City: Kennebunkport, ME

Category: Accommodations

Telephone: (207) 967-3331 or (800) 552-23

Address: 140 Ocean Ave.

Description: Enjoy the coast grand hotel style. On 11 acres at the place where the Kennebunk River meets the sea, the 1914 Colony Hotel harks back to Maine’s golden age of tourism, when the wealthy would flock north to escape the heat of the cities and set up for weeks in simple yet classic old hotels. Yet it’s got all the amenities of a modern resort—a heated outdoor saltwater pool, private beach, acclaimed dining room, poolside lunches, afternoon tea, beautiful gardens, a putting green, badminton, shuffleboard, croquet, bike rentals, and even movies in summer. You can even bring the dog. There are 124 rooms of varying degrees of luxury (none are really posh, though). They range from those in the Garden House, adjacent to Maine hotel, which are standard affairs with TV, private bath, and king, queen, or two queen beds up to the Ocean Grand Balcony level, which is a king-size room with a spectacular sea view and a shared balcony.