The Federal

The beds were heavenly, with great pillows, excellent sheets, and a warm comforter. Everything felt clean and bright, and the room had a good layout, lots of lighting, a thermostat for heating or cooling, a large bathroom, a roomy closet with robes, and a big window for sunlight. I loved the porthole window with shutters, too. The lobby is beautifully designed and sets the tone as soon as you arrive. After an exhausting trip spent at a couple of hotels and with friends, I knew I’d chosen well. I’d give the place a 10 out of 10. The breakfast is a bag you choose from the night before, to eat in your room or in one of the seating areas. It was fine and fairly healthy, but didn’t excite me, which wasn’t a big deal. The coffee across from the elevators on each floor was very good. Don’t miss this hotel if you’re going to Brunswick, or go there and explore Brunswick.

Mackenzie and Dave were fantastic. They were fun, attentive, and came up with helpful ideas for my friend’s birthday requests. We were in the Captain’s suite, and they left welcome snacks, turned down the couch into a bed, and provided coffee and tea in the morning. We noticed and appreciated all the thoughtful details. Sabrina, our server, and Heather, the bartender, were professional, warm, and down to earth, as were the rest of the restaurant staff. The food was good and service was great. It’s a lovely hotel with a modern, classy feel that’s still comfortable.

The room was small but very nice, and the hotel was quiet. We stayed one night at $268, which felt too expensive for what was included. The breakfast was described as complimentary but cost $7 per person, and we had to reserve it the night before. That seemed bizarre, so we went out for Dunkin instead. It would’ve been nicer if breakfast had been included in the room price. When we went to the bar and restaurant just for drinks, they asked if we had a reservation. They let us in even though the place wasn’t busy, but the welcome was off-putting. It’s a nice place, just not worth the full $268 per night.

Sabrina made check-in especially good. She was wonderful and shared lots of useful information about restaurants in the area and what made the other little towns I planned to visit up the coast different. The front desk staff were all excellent, with sincere greetings and a real willingness to go above and beyond. I spent the week traveling along the Maine coast from Portland to Belfast, and The Federal was the highlight of the whole trip.