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Maine is a funny little place. It’s so often passed over as a major tourist destination but overwhelmingly adored by everyone who goes there. Its breathtakingly rugged coastlines and national parks beg for adventure while its marvelous cities and small towns add historic relevance far beyond the average state. It’s much more than a good lobster dinner.
And it’s the history we’re honing in on in this article. With so many colorfully historic hotels in Maine, it’d be a shame to opt for a cookie-cutter franchise property. To help, we’ve found some of the best historic hotels in Maine you can book with points.
Best historic hotels in Maine you can book with points: Hyatt
Kennebunkport Captains Collection
Location: Kennebunkport, ME
Price: 24,750 points/$282+
Vibe: Historic and homey
The rundown: Its spectacularly cool name aside, all the stays featured in the Kennebunkport Captains Collection are the kind of places you keep coming back to. From the outside, they’re prototypical historic homes: beautiful, but you’ve seen it before. Inside, however, you discover a modern comfort paradise. It’s painstakingly renovated with artsy flourishes to bring it forward to the 21st century.
This is a new addition to the World of Hyatt program, transferred in with the new partnership between the hotel giant and Mr and Mrs Smith, the independent boutique hotel platform. As such, rates don’t match the same World of Hyatt award chart we’re used to, but it’s still possible to book one of the homes for a reasonable 24,750 points.
Best historic hotels in Maine you can book with points: Marriott
The Press Hotel, Autograph Collection
Location: Portland, ME
Price: 52,000+ points/$343+
Vibe: Luxury worth reading all about
The rundown: The Press Hotel is a renovation done right. So many historic buildings have been condemned to mediocrity, but not this one. Once the home of the Portland Press Herald, the state’s largest newspaper, it’s been transformed into a modern ode to its past. Rooms are stylish and modern but boast regular nods to the print industry without becoming tacky. Think: old typewriters in the hallways and printing stamps adorning the check-in wall.
It’s part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection and bookable at rates starting at 52,000 points a night. You’ll either need a Marriott co-branded card or an American Express card with a big bonus to grab those points. The Platinum Card® from American Express is a good call in this situation. Otherwise, you’re looking at around $343 for arguably the coolest of the historic hotels in Maine.
- Best for: Luxury Perks
- Annual Fee: $695
- Pay Over Time APR
- Reward Rate: 5X
- Recommended Credit: 670-850
The Platinum Card® from American Express
80,000 Membership Rewards® Points
Offer Details:
80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in your first 6 months of card membership
Why we like it
The Amex Platinum was once the sole dominating force in the luxury credit card space. While it now faces some stiff competition, it still offers unbeatable perks like unprecedented airport lounge access, elite status at Hilton and Marriott, and some outstanding statement credits making the mammoth $695 worth it for some.
Reward details
5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
$200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
$155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
$200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can get out and about and explore their local area with $15 in Uber Cash for US rides each month, plus a bonus $20 in December. That can be up to $200 in annual Uber savings. Simply download the Uber app and add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to get started. Available to Basic Card Member only. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
$199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
Cons
The $695 annual fee is brutally high. Too high for many that can’t, or don’t want to take full advantage of its benefits.
Points-earning rates are low unless spending directly on flights or with the Amex Portal.
Some of the benefits, like travel credits, are more limited and are harder to use than competing cards’ offerings.
Westin Portland Harbor View
Location: Portland, ME
Price: 45,000+ points/$215+
Vibe: Historic hotel, modern amenities
The rundown: Marriott had their eye on historic hotels in Maine, obviously. The Westin Portland Harbor View was originally opened in the 1920s as the Eastland Park Hotel. It’s been fully renovated into a chic modern space but retains the elegance and style of the early 20th century everyone adores. Opt for a high-floor room if possible to take advantage of the stunning views over the city.
The best rate we could find on the Westin was 45,000 points, with rates rising from there depending on the date. That’s not terrible, and using the same Platinum card mentioned above, you’d be only 2,000 points short of a two-night stay after hitting the $8,000 spending threshold required to earn the 80,000 points.
Read also: The Best Hotel Credit Cards
Best historic hotels in Maine you can book with points: Chase Travel℠ portal
Cliff House
Location: Cape Neddick, ME
Price: 1.25 or 1.5 cents per point (rooms start at $650)
Vibe: Cliffside classic
The rundown: We don’t always recommend using credit card travel portals, but historic hotels in Maine are predominantly independent so opting to use Chase or American Express’ own sites makes for a good alternative. Chase in particular offers good value depending on whether you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. If it’s the latter, you’ll get 1.5 cents per point when redeeming hotels on the portal.
With that in mind, the Cliff House makes for an excellent choice. The stunning resort is perched atop a dramatic cliffside, with many rooms offering excellent sea views. Rooms are expansive and bright, and the onsite restaurant is a winner according to the reviews. It’s been in operation since 1872, so you can trust they know what they’re doing.
- Best for: Luxury Travel
- Annual Fee: $550
- Regular APR: 21.99% - 28.99%
- Reward Rate: 1X - 10X
- Recommended Credit: 740-850
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
60,000 Bonus Points
Offer Details:
60,000 Bonus points and $300 Chase Travel Credit.
Why we like it
Get up to $1,050 in Chase Travel value. Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year.
Reward details
- 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠.
- 5x total points on flights through Chase Travel℠.
- 3x points on other travel and dining.
- 1x points per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Pros & Cons
PROS
Get up to $1,050 in Chase TravelSM value. Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year.
The $300 travel credit covers anything travel related, whether thats an Airbnb, a taxi, a flight, or hotel, making it almost impossible not to lessen the dent the fee made.
The points are worth 1.5 cents a piece when used directly on Chase’s Ultimate Rewards Portal, offering a simple but high value use for your points.
Plenty of excellent transfer partners allow points to be maximized
Some excellent partnerships with Doordash and Lyft add to its value.
Priority Pass membership allows access to over 1,300+ airport lounges and restaurants.
CONS
No complimentary elite hotel status, like that offered by the Amex Platinum.
You won’t earn points on travel purchases until the $300 credit is used.
It’s subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule. So if you’ve opened five cards in the last two years, you’re most likely not going to be accepted.
Best historic hotels in Maine you can book with points: American Express Travel portal
Old Winterport Commerical House
Location: Winterport, ME
Price: 27,000 points+/$195+
Vibe: Live-in history
The rundown: If you’re looking for historic hotels in Maine, you can’t get much more historic than the Old Winterpoint Commerical House. Impossibly cozy, the B&B was built in the 1830s as a stagecoach stop. Nowadays, it has five unique rooms and a quirky little antique store on the bottom floor. It looks amazing from the outside, too.
This property is found on the American Express Travel portal. Unlike Chase’s version, you’ll only get 1 cent per point here, so we’d only recommend booking here if you’re desperate to save some cash and can’t find a stronger points deal elsewhere. The cash rates hover around $195, so it’s not too expensive.
Pentagoet Inn & Pub
Location: Castine, ME
Price: 1 cent per point/ $220+
Vibe: Vino-Victorian
The rundown: Another masterclass in updating a hotel without losing its soul, this Victorian hotel was built in the late 1800s and features all the hallmarks of the times: three atmospheric turrets and an adorable little porch begging to be lounged around in in the late afternoon.
Its pub, Mister’s Pub, is an absolute highlight for anyone who stays. Decked out in Victorian antiques from around the world, there’s a massive wine list, excellent cocktails, and some wonderful supper options. It’s another American Express Portal option, so you’ll be looking to get that same 1 cent per point rate. The same advice from the previous hotel applies.
by your friends at The Daily Navigator
