There is no better place for a quintessential New England vacation than southern Maine. If you are looking to splurge a little, check out the Cliff House in Cape Neddick, Maine. How can you beat these views?!
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Luckily, I have family that live in Maine and took many trips to the area when I was a child. Now that I have kids of my own, I’ve been able to show them some of my favorite spots!
For more information on the Cliff House, click here.
When COVID19 started easing up in the summer, we decided to take a quick trip to the coast. Due to the ongoing pandemic, it was extremely important to me to find a hotel that was going above and beyond to ensure guest and staff safety.
After a little research online and a few calls to the hotel, we decided that Cliff House in Cape Neddick, Maine was the perfect spot for our quick trip!
Upon driving up to the hotel, we were stopped at a booth to submit our names and have our temperatures taken. This was done each time we returned to the property.
As for the rooms, each has had an air purifier installed and the HVAC systems have had UV lights installed to kill bacteria and COVID!
Entering the lobby will give you your first glimpse of the stunning panoramic views of the Atlantic coastline. The lobby was warm & welcoming. The front desk staff were very helpful and made the check-in process quick & easy.
The Cliff House has been welcoming guests since 1872 and, as you can imagine, has extensive historical significance that comes with an accomplishment like that. This includes being taken over by the U.S. Army to be used as a radar station to keep watch for Nazi submarines.
Guest rooms range from King rooms with partial oceanviews to the Weare Cottage – a private guest house with three bedrooms.
We chose an ‘Oceanfront with Two King Bed Guestroom’ for our stay. The room was recently renovated. Everything was very clean and I loved the light nautical decor.
Although beautifully renovated, some small details were overlooked (such as the upside down maps hanging on the walls).
The property grounds were kept immaculately clean and the landscaping was beautiful. The path along the coastline was perfect for a quiet walk.
Although it is mostly rocky coastline, there is a staircase by the main building that will bring you down to the water. After dinner one night, we explored tide pools and watched for whales.
There is a grassy area to play ladderball and croquet that is right near the family pool. This is also where they hold other childrens activities. One day that we were there they had a kids t-shirt tie dye station.
This cozy sitting area and fire were located right outside of our hotel building. It’s the perfect area to enjoy a cocktail before dinner while the kids play in the grassy area. The front desk also has s’mores making kits for purchase.
The lower level of the hotel had a movie theater & art gallery.
There are three pool areas at the resort – an adults only pool, an indoor pool, and a pool area intended for families.
If you are looking to spend time in Portland, check out my post A Weekend in Portland, Maine.
Overall, our stay at the Cliff House was great and we will be returning for many years to come. My only complaint would be regarding the dining at the resort.
I have to say, I was highly disappointed in the food at the Cliff House. They do deserve some grace, learning to operate with all of the COVID restrictions could not have been easy.
Here are some of my thoughts on our dining at the Cliff House:
The latte that I ordered here was good. The muffin was stale and the breakfast sandwich was really greasy. The resort offers complimentary coffee and tea at locations throughout the resort – I would stick to that and go offsite for breakfast.
The food here was the best that we had at the resort (but still nothing memorable) and the outdoor seating has a great view. The lobster grilled cheese sandwich and kids chicken tender meals were both good. The clam chowder, lobster roll and power blend slaw were decent but all pretty bland. Everything was pretty overpriced. Most items were sold out and they closed earlier than advertised both nights we stopped in for a cocktail and dessert.
We booked this restaurant for our last night of the trip. I loved the decor in the restaurant and the views can not be beat. The service was great. The food and drinks were highly disappointing.
We had the Organic Romaine Salad, Maine Mussels, Tapenade Game Meatballs, Strip Steak, Gulf of Maine Fish, Seared Scallops, Vegetable Paella (we added seared salmon) and the Kids Hanger Steak Meal. Most items were bland, some inedible (the paella) and overall just a really pricy, bad meal.
Normally, we wouldn’t eat as many meals right at the resort but given the pandemic situation, it was the safest option. Although the dining experience at the hotel was not pleasant, I will be giving all of their dining locations another try once things get back to normal after COVID.
That being said, here are some dining options that are close by that I would highly recommend…
Located just steps away from Ogunquit Beach, this is the place to go after a long day at the beach. Everything that we had was delicious and the seafood chowder was the best I’ve ever had. We also had the clam chowder, crab cakes and the fried seafood plate.
We went here right when they opened and there was already a line outside. They weren’t taking reservations when we visited so I would recommend arriving early or be prepared for a short wait.
DON’T MISS THE SEAFOOD CHOWDER!
If you are looking for a no-frills twin lobster dinner, this is your spot. This family run business also has really great chowder and fish tacos.
Grab a table out on the deck and enjoy a rum punch and some fresh seafood! We had the clam chowder, a Maine crab salad roll and steamed lobster. Make sure to save room for dessert – their blueberry pie a la mode is amazing! The views are beautiful and the cocktails are strong.
Have you had the chance to visit Cliff House Maine yet? Comment below and let me know what you thought of it!
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