Kennebunkport, Maine

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Hotels in The Kennebunks

Lodging in the Kennebunks tends towards the stately and upscale, and most of it is crowded around the mouth of the Kennebunk River, near the twin vacation epicenters of Lower Village and Dock Square. Since 2009, a chi-chi developer concern called the Kennebunkport Resort Collection has been reshaping—some would say elevating—the hospitality scene. Properties like Hidden Pond, the Tides Beach Club (tel. 800/572-8696), and the Lodge on the Cove (tel. 800/549-1248), among several other properties, offer boutique luxury at peak season rates that begin around $1100 a night and spiral well upwards from there.  Some locals resent the gradual chic-ening of the Kennebunks, but there’s no denying the attractiveness of the properties.

There are still some budget options in the Kennebunks, clustered away from the main tourism district, along Route 1 and the interstate in the mainland section of Kennebunk. A reasonably priced, and very friendly, choice inland is the Kennebunk Inn (tel. 207/985-3351), at 45 Main St., set in a former private home built in 1799. Cozy doubles go for about $197–$329 between June and October, and are even cheaper in the off-season. The in-house tavern has good appetizers and drink specials.

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