This is the time of year when I tend to fall into a bit of a seasonal slump. I’m out of my busy season, and my body and mind don’t really understand the shift. The whole 80-degrees-in-October bit is over, and I’m freezing. And it gets dark at FOUR. FREAKING. PM. Agree, Januaryfebruarymarch is far worse, but coming off a summer and September high always feels especially draining. I just can’t drink the fall pumpkin spice koolaid.

So, a November weekend jaunt to Portland, Maine arrived at an especially welcome time.

Being just about two hours from Boston, Portland is definitely a city we should be getting to more than once every two years. Because it’s a doable day trip, we’d never put much thought into doing more than such, but after cozying up for a full weekend there, I have a new love and appreciation for the city. An absolutely perfect stay at the Portland Harbor Hotel just miiiight have contributed to that.

[ stay ]

If you’ve been comin ’round this blog for long enough, you know we often opt for small inns and B&Bs when we take on the New England coastline, simply out of habit. But a HOTEL, goodness was this a fun and mind-blowingly comfortable change of scenery.

I think I’d be happy most anywhere there’s a king size bed and fluffy hotel pillows {what are those and how has no one ever been able to replicate them?}, but the Portland Harbor Hotel in Portland’s Old Port District was truly something special, and you realize that from the moment you step into the lobby, with a design that radiates both modern and classic New England. I’ve always admired designers who are able to create a coastal aesthetic without the use of anchors and other overt motifs, and it certainly checks that box. If you ever find yourself scrolling far back in the shell chic’d archives, you will see it took me a bit too long to learn that myself. Unfortunately.

Our room housed a jacuzzi I would have happily slept in, but the bed was also softer than cotton candy so it was a tough toss-up. I’m also partial to lodging that offers lounges and coffee bars, so I you can bet your bottom dollar I enjoyed a week’s worth of caffeine over two days just so I could continue playing with utilizing the Starbucks digital barista machine.

It’s the kind of hotel you just don’t want to get up and leave. I was not-so-secretly veryyyy grateful for some wet and gray weather, giving us the excuse to stay inside and full take advantage of the cozy but chic guestroom, spa-like bathroom half the size of our house, and meals at BlueFin North Atlantic Seafood downstairs.

[ play ]

I thought amenities like bike rentals were only found on Nantucket, but no siree – Portland Harbor Hotel offers them to all guests, complimentary too! In a quick break from the rain, we used these to scoot around town and see both the West and East Ends, and views from the Eastern Promenade.

Rain or shine, Portland Head Light will always be one of my favorites, and that’s a lot coming from the girl who’s visited upwards of 25 #andcounting.

While I preferred shopping over eating on this particular trip, Gus & Ruby Letterpress and ALAINA MARIE are two new favorites I’m happy to add to this list.

And no trip to Maine is complete without some form of interaction with L.L.Bean – the flagship is just about a 20-minute drive North in Freeport.

[ eat ]

I didn’t know that Portland is considered “America’s foodiest small town” before this trip, but I certainly see why now. Town felt so quiet all weekend, yet the restaurants themselves were BUMPIN’. Two hour wait at Duckfat? Sure.

BlueFin North Atlantic Seafood // Formerly Eve’s at the Garden, BlueFin North Atlantic Seafood is an incredible seafood restaurant attached to Portland Harbor Hotel. My husband is never one to order a lobster roll, but I’m pretty positive he’d drive the 4-hour round trip to Portland right now if it meant another bit of their creative Lobster Popover. I was also #thatgirl who continued begging for bread so I could finish every last scoop of their incredible Smoked Fish Dip.

BlueFin North Atlantic Seafood images courtesy of Jessica Beebe Photography

We had no intention of leaving post-dinner & moved our dranks on over to one of the restaurant’s cozy lounge areas. Had I been more prepared with an actual winter coat {#resist}, we would have taken advantage of the outdoor fire pit. I can’t even begin to imagine how gorgeous that patio must be in the summer, and a chance to eat out there certainly seems to warrant a return trip. Even if you can’t swing dinner, I highly recommend visiting BlueFin North Atlantic Seafood for a couple cocktails, if nothing else.  And if you’re staying at Portland Harbor Hotel, don’t miss their breakfast either.

Eventide Oyster Co. // I can absolutely tell you that Eventide was worth the wait. And I was HANGRY, so that’s saying a lot. The Brown Butter Lobster roll fell from Heaven, and I’ll give 5 stars to anyone willing to serve me a dry rosé in November. I also received many recs for its sisters restaurants, Hugo’s and The Honey Paw.

Tandem Coffee Roasters // Marble tables, cute cups. #doitforthegram

The Holy Donut // I’m going to get a lot of smack for this, but I do think The Holy Donut might just be overrated. Then again, I’m spoiled by Union Square, so unless you are also frequently graced by the presence USD Salted Caramel Bourbon deliciousness, you can add The Holy Donut to your list.

If you’re looking for an any-season getaway–and you’ve instilled your trust in me–Portland, Maine comes highly recommended. Thank you Portland Harbor Hotel for an incredible stay, and Mother Nature for choosing to rain on each and every one of our trips – this time, it was welcome.

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Full Disclosure: I received a complimentary hotel stay and meal from Portland Harbor Hotel for the purpose of this review. All opinions expressed are my own.