Inn at St. John, Portland

The Inn at St. John is an affordable little luxury we allow ourselves when we want to spend the night in the city. We live on one of the islands and the ferry schedule is doesn't always allow us to take advantage of Portland's cultural activities and get home. Since discovering the Inn at St. John, we don't worry about that. We know we have a home-away-from-home in a cmnfortable, elegant room. Far from those cookie-cutter chain hotels, the Inn at St. John provides a unique experience with all the rooms different from one another and all very tastefully decorated. The luxurious robes and upscale bath products are always appreciated also. One can tell a lot of thought has gone into providing comfort and elegance. We have stayed at the Inn at St. John at least a dozen times and have always been met by friendly staff who exceed my expectations. The Inn at St. John is not on the water, but it is in a convenient part of town, with easy driving or bus access to the joys of Portland. I love that the Inn at St. John is an historic building and that care has been given to maintaining that integrety. Since I have knee issues we generally elect to stay on the first or second floor, since it is a European-style hotel without an elevator. The one time I stayed on a higher floor, one of the staff insisted on carrying my bag up for me. It is the little, thoughtful things I love at The Inn at St. John. If you are looking fora box of four bare walls in a big chain hotel, this wouldn't be right for you. But if you are looking for charm and a unique experience in which you will be welcomed like family, for an affordable price -- try The Inn at St. John. Hopefully I didn't let out the secret of this lovely inn. I want to be able to stay there many more times!

The service at this place was uncivilized. The people who work here are slow, inefficient and don't know how to work with guests. The hotel also has no elevator and only PARTIALLY reimburses your shuttle service. As well, the manager was arrogant and careless. I would NOT recommend staying here. Look elsewhere!

Like the cozy feel of older very well kept hotels. The staff for Easter 2011 rated the highest including the lady and guy who took care of the rooms. Not much to dislike unless one does not like to walk about 15 to 20 minutes to downtown on great brick sidewalks or walking up stairs.

Room was large, very clean with nice touches. Staff was very friendly and they had a extensive continental breakfast. It's a quick taxi ride to Old Port if you don't want to drive. We were very happy and would stay again.

I have stayed at this Inn many times over the years since they have been open. What a great job the owners have done and the rooms are just wonderful. If you get a room and the bath is down the hall its never been an issue with me. However, If you desire an in room bath then ask for one! Great people work here and a good breakfast.

I wanted to stay in Portland in a place with some character. This place beats those big hotel chains hands down. They surprised us with a room upgrade free because the hotel wasn't fully booked. Staff was friendly and helpful (they recommended a great restaurant), the spaces were clean, tasteful, and comfortable. Continental breakfast in the morning was very good. Overall, a charming place at great value, good location. I am a student and on a tight budget, and I took my girlfriend here, and honestly, we couldn't have asked for a better place. It was a bit of a walk from the Old Port but that didn't bother us because the only places that compare in price are sleazy hotel/motel chains next to the highway. Also, free wireless internet!

IT WAS AWFUL NEVER AGAIN. THIS IS NOT A HOTEL. MY ROOM DID NOT HAVE A BATHROOM. IT HAS ONE BATHROOM OUTSIDE. THEY CHARGED MY CREDIT CARD TWICE BEACUSE THEY SAID I HAD TO PAY FOR THE CLEANING OF THE ROOM.

I love historical buildings, and sleeping in them even more---and this fits the bill. I consider the lack of stairs a plus, actually--it feels like an authentic boarding house of the turn-of-the-century. It's extremely comfortable, and there are nice touches like fluffy bathrobes. The bathrooms are NOT the Holiday Inn (they're small, and seemingly added-on, but perfectly clean and functional)--but who lingers in a bathroom? The people at the front desk are incredibly kind and helpful--they always haul my 50 pound suitcase up the stairs for me, ungrumblingly. They surprised me last time with an upgrade to a much nicer (ie, larger) room--apparently repeat customers are rewarded. Neighborhood is a little iffy; emergency vehicles abound; but I'm there for the sleep, not to see Congress St..I look forward to my spring and fall stays there every year with great pleasure. Wireless works perfectly in the rooms. See you in October, guys!

The room was nice and clean. Our problem was that we went for one of the cheaper rooms. The result was that our room was very tiny with only a few feet on either side of the bed. Also, we had a private bathroom down the hall; although the inn provided complimentary bathrobes, it isn't much fun to have to throw one on, find a key and stumble down the hall in the middle of the night to answer nature's call. Also, the room had a slight mildewy odor but then again so did most of Portland so it wasn't a big thing. The location wouldn't be bad if you were flying in because it's fairly close to the airport. Parking was free in their back lot although if you got back late it seemed to fill up and you have to park on the street (also free). Walking to Downtown is doable but still quite a hike. The neighborhood seems slightly dicey. The same pudgy hooker sat out on Congress 2 blocks away every night but was fairly innocuous. Don't expect 4-star elegance. However, it's a really good value.

We were comfortably housed for 5 days and 4 nights in a roomy,clean, nicely-decorated spacious room, connected to a huge bathroom. The staff at St. John was wonderful; giving suggestions about touring in Portland, telling us where good hiking paths were, and always having plenty of food there for breakfast (muffins, bagels, juice, coffee, tea, fruit, cinnamon glazed rolls, etc.), and an afternoon snack (cookies, lemonade, iced tea). We will definitely return to The Inn at St. John in Portland; we have NO complaints!