Waldo Emerson Inn

We have made it a point to go to Maine for a weekend every year in February for the past 6 yrs. We have stayed at the Waldo Emerson Inn each time we have gone as it is a true escape, with charming, impeccably clean rooms, a cozy common area perfect for relaxing by the fire, and a delicious, locally-sourced breakfast that set the tone for each day. The inn keepers, Ron and Amelia are alway incredibly friendly and have gone above and beyond at making us feel welcome. They are always good at sharing insightful recommendations about the surrounding area. Each and every year we have met some amazing couples during our stay . We always leave feeling refreshed and completely rejuvenated, and can't wait to return for another peaceful getaway. Tabitha and Mark

My husband and I had the most relaxing and beautiful weekend staying at The Waldo Emerson Inn. The location was perfect for a getaway from the hot Florida sun to a quaint and snowy town! Kennebunk is so beautiful and staying at this inn made it even more special. Amelia and Ron were extremely kind and helpful for our stay. They were friendly and we looked forward to the incredible homemade breakfast and conversation each morning. I would recommend this inn to anyone wanting to stay in a gorgeous home in Maine!

The inn was beautiful like if it was out of a Hallmark movie! Amelia & Ron were the perfect hosts and made us feel like part of the family! The rooms were clean, the beds were comfy, and the breakfast was delicious! The added bonus were the small treats left for all the guests to have whenever we felt like a little snack. The location is perfect! It’s close to the shops and restaurants but not in the middle of the hustle and bustle. Thank you all for a wonderful visit! We can’t wait to go back soon!

We loved our stay here! To actually be able to stay in one of the beautiful historic homes in this area was great. The inn and room were beautiful, but most of all, innkeepers Amelia & Ron's warm welcome made it a real treat. We even made some new friends during our stay over the delicious breakfast. Highly recommend!

Had such a lovely stay. The house is beautiful, old style from the 1700’s which makes it feel so authentic. There are bikes that you can use, which we did and it was such a fun ride to into the centre Kennebunk, merely a 10 minute ride. They also provide snacks like smores that you can enjoy outside at night, and fresh baked cookies Our breakfast was absolutely delicious. A 10/10. They made fresh granola and yogourt with berries and french toasts. The service is so caring and great. The place is very clean and both hosts were just amazing. We would absolutely return. Really well located and just incredible service. You can tell when people really care about making a good experience for their guests. Thank you so much for this lovely stay:) x

We stayed two nights at the Inn and loved our time there. The ambience was lovely, the room was spacious, the bed was very comfortable, the breakfast was delicious, and the staff were so friendly. Easy drive to town and very accessible to other towns. The innkeepers put a lot of care into the details of hospitality and I'd definitely recommend staying here!

This wonderful inn was such a pleasant surprise. It is located on a beautiful piece of property right off the road in Kennebunk, which is just down the road from Kennebunkport…two wonderful must-see Maine towns. I best describe the Waldo Emerson Inn as charming, welcoming, comfortable, and clean. Our room (“Bourne”) had a queen bed and was beautifully decorated…but not stuffed with antiques like is sometimes found in similar types of inns. Though the bathroom was a bit tight, it was modern and extremely clean. Our room also had a separate window AC unit which kept it nice in cool during an unusually warm evening. From our names written on our room door (in chalk) to the wonderful conversations with the staff, we really appreciated the personal touch provided to the guests. Finally, our delicious (and filling) breakfast (parfait, French toast, bacon, coffee and orange juice) was one of the high points of our short visit. ||The only unfortunate part of our visit is that we only stayed one night as we had to fly home the following day. We highly recommend the Waldo Emerson Inn and certainly plan to return next time we’re in the area. we were

My husband and I were looking for a long weekend getaway to celebrate our 10 year anniversary and this place was great! They had a chilled bottle of wine waiting in our room, they provided local restaurant suggestions so we could make reservations ahead of time, and (my favorite part), when we had to leave early in the morning on the last day (this missing their delicious breakfast food), they made us a to-go breakfast bag: a yogurt parfait, clementines, and some biscotti. Great service!

An absolutely first class experience. The Inn is beautiful and charming, each guest room is large and comfortable. The Innkeepers made sure that we had everything we needed during our 3 night stay. All of their recommendations of places to visit, eat and shop were excellent. Breakfast each morning was delicious, substantial and thoughtfully prepared. Some of the other guests had some dietary restrictions that were met with enthusiasm and their meals looked amazing, as well. the downstairs sitting rooms were also quite comfortable and we enjoyed some time in the common spaces chatting with other guests and with the Innkeepers. Our stay was wonderful. I'd give them 10 stars if i could.

We had a beautiful, romantic week at the historic Waldo Emerson. Our hosts, Amelia and Ron, made us feel right at home and offered great local recomendations for meals, shopping, and sightseeing. I don't normally notice these things, but the sheets and balnkets were extra soft! And the whole place was absolutely clean and homey, with coffee and tea and great wine selections at the honor bar. The breakfasts were spectacular! We had parfaits, vegan options for the vegan guests, and bacon and beautiful frittatas for us omnivours. While a part of me just wanted to stay inside and read, the inn is situated within nice walking from Kennebunk and a little more ambitius walk to Kennebunkport. It's also a lovely short drive from Ogunquit. I'd never been to Maine before and these were the spots my spouse wanted to share with me! Can't wait to go back.

The Waldo Emerson Inn was absolutely beautiful. We had an amazing time. The owner Amelia was incredible nice and so accommodating. The breakfast each morning was very delicious. Michael was so knowledgeable and so sweet. The Inn was so amazing clean and beautiful. Our room was So stunning. The bed was so comfortable. It was a good size room. My husband and I had a amazingly time we highly recommend this Inn. It was an excellent relaxing vacation. Make reservations at the Waldo Emerson Inn you won't be disappointed.

Found this place on bedandbreakfast.com, and it was a great find. Very friendly owner and staff. Very welcoming. The place was immaculate and nicely decorated. Attention to detail: robes and chocolate in the room, candy bar, free coffee and tea, honor bar, yummy cookies, beach pass, beach chairs, umbrella, and bikes. Breakfast was delicious and everything was homemade. We got to meet other guests, which was pleasant. We recommend this place if you are in the area.

As part of the B&B Vets program, which gives veterans like myself, a free nights stay in a B&B, we were very gracious for there offer, which allows, us to get out of Boston, and relax for a night. Just as an aside, this is a National program, run on the night before Veterans day. Called to make reservation, and you could here a warm voice on the other side of the phone, which made you want to leave for the B&B right away. We were not surprised when we arrived at 9:00pm. We were told to call if we were going to be later than 9:30pm on the arrival. We called from the Maine rest stop, to say we would be on site at approx. 9:00, and Kathy was very appreciative. When we arrived, we were greeted by John, who gave us a quick tour, of the B&B, with all the history. We had not eaten, so he gave us a map, with a suggestion of a restaurant that was still open at this hour. Woke up in the morning, and had a great breakfast, with decent coffee. We bought some home made granola, which was part of the breakfast, and were on our way, after a couple of hugs from Kathy, and John. Would love to come back.

We loved our stay at the Waldon Emerson -- it was a very personal and lovely experience. John and Kathy really make you feel welcome, and the breakfasts are pretty darn good -- not too fancy (a good thing, IMO), but filled with fresh and tasty ingredients. There's always a big plate of fruit and the wonderful homemade granola. We stayed in the Yellow Room which was nice, although it had a very cramped restroom. Minor quibble, for certain. If I had one big wish it would have been for better AC in the room. We were apparently in Maine during some sort of heat wave, and I understand that's not real typical of the area, though, so I understand the little window unit. There's a small poodle in the house named Waldo who's really well behaved and adorable. I may or may not have, but definitely did smuggle him some bacon in the morning. Shhhhh. I would definitely stay here again if I came back to Maine -- my family practically took over the inn and we all had a great experience. Thanks so much to John and Kathy for being wonderful

I wish I could give more then 5 stars! My boyfriend and I had the pleasure of staying at the Waldo Emerson Inn this past weekend. I can't say enough good things about the inn, Hana (innkeeper) and her crew. The inn was beautiful and immaculate. They have done an amazing job renovating and restoring this lovely home. It has a very interesting history which Hana explained to us and showed us some of the cool original features that are still there. There are so many personal touches that really make this place truly special. Oh, and the FOOD! The breakfast they served was absolutely delicious! If you're looking for a wonderful place to stay in Maine, this is the place to go. The Waldo Emerson will be our number one choice for future visits. Thank you Hana and family for an amazing stay! Hope to see you all again soon!

John and Kathy were very good hosts. The Inn was nice and room was clean and comfortable. Convenient to Portland, ME, and Portsmouth, NH. We stayed three nights and enjoyed the experience.

We stayed two nights in the Waldo Emerson B&B with our hosts Kathy and John Daamen. What a wonderful experience. This historical building is the oldest original building in Kennebunk. Located on Summer Street and easy drive to the downtown area fo Kennebunk. Kathy and John were consumate hosts. We stayed in the "Library" on the first floor. John is up early cooking a unique Danish breakfast. The inn was part of the "underground railway" during the civil war. Their personal antiques and photos are everywhere in the several connected public rooms. This B&B is a must on your visit to Kennebunk. Their Quilt Shop adjoins the main building that has seven bedrooms. A delight!

We went in the off season, and I have to say, our stay was disappointing. We were informed that we were the only ones staying there, and since John and Kathy do not have a separate entrance and you walk through the kitchen to enter the B&B, there was very little privacy. My husband booked the yellow room since it's marketed as a room honeymooners often book - why??? The room is small, the bathroom is teeny, and the fireplace had no logs in it / near it. We were told to "ask for a log" if we wanted to use the fireplace, but when my husband went to find someone and ask for a log around 7 PM in the evening, no one was around. He tried again in a half hour, still no one. So much for that fire! Kathy explained that breakfast is served at 8:30 PM, which was fine with us as we get up early. It sounded like she / her husband wanted to sleep in, because the day before she was needling us to "sleep in" and suggesting doing breakfast later on. Basically, it was clear that we were not priority as the only guests... My "favorite" part is when we woke up to the smell of bacon, but no actual bacon was served for breakfast, not very hospitable. Finally, basic manners dictate no discussion of politics in social situations, but my husband got an earful from John at breakfast that he "doesn't want to pay for those illegals to come here" - awkward, considering that we are immigrants ourselves and of fairly liberal values. The place is very interesting for history buffs, and fairly clean, though I found some hair on my quilt that was definitely not mine or my husband's, luckily I am not a germaphobe. I've stayed at a number of truly outstanding B&B's, and this didn't come close.

Decided to stay the night for a quick retreat to get away from the city life and see what Kennebunk was all about. Having never stayed at a Bed and Breakfast before I was worried about all types of things. Truly like staying with family. Mrs. Daamen was extremely informative about the Kennebunk area. The Daamen's were wonderful. Ralph's Library was a lovely room. Temperature in the shower was quite difficult to control. That was the only very minor set back. Quite happy with our stay. Interesting people and a fantastic breakfast!

Absolutely adorable and charming B&B. It's very hard to find places like this. Extraordinarily eclectic. I highly recommend it. Katie

Innkeepers, Kathy and John are wonderful hosts. We stayed for 2 nights over President's Day weekend. We booked our room last-minute and so we got the room right next to the front door. At first, we were concerned for our privacy and the noise of the door opening and closing...but it was really quiet and it felt very private. We had a fireplace in the room, which we lit both nights. The breakfasts were excellent: lots of fresh fruit - the best granola - John was pulling a big batch out of the oven as we arrived. We bought a bag to take home (they ship it anywhere). The only quibble I have with breakfast is protein. Even if it's just a bowl of hard-boiled eggs, it keeps you going more than lots of carbs. They did give sausages one day and bacon the next, but eggs are cheap and easy. The recommendations Kathy made for dining out were very good. John and Kathy run a great, family-like B&B. Very clean, comfortable; very interesting history/house tour. All in all, we'll be back when in Kennebunk, next.