Hampton Inn Portland Downtown – Waterfront

You know one of my favorite places in the United States is Portland, Maine. Lighthouses, cobblestone streets, quaint boutiques and waterfront views make it the perfect destination for families. My girls have not traveled in over a year and we were thrilled to finally be escaping to this fabulous city.  When staying in Portland, location is key and I always stay in the Old Port, the historic waterfront district. The Hampton Inn Portland Downtown – Waterfront is a wonderful place to stay.

The Hampton Inn Portland Downtown – Waterfront is located in the center of it all and is a wonderful place to stay.  I love that you can just park your car and, because of the location, you can walk everywhere. This waterfront hotel is nestled in the city’s Old Port District and offers breathtaking views of lovely Casco Bay and the historic waterfront.

Check-in was quick and easy.  We were given some details about the hotel and hours of the pool and fitness room and then we were pointed in the direction of the elevator and we were off to the forth floor.

You’ll appreciate the nautical images of Maine as you walk the halls.

Let me show you around our room.

 We stayed in room 424 a

2 QUEEN BEDS WITH VIEW NONSMOKING

The room was so spacious! The beds were comfortable and the pillows were great.

It had a huge empty foyer which we used to store our luggage, which left us even more space in the room.

The room was a corner room so there were two walls of windows.  This gave the room so much natural light and gorgeous views!

The room had lovely city views

As well as views of the Casco Bay! We loved being able to see the water from our room!

My daughter loved listening to music while enjoying the city views.

The room had a mini refrigerator and a microwave which makes it easy to heat up and store food.

The room had a nice desk, which was great because my daughter had to put some finishing touches on a school project on the day we arrived.

There was a standard bathroom that had everything we needed. It contained a shower/tub combo, and the vanity had plenty of space for three girls to get ready.  It had plenty of towels and face cloths for us.

I love that if you forget to pack something, or just feel like a snack, the hotel has a small store in the lobby you can make purchases at.

Since we arrived in late afternoon we headed to dinner at The Old Port Sea Grill and Raw Bar less than two blocks from the hotel. (You’ve got to try their Maine Lobster and Crab Meat Spring Rolls.)

After dinner we walked to Gorgeous Gelato for dessert.  I love that the hotel is within walking distance to so many restaurants, cafes, and bars.

The next morning, we headed down to the breakfast area to enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast.  They had yogurt, fruit, cereal, muffins, oatmeal, granola bars, juice, coffee, hot chocolate and more.  We decided to bring it back to our room and appreciated that they provide to-go bags and trays.

It was pouring rain the entire next day so we decided to go to the Portland Museum of Art.  This is a wonderful place to go for all ages.  They had an intriguing exhibit called Untitled, 2020, Art from Maine in a ____ Time.  It was interesting to see the creativity this last year has had on the art world.

On the way back to our room we grabbed some lunch from Eventide…lobster rolls…yeah! It is located right next to the hotel so we brought it back to our room.

Pool Time…

After doing some shopping in town, we spent some time in the pool.  It felt so good to go for a swim after months enduring a New England winter. The pool is large and there were plenty of chaise loungers to sit on. The cleanliness of the pool area  show they take great pride in the hotel.

Fitness Center

Feel like getting in a workout? The fitness room has cardio machines like treadmills and elliptical machines.  They also have a large variety of weights and weight benches.

Get a Little Work Done

The hotel has a business center, if you need to use a computer or printer.

After a fun time at the pool, we were exhausted and famished and were thrilled the hotel has a restaurant.  And not just any restaurant…the Sebago Brewing Company! It serves pub favorites in a relaxed atmosphere, so we grabbed a booth and settled in for our meal.

I started with a wonderful cocktail…a Sebago Golden Margarita.  For an appetizer we had Warm Soft Bavarian Pretzels.  For my main course, I enjoyed the Tuna Poke Bowl.

  What could you do in the area?

The hotel is located steps from the Eastern Promenade Trail where you can go for a walk, ride your bike, go rollerblading, or do a run. Stroll along the cobblestone streets as you explore the many boutiques, galleries, and cafes. The Portland Museum of Art is a great stop for everyone. If you want something geared more towards kids check out the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine. (Read all about one of our visit here). If you like visiting small galleries, go on a self-guided First Friday night art walk. The hotel is in such a central area you won’t need to get back in your car. If you want a good tour of Portland, I highly suggest the Real Portland Tour.  Read all about when I took it.  

There are also so many good breweries, distilleries, and wineries in Portland!

Who would I recommend this hotel it to?

The hotel is casual and welcoming and is the perfect place to stay with families.  Since there are many romantic things to do in the area, it would be a lovely place to stay for a couple’s getaway. The number of spas, restaurants, and bars would make it a fun place to spend a girls’ weekend.

Restaurants in the area that I love:

Eventide: It’s a great place to watch them shuck oysters. Their lobster roll is a must.

Fore Street: Locally sourced and hand-crafted food.  Their menu changes daily.

Street & Company: A Mediterranean, bistro style, all-seafood restaurant.

Highroller Lobster Co: If you are avoiding carbs, they have a lobster cheese crisp taco.

Otto: This pizza place has some unique kinds like mashed potato, bacon, and scallion.

Duckfat: Try the fries.

Covid-19 Precautions at the Hotel

(These may change as the months go on so make sure you check the website to see their protocols.)

Face masks were required.

There was no house cleaning service throughout the stay, but if you needed anything (fresh towels, more shampoo, etc.) you could call the front desk and they would arrange it.

There were wipes and touch-less hand sanitizer stations around the hotel.

You can do contactless check-in using their app.

Valet staff wore masks and latex gloves.

Tips for Planning your Stay

Parking: Valet parking only onsite, which is so convenient in a city.  I think it was $20/night.

Check-in: 4:00  Check-out: 12:00

Room choice? I would definitely get a room with a water view.  Corner rooms are best because I would also recommend a room on one of the higher floors for an even better view.

The pool is open from 6:00 am- 11:00 pm.

There is complimentary WiFi in all rooms and it worked really well.

It is only one block from the ferry.

Nearest airport: Portland International Jetport is 15 minutes away, and they’ll pick you up in their free shuttle. (However, I’m not sure if it is running at this time.)

There is a coffee bar all day in the lobby.  While we were there it also included tea and hot chocolate.

209 Fore Street

Portland, Maine 04101, USA

207-775-1454

Click HERE to get to their Website

A warm thank you to the Hampton Inn Portland Downtown – Waterfront for having us as your guests.  We had a relaxing time and it was the perfect place for my daughters and I to get away together after a year of being home.  As always, all opinions and experiences are 100% of MyTravelingKids.com.