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Cheaper
Average
Higher
About
4.0
#2 of 4 inns in Portland
Location
3.7
Cleanliness
4.5
Service
4.5
Value
4.4
Built in 1897, the Inn At St. John is one of the best Inns & Portland Maine hotels and is the city’s oldest continuously operated hotel. As a historic Victorian-era building, we offer an array of room styles, all of which are individually appointed and competitively priced. Whether you are searching for romantic luxury accommodation for a weekend getaway, a dog-friendly hotel room to accommodate the whole family, or even an economically priced room for an extended visit, the Inn At St. John is exactly what you are looking for. We are one of the few independently owned and operated hotels in the Portland area. As a result, you will find a complete dedication by our staff to ensure your stay is 100% satisfactory. A great deal of thought goes into every detail of the Inn from the decor to the complimentary breakfast. We think this approach sets us apart from our competitors and are confident you will agree. Conveniently situated in the west end of downtown Portland, the Inn at St. John is easily accessible to everything Portland has to offer. Don’t forget the numerous restaurants, shops, independent art galleries and nightclubs, all within a twenty-five-minute walk from the Inn’s front door. See our Attractions tab for distances from the Inn to popular area destinations.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Classic
Centrally Located
Languages Spoken
English
Location
939 Congress St, Portland, ME 04102-3031
Inn at St. John
887 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
This Arkansan is a bit of a Portland history buff so I come at this from that angle. I have moved back to Portland three different times and stayed at many establishments on the Portland peninsula along the way. I want to be clear and honest. If you care anything about Portland's unique history and want to stay at a location that is a part of that history there is really no other choice. This place was built by one of Portland's prominent mayors as lodging for visitors newly arrived from next door Union Station (a beautiful picture of the grand train station is displayed prominently in the ornate lobby).
But you not simply staying in a gift shop or a museum. This place has all the comforts you would want including delicious cookies in the lobby all day and night. And while Portland is one of the safest cities in America you will be even safer at this location. It is impossible for anybody to come into the hotel without being acknowledged by the staff (they always say hello) and they know every face that is staying there at any given time, seemingly.
Finally, while this Inn is not at the center of the city it IS 'on the peninsula', which is key. The peninsula is where you want to be and any point on the peninsula is only a 5 or 6 dollar Uber/Lyft ride from any other point.
Will, Jeffrey, Terri, Alicia, and Jasmin, Dave, and Glenn have always assisted me without question. Treated me like family as I transition.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Terry Morrison, General Manager at Inn at St. John
Responded Apr 11, 2020
Adam- We loved having you stay with us. Over time you became a part of the Inn at St John family. The Inn has a unique history that guests love hearing about while visiting the beautiful city of Portland. Thank you for taking the time to write such wonderful comments about us and our staff. We wish you all the best in the future.
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We spent an overnight here based on reviews recently. It was such a charming surprise. We parked in back parking lot, off street, and went in the back entrance. The lobby was totally European charm and the front desk clerk took time to explain where things were since we were walking to an art exhibit followed by a hockey game at the local sports arena. He gave us a bus map, discount for calling cab and Portland map to help us navigate. Was extremely thorough and helpful as well as very polite. Our room was right off the lobby with the breakfast area literally outside our door- we had trepidations concerning the noise level since our room was also on street level. Well, we heard not a sound all night and morning. The room had a king and a queen w/ it’s own bathroom with 2 robes hanging inside. Beautifully decorated. In short, we highly recommend this inn for its value, cleanliness and good continental breakfast.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Terry M, General Manager at Inn at St. John
Responded Jan 30, 2020
Siberianqueen- Thank you for choosing the Inn at St John for your visit to Portland, Maine. We are delighted you liked the European charm as well as the amenities we offer. Our goal to to make every guest feel at home and relaxed. We greatly appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again soon!
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I absolutely loved this cute inn! Not only was the room clean, the staff were hospitable and breakfast was included. The lobby was stocked with fresh cookies throughout the day as well as hot water, tea, and cocoa available 24/7. I enjoyed my stay here so much that I chose to stay an additional night just so I could enjoy the inn a little longer. As a solo female traveler, it was also comforting to know that all guests had to walk past the constantly staffed front desk to enter the inn.
The staff here were so helpful, from giving me a tour of the room before booking to helping me plan a route to avoid a snowstorm that was coming in the day I left, and giving amazing suggestions on socially distanced things to do during my stay.
I chose one of the value rooms with a detached private bathroom in the hallway. It wasn’t inconvenient at all- the bathroom was directly next door to my room and robes are provided in the room.
The inn required a negative covid test prior to check in, per Maine regulations.
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Date of stay: January 2021Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Terry Morrison, General Manager at Inn at St. John
Responded Apr 15, 2021
LeslieDriskill- Thank you for taking the time to write such a wonderful review about your stay with us. The staff does an amazing job assisting our guests with anything they may need, from restaurant suggestions to attractions in the city. We are delighted you had a great time and hope to see you soon!
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We recently stayed at the Inn this past June for 4 nights. We are from Colorado and this was our first trip to Portland or Maine. We did not want a typical hotel experience and chose the Inn as St. John. I loved the Victorian decorations and really appreciated the complimentary coffee, water bottles, daily afternoon cookies and continental breakfast. While not located in Old Port, we enjoyed being on the west end and walked to Old Port every day. Ubers were also relatively inexpensive from this location to downtown averaging $10 per ride/plus tip. Yes the stairs are crazy and a little steep, but we managed them fine and are in our mid 50's. The rooms are nicely decorated and we had a private, in room bath, room 6C. I saw other reviews saying it could be noisy, but we had a window AC unit that was on most of the time and we couldn't hear anything. Felt like we were in our own home with no sounds of other guests or outside noise. I also thought the king bed we had was really comfortable and I tend to be picky about hotel mattresses. I did joke that the stairs felt like Hogwarts from Harry Potter without the moving staircases - but they do go out in several unique angles. We also enjoyed sitting out front at the table and having coffee and donuts from the Holy Donut (a very quick walk from the hotel). The Inn is also a quick walk to the lovely Deering Oaks park, and is also located near Hadlock Field, home to the Portland Sea Dogs, a minor league MLB team. Unfortunately, they were traveling when we were there. I would suggest that families could stay here, but it is more suited to couples. Overall, this was a great pick for us and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The staff were always friendly and helpful and the hotel and our room was very clean and well maintained.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Â Room 6C was great for little noise, a private bath and king size bed. It does have a LOT of...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Terry Morrison, General Manager at Inn at St. John
Responded Aug 11, 2021
Moosevilleco - Thank you for taking the time to post a wonderful review about your recent stay. We are thilled you enjoyed your time with us and found our character and cham pleasent and welcoming. Hope you had a great visit to Portland, Maine and wish you all the best!
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The room was the size of a walk-in closet. We were on the 3rd floor and there is no elevator in the hotel, To get to the room was up a steep, dangerous, hazardous, narrow stairway. No help from staff with suitcases. The tiny little bathroom had only one electrical switch for light and fan. You turn that on and the noise from the fan will knock you off your feet. Hence it made you take a shower in the darkness. The smallness of the room made you think of "firetrap". Luckily, there was a fire escape right outside our window.
The breakfast was served downstairs , you pick up your food and put it on a tray. It was adequate. Because of covid, there were 3 tables on the sidewalk and one inside which was occupied. Nowhere for us to sit, staff recommended we could take our food to our room. DUH??? Coffee, juice and the rest on a tray up to the third floor??? At the inside table, there was a woman sitting , drinking her coffee and looking at her cellphone. We asked if she could move to the table with a printer on it. She and the receptionist said she could sit where ever she wanted. she was reluctant and combatant. Didn't care that we had no where to sit and eat. The receptionist should have had more tact and tried to solve the problem. He wouldn't give us his name. When we checked out we asked for the manager. Terry, the manager, said he was he one to deal with and would not tell us "Jeffrey's" name. Whoops, now we know his name. Terry was obnoxious and nasty, so much for goodwill. He told us to leave immediately and never come back. He won't have to worry about that. In our 60 years of travel, we never experienced anyone so rude, uncivil and ugly in hotel industry. And neither one of them dad mask when yelling at us. What an ugly, unpleasant experience !!!!!!!!!
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Date of stay: September 2021
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Â Do not stay in this hotel !!!!!!!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Terry Morrison, General Manager at Inn at St. John
Responded Oct 8, 2021
This review is overtly mischaracterized. This guest was acting extremely rude to a fellow guest who was quitely sitting in a loung chair in our lobby. His behavior was so bad, he was asked to leave. We do not tolerate guests who cannot conduct themselves in a kind and friendly manner towards each other or our staff. Our 123 year old European style Inn has a long standing history of providing excelant service as well as providing a wonderful experience for our guests. It's is unfortunate this situation ended the way it did. During this global pandemic, we understand travelers are a bit anxious, but kindness and thoughtfullness goes a long way.
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Charming interior and room. Free and easily accessible parking in back. Easy driving. Courteous and helpful staff. Clean and tidy room. Excellent breakfast (coffee, juice, bagels, juice, fruit, etc.). Quiet. An envelope for tipping the cleaning staff indicates a positive relationship with staff. Mini-glitches: Room 106 is right beside the office and you can hear conversations. Maybe they could add sound deadeners in the office. No instructions for the TV, which didn't behave well (hard to get the channel I wanted). However many apps and free programs. TV also broke into digital pixels a few times. Must be overloaded capacity.
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Date of stay: November 2020
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Terry Morrison, General Manager at Inn at St. John
Responded Nov 27, 2020
WilliamA318- Thank you for taking the time to provide us with some great feedback. We are so glad you liked your clean room, our friendly staff, and continental breakfast. The tv and converdation issues have been identified and resolved. Hope your flight back home to Seattle was a pleasurable one and wish you all the best!
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I usually stay at my son's place while I'm in Portland, but for this visit I decided to treat myself to a Bed & Breakfast stay. I found the Inn as St. John Portland in a Google search. My son, who works at Maine Medical Center in Portland, said he is familiar with the Inn because it's close-by to where he works. Your price was right, your pictures looked great, you include breakfast, and with an endorsement from my son I booked two nights with you through Booking.com. Unfortunately, due to illness, I had to cancel my stay with you. I want to thank you very much for being so understanding. You, and Booking.com, are a pleasure to deal with, and I will definitely book with you again the next time I'm in Portland! Thank you very much! Deb Paciulli, Brattleboro, VT
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Date of stay: June 2020
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:Â Location is close to Maine Medical Center in Portland.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Terry Morrison, General Manager at Inn at St. John
Responded Aug 6, 2020
matitle- We are sorry you were unable to stay with us. Hope you are feeling better and look forward to seeing you the next time you are in Portland!
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We stayed here one night on each end of our New England visit, bookending out trip. Staff was helpful even before we arrived, which we appreciated. We were coming w/o a car for a day, prior to collecting a rental. Staff was helpful to answer questions about their parking arrangements (when we did have a vehicle) and also advised that sights/restaurants were walking distance. Since they are on the outer edge of downtown, it is a quick Lyft ride from airport. As other reviewers have warned, there are a few steps involved in getting to most rooms. Yet, I think they do have one or 2 ADA rooms. The perks to staying here are the helpful staff, location and nice continental breakfast (self-serve). Parking lot was nice, but small. Street parking is available, but I think beginning 10/21, there is a charge for parking off the hotel lot. Room was reasonably comfortable, but ours was a bit small. If our luggage was more than carryon size, there would be little to no space. The bathroom is big, but only has the basics of small sink, shower and toilet. (I know the housekeeper was doing a good job in housecleaning, but the extras of origami-like paper folded on toilet paper and tissue box didn't give us pleasure. Feel it would be more sanitary to not have such "frills"). Overall a good place for our needs in Portland. We had good food/drink at Portland Lobster Co. and Bramhall, both walking distance away.
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Date of stay: September 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Terry Morrison, General Manager at Inn at St. John
Responded Oct 23, 2021
charlesa574- Thank you for choosing the Inn at St. John for your stay in Portland, Maine. We are delighted you enjoyed our European style Inn and your time in the city. Our hard working friendly staff does all they can to make every guests stay a pleasant one. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and hope to see you again in the future!
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I booked a trip to Portland and wanted a hotel that was safe, affordable, and comfortable - and this hit all the boxes! The staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating for a late night check-in, and there was always a friendly face at the desk to say "Hi." My room and in-hall bathroom were very private and comfortable, which was especially nice as a solo female traveller. Most things are either within walking distance or a short drive away, and the Dunkin next door is great to have!
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Date of stay: November 2021
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Terry Morrison, General Manager at Inn at St. John
Responded Feb 5, 2022
Jessalynn35- Thank you for choosing the Inn at St. John for your stay in Portland, Maine. We are delighted you enjoyed the Inn and our friendly staff. We look forward to seeing you again for your next trip to Portland, Maine.
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Stayed 2 nights in a value room with the added benefit of private bath across the hall. Delighted with the room which despite its small size had a full sized dresser, small table and chair, twin bed and bedside table. Window AC unit. I found the staff to be friendly and helpful. I wasn't bothered by the construction across the street. In fact enjoying a late afternoon cup of tea, I watched pairs of workers clad in green vests leave the job around 5 pm, no night work. Sirens were no more prevalent than other urban areas I've visited. The continental breakfast items seemed fresh, no wrapped in cellophane convenience store pastries. I particularly enjoyed indulging in the bite sized whoopie pies present along with coffee, tea, iced tea, and hot & cold water dispenser. available all day. The distance to Old Port was too much for me to walk, but a metro bus runs about every half hour with stops within yards of the Inn. As a solo traveler on foot I was aware but not scared of the surroundings described by other patron as "sketchy." Had I had my car, I wouldn't have been the least bothered. It is a city! When in the area again, I will definitely consider the Inn as a first choice again.
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Date of stay: June 2022
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â If you have mobility issues, consider talking to staff before booking. Staff do volunteer to...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Terry Morrison, General Manager at Inn at St. John
Responded Aug 7, 2022
kbc2013- Thank you for providing wonderful feedback about your recent stay with us. We are delighted you enjoyed our European style Inn and the city of Portland. Hope to see you again soon!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Thank you for reaching out to us. Per Maine CDC, anyone who has been fully vaccinated is not required to have a negative test, or to quarantine in the state of Maine for 10 days. We hope this helps!
There are more places to choose from in the Portland area.
PRICE RANGE
$99 - $184 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
inn at st. john hotel portland, inn at st john portland
LOCATION
United StatesMainePortland
NUMBER OF ROOMS
39
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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