Franciscan Guest House (Kennebunkport, Maine; tel. 207/967-4865): No daily maid service, cheap paneling on the walls, and industrial carpeting. What's to like? Plenty, including the location (on the lush riverside grounds of a monastery), price (doubles from $65), and a great Lithuanian-style breakfast spread in the morning. You can walk to Dock Square at Kennebunkport or bike to the beach.
Driftwood Inn & Cottages (Bailey Island, Maine; tel. 207/833-5461): Where else can you find rooms at the edge of the rocky Maine coast for $80 and up? This classic shingled compound dates from 1910 and offers mostly rooms with a shared bathroom, but the views alone are worth that inconvenience.
Maine Idyll Motor Court (Freeport, Maine; tel. 207/865-4201): The 1932 Maine Idyll Motor Court is a classic -- a cluster of 20 cottages scattered about a grove of beech and oak trees. Each cottage has a tiny porch, wood-burning fireplace (birch logs provided), TV, modest kitchen facilities (no ovens), and timeworn furniture. The downside? Highway noise. Cottages are $46 to $90 for two.
