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Maine has more than 5,000 miles of shoreline. Granite rocks and pine trees line most of the shore, making water access difficult. The 70 miles of the state’s sandy shore are top visitor destinations. The crystal clear waters tempt swimmers despite their cold temperatures. You’ll find many picturesque lighthouses and seafood restaurants. Be sure to try a lobster roll while you’re there.
If you’d like to go to a Maine beach and are wondering where a great place to stay might be, then wonder no more. The following hotels were the Maine Beach Award Winners in the 2021 Best Loved hotels by Hotels.com. All of these beach hotels had a lot of excellent reviews and received the highest guest ratings. And you can use Hotels.com to get the best price on your stay.
Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor is on Mount Desert Island along Maine’s Frenchman Bay. It’s known for its absolutely stunning coastal beauty and its many lobster boats and yachts. Popular activities enjoyed there include kayaking, canoeing, whale watching, stand up paddle boarding, sailing, seal watching, fishing and ghost and lighthouse tours.
Best Loved Beach Hotel
- Atlantic Oceanside Hotel & Conference Center
Belfast
Belfast is located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River estuary on Penobscot Bay and Belfast Bay. Enjoy delectable seafood in restaurants on a working waterfront. Take a walk on the Belfast Harborwalk and see the boats in the marina. Go swimming at Heritage Beach or City Park Beach.
Best Loved Beach Hotels
- Belfast Harbor Inn
- Fireside Inn & Suites – Belfast
Boothbay Harbor
Boothbay Harbor has been called “The Boating Capital of New England.” During the summer months, it is a popular yachting and tourist destination. Lighthouses, whales, puffins, seals and lobster boats are just a few of the things you’ll see on one of the many cruises offered here. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and the Maine State Aquarium are “must sees.”
Best Loved Beach Hotel
- Spruce Point Inn
Cape Elizabeth
Cape Elizabeth hugs the shore of Casco Bay. It has Maine’s oldest lighthouse, Portland Head Light. Constructed in 1791, it was fueled by whale oil. Today the light is automated and the keeper’s house is a museum. The Cape Elizabeth Light is private and closed but makes for great photos. Crescent Beach is a one mile long beach of sand with picnic areas, a snack bar and a bathhouse.
Best Loved Beach Hotel
- Inn By The Sea
Old Orchard Beach
Old Orchard Beach is a 7 mile long sandy beach. It’s popular for swimming, sunbathing, bodysurfing, kayaking, jet skiing, beach volleyball and more. It has a boardwalk and the only beachfront amusement park in New England.
Best Loved Beach Hotels
- Waves Oceanfront Resort
- Biarritz Motel & Suites
Wilson Lake
Wilson Lake is a 308 acre lake. Its 40 to 60 foot depth supports both warm and cold water fish species. Anglers go there in pursuit of salmon, lake trout, smallmouth bass, brook trout, chain pickerel and more. There’s a sandy beach at Kineowatha Park.
Best Loved Beach Hotel
- Wilson Lake Inn
York
Incorporated in 1642, York is the second oldest town in Maine. It is situated beside the Atlantic Ocean on the Gulf of Maine and has long been a popular summer resort town. York Beach has a 10,000 square foot boardwalk with more than 250 rides and arcade games. Be sure to see the Cape Neddick Nubble Lighthouse, one of the most photographed lighthouses in the country. You should also walk across the Wiggly Bridge which is exactly what it sounds like.
Best Loved Beach Hotels
- Stage Neck Inn
- Union Bluff Hotel
- Stones Throw
- York Harbor Inn
- Anchorage Inn & Resort
