The Exterior of Earth

Most people think of Maine in the autumn as a fall foliage destination, but did you know that it’s also a great destination for foodies?  Over the years, more and more culinary treasures have opened in the area, and the Kennebunkport Resort Collection is inviting food lovers to check out the fall seasonal cuisine of Kennebunkport with the Food Lover’s Getaway package.  Highlights include Earth, the recently opened restaurant of James Beard award winner Ken Oringer, and The Tides Beach Club’s new restaurant overlooking Goose Rocks Beach .

The Food Lover’s Getaway package is available through Oct. 31st and includes:

• Three nights of accommodation at any KRC property; Hidden Pond, The Tides Beach Club, The Cottages at Cabot Cove, The Kennebunkport Inn, or Old Fort Inn
• Dinner at a different restaurant each night- Earth at Hidden, The Tides Beach Club and One Dock at The Kennebunkport Inn
• Two hour sail on the Schooner Eleanor with a “snack pack” and wine for the trip
• Signature Maine Whoopie Pie upon arrival

Prices for the package start at the following rates:

The Kennebunkport Inn- $1,125
The Cottages at Cabot Cove- $1,415
Old Fort Inn- $1,224
The Tides Beach Club- $1,305
Hidden Pond (one bedroom bungalows)- $1,864

Guests will also receive a “must eat” list for Kennebunkport upon check-in, to ensure you don’t miss out on any opportunities.  Moose Tracks ice cream at Aunt Marie’s; “Dirty” wings at the Pilot House; Blue Cheese Mussels at One Dock; Lobster Roll at the Clam Shack; to name a few.

To learn more, visit www.kennebunkportresortcollection.com.

Photo credit: The Kennebunkport Resort Collection

The Inn at Brunswick Station

Olympia Hotel Management has announced that the Inn at Brunswick Station, located right by Bowdoin College in Brunswick Maine, will be opening late this spring/early summer.  Balancing nostalgic, comfortable, and contemporary design, the inn will offer fifty-two guest rooms and suites, along with function space and a tavern serving New England fare.

Guest rooms at the Inn at Brunswick Station will feature king and queen beds outfitted with luxury linens.  Other hotel amenities will include flat-screen televisions, and high-speed wireless internet access.  Guests will have the opportunity to learn more about Brunswick, Maine, as the hotel will feature sepia photographs documenting the history of the town.

The inn’s on-site tavern is scheduled to be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and will offer al fresco dining on the patio and covered porch (weather permitting).  Weddings, corporate meetings, and other functions can be accommodated at the inn, up to 150 guests.

Brunswick, Maine is easily accessible for car, train, or air.  The Inn at Brunswick Station will be 26 miles from Portland, Maine and Portland International Airport, 126 from Boston, and just 10 miles from Freeport, Maine.  Amtrak Downeaster service, which currently stops in Portland, will service Brunswick in 2012 when the rail expansion is complete.

Photo credit: The Inn at Brunswick Station

The Exterior of the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Freeport

When you think personal travel at a good-priced hotel, do you think Hilton Garden Inn?  If not, you should.  Although the hotel chain is typically known as a business hotel, my family was invited as guests of the hotel to experience family leisure travel at the Downtown Freeport Maine location.

Freeport, most famously known as the headquarters of LL Bean, also offers loads of other shops, outlets, and restaurants, most within walking distance of the Hilton Garden Inn.  My family of four stayed in a double bed room at the hotel.  While the room was relatively standard, we really appreciated the microwave and refrigerator in the room – great for families.

Other amenities include free WiFi (LOVE that), a business center with free printing (great for boarding passes), a fitness center, a pool and jacuzzi, and an on-site restaurant.  The restaurant provides cooked to order breakfast for $9.99, as well as room service.

Unlike some other moderately priced hotels, the Hilton Garden Inn offers great customer service and nice bathroom amenities (by Neutrogena).  A call down to the front desk to request an extra blanket was answered and fulfilled very quickly and with a smile.

Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Freeport
5 Park Street
Freeport, Maine 04032
1-207-865-1433

Photo credit: Jodi Grundig

Disclosure: Our weekend, including lodging, was paid for by the Hilton Garden Inn.  All opinions are my own.

Best Hotels For Fall Foliage Sightseeing

Fall is one of my favorite times to travel.  Getting outdoors doesn’t require a first-aid kit stocked with water and Benadryl and the scenery can be breathtaking.

Looking for a little fall travel inspiration?  Book a weekend at one of these hotels for a fall getaway and enjoy some of the greatest views of fall foliage.

3 Hotels For A Fall Vacation

Castlemaine Inn

Castlemaine Inn – Bar Harbor, Maine

Wake up on a crisp autumn morning in a New England bed and breakfast, spend the day driving through Arcadia National Park, and end with a quiet evening in front of your suite’s fireplace.  Add a knit scarf and leather boots and you have the perfect building blocks for a fall getaway at Castlemaine Inn in Bar Harbor.

St. Regis Aspen Resort – Aspen, Colorado

If you prefer decadent luxury over comfortable charm, the St. Regis may be provide a better backdrop to your fall fantasies.  Be pampered with butler services and spa treatments.  Listed on the 2010 Condé Nast Traveler Gold List, the St. Regis sits at the foot of the Aspen Mountain.  Bring your camera and your favorite book.

Glacier Park Lodge – East Glacier Park, Montana

Want to get away from it all this fall?  You can’t get much more away than the Glacier Park Lodge.  Built in 1912, this hotel provides easy access to Glacier National Park, and not much else.  But what the Lodge is (purposefully) lacking in modern technology, it makes up for with rustic charm and sweeping views.  Leave the blackberry at home and let yourself get back to basics for a weekend in this over-sized log cabin.

Photos courtesy of banspy on Flickr, Castlemaine Inn