Vacationing in Maine just got a little more luxe, thanks to two new properties, one that opened this past March in Brunswick and the other making its debut over the July 4 weekend near Bar Harbor. Here’s an inside peek at both.
Vintage charm and contemporary flair in Bar Harbor
At Salt Cottages on Mount Desert Island, just outside Bar Harbor, you can kick back in any of the thirty bungalows built in the 1940s and transformed into posh, private retreats. The cottages range from studios to two bedrooms and have aqua vaulted ceilings, creamy white clapboard walls and comfy furniture, like blue and white striped armchairs and ivory queen pull-out sofas. Vintage-style fixtures and antique nautical art adorn each cabin, outfitted with a coffee maker, mini-fridge, and microwave.
Salt Cottages additionally offers ten retro motor lodge rooms and a pool overlooking Frenchman Bay. It has two hot tubs, stone firepits for s’mores, a game room, and a tiny store selling Maine memorabilia. The red-and-white-tiled eatery Picnic serves casual fare ranging from hamburgers and hot dogs to lobster rolls and ice cream. It also offers various take-away breakfast items, sandwiches, drinks and snacks to enjoy on or off the property.
The resort lies close to downtown Bar Harbor, home to art galleries, parks, museums, shops and restaurants. Nearby Acadia National Park offers a bounty of outdoor adventures for walkers and cyclists alike.
Rates starting at $399/night
2 ME-3 Bar Harbor, 207-288-9918, saltcottagesbarharbor.com
Modern luxury and rich history in Brunswick
Treat yourself and your furry friend to a Brunswick getaway at The Federal, a pet-friendly boutique hotel in the former space of the Captain Daniel Stone Inn, originally built in 1810. Annie K. Designs of Portland masterminded the inn’s sophisticated interior design, using a palette of sand, maritime blue, fog gray.
Beyond the soaring light-filled lobby, the hotel has thirty guest rooms in total. Most lie in the East Wing, including some with views over the Androscoggin River. Four premium suites are in Federal House, the original residence of Captain Stone. All guestrooms blend new and historical elements in their decor, such as polished dark wood antique beds and contemporary artwork.
The hotel’s window-filled restaurant, 555 North, features seasonal Maine fare, such as Maine seafood chowder and butter-poached Maine lobster salad. Downtown Brunswick has plenty more eateries, along with parks, biking and walking trails, shops, galleries and museums, including the nearby Bowdoin College Museum of Art.
Rates starting at $189/night
10 Water St., Brunswick, 207-481-4066, thefederalmaine.com