Warming Up by the Sea
inn by the sea, perched atop crescent beach in cape elizabeth, maine
A short drive north to Cape Elizabeth, Maine, feels far away from home, but offers the same stunning natural beauty of the Seacoast, with easy access to Portland for shopping, museums, and plenty of places to drink and dine.
Just before the holidays, I had the pleasure of spending two glorious nights at Inn by the Sea, an eco-luxury property recently voted one of Conde Nast’s Top Ten resorts in the Northeast, and chosen in Travel & Leisure Magazine as among both the top 100 hotels in the World and in the State of Maine.
Angelina enjoying a getaway at the pet friendly inn by the sea
Inn by the Sea is perched above Crescent Beach on 5 acres of preservation land that is part of the Crescent Beach State Park. The Inn is pet-friendly, so I took along my Brittany, Angelina, to enjoy long walks along the beach and special meals prepared from the hotel’s doggy menu! It was wonderful having her along. Dogs are treated like VIPs, welcomed with water bowls, cozy L.L. Bean blankets, gourmet dog biscuits and more. And if you want to stray from the property, they offer dog sitting services. If you want to bring home a dog, they foster dogs for rescue.
Just this past summer, 12 new two-bedroom modern suites with private decks and views of the Atlantic Ocean were completed shortly after the hotel completed a multimillion dollar renovation of the main house. The rebuild incorporates traditional Maine style living with contemporary interiors, embracing the beauty of its beach location through design, texture and locally inspired artwork. There are a total of 61 beautifully appointed rooms and suites, full service spa, fireplace lounge and bar.
Conveniently located in the main house with panoramic ocean views is Sea Glass Restaurant. Chef Andrew Chadwick cooks up a storm with creative seasonal menus while supporting “Out of the Blue,” a sustainable seafood program serving lesser known but delicious seafood fresh from the Gulf of Maine. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, as well as Sunday brunch.
local greens with an oregon pinot noir at sea glass restaurant
In the wine department, the wine list at Sea Glass has almost 300 wines from all over the world found in the Wine Cove. The list was awarded the Wine Spectator Best Award of Excellence in 2017. I especially love a list with a fine selection of half bottles, and ordered the Adelsheim Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley in Oregon, which paired perfectly with the farmer salad and local duck breast dinner entree.
In the art department, Inn by the Sea has a breathtaking collection of art. You will see paintings by renowned European artists Chagall, Matisse, and Cavallon, alongside Maine painters Maurice Freedman, Stephen Morgan Etnier, Eric Hopkins and Ed Douglass. In addition, 14 original elephant folio engravings are displayed throughout the hotel where you can learn about the birds found on the property by J.J. Audubon, famous for his extensive studies of American birds in their natural habitat.
Staying indoors can be a wonderful way to enjoy a cold winter’s day. Inn by the Sea has a full service spa with a complete menu of unique facial and body treatments, massages, and steam rooms for women and men. The spa products are all natural and marine-based including local healing ingredients such as pure essential oils, sea salt, Maine mud and algae.
There are packages available whether you’re planning a day trip, weekend getaway, side trip from skiing, or just looking to do something extra special. www.innbythesea.com.
Cheers!