Cape Neddick, Maine
Cliff House Maine
Seafront Legend
What it is
An 1872 icon on 70 acres of Bald Head Cliff, born anew with 226 nautically glamorous rooms, toothsome restaurants and a 9,000-square-foot spa.
What it isn't
Just about the beach. Activities include walking trails, kayaking the Ogunquit River, lobstering with the locals and cruising to Nubble Lighthouse, built in 1879 and twinkling as ever.
What we think
There is no bad seat—er, stay—at Cliff House, where every single guest room faces the glimmering sea (with floor-to-ceiling windows, natch). We love that the recently revamped interiors are beachy without being cloying; think tawny neutrals, sedate blue gingham, blonde woods and, of course, shiplap walls. Although rooms are unexpectedly spacious (most start at 440 square feet), it’s worth booking a Premium Oceanview King for the living area replete with a gas fireplace tailor-made for cozy evenings in, cuddled under the Comphy linens or Netflixing on the sofa in their plush hooded robes. Golfers flock here for access to preferred tee times at the semi-private, 18-hole Cape Neddick Country Club, where any game in the salty air is a good one.
You're here because
Loaner house cars are part of the Volvo Experiential Driving Program and available for car commercial-worthy explorations up and down the coast gratis.
The Moment
The Maine coastline has no shortage of stellar lobster shacks, so you didn’t expect much from Cliff House’s. You were wrong. Nubb’s Lobster Shack is as authentic as any you’d find on a pier—so authentic, in fact, that after you down a Maine lobster roll with brown butter, you head out to the verdant lawn to play a game of cornhole with an Allagash brewing ale in one hand and a Wicked Whoopie Pie in the other. You could get used to this.
Restaurants & Bars
Nubb's Lobster Shack - Seasonal restaurant offering quintessential Maine cuisine
The Tiller Restaurant - Upscale contemporary restaurant with a seasonal rotating menu
Bald Head Coffee Co. - Bringing signature blends and single brew services
Location
Roosted on a cliff fronting the frothy Atlantic Surf, a 50-minute drive south of Portland and just over an hour north of Boston. The retreat of the Bush family, Walker’s Point Estate, is 14 miles up the coast in Kennebunkport; kids of every age enjoy the nearby Seashore Trolley Museum, where you can hop on vintage trolleys from cities across the globe.