Higgins Beach Inn

Second trip to Maine had us making sure whatever we did, it had to include a return to the Higgins Inn. So glad we did, a wonderful experience just like we stumbled upon first time. Love everything about them from super friendly support staff to great restaurant. This is can't miss place to stay on the most incredible beach.||Great job everyone at the Higgins. Your great at what you do.

Loved our one night stay at this Inn. We hadn't been in Cape Elizabeth in 40 years and it was great to be back. Our room was pristine and comfortable. The staff at the front desk were most accommodating and helpful, and we enjoyed a wonderful dinner and a breakfast here. Loved the fact that the inn is situated only yards from the beautiful Higgins Beach area, and on a quiet, pretty road. Thank you staff!

What a wonderful hotel and the staff there is outstanding. Margo, Avery, Jackie and everyone else could not have been more helpful and accommodating. I called several times before we arrived and asked a lot of questions since my husband is a wheelchair user, and we had many special needs. No matter what I requested Margo, and her staff took care of it including moving the bed over to make more room. The inn is old so the access to the building does require the use of a lift which did make going in and out of the building difficult, but I was aware of this situation before we arrived, and it worked out okay!||The breakfast was so good too and the restaurant staff was so nice. ||Love this place and the people who make it that way!

Excellent location because it is a short walk to the beach. Room was clean and cute, but very simple and not spacious. Breakfast is sort of included at their restaurant—they give you a voucher for so much per person. Food was ok with a few standard options. Maybe it was just our room, but we were awakened to a door banging and what sounded like staff hauling supplies into the hotel. There had been similar noise the night before right up to the 10pm “noise curfew”. Between times it was very quiet though.

Very nice Inn in a great beach neighborhood. Love the "Old school " feel of the Inn, our room was bright, clean & comfy. All the help was very pleasant lots of nice amenities great breakfast included in B&B. We would defiantly go back!

Honest Review of the Higgins Beach Inn|After the price we paid, I feel it's important to share an honest review of our stay at the Higgins Beach Inn.|First, we absolutely love Higgins Beach — it's a beautiful, upscale, well-maintained, and friendly neighborhood. It feels very safe and is a wonderful area to explore. As active senior citizens who enjoy the outdoors and spend little time in our room, we had a generally pleasant two-night stay.|The Inn itself is a historic property that has been updated, though not fully renovated — and that distinction is important. We live in an 1820s home ourselves and appreciate the charm and quirks of older buildings, so we weren’t expecting modern luxury. However, there are some drawbacks worth noting.|Room:|The room was small — very small. There was no closet, and space for luggage was limited. We recommend unpacking into the single bureau provided, as there’s barely room for two small suitcases. A shared mini-fridge is available on the floor. The room was cute in its own way, but it’s starting to feel worn and could really use a refresh. The two wicker chairs looked charming but weren’t comfortable for sitting. On a positive note, the bathroom was clean and nicely updated. The bed was quite firm, which may or may not be to your liking, but the pillows were comfortable.|Common Areas & Amenities:|This is where the experience fell short. The common areas are minimal. If the weather hadn’t been beautiful during our stay, it would’ve been difficult — there’s no indoor space to relax outside of your room, and the porch has limited seating. This is something to consider if you're planning a stay during cooler or rainy months.|There are no coffeemakers in the rooms, and coffee is only available in the lobby starting at 7:00 a.m. For early risers, there are no nearby spots within walking distance to grab a cup — a small but important detail.|Dining:|We ate breakfast at the Inn each morning and found it pleasant. The menu is limited, but the food was fresh and a nice way to start the day. We didn’t try dinner, so I can’t speak to that.|Service:|The front desk staff were approachable and polite.|Final Thoughts:|Would we return? Maybe. We genuinely enjoyed the area and the proximity to the beach, but for the price, we expected more in terms of service and amenities. The Higgins Beach Inn is certainly convenient if you want to be close to the beach, but be prepared for a more rustic experience than the cost might suggest.

Other than the rooms being a little small, like a standard bedroom size and being 3 stories without an elevator (request a first floor room upon booking if you have mobility issues) it’s PHENOMENAL! The staff are super friendly and helpful, the location is excellent and the food! OMG Shade is exceptional! I highly recommend the lobster scampi!

HBI is a deep chill location to visit and relax. Authentic accommodations, friendly hosts, quiet luxuries. I always leave refreshed after my annual getaway. Not eager to share the secret yet always wishing the Inn lots of visitors.

This inn is an older style B&B with an attached restaurant and bar one block from the Atlantic Ocean. We stayed here for an entire week. It really appealed to us because it is in a small ocean front community. Other than hiking along the ocean and going to the beach, there are no other amusements. Driving to nearby shopping, restaurants and sights was fun. The restaurant has breakfast every day @ 8AM, dinner Wed-Sun til 9PM. Coffee and muffins are put out at 7 AM, cookies @ 2PM. But reading the other reviews do provide some true facts about the inn. There's no elevator, there are plenty of steps. No Coffee machine or mini-bar in the room but we had a mini-fridge. I would describe the furnishings of my room as basic but the bathroom was large and the room clean. There's no daily maid service but they will exchange towels if you request. This is not a HOTEL but a 200 year inn off the beaten path. I really enjoyed the low key life style at this inn. If you need pampering, then consider one of the chain motels along the highway.

We were lucky to have great weather the entire stay. The one rainy day we took our grandson to the Portland Children's Museum. This is our 4th year in this historic Inn. I will add more pictures.

The place is expensive for a night which would be fine if it was truly a boutique experience. But it's not. I searched for bed and breakfast which is how I chose this, I was hoping for a truly personal feel. But, it's essentially an old hotel run by 20 something's. No elevator, so be prepared to lug stuff up the stairs. No ability to adjust the room temp, you have to request that from the desk. The room is entirely too bright, the door lets in all the hall light so our room essentially was like leaving a lamp on. And while they offer breakfast- that's not until 8. So if you need to leave early, you don't even have the ability to get coffee in the morning. If I am paying 300 a night, at least offer the ability to have a cup of coffee in the morning before 7. They don't even have a way to check out in the early morning, you just leave the 25 dollar keys on the desk. Supposedly there is a restaurant but it wasn't open for our trip in the evening and we left too early for breakfast. And the floor is sandy already so don't worry about shoes. We paid the most here but out of 4 places, this one cost the most and offered the least. And just as a side note- it is a non smoking town.

No elevator, rooms looks very tired and sparse. Crappy and cheap art on the walls, micro sized tv and rummage sale furniture all for $$$! College dorms are better!!

Older accommodation that someone tried to make into a hipster vibe with wall art, but failed to take into account the actual operations of a hotel that people look for in a good hotel. No air conditioning (even though a unit was in the room, it didn't actually work), so we were dependent on open windows with a breeze. No elevator (definitely a problem when you have heavy suitcases and multiple loads). No in-room coffee (Really? What brainiac came up with that decision, especially if you're three floors up and the only coffee is in the lobby???). Dated furniture, bathroom and carpets. Check in clerk with an attitude. Yes, it's a couple of blocks from the beach, but the jacked up price per room should guarantee at least SOME amenities, right? I guess not, so I definitely wouldn't come back nor would I recommend it to anyone either.

What in the world did I just pay for with this $400 a night hotel?! Very dated and worn. Furniture needs to be replaced. No microwave, no coffee maker, no mini fridge. No elevators. Floors were sandy and we had not visited the beach yet. No towels replenished and not a house cleaner in sight throughout our stay (5 nights). The $3 shower curtain had MOLD! Extremely disappointed and the free breakfast with the price makes up for nothing.

Dumpy, way overpriced, lousy inexperienced staff (try to find an adult). The restaurant is terrible. The service is brutal. The bar is a drag--still using measuring jiggers for cocktails. Amateur hour all the way. Rooms are tiny and lack luster. Place needs about 300 gallons of paint in and out. And you'll pay north of $400 a night for the pleasure of staying here.

Despite being two blocks from the Ocean, Higgins Beach Inn does NOT have a view of the ocean. Not saying that to be negative. Just manage expectations. I have not had a chance to try the food. But the bartender who was on duty June 9th was a charmer. I thought I was on a date. The person I was with told me at the end she had a boyfriend. Big miscommunication. But that's not relevant is the bartender made the end of the night after I got that bad news fun. The lighting is bright. But I'm ok with that. The attire was casual. I love that. The crowd was over 60. That's fine too. Two blocks from the ocean, so I suggest if you are on a date with someone who does not have a boyfriend . . . enjoy a nice meal. Go for a romantic beach walk after. Because parking to get to Higgins Beach is a pain. So go to the one business that has a parking lot in town!

We stopped in at Shade for lunch while passing through the town. It was so lovely. The owner of the inn (I think) was there and so friendly. The bartender was also friendly. We felt so welcomed and it was just nice and relaxing. The food and drinks were excellent! And priced very fairly. Definitely worth dropping by for a bite.

* GLUTEN FREE /ALLERGY REVIEW - BREAKFAST * We stayed here and had their complementary breakfast as three Celiac sisters. They can use a separate pan to prepare all their egg dishes. And they have gluten free bread. I had eggs Benedict with hollandaise sauce, my sister had a BLT sandwich and my other sister had an omelette. Even their home fries were gf because they didn't put anything else in their frier besides potatoes. None of us got sick! Great breakfast experience - with mimosas too.

So this is my first time staying at an Inn and I need to say I couldn't have possibly asked for a better initial stay than at Higgins Inn. The location a few blocks from the beach was great, they allow u to use their beach chairs and boards in you want to get a full day in which is greatly appreciated. Will add they have a coffee/tea bar that you can help yourself too and I most certainly did. My wife and I stayed recently while coming to visit Portland and the stay here was as good as the city itself. Many times where you stay can make or break a trip and this easily tipped this voyage over the edge in the best way possible. Room was clean, cool, comfortable and had a nice woody smell that made me feel like I was away at adult camp! Beds were comfortable and it was quiet when we finally decided to sleep ( I believe quiet hours are observed 11 to 7?) Even with a restaurant downstairs we couldn't really hear any rustle although when the rest of the floor began to get up you could hear the creaks of footsteps and slight conversation in the hallway. The restaurant downstairs exceeded expectations. For dinner my wife got the Halibut and gnocchi which was well cooked and creamy while my burger more than lived up to my expectations. I believe it was a garlic aioli sauce used and it was tasty. Our drinks were good as well. As for as the 2 breakfasts we got, whether we got the BLT, 3 Egg Omlette or the Wake Up Call they were all solid and good sized portions. Very well cooked, toppings fresh and home fries perfectly seasoned. I need to give a shout out to Abigail who sat us and was very social, Maria who helped us by serving dinner and also obliged on a request from my wife and I to celebrate communion on a Sunday by giving us bread and juice to partake in our Christian practices. Also to the young girl from California working the front desk in the evenings during the weekend.. you were very warm in how you deal with customers, knowledgable and have great work ethic. You all were great and we thank you!

I really enjoyed this charming inn. The building is old and there is no elevator but the rooms are clean and the beds are very comfortable. It is close to the beach and the provide beach chairs and towels.

This inn was fine - close proximity to the beach makes it great, especially since parking is hard to find. However, our room on the 2nd floor smelled so badly of mildew. The AC barely worked and there was no carpet or a place outside to wash off sand so the room got filthy. No room cleaning either unless requested. The bathroom was super dismal. Overall disappointed in the quality of the room for what I paid for a nightly fee. we requested a queen size bed but it was absolutely just a full. the tv only had three random channels! the website makes it look like a trendy, refurbished hotel but it's still extremely outdated and the mildew was really concerning.

We stayed for 3 days and wish it was longer. Ocean beach just a short walk down the road. Cozy nooks on front porch, bar and dining areas to sip a drink, play cards, read and relax. Everyone greeted us with a smile and asked if we needed anything at every turn. Staff makes you feel special and part of their family. Staff appreciated each other and guests. Shade restaurant meals were so good, thoughtfully prepared and presented. So many gluten free options, creativity and culinary passion came from the kitchen.

Fun, beautiful inn. Super friendly staff. Delicious breakfast! Loved this experience.

Hotel was great. Beach is very close, staff are friendly. I read reviews complaining it was in a residential neighborhood which is true but we loved it. Pictures are accurate. Very good place.

Usually don't write reviews unless I have an awful/great overall experience. Brought my family including my autistic son to Higgins Beach Inn and we had such a nice time. We've been to many places where my son has a bit of a hard time but the staff here we're actually amazing and super patient. It was very clean and cozy, too.

Friendly, welcoming staff! Great food! We visited on a tight schedule and they weren't officially open and still took care of us!! We will be back!

SHADE IS THE WORST!!! Sat at table for 22 minutes with no service. Awful. Service was a complete fail.

Missed opportunity. Stayed here two years in a row because we have family nearby. Great location, Higgins Beach is a hidden gem. HBI remodeled two years ago and the rooms have been updated and the entire place modernized. Unfortunately, there has been little follow up to that investment. The management is poor, the service is slow and you shouldn't expect much more than a room with A/C and a refreshed bathroom. Housecleaning is terrible, room is dirtier after cleaning than before. Never saw an adult in charge and teenagers with summer jobs seem to run the place. Shame- could have been so much better. Four stars for location, two stars for service.

It delivers what it promises and then some. The staff...just good people. Never felt the need to leave a review before, but I just had such a good experience. 10/10. Dry humor.

We are loving staying at this Inn! The people who work here are exceptionally friendly and welcoming. The room is very charming, bed comfortable. The food is also very delicious, and we can easily walk to and from the beach. No question we will stay here again.

Opening night on Friday was fabulous...happy, beach atmosphere, music and friends, unbelievable food . Kudos to the new executive chef. You've delivered a creative, tasty menu. Can't wait to come in for breakfast!

We keep trying to like this establishment! We visit but each time I leave disappointed! Order a medium rare Hamburg- over cooked!!French fries were tasty thou! They continue to measure your drinks in a jigger! You would think with amigos being the owners of several places-they could cook a good meal and serve a great drink! Head into Portland for that!

I called here on a Friday afternoon praying they had an opening for the following date, and low in behold they DID. This is an amazing thing considering that Maine is packed with weddings all summer long. The girl who helped me was GREAT; held the reservation for 1 hour while I confirmed all the details on my end and was able to do half the price over the phone and the other half upon arrival. The good: +minutes walking to the beach +nice, friendly staff at the dining room and also at the front desk +free coffee +cute, little bedrooms and they have FANS for the summer. +quiet (unless there is a giant wedding which in our case there was, but they were not terribly loud at night at all) The bad: -expensive. for 1 night we paid 200 dollars. that is a lot considering an Air B and B that was just as nice in Portland the night before was just 95 dollars. -NO FREE BREAKFAST. What part of BED and BREAKFAST means no breakfast? This is the major down fall of this place. And their prices for breakfast are not even cheap really and the dining room area isn't that nice. -The woman managing the place who was ordering around some of the wait staff was sort of an unprofessional bitch (older lady with dark, short hair)... I felt like she could be nicer to the staff in front of the people staying there. A little crazy how rude she was... Highly recommend otherwise, the beach is stunning and so close to walk to it is for sure the high light of this place.

This place is 800 feet from a beautiful beach. It's clean, the personnel at the hotel actually try to be helpful. The food at Shade was incredible. They allow you to borrow a few things for the beach, like boogie boards and towels. There wasn't a mini fridge in the room, but they're willing to bring bags of ice up, which is good enough for me. Will, the young man at the front desk was the real MVP. We showed up later than we had intended, Shade wasn't open at the time, but he called and made us reservations for another local restaurant, and insisted that we took some fresh cookies. He was in the restaurant cleaning up broken glass, he brought a small child the lid to a box to play with his legos in at dinner. He just gets it.

Quaint, rustic, cozy. Comfortable beds, nice bathroom. Pleased the linens were fragrance free!! All the staff were accomodating and very nice. Breakfast was included and it was amazing. We played games in the dining spaces while sipping a delicious cocktail in the evening. Due to the age of Inn, the walls are thin, but no one made to much noise. We recommend this establishment.

My husband, sister and her two teenagers (were visiting from Canada) went to the inn for breakfast on Sunday, it was by far not busy or pack, they had a full staff in duty that appear to stand around talking verses getting your order ready, asking if you need more water or coffee. The food good about an hour to be served, thats a little exssesive for eggs and homefries. The food offered no original flavor or really anything to rave about to say the least. We should taken the family to the Ms Portland dinner or Becky's. The onlybthing the inn has going for it is its the only place really in the area when your staying on the Beach. Great tourist trap for those like over priced medoker bland food.

Open since 1897. I recommend this for a romantic getaway or family vacation. Very beautiful area with lots to see and do. I am here on business and ended up here by chance. This is definitely a family friendly environment and there is a fine Italian restaurant and bar on the ground floor. I doubt there is a bad choice on the menu. No tv in the rooms is a nice break from the monotony of business grind travel. Lots of healthy organic eateries and local farms in the area. There is a huge health conscious vibe to the area with tons of joggers, surfers and bicyclists.

We came upon this place while road tripping through New England. It was off season so it was pretty quiet but it was just what we were looking for. No TV in the rooms & you have the option for a communal bathroom or a rm with its own bathroom. The owner was extremely friendly & helpful & he was so nice to our 18 month old son. Breakfast is included in your stay & they made the best blueberry pancakes I've ever had. we requested them for breakfast the next morning too & he was happy to oblige. The inn is a block away from the ocean & a nice clean beach although the way the inn is positioned you won't have a view of the ocean from your room. Scarborough is a great little town & only 15 min drive from downtown Portland. We will be going back!

I stayed there for a wedding and was hugely disappointed. We had arranged to get into a room early, but were unable to do so. When we later complained, the owner said he would have been happy to get us another room. He offered no such thing even after the importance of getting into a room prior to the wedding was made abundantly clear. After waiting for three hours (two hours after check out time!) we were finally able to get into a room. It created a great deal of stress before an important day for us. We will never return. The rooms are clean. The door did not close properly. They leave the front door open all night, which is also concerning.

Made a reservation in March for a room with 2 queen beds. Paid half the rate to guarantee the room. The room was double booked and we were offered instead a king bed with a cot! We were also offered 2 single rooms that didn't even have closets. The place is supposed to have a restaurant and bar but it sure wasn't open when we were there. Don't believe the pictures, the place is pretty darn bad. Only good thing was how hard the girl at the desk tried to help us. Ps. The beach is at least two blocks down and not visible at all from the inn.

You would be hard pressed to find worse service, or more overpriced and mediocre food. The food is straightforward, bland, and unappetizing. The location is great, though, so my wife and I took our kids there after a day at Higgins beach. We ordered some kids food, which came out immediately. But our dinners (fish tacos, a chicken dish) took over an hour to come out. During that hour, the wait staff kept saying the food was coming out in one minute. Keep in mind that we were managing young children who had already eaten and were just sitting there for an hour. The manager was just standing there during this disaster, and never came by to apologize or smooth things out. I'm not the kind of person who complains about service much, but this was about as bad as it gets. There is basically nothing good about this place other than proximity to the beach. I'd recommend you get takeout from the market up the street or head down the road to Spurwink Country Kitchen.

Nice old Building. Very quaint. Close to the beach. Could be very romantic. Rooms are small and old but nice. Bathrooms are small. Some rooms only have shared bathrooms so make sure you know what you are getting. No tv's in the room and no A/C, so if it's hot you will not be pleased. Fan's are in each room which is nice. The restaurant wasn't open for dinner. There are no bars or restaurants that are even close.

We live at Higgins Beach and decided to try out Shade, the new name for the restaurant at the Higgins Beach Inn since it has opened under new management. The food was fair and our waitress lovely. That said, we will not be going back due to the comfort of the seats. On the porch the chairs are flat metal. After finding they were uncomfortable we asked to be relocated inside. Those chairs were armless wooden chairs, more comfortable but just barely. All around, underwhelming.

I have never experienced slower service. My family and I waited over an hour to eat our food, while watching numerous customers receive their food at a timely fashion. Three other parties showed up after us and still managed to order, eat, pay, and leave before we even managed to take a bite. Our waitress was not friendly and never came over to check on us. My mom had to get up two times to get her own coffee, a simple task. Meanwhile, the food was mediocre and not worth the hour wait. We went up to complain at 10:17 because of the extremely slow service and waiting already 25 minutes for our food. Then, we complained to the manager and he simply said, "The kitchen is extremely backed up". ALL the other tables got their food before us, yet showed up after we did. We finally got our food at 10:38! 20 more minutes. Ridiculous. Big thanks to Higgens Beach Inn for making our experience notoriously unforgettable.

No internet. No in room service. No tv. No phone. No private bath. Probably the worst hotel experience of my life.

My friend and I had a fabulous stay at the Higgins Beach Inn in June 2015 while road tripping to Maine. We were looking for the perfect getaway from our busy lives in big cities and the Inn provided just that - both in location and in excellent customer service. The overall appearance of the Inn and room was nice, clean, and had character. The rooms were close together but I slept just fine both nights and did not hear any loud noises or slamming of doors. You can't blame the Inn for inconsiderate guests. We chose to stay in a room with a private bath, but the shared bathrooms also looked nice and clean. The shower had good water pressure. They do not have air conditioning, but the weather was cooler than expected so it wasn't a big issue at all (they also had fans in the room). We loaded up on breakfast at the Garofalo's Restaurant on the outside patio one morning before kayaking, and dinner one evening - great food just steps away from our room! Their bar is small but a good place to grab drinks, especially since there is only one market within walking distance that sells beer/wine and closed earlier than the Inn's bar. Now don't expect this bar to be open too late since this is an Inn and there are people trying to rest. Overall, we enjoyed it so much that we plan to make this an annual retreat. This place truly is a hidden gem. Before you book, do your research and determine what you are looking for in your vacation- a full service amenities loaded hotel or a cute quaint inn with old world charm.

Our family booked a muli-night stay in early June at the Higgins Beach Inn. Our two connecting rooms, with a bathroom, were a welcome sight upon our arrival. Simple, tasteful decor, sinks in the rooms, and comfortable beds - and exceptionally clean. A thoughtful touch was the filmed glass on the full size window in the bathroom, allowing both privacy and natural light. The inn is two blocks from one of the best beaches in Maine - free parking is included in your stay - and the walk there is through two blocks of a classic Maine beach town, full of flowers and smiling, friendly people - it's magic. The owners, Bob and Diane, were full of information and nearly as friendly as Cash, their golden retriever, who greeted us like old friends each time we returned to the inn. I'm already looking forward to returning next year; I'm smiling now just thinking about it. P.S. - My husband told me I just had to mention the flawless wireless internet connection; he was very impressed.