5 Best Hotels in Western Lakes and Mountains, Maine

On 25 acres beside lake-like Bear Pond, this 1800s homestead inn has country chic decor with plaid accents and handsome, spacious baths (some with Jacuzzi tub and shower); choose from the nine guest rooms and suites, cozy cottage, and post-and-beam vacation rental (sleeps eight)—most have water views and a fireplace or heat stove. Property amenities include a hot tub, massage cottage (fee), firepits, fireplaces inside and out (a fieldstone one graces the patio above the pond), and courtesy snacks. A romantic retreat for two, Sugar Maple Cottage has a wood-burning fireplace, private patio, firepit, and kitchenette. In the farmhouse inn, some suites are family-friendly. A double-sided stone fireplace centers the dining room, a propane fireplace warms the welcoming parlor, and rocking chairs beckon on the porch. Wedding receptions are held in the towering barn.

Just beyond downtown, state Senator Winburn Staples (1855–1939) built this stately 1903 home above Highland Lake on large grounds that include a pine grove; guests enjoy luxurious comforts and a relaxing atmosphere where they can kick back on the wraparound porch, in an Adirondack chair by one of the firepits, or in the living room or den, which has a gas-burning fireplace (two accommodations have electric ones)—perhaps with a drink from the intimate guests-only bar. Three of the four suites have Jacuzzi or soaking tubs. All accommodations have high-end linens and toiletries as well as bathrobes and slippers (take the slippers home if you'd like). Sumptuous breakfasts alternate between sweet and savory entrées and may include frittatas or pumpkin bread drizzled with cream cheese. Courtesy teas and coffee are always on hand.

Painted eggshell blue, this historic downtown hotel was built around 1900 for wealthy urbanites on vacation—from the wide covered front porch, you step into a grand lobby with polished pine wainscoting, statement oversized cushioned red chairs, and a brick fireplace. The main inn offers smaller "traditional" guest rooms with a king or queen bed, larger two-queen rooms, and a nice variety of suites (sleep two–six), some with electric fireplaces, while the motel-style lodge on Hayley Pond has 15 accommodations with a king, queen, or two queen beds (two also have queen sleeper sofas). All suites and guest rooms in both buildings have comfy seating. The dinner-only tavern and breakfast-only restaurants are open every day, except when the inn is closed for several weeks during the shoulder seasons.

Welcoming hospitality keeps guests returning year after year to this charming and affordable, light blue downtown B&B, where innkeepers are at the ready with day-trip tips or to kindly help guests as needed. Eight guest rooms occupy two floors of the antiques-filled home, which was built for a lumber executive in 1906; the larger guest rooms have sitting areas, and one has a queen and single twin beds. Open-plan Wandering Moose offers a private entrance, kitchenette, queen bed, and queen sleeper sofa. Served in the tin-ceilinged dining room, the full breakfast may include quiche or spiced apple French toast, both guest favorites. Above the rich blue wainscoting, maps of the United States, Europe, and the world are pinned to show where guests hail from—all 50 states and 60-plus countries and counting. Adjoining the dining room is a welcoming, old-fashioned parlor that befits this Victorian home.

Built in 1906 as a hotel annex, the four-story inn has 16 rooms and suites—all on the upper floors—and a wide, inviting front porch that overlooks gardens and offers an angled view of Long Lake beyond Naples' main thoroughfare. Some accommodations (though none of the larger ones) have water views, but all are unique, with varying decor styles and thoughtful mixes of new and older furnishings and antiques. In the spacious high-ceilinged lobby, the original mica and granite fireplace (converted to gas) anchors a sitting area with a comfy couch and armchairs. A full breakfast is served at tables on the opposite side of the large room, or, weather allowing, on that lovely porch.