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About
4.5
#1 of 13 hotels in Scarborough
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Just a stone's throw from the Atlantic Ocean, Higgins Beach Inn is a classic Maine beachfront Inn. Completely renovated in 2017 to refresh guest rooms, common spaces, and the on-site dining experience, Higgins Beach Inn is the perfect place for a couples retreat, family vacation, or an ocean activities getaway. Located about 15 minutes away from excellent dining, shopping, and nightlife in Portland, Higgins Beach Inn is perfectly situated for any traveler seeking to explore Southern Maine in summertime or fall.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
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Nestled close to the beach, Higgins Beach Inn is often celebrated for its tranquil location, a mere stroll from the seaside. The value of the stay, including complimentary breakfast and beach amenities, has been acknowledged by many guests, despite initial rate concerns. The service at the inn generally receives high marks for its warmth, though some have found the restaurant service to be hit-or-miss.
The historic charm and cozy atmosphere of the inn are frequently praised, as are the unique and comfortable rooms, even if some guests consider them on the smaller side. Additionally, the cleanliness of the rooms and the quality of the bedding and showers are widely appreciated.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Satisfying
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Relaxing
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My sisters and I stayed here with our Dad and Stepmom. We had an amazing time, and were treated with such kindness from everyone at Higgins Beach Inn. Everyone commented about the beds being so comfortable, and the staff at this Inn go above and beyond to make your stay comfortable. We enjoyed breakfast each morning, and had a very nice dinner at "Shade" - the restaurant that is part of the Inn.
Had such nice visits with Katie - who never laughed at our silly questions.
Enjoyed coffee each morning in the lobby - such a welcoming place!!
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Date of stay: June 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled 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.
My husband and I were on a quick trip from Vt to visit family. We had just one night to stay in beautiful Maine, and I am happy that we chose the Higgins Beach Inn. Jess, the customer relations rep, processed our reservation quickly and efficiently, and offered us an accessible room on the fist floor so we would not need to do the stairs. The room and bath were spotless and we felt very safe staying there during the pandemic. Breakfast was included with our rate and was delicious, and served in a comfortable and attractive, socially distanced covered porch. I hope to return when we have more time to enjoy dinner at the Inn and beautiful Higgins Beach!
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Date of stay: July 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:If you have mobility issues request a room on the first floor.
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 , Owner at Higgins Beach Inn
Responded Aug 4, 2020
Hi Peter and Mary - Thank you for such a lovely review! It makes us so happy to hear how much you enjoyed your stay at Higgins Beach Inn, and how much you liked your breakfast at Shade. We're grateful that you stumbled upon us in your quest to find a last minute trip to Maine and we're hopeful that you'll come back to visit us often. Take care and we look forward to seeing you again!
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This hotel is adorable! They truly make so much effort down to the smallest additions such as fresh water for the room and cookies/muffins to go. Will (front desk) is absolutely amazing. He was able to give us suggestions for places to eat and activities while always being a personable. We appreciate his effort! The room was very minimal and exactly what a room should be, quaint and clean. The hotel staff followed all the COVID policies and we always felt safe. This hotel is a 5 minute walk from a beautiful giant beach (depending on tide times) and short distance from Cape Elizabeth and Portland (about 15-30 minutes.) We highly suggest the Lobster Shack, Luke’s and Saltwater Grille. We did find the Shade at the hotel to be super slow service and a bit overpriced but convenient. Would 100% go back to Higgins Beach Inn!
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled 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 , Owner at Higgins Beach Inn
Responded Aug 14, 2020
Hi there! Thanks for the kind words! We are lucky to have Will, along with the rest of our amazing staff. It is unfortunate you did not necessarily enjoy you're restaurant experience, it is something we will always continue to work on! Look forward to welcoming you again! Carrie Allen General Manager
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The Inn is in a great location; centrally located to lots of interesting things and close to a good beach. The Inn was very aesthetically pleasing, both outside and in. Nice. At check in we were informed that there would NO housekeeping. We would be responsible for any trash removal and for any linen exchange that we wanted. However, they did not adjust their fees to compensate for the lack of cleaning services over the five days we stayed. Our cute and funky room was very spacious, with fresh flowers in the room and a full-size dresser so we could unpack our bags. However, the floor in our room was covered with sand on arrival. One downside to being in an older establishment is that the rooms are sound transparent and, unfortunately, the doors need to be slammed shut in order to fully lock. As such, we were awakened early in the day by folks getting up to watch the sun rise. A simple and cheap way to solve the slamming problem would be to shave the outer door edge. Breakfast was only served from 8a-10a, featured a very limited menu, and was mediocre at best. So, when ya’ll wake up at 5 or 6am because all your neighbors’ bedroom doors slam shut and wake you from a dead sleep, we recommend having somewhere else in mind for an early breakfast. 😊 We were thankful that we brought our own fan because it provided better air circulation than the wall-mounted temperature control unit that was in the room and added some white noise to try to drown out the slamming of doors and sound of conversation that came from adjacent rooms. Sadly, the staff at the front desk was not particularly attentive or friendly. They did say hello to a few people by name. However, we rarely received a “Hello” or “Good Morning” from any staff. We were never asked if there was anything that we needed or asked how our stay was going. Sad. This is a small thing, costs nothing, but generates enormous, good will. In contrast, when we went to Black Point Inn for drinks, we received more hospitality there in 2 hours than at Higgins Beach Inn in 5 days. Everyone there treated you as a valued customer. When we arrived and when we left the HBI none of the staff ever offered open or hold the front door for my spouse or me when our hands where full. Even the form letter I received soliciting a review did not have a name on the salutation line. It just said “Dear *First*. Clearly, you are trying, but not hard enough. Suggest that you up your game a little and train your staff.
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Date of stay: May 2022
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:There are no "Quiet" rooms. However, for the less noisy rooms ask for a 3rd floor room...
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.
My wife and I were very disappointed with the overall Inn. Our room was clean and bright. However, it was located next to the restaurant and fried food smell was in our room most of the two nights and the noisy restaurant was a real bother, when we tried to sleep after a full day of Fall foliage biking. We left our door knob slip outside of our room along with our towels in early morning and they were still there at 5:00 PM upon our return. In addition, not one staff person wore a face mask inside the Inn with all of the guest arriving outside of the community. We spent a week in Camden and Monhegan Island Inns and their staff took mask wearing and Covid measures very seriously. Not at the Higgins Beach Inn. Don't waste your money and health safety here. The owners and management need to wake up!!
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Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Travelled 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.
We just returned from a 7 night stay at the Inn. We have spent many years joining family at a cottage on Higgins beach but with the over flow this year at the cottage we chose to stay at the inn. The AC in our room during this very hot previous week was a guilty pleasure. We were in room 34 ,Top floor .We were in shape to be able to climb the stairs so no problem for us. Room was small but very doable for us. We loved the contactless fresh towel delivery when ever we requested it. We did purchase a few cleaning items to do our bathroom in these covid days. That also was not a problem. Since we only had a bed and no chair in the room they graciously brought one up for us. We absolutely LOVED they lent out beach chairs and towels. Flying from Minnesota those can not be brought by plane. We had the breakfast included package and the restaurant staff were wonderful as well as the food. I will end by saying the mark of a good hotel no matter how large or small is the gracious hospitality of the staff. Higgins Beach Inn provided all that and more.
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Date of stay: August 2021
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:Top Floor,no one above.Beautiful sunrise view.
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.
We had the best time as the Higgins Beach Inn. The staff was very accommodating, the location was great (right by the beach and within driving distance to Portland), and COVID precautions were following closely - making the whole experience feel safe. Also, loved the breakfast in the morning! We'll certainly be back!
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Date of stay: August 2020
Value
Cleanliness
Service
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 , Owner at Higgins Beach Inn
Responded Aug 11, 2020
Hello! Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a wonderful review! We are working very hard to keep our guests and staff safe, and we're pleased to see its not going unnoticed! Look forward to hosting you again!
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My spouse and I had such a lovely stay at Higgins Beach Inn. Their food was delicious (social distanced outside at the picnic tables and are at sunset), room service was superb, and the staff was incredibly generous and helpful. We had an unusual number of requests and the staff was extraordinarily sweet and accommodating with all of them. We stayed in a room that had a note about possible loud sounds, however we didn’t hear anything and slept beautifully! We will definitely be returning and can not recommend highly enough. The staff and proximity to the beach make this place incredible.
Only suggestion I have is to include more blankets in the rooms— duvet/comforter combination was a little thin. Perhaps they offer thicker comforters during the winter.
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Travelled 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 , Owner at Higgins Beach Inn
Responded Aug 4, 2020
Good morning! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts of Higgins Beach Inn. It's so wonderful to hear how much you enjoyed your stay with us. We are always happy to accommodate our guests in the best way we can. We hope to see you in the near future!
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The Higgins Beach Inn is freshly renovated and equipped with everything you need and want for a relaxing getaway. We appreciated the location so much - private, clean beach just three minutes away - Chairs, umbrellas & towels available, Fresh coffee always brewed and waiting.
The restaurant is adorable with a stocked bar and breakfast was a luxurious treat each morning with the happiest service. We had some lovely dinners in Portland and the drive was easy to make it happen.
The only complaint would be the noise as it's an older building and you can hear your neighbors as they enter / exit and move above you. If you're looking for a quiet and uninterrupted sleep as a top priority this may not be the best option.
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Date of stay: August 2022
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 Cindy Doxsey, General Manager at Higgins Beach Inn
Responded Sep 6, 2022
Hi Lindsay C! Thanks for the 5 star review, I am very happy you felt so well taken care of. We look forward to see you again in the future! - Cindy
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Perfect location, just a block from Higgins Beach! Everyone was so accommodating, and James and Will were exceptional from the initial booking, to arrival and departure. The Inn was very clean, quiet and quaint. The complimentary breakfast was delicious and a great way to start the day. The Swells Suite, which was on the first floor right off the lobby, was perfect for my sister and me, who stayed for 2 nights to attend our brother's wedding. The suite had a large bathroom, a queen size bed (so comfortable) and a sleep sofa (also comfortable). The sleep sofa was located in a separate area, which gave you sleeping privacy. Don't forget to take your morning coffee to the beach and watch puppy and dog playtime from sunrise to 9:00 AM. Adorable! I would highly recommend staying at Higgins Beach Inn. All precautions taken during these COVID-19 times.
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Date of stay: July 2020
Service
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.
There are more places to choose from in the Scarborough area.
PRICE RANGE
C$299 - C$510 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
higgins beach hotel scarborough, higgins beach maine
LOCATION
United StatesMaineScarborough
NUMBER OF ROOMS
23
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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