"Why did this hotel catch your attention? Just a few steps in front door and you're confronted with the hotel's raison d'être: the jaw-dropping cliffs. Framed by epic floor-to-ceiling windows, they dominate the lobby, tumbling down from the resort's perch down to the crashing ocean waves. The rest of Cliff House has more perfectly placed windows, minimalist (read: not lobster traps and seashells) nautical decor, and a drop-dead gorgeous shore view from the infinity pool.
What's the backstory? Built in 1872 on Bald Head Cliff, it was created and run by the Weare family, who by the early 1900s had turned it into a retreat for prominent East Coast families. During World War II the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers took over the property and built a radar station, using its coastal vantage point to keep watch for Nazi subs. It was sold by the family in 2014 to Rockbridge hotel investment firm, undergoing a massive renovation and expansion before it reopened in 2016. The result was not just the addition of myriad luxuries, but a modern design that included about 46,000 square feet of pine reclaimed from homes in Maine.
Tell us all about your room. Any tips on what to book? My Coastal View King was in keeping with the rest of the resort's quiet coastal cool aesthetic. Navy buffalo check bedding beneath the Cuddledown comforters here, subtle striping on drapes and carpets there. Bathrooms are laid out in clean-lines and Red Flower amenities, and the sculptural furniture is top notch. But just as in the lobby, the real star is outside the room's window, where the Atlantic Ocean does its thing with waves crashing or lapping, gulls crying, and breezes soothing beneath your private terrace.
Given my druthers and a sky's-the-limit budget, I'd come back and stay at one of the ultra-luxurious ground-floor suites or in the hotel's private cabin. (I mean really, who wouldn't?)
Is there a charge for Wi-Fi? There is no charge, and it's excellent.
Drinking and dining—what are we looking at? Two very different restaurants at the resort serve two very different purposes. The first, The Tiller, is the fancier of the two. Its modern-meets-nautical, cushy design is anchored by a double fireplace and overlooks the cliffs from on high. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served here, and they spotlight ingredients from as many local farms as the kitchen can get its hands on. The Tiller also has snacks throughout the day at the hoppin' and spacious bar. But the real focus is on dinner, when the tables fill up for lovelies like clam belly toast with uni butter; ethereal seared scallops with lobster friend rice; and lobster panzanella salad.
The second restaurant, Nubb's Lobster Shack, lives up to its name. Order food at the counter and separately at the bar for adult beverages, and find a table in the industrial-seaport looking dining room, out on the patio overlooking the sweeping garden and ocean, or take your spoils to a chaise by the abutting pool. Either way, you'll be digging into some superlative casual grub: avocado- and sesame-laden tuna poke bowls; lobster grilled cheese on sourdough; and fried local oysters are all standouts.
And the service? It's gosh-near impossible to find a hiccup in service at The Cliff House, and when one does, it's corrected without a second thought. Check-in couldn't be more efficient (call ahead and the front desk staff will do whatever they can to have your room ready before the official check-in time), and check-out has become entirely virtual, via text. Request additional Red Flower shampoo or body moisturizer (Trust me, you'll crave more after you try it once.) or extra towels, and you will promptly receive. Room service is fast to deliver, slow to get frustrated by unusual requests, and the pool and spa staffs take great care with everything from clean-up and massages to cuticle trimming.
What type of travelers will you find here? The resort opened in 1872 and enjoyed a mix of Mainers and visitors from all over the Eastern region. The same applies these days, although now there's also a healthy dose of European and West Coast tourists thrown in. Some are young families with designer-dressed kids in tow; some are privacy-seeking, hand-holding couples; others still are gaggles of moms on a spa getaway. All love the combination offered here: natural beauty, excellent service, and the style-conscious yet unpretentious atmosphere.
What about the neighborhood? What else is around?The resort sits on its own, 70-acre property on Bald Head Cliff, outside (but not far from) downtown Ogunquit.
Any other hotel features worth noting? The spa should really get its due: The space (gloriously perched above the frothy ocean waves, with relaxation room windows overlooking them) is world-class. From the flowing staircase and fountain beneath it to the imaginative boutique and cosseting treatments, it's easily one of the most compelling reasons to book a stay here.
Bottom line: Worth it? Why? It is, without a doubt, worth it. The combination of local Maine culture and front-and-center appreciation of nature, met with superb service and food, is difficult not to look back on as a place to go back to repeatedly."
