Casco Bay Hotel Portland Airport - Maine Mall, an Ascend Collection Hotel

I can’t speak to the rooms or amenities since I never made it to the property. My flight was cancelled during the severe Boston storm on Feb 23, 2026, with widespread weather advisories along I-95. Heavy snow, blizzard-level winds, and airline cancellations made travel impossible. This was a major weather event, not a personal change of plans. I explained that the disruption was outside my control, but the hotel wouldn’t offer a meaningful adjustment. The choices they gave me, arriving the next day or later in the week, didn’t work for business travel or the situation. Hospitality should come with some judgment and empathy during a genuine emergency. Instead, I got rigid policy enforcement and no customer-focused response. This wasn’t an ordinary delay. It was an unusual, significant storm, exactly the sort of situation where guest services should show flexibility and professionalism. I’ll avoid this hotel next time I’m in the area.

My favorite sweatpants were left in the room when I checked out. A staff member said she’d call me back, but never did, so I had to phone the hotel three times. Each time they said they couldn’t find them. They told me their cleaner is usually reliable and reports even small forgotten items, but insisted nothing turned up this time. The pants were from Abercrombie, and it seems they were thrown away that same day. The hotel also said it wasn’t responsible for lost belongings. There was no apology, follow-up, or refund, and the customer service was very rude. Be aware.

The location is convenient for shopping and dining nearby, but the stay had some real downsides. The staff weren’t rude, just apathetic, and barely greeted me at check-in. The cleaner’s chemical smell gets into everything. It was unpleasant, almost sickening, and gave me a pretty severe headache during my one-night stay. The incidental hold also takes forever to come off. I can’t recommend it.

They told me there would be a $100 hold. When we discussed pets, I mentioned we had a lizard and was told pets weren’t allowed. That was fine, as was being asked to sign a paper authorizing a $250 charge if I brought it into the room. But then I saw a $250 hold on my account. Authorizing a charge if I bring in a pet is not the same as authorizing a hold. That is the exact wording I was given, and it was verified when the employee pulled up the video. When I pushed them to take responsibility, I said there was a language barrier. They accused me of discrimination and threatened to call the police before I could explain that I’m a minority, have family members who face language barriers, and am trans. One of my lifelong friends is an Indian man, Marharshi Majmundar. They refused to own up to something that can be verified, then called me prejudiced for mentioning a language barrier and threatened the police. A charge authorization and an account hold are not the same thing, and a language barrier isn’t discrimination, especially coming from someone with my background. This was the worst service I’ve ever experienced. Don’t come here.