Located 20 minutes away from downtown Portland, in Crescent Beach is the Inn by the Sea. It is rated as one of the best hotels in the world by Travel & Leisure 2011. After spending two magical nights here, I can surely see why!
A perfect romantic getaway, with your better half and man’s best friend, the Inn by the Sea is a great place to unwind, reconnect and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. When you walk in, you feel like you have stepped into a modern luxurious guest house, surrounded by manicured gardens with colorful blooms, and an inviting short walk through the woods onto a private beach. There are only 57 guest rooms on the property, a full service spa, swimming pool, gym, restaurant and bar.
The rooms are spacious and homey. With inviting fireplaces, Jacuzzi tubs, oversized showers, kitchenettes and private balconies, you wouldn’t want to leave. Get a romantic treatment at the spa or let the restaurant pack you a delicious picnic basket to enjoy at the beach. The Inn’s premises are a natural wildlife reserve and perfect for bird watchers.
The best part is you can also bring Fido with you on your vacation. Many of the rooms are pet friendly and offer blankets, bowls, dog walking service and in-room dining. Spoil your fluffy friend with room service items such as Meat-Roaff (steamed rice, raw vegetables, natural ground beef) and dog cookies.
The Sea Glass restaurant boasts farm to table fresh ingredients cooked to perfection. Each dish is carefully prepared from scratch, with a lot of love and precision. Chef Mitchell Morgan Kaldrovich changes the menu with the season sourcing local ingredients only. Try the pan seared scallops with parsnip puree and fennel salad; butter braised lobster with sweet corn risotto; and pumpkin bread pudding for dessert. Even the blueberry pancakes are nothing like you have ever tasted before!
Inn by the Sea is also listed as one of the world’s top 10 green hotels by Forbes and Trip Advisor. It is the first carbon neutral hotel in Maine.
If you want to have a relaxed vacation with your loved ones and feel good about not leaving your carbon footprints behind, consider staying at the Inn by the Sea.
