Article by Lulu Chang | Photos by Luke Beard
On a quiet stretch of Congress Street in Portland's West End, The Longfellow makes a strong case that a hotel can be restful by design. The 48-room property is the first independent full-service hotel to open in Portland in more than two decades, and it’s worth the wait. The property pairs New England restraint with a wellness philosophy that goes all the way down to the water bottles. For travelers who want the charm of coastal Maine without the nautical clichés, The Longfellow is a calm, beautifully considered base for exploring the city.
The Story Behind The Longfellow
The hotel takes its name from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Portland's most famous native son. Its home is a new building, not a restored one: a five-story, ground-up building at 754 Congress Street, envisioned by brothers Nate and Tony DeLois of Uncommon Hospitality with interior design by Post Company. The DeLois brothers run a fourth-generation, family-owned Maine hospitality group. They know this block well, since the hotel sits across the street from their Francis Hotel, a restored historic mansion they reimagined in 2017.
The brick exterior blends seamlessly into Portland’s West End neighborhood, while inside, Post Company's interiors nod to the West End's Victorian architecture without costuming themselves in it. The rooms have wide-plank oak floors, ceiling medallions, detailed moldings, and monochromatic trim, with contemporary pieces set easily against traditional bones.
Property Features
What sets The Longfellow apart is how much of it comes from Maine. The lobby table is ringed with Shaker chairs from Windsor Chairmakers in Lincolnville. Paintings by Portland artist Timothy Wilson and photographs by Jonathan Levitt hang throughout. Ceramic lamps from ANK Ceramics in Camden light the public spaces, and the case goods were built in workshops in Portland and Brunswick.
The 48 residential-style rooms and suites are generously proportioned, with window seats that invite you to slow down. Sleep is taken seriously here:
Mattresses are handmade in New England.
Loftie alarm clocks replace the usual glowing bedside brick, and indicator lights throughout have been deliberately darkened.
Swans Island blankets, velvet-upholstered beds, and custom TRNK armchairs complete the rooms.
For more space, the Evangeline and Gabriel Suites add separate living areas and freestanding soaking tubs with jets and chromotherapy.
Sustainability is built into the experience rather than announced. There is no single-use plastic anywhere, so guests get a French press in the room, refillable glass bottles of filtered water, and a real metal key at check-in. A guest pantry keeps snacks and water freely available. Complimentary Priority Bicycles and a house car to the Old Port make the rest of the city easy to reach.
Five of Clubs
Named for the five-man literary society Longfellow once belonged to, Five of Clubs is a salon-style lobby bar that gives guests every reason to stay in for the evening. The cocktail program is thoughtful and polished and includes a serious zero-proof list. Executive chef Wilson Suliveras turns out seafood-forward bites that pair well with a drink. The reverse happy hour is the insider move and one of the best ways to end a day in Portland.
Twinflower Café
By day, Twinflower Café is the hotel's easygoing counter-service spot, open for breakfast and lunch. The menu runs from espresso and fresh-pressed juices to bowls and sandwiches, with real depth for vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free diners. Guests can also text an order up to their room, a small luxury on a slow morning.
Astraea Spa
Astraea is the 1,800-square-foot spa on the second floor and the heart of the hotel's wellness mission. Its design draws on Scandinavian spa culture, with local granite, limewashed walls, and natural wood. The spa has two massage rooms, a meditation room with vibroacoustic loungers, and two private infrared sauna rooms. The private sauna is the one to book, especially for couples: it's a slow, enveloping heat you don't have to share with strangers. The retail shelves feature VOYA's seaweed-based skincare alongside goods from Maine makers.
Beyond the Hotel: Douro
For dinner, take the house car down to the harbor and settle in at Douro, where coastal Portuguese cooking meets Maine seafood. The restaurant comes from Prentice Hospitality Group and the team behind Twelve, another beloved spot in the city. The menu treats local seafood with the plainspoken confidence of Portugal's coastal kitchens; order the Cataplana, the traditional seafood stew that anchors the menu, or go all in on the seafood tower. The beverage program, billed as The Wine Pub, keeps things approachable and fun. The 100-seat dining room is all warm nautical textures and sun-soaked color, and it feels like a harborside café that happened to land one of the best addresses in town.
The Longfellow is more than a place to stay. It captures modern Portland: rooted in its history, devoted to local craft, and quietly focused on helping guests rest well. The West End location is calmer than the Old Port but still walkable to galleries, shops, and some of the best restaurants in New England. That combination makes The Longfellow an easy recommendation for a long weekend in Maine.
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