Cape Arundel Inn & Resort

I really wanted to like the Cape Arundel Inn, but there were definitely some issues on my recent 2 night stay. While it is a pretty location- it just felt like they did the absolute minimum. You had to ask for everything- water, where things were located, ice, towels, a fork, a pen, etc. It was the simple things that totally missed- no one even said “good morning” or acknowledged your existence. We paid $1400 a night for the bungalow which was just ok. The bed was very uncomfortable as others noted if that matters to you. Based on reviews my expectations were already low and went in knowing I was not going to get 5 star service even at that price point but was still let down a bit. We did have breakfast one day and that was delicious food and the waitress was kind and trying her best. The drinks on the front porch were nice too. Again it wasn’t terrible but you should just know what to expect. The location of the main property where we stayed was beautiful, but the other location (club house) did not look as nice. It had some nice amenities like lawn games and pool though. I think the club house is much cheaper to stay at, so for 1/3 the price I probably wouldn’t care about the lack of service which seemed to be lacking at both locations. While I still had a nice trip I wouldn’t be able to recommend this experience for the price- but if you lower your expectations and don’t care about the money it will be fine but do not “splurge” and expect 5 star treatment.

Fabulous location, but overrated and overpriced. I booked this Inn using points, otherwise we would not have stayed here due to the high cost of our room. The room was very nice, and we had a full view of the ocean. But rack rate in shoulder season…$600-plus? No, not worth that. The staff was helpful and cheerful. The breakfasts were very good. The dining room is gorgeous, with big windows looking out to the ocean. We had dinner once here, and would not recommend it except that it was convenient. Fixed price, three or four courses, incredibly over-priced average food. Aside from the scallop appetizer, the rest of the meal was so-so in my and my partner’s opinions. |In contrast, we had a fabulous meal at Chez Rosa in the town of Kennebunkport that cost less than half what we paid at the Arundel — with wine and desserts.

It was our first time staying at this hotel, recommended by friends, and we absolutely loved it. The area is peaceful and quiet, with a calming atmosphere, the sound of the ocean, and birds singing — a perfect visual and mental escape. Our room was great, with high-quality coffee and a well-stocked minibar. We had breakfast at the hotel, and everything was delicious. One of the highlights of our stay was riding bikes and spending quiet time by the pool — it made the day feel truly special. The service was excellent, and the complimentary cheese and fruit were a lovely and tasty touch.

From the moment we arrived, we were treated royally! The Manager Sunday when we arrived was so kind and helpful. Our room had a beautiful view of the ocean and Walker's Cove. It was decorated lovely, and the lobby and restaurant were also beautiful. The food was exceptional. The service was great. Such kind and friendly servers. Christine was the front desk manager on Monday and what an outstanding woman was she! Christine helped us with reservations, with our computers and gave us ideas of places to enjoy. The wonderful concierge was helpful with directions and suggestions. The entire staff here are 5-star! What a pleasure it was to stay here! The blueberry French toast for breakfast was the best we have ever had. Amazing chef!! Thank you all for a terrific vacation in Kennebunkport!

Absolutely amazing! We stayed in the main building in the junior suite with fireplace and superb views of the ocean/Walker Point! Everything about the Cape Arundel Inn exudes elegance and relaxation. The staff are clearly highly trained and so helpful and polite. The personal touches are very nice and are a nice enhancement to the overall experience. I love Kennebunkport and I adore the Cape Arundel Inn! Their on-site restaurant Ocean is also five stars, absolutely delicious! Make a reservation for Ocean ahead of time and ask for a table by a window, it’s gorgeous! We will definitely be back!

This was our second year staying in an ocean view bungalow. As soon as we entered the room, I remembered why I disliked the room during our previous stay. On the upside, the view is spectacular, the staff is very accommodating, and the location is superb. On the “needs improvement” list, for $1,000 a night, I would expect management to clean the badly stained rug, install WiFi extenders, and upgrade the mattress. The bathroom is painfully small, but I could manage it with some creativity. I spent a day at the pool located at The Clubhouse. It was lovely, but there were loud construction noises all day from a contiguous property. It’s a bit frustrating that management has not addressed the ocean view bungalow deficiencies which could be easily remedied.

This was our third visit to Cape Arundel Inn which is now my pick for my birthday getaway each year. I can’t imagine a more beautiful, relaxing place. The staff is extremely hospitable and everything is so relaxing- from the glass of Prosecco offered upon arrival, to the beautiful piped in music. Our favorite thing is to sit by the bay window on the main floor with a martini and small bites. It is so enjoyable to take in the ocean views, rocky coastline, and comforting fireplace on chilly days.

Pulled into the Inn only to find out we are booked in the clubhouse a mile away. Got in our room with nobody around to help....to a broken down chair, the bed looked like a toddler made it, the room/bathroom smells like MILDEW and NO CENTRAL AIR...a box unit in the window. I expected a bit more for $700+ a night. Disappointing.

After reading many negative reviews about the Cape Arundel Inn Clubhouse, we arrived with trepidation. However, we were pleasantly surprised. The room was lovely and the grounds had a nice pool. The staff was very attentive. We did not find the Clubhouse old or shabby. While the accommodations are not fancy, they are clean and well-cared for. We enjoyed all of the the Inn's amenities and had a good time. I'm glad we went.

Careful when making a reservation. This is a bait and switch situation. The photos on their website show ocean front & ocean view rooms. You could end up like we did with an old musty room that is in major need of repairs 1/4 mile from the ocean at a separate remote property at a ocean front room rate. Learned the ownership is aware of this and they continue to run this scam.

Arrived and very disappointed. Was really looking forward to with all the great reviews and was happy I even got a room, until I arrived. At first glance the property is nice and the town is so cute. Then arriving at the room is another story. The older building is very dark and dingy. First impressions are important and the immediate odor released when I opened the door was not a good one. The rooms are good sizes but there is minimal air conditioning and the room is very old. The entire building needs major renovation and insulation. Too much money for what it is.

If you have ever stayed at the Old Fort Inn before, you are in for a very surprising, bittersweet experience. New owners have taken over and in our view stripped the Inn of its identity. Once a quintessential New England Bed & Breakfast, it is now like a sterile, chain-like hotel. The new owners ought to tell people what all they have done to this place, especially for those many repeat customers who have come over the years, such as us. We have been coming for twenty years, with our last visit 3 years ago. If only we had known of all the changes. Sadly, we won't be back. While the front desk clerk did note some of the changes, she tried to downplay it by saying, "See, we left the wooden walls in the main building." Yes they did, but our guess is the walls are silently weeping at the changes. Even in the carriage house where all the room are located, the long hallway has been made bare of decor and the rooms have had much of the antique furniture and accessories removed. No charm is left. The much looked forward to full buffet breakfasts are no more. Instead of freshly cooked entrees, breads, fresh fruit, local jams and preserves, and granolas, now one is faced with cold muffins, cold sweet breads, one dried out entree, and boxed cereals. Straight from the supermarket bagels, bread, and smuckers jelly are offered. Oh yes, then there is the processed lunch meats and cheese slices. Unlike before, eating breakfast is limited to the porch/patio area, and no longer is the great room used for eating and/or socializing. We stayed in a room at the end of the hall. Each morning we were greeted around 7:30 - 8 AM with an electric garage door opening and closing every 20 - 30 minutes or so, sometimes more frequently. The noise was loud, noticeable, and irritating enough to leave the room and stay gone. When we asked about it, we were simply told, "The staff have to work; we thought people are gone during the day."

I was extremely disappointed in this property. Upon arrival we were sent to a property off site that was a much older building. Did not have an elevator and no one to help carry luggage upstairs. Rooms were very old and needed updating. The front desk lady was very nice but the Housekkeeper was extremely rude and seemed very aggravated when I asked for an extra washcloth after running. The fire alarm went off in the room across the hall middle of the night and there is no one on site. Had to wait for maintenance for over 30 minutes before they came. They told us just to unplug it. Makes you wonder what the fire Marshall would say about that. The dinner was fantastic...one of the best I have ever eaten. However, at breakfast it took 20 minutes for anyone to come to our table and the service was very slow. Food was good but had to clear our own dishes(we had 4 people at our table and there was no room). We travel very often and this truly was one of our most disappointing stays. We had just left the Woodstock Inn in Vermont and it was a fabulous experience. Was hoping for the same here, but it did not happen.

Such an elegant, hidden gem in Kennebunkport! Conveniently located close to the beach and only 5 mins away from Kennebunkport, this B&B was everything we asked for to escape to a peaceful vacation from our busy city lives. The Old Fort Inn is much more peaceful than the others B&Bs and hotels around. The rooms are spacious and clean! The staff was so friendly and helpful! The pool is well maintained! What else could one ask for??? The Old Fort Inn is a Kennebunkport treasure! Perfect gateway location! We will most certainly be back!

We had a very nice stay at the Ivy Cottage (a 3-bedroom house on the Old Fort Inn property managed by the Inn). The house was nicely appointed and spotlessly clean. The staff was extremely helpful and friendly. They gave us great advice on things to see and do. The house is located in a quiet residential neighborhood away from the hustle of town. It was walkable to the beach, Walker's point and St. Ann's. The Inn runs a shuttle to and from the beach and another hotel (for breakfast), which was convenient. If you are considering staying in the Cottage with children, I would not recommend it. There is a steep, narrow staircase leading up to the second floor that even adults have to navigate with caution. There is an open landing on the second floor that a child could easily fall over. Also the front door doesn't lock from the inside, and my three year old almost escaped into the road when my back was turned. Additionally, the main part of the Inn is adults only, and we felt really uncomfortable using the pool, although we technically were allowed to. It was a quiet atmosphere and it's impossible to keep a kid quiet in the pool. We felt awkward. The front desk recommended going to a pool at a hotel up the street, which we ended up doing. It was inconvenient, but better than being the annoying people with a kid at the adults only pool. The cottage does have a wireless internet connection, but the signal is very weak and the connection was slow as a result. One day it didn't work at all. I think the main router is located in the inn, which is far from the cottage. Thankfully we didn't have to log in for work, but if we did it would have been a problem. The management should do something about this. One other criticism we had was the kitchen appliances, which were in working order, but old. The microwave was from 1983. Not sure is it's even safe to use because of radiation. Also the washer was ancient and kept needing to be reset mid-cycle. The management should consider replacing some of these, particularly because they charge so much to stay there (over $700 per night during the summer!). There were some negatives to the cottage, but we had a nice time overall.

We celebrated our anniversary here. The staff, rooms, pool and location were all perfect. This Inn is a hidden gem.

My wife and I stayed at this Inn a few years ago under the previous ownership. I have a friend from prep school who is good friends with the former owners and it was wonderful stay with what obviously felt like family, my friend even stopped by our last day and we all had a great time catching up. Today the Inn is in equally perfect condition, may be better managed as it is run by a professional woman with years of hospitality experience, and the breakfast was PERFECT. If you are staying in Kennebunkport , this is my first choice and I say this nervously because I don't ever want to call and be told that there are no vacancies when we want to stop by, as can happen with places very highly rated on TripAdvisor. This Inn is beautifully maintained, cleaned, decorated, managed, landscaped, everything is in perfect order for a night or two away. It will meet the strictest standards of the most discerning travelers and, it all comes with the very pleasing attitude of its manager Mindy and her wonderful staff.

We stayed at the Old Fort Inn years ago and it was one of our best memories of that vacation. It broke our heart that we needed to cancel our trip this year due to health issues but they were so accomodating to us. Lovely place to stay.