April 10th, 2015 —
With its manageable size, creative culinary scene, active cultural life and proximity to unspoiled seacoast scenery, Portland blends artistic and outdoors in perfect proportion. The May 6th opening of The Press Hotel should brighten the spotlight. It’s an upscale boutique property located in the historic Portland Press Herald building.
Wordsmiths will note journalistic images and newsroom references woven into various aspects of the hotel’s design. Each of the 110 rooms is inspired by a 1920s writer’s office and includes a vintage-styled journalist desk. Playful touches, like typewriter-key-styled bar coasters and an installation of antique typewriters, stay on theme.
The Press Hotel aims to capture the essence of Portland by enabling guests to get under the city’s cultural skin by featuring Maine artisans, craftsmen and local culinary talent. Dedicated to celebrating the city’s vibrant arts community, the hotel will feature an art gallery comprised entirely of Maine artists.
Aiming to enhance the already stimulating Portland dining scene, The Press Hotel will be home to the 65-seat restaurant M.C. UNION, helmed by acclaimed James Beard Award-winning chefs Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier. Widely regarded as regional originators of farm-to-table sustainable cuisine before it was on trend, the chefs will stay true to their passion with a menu of all-American favorites. The lobby bar, aptly named The Inkwell, will feature handcrafted vintage cocktails.
Portland’s created quite a buzz in the craft beer department and The Press Hotel puts you in close proximity to the best local bars. You’ll be able to sip a Casco Bay Riptide Red Ale and meander back to your comfy room in minutes.
For more information and reservations, visit thepresshotel.com or call 800-971-2000. Rates start at $299/night.
How to get there: Amtrak’s Downeaster departs Boston’s North Station and will get you to Portland in two hours. See oM’s guide to Boston transportation. Note that trains and buses from NYC arrive at Boston’s South Station or Back Bay, so you will need to transfer to North Station via the “T”, Boston’s subway. If you are flying, the hotel offers complimentary pickup/dropoff at the airport.
For more things to do in Portland, read Maine Things: Pounding the Streets and Shores of Portland
Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributes travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She is fluent in Italian and Spanish and laughably adequate in French. Her background as an Early Childhood Educator gives her an added understanding of what it takes to travel with kids in tow. She firmly believes that the most important part of education takes place outside of the classroom, on the road, around the world. She never misses a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. Follow Allison at @gourmetrav.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram