestones, and a food scene that punches well above its weight.
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Guide
Best Portland, Maine Hotels: Location and Parking Choices
11 minute read•updated
Where to Stay
Choosing between hotels in Portland, Maine is mostly a decision about two things: how far you want to walk to dinner, and how much you are willing to fight the car. The peninsula properties put you inside the Old Port and charge you for valet parking. The Brighton Avenue and Riverside cluster gives you a free lot and a fifteen-minute drive. Almost everything else follows from that.
Compiled from published reviews, official sites and our own research; assessed remotely without firsthand experience.
How this ranking works
Every property below is drawn from our Portland hotels database and ranked by guest score multiplied by review volume. Guest scores here are on a ten-point scale, the standard booking-platform measure, not the five-star Google scale used elsewhere on this site.
Two filters are applied before the sort. A property needs at least 100 reviews to appear, which removes new listings whose scores have not been tested, and it needs a score of 8.0 or better. Without that floor, raw rating multiplied by volume rewards large, mediocre, heavily-booked motels. A 490-review property scoring 5.2 would outrank most of the good boutique hotels in the city, which would make the list worse than useless.
The result skews toward established downtown hotels. That is the honest shape of Portland's market: the highest-scoring places in town are small, and small means fewer reviews.
The best hotels in Portland, ranked
1. Hampton Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront
8.3 from 1,164 reviews, 209 Fore Street. The highest-volume well-scored hotel in the city, in a converted historic building right on the Old Port's main artery. It does what a Hampton Inn does (dependable rooms, a real breakfast, no surprises) with a location most independents would kill for. Parking is valet only, which is the recurring theme of this entire list. Full details.
2. Holiday Inn Portland By the Bay
8.5 from 1,025 reviews, 88 Spring Street. A block off the Old Port and a short walk from Congress Street, with an on-site garage. Genuinely rare downtown. It is a large, unglamorous, well-run hotel with a pool, which makes it a common family pick. The garage is tight for anything larger than a mid-size SUV.
3. Inn at St John Portland
8.2 from 879 reviews, 939 Congress Street. A Victorian-era railroad hotel at the far end of Congress, with the free on-site parking that downtown properties cannot offer. The trade is the walk: half an hour to the Old Port on foot, ten to fifteen minutes to the Congress Street shops and restaurants. Rooms vary considerably in size and configuration (some share bathrooms) so read the room description rather than the headline rate. It is the best-value bed in Portland if you do not mind the distance.
4. Hampton Inn & Suites Portland West
8.4 from 829 reviews, 1210 Brighton Avenue. Out by the interstate, free private lot, quick access to Route 1 and the airport. Nobody books this for the setting. They book it because it scores well, parks the car for nothing, and puts Portland Head Light and the southern beaches within an easy drive.
5. Hyatt Place Portland Downtown Old Port
8.6 from 771 reviews, 433 Fore Street. Deep in the Old Port, walking distance to essentially every restaurant that matters. Rooms are the modern Hyatt Place format. Big, functional, slightly anonymous. Valet only, and it is the most expensive valet of the downtown group.
6. Embassy Suites Portland Maine
8.7 from 660 reviews, 1050 Westbrook Street. Near the jetport, four-star, all-suites, with the layout that makes it a default for families who need a door between the kids and the adults. On-site parking with a daily fee. You are driving everywhere from here.
7. Aloft Portland Downtown Waterfront
8.5 from 609 reviews, 379 Commercial Street. The Marriott design-forward brand, on the western end of the working waterfront. Rooms run small and the walls are not thick; the payoff is the location and the on-site garage.
8. Cambria Hotel Portland Downtown Old Port
8.8 from 531 reviews, 25 Hancock Street. Modern, glass-heavy, five to ten minutes on foot from both the waterfront and Congress Street. It sits on the East End side of downtown, which is closer to the Washington Avenue restaurants than most of the Old Port hotels are.
9. Portland Regency Hotel & Spa
8.8 from 527 reviews, 20 Milk Street. An 1890s armory converted into a hotel, in the middle of the cobbled Old Port block. Traditional decor, thick walls, an on-site spa, and valet parking included in the rate rather than billed nightly, a meaningful difference over a long stay. The most characterful of the large downtown properties.
10. Canopy by Hilton Portland Waterfront
9.0 from 471 reviews, 9 Center Street. Four-star, purpose-built, right on the water, and the highest score of any large hotel in the city. Modern rooms with actual harbor views on the correct side of the building. Ask, because the other side looks at a parking structure.
11. Portland Harbor Hotel
8.7 from 466 reviews, 468 Fore Street. Four-star independent-feeling property with hardwood, a fireplace lobby and a courtyard garden that is the quietest outdoor space in the Old Port. Valet only, in a private garage. Full details.
12. Residence Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront
8.6 from 462 reviews, 145 Fore Street. Suites with kitchens, on-site garage, downtown. The obvious pick for anyone staying four nights or more, or traveling with people who need breakfast on their own schedule.
13. Black Elephant Hostel
9.1 from 413 reviews, 33 Hampshire Street. Private and shared rooms in a historic building three blocks from the Old Port, and the highest-scoring high-volume property in the city by a clear margin. Street parking only, which in that neighborhood is genuinely difficult. Arrive without a car if you can.
14. AC Hotel Portland Downtown-Waterfront
8.7 from 415 reviews, 158 Fore Street. Marriott's European-influenced brand: minimal rooms, a good lobby bar, no clutter. Central, four-star, and consistently well reviewed for what it is.
15. The Westin Portland Harborview
8.4 from 397 reviews, 157 High Street. The tall Beaux-Arts landmark above Congress Square, with a rooftop bar and the best elevated view in the city. It is across the street from the Portland Museum of Art and five to ten minutes downhill to the Old Port. The building is old and room quality is uneven between the renovated and unrenovated floors.
Highest guest scores, smaller houses
Six properties score above almost everything on the ranked list but sit below the review-volume cutoff. If you want the best room in Portland rather than the safest booking, they are where to look.
| Property | Guest score | Reviews | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Bower | 9.3 | 150 | 140 Congress Street, East End |
| Longfellow Hotel | 9.2 | 121 | 754 Congress Street, Arts District |
| The Docent's Collection | 9.2 | 109 | 121 Middle Street, Old Port |
| The Chadwick Bed and Breakfast | 9.1 | 101 | 140 Chadwick Street, West End |
| The Francis Hotel | 9.0 | 234 | 747 Congress Street, Arts District |
| The Press Hotel | 8.9 | 191 | 119 Exchange Street, Old Port |
The Francis is a five-star conversion of a historic house on upper Congress with free on-site parking, which no other hotel at that level in Portland offers. The Press occupies the old newspaper building on Exchange Street and leans hard into the theme; it is the most photographed lobby in town. The Longfellow is the newest of the group and the most contemporary. Best Bower and The Docent's Collection are small enough that they behave more like serviced apartments than hotels: no front desk on a rota, no lobby, and street parking only.
Scores in this range are worth a caveat. A property with a hundred reviews can hold a 9.3 partly because it is small enough to control every stay; the same operator running two hundred rooms would not. Read that column as evidence of care rather than as a promise, and check that the room type you are booking is the one people are praising.
What this list leaves out
Three categories, deliberately. Vacation rentals and apartment lets do not appear, because they are not reviewed on a comparable basis and Portland's short-term-rental rules have shifted repeatedly. Properties with fewer than a hundred reviews are excluded even when their scores are excellent. Several new Congress Street openings fall here, and they may well be the right answer in a year.
And nothing outside the city limits is included. If you are willing to drive fifteen minutes, the inns in Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough put you next to the water for less than an equivalent room downtown, at the cost of getting in the car for every meal.
Everything above is scored the same way, so the ordering is comparable within the list. It is not comparable to the five-point Google ratings quoted on our attraction and restaurant guides.
Which neighborhood to book
Old Port and the waterfront: Fore Street, Commercial Street, Exchange Street. You walk to everything: Eventide, Duckfat, Central Provisions, the ferry terminal. Expect valet-only parking at most properties and street noise on weekend nights. This is the right choice for a two-night trip without a car-dependent itinerary.
Arts District and Congress Street: the Westin, the Francis, the Longfellow, the Inn at St John. Quieter, closer to the art museum and the theaters, five to fifteen minutes downhill to the Old Port. Parking gets easier the further up Congress you go.
West End: residential, Victorian, the bed-and-breakfast territory. Beautiful streets, no hotel bar, and you are walking twenty minutes to dinner.
Brighton Avenue, Riverside and the jetport: free parking, chain reliability, lower rates, and a drive into town every time you want to eat. Sensible if you are using Portland as a base for Cape Elizabeth, Freeport and the beaches rather than for the city itself.
Parking is the decision nobody plans for
This is the single most common complaint in Portland hotel reviews, and it is structural rather than fixable. The peninsula was laid out before cars and there is no space for surface lots, so downtown hotels either run valet or point you at a public garage. Several charge a nightly fee that is a meaningful fraction of the room rate in shoulder season.
Three practical responses. Book a downtown hotel and accept the valet fee as part of the price, then leave the car parked for the whole stay, because the peninsula is walkable end to end. Or book the Portland Regency, where valet is included in the rate. Or stay out on Brighton or Riverside, park free, and drive in. What does not work is booking downtown and assuming you will find street parking; the meters are enforced and the residential streets around the East End are permit-only.
When to book
July and August fill early and price accordingly, and weekends in September (foliage plus the tail of the warm water) are close behind. If your dates are fixed in summer, book months out; the good downtown rooms go first and what is left is the airport cluster.
Late spring and late fall are the value windows, with the city still fully open. Winter is cheap and quiet, and a few smaller properties reduce their operations, so confirm directly rather than assuming. Browse the full Maine hotels listing or the Portland town page for what else is nearby, and see our where to stay in Maine guide for how Portland compares with the rest of the coast.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best area to stay in Portland, Maine?
The Old Port, if you want to walk to restaurants and the ferry terminal and are willing to pay for valet parking. The Arts District along Congress Street is the compromise: quieter, close to the museum and theaters, five to ten minutes from the waterfront, and easier on parking. Stay out on Brighton Avenue or near the jetport only if free parking and a lower rate matter more than the walk.
Do Portland, Maine hotels have free parking?
Most downtown ones do not. Peninsula hotels typically run valet or charge for a garage space, because there is no room for surface lots. Free on-site parking exists at the Inn at St John, Hampton Inn & Suites Portland West, The Francis Hotel and most of the Brighton Avenue and Riverside properties. The Portland Regency includes valet in the room rate, which is the rarest arrangement downtown.
What is the highest-rated hotel in Portland, Maine?
Among properties with a meaningful number of reviews, Best Bower on Congress Street scores highest at 9.3 from 150 reviews, followed by the Longfellow Hotel and The Docent's Collection, both at 9.2. Of the larger hotels, Canopy by Hilton Portland Waterfront leads with 9.0 from 471 reviews, and the Black Elephant Hostel scores 9.1 from 413 reviews.
How many nights do you need in Portland, Maine?
Two nights covers the city: one day for the peninsula, museums and Old Port, one for Portland Head Light and the South Portland forts or a Casco Bay island. Three or four nights makes sense if you are using Portland as a base for day trips to Freeport, the southern beaches or the midcoast, in which case free parking becomes worth more than a walkable location.
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AC Hotel Portland Downtown-Waterfront
See main listingWhat makes this hotel essential to a best-in-class Portland list is not the room count or amenities - it's the address. The AC sits on Fore Street in the Old Port's thrumming center, where the neighborhood's density means everything worth experiencing is a two-minute walk from your door. For a city guide, location is the primary criterion, and this one doesn't compromise.
The property itself avoids the generic corporate feel. Its modern design and European breakfast setup distinguish it from the predictable chain experience, while practical touches - free airport shuttle, valet parking, a fitness center - handle the logistics of travel. You'll wake to coffee and pastries, then step directly onto brick sidewalks lined with restaurants and galleries.
This suits couples seeking a waterfront base for exploring, families wanting walkable access to Old Port dining, and business travelers who prefer genuine neighborhood texture to the sterility of a downtown corridor hotel.
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Aloft Portland Downtown Waterfront
See main listingThe Aloft Portland Downtown Waterfront earns its spot on this list precisely because it solves Portland's central hotel paradox: you get genuine waterfront access without the isolating luxury-resort markup. This Marriott property sits directly on Commercial Street in the Old Port, close enough to the working docks that you can smell the salt air from your room, yet walkable to the restaurants, galleries, and street energy that defines the neighborhood.
The rooms are clean and modern, the bar staff attentive, and the location unmatched for exploring downtown on foot. Couples especially rated the experience highly, largely because the waterfront location doesn't trap you - you're three minutes from Becky's Diner and everything else that matters in Portland.
This works best for travelers who want authentic waterfront immersion without fuss: couples, families, business visitors, and anyone who'd rather spend money on local restaurants than on hotel amenities.
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A Foodie's Delight
See main listingWhat sets this property apart in a guide to Portland's best hotels is precisely that it isn't one. A Foodie's Delight is a ground-floor apartment with a full kitchen - stovetop, oven, dishwasher, the works - which means you can actually use what you buy at Congress Street's farmer's market rather than eyeing it sadly from a hotel room microwave. That private entrance and in-unit laundry transform a short stay into something closer to living like a local.
There's relief in unlocking your own front door, controlling your own temperature, timing your own coffee. The dining table becomes a real gathering spot, not a surface you push aside. It's the kind of space that makes sense for couples wanting to linger over breakfast, small families needing room to breathe, or groups who've booked three or more nights and want to settle in properly.
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The Westin Portland Harborview
See main listingThe Westin Portland Harborview belongs on this list for a single, magnetic reason: Top of the East, a rooftop bar fifteen stories above Congress Square. From that height, the city unfolds in all directions - harbor, skyline, and the White Mountains beyond on clear days. The cocktail program is thoughtful, the staff knows their way around a shaker, and the view alone keeps guests lingering well past their first drink.
Beyond the rooftop, the property functions as a genuine downtown anchor. Its location near the museums and Old Port puts culture and waterfront walks within easy reach, while the full-service spa offers a retreat from the street below. The building itself - a Beaux-Arts structure that's been reinvented more than once - feels appropriately settled into its current role as a reliable urban base.
This hotel suits couples seeking a memorable evening, culture-seekers who want walkability, and anyone attending downtown events who'd rather avoid the drive back out of the city.
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2BR Apartment with Full Kitchen
See main listingFor travelers who want Old Port proximity without hotel pricing or constraints, this two-bedroom apartment earns its place on our best list by offering what most Portland hotels can't: a full kitchen and actual space. Families rotating through three meals a day, remote workers settling in for a week, and groups splitting the cost all find breathing room here that a standard hotel room never provides.
The kitchen arrives fully outfitted - oven, stovetop, dishwasher, the works - which means you can browse Portland's farmers' markets or grab provisions from a nearby grocery and cook as if you've rented a home rather than a hotel room. Free parking is included, a genuine relief in a neighborhood where street spots disappear quickly during the warmer months. You're five minutes from the Old Port's crush of galleries, bars, and lobster shacks, but far enough removed to find quiet when you need it.
This property suits anyone traveling beyond a night or two, or anyone who'd rather control their food costs and cooking schedule than surrender to restaurant prices for every meal.
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Peaceful Oasis on Munjoy Hill
See main listingIf you're traveling with others and need room to actually live - not just sleep - this spacious apartment rental on Munjoy Hill earns its place on our best hotels list. Three bedrooms, a full kitchen, and genuine square footage mean families and groups can spread out without the claustrophobia of a traditional hotel room.
The East End neighborhood itself is the draw: a quietly revived stretch of Victorian Portland where locals and wandering visitors collide over coffee at new roasters, just a stroll from the Observatory. The apartment sits on the quieter side of this renaissance, on a street that feels removed from downtown bustle despite being walkable to it.
Best suited for families, groups, or couples who cook - the free parking and full kitchen transform a Portland stay from transient to livable, and guests have raved about the quality of the beds themselves.
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