My family of four including two children will fly into Manchester, NH and drive to Portland, ME to spend one night before traveling to our final destination of Bar Harbor this summer. Need advice for a hotel in Portland to spend the night. Thank you.

If you want to stay in a regular hotel you might want to look at the Marriott South Portland, ME. It is an average Marriott although offers an indoor pool and whirlpool. AmeriSuites is also in South Portland, ME and they are almost right by the Marriott hotel. Amerisuites may be more of what you are looking for especially traveling with family, and they too offer an indoor pool. There is an Embassy Suites Portland, ME, which is located right at the Portland Jetport although it is closer to the airport then you might expect. It is a nice hotel still and Embassy Suites offers two room suites a little larger than Amerisuites and they also offer a breakfast cooked to order while AmeriSuites breakfast is more of a buffet style.

I hope this is of help, you may even want to do a search on the Internet for Portland, ME hotels or see if you could get a AAA guide book for that area.

We will be doing a similar stopover this summer. Does anyone have any recommendations about whether to stay in Portland or anywhere else along I95 in that area? We will come in late and leave early, so we will not be seeing much of wherever we stay this trip.

Susan, there are a lot of hotel/motel chains around exit 8 on the Maine Turnpike which would meet your needs of just a place to stay. These may be listed as Portland, West Portland or even Westbrook. These are well known places like Howard Johnsons, and all look very reasonable. Just do some web searching for hotels in Maine and you should have no problem. Also, places around the Maine Mall are not out of your way, but may be more expensive.

Oops, sorry Susan. My response was really more appropriate for Robin's question, though if you're only passing through on your way to Bar Harbor, it may suit you as well, unless you want to take the time to see Portland, which is well worth the time, by the way.

I've stayed at the Fairfield Inn in Scarborough Me.recently. It's only a 10 minute drive from So. Portland, reasonably priced and very nice. (AAA gave it a 3 diamond rating.)

Thank you for the suggestions! It's always helpful to hear from people who "have been there".

I have stayed at the Sheraton opposite the Maine Mall, and about 1 mile south in Scarborough at the Residence Inn. Had a reservation at the Embassy Suites, took one look at the room and checked out of the hotel. It was not built as an Embassy Suites, it was so tiny, not up to the ES standards I had been accustomed to. The Residence Inn was built recently to be a Residence Inn.

I can't help but wonder, was the airfare to Manchester that much better then flying directly into Portland, + the cost of a car rental and the time needed for the 100 mile drive?

Dear Susan,

Our family did a week vacation in Maine and on our way home stayed just outside Portland at the Inn by the Sea. It is a quiet beautiful resort with condo type rooms. Somewhat pricey but worth every penny. My teenagers are begging to return but I envision it as an escape for my husband and I! If you have a chance try the ForeStreet(sp) restaurant in Portland. It was wonderful!

Thanks all! And thanks to Susan for letting me "piggyback"!