Background and Location
For a weekend getaway and my first visit to Portland, Maine, I had booked a stay at the Westin Portland Harborview. It’s a bit of a cool, historic property, and originally opened as The Eastland Hotel on June 15, 1927. The hotel was lavish in design and built for $2 million. Featuring 369 rooms as well as 140 apartments and shops, the hotel was actually the largest hotel in all of New England. It went through some rebrands thereafter, and fast forward to 2013, the hotel reopened as the Westin Portland Harborview. Though the Eastland sign still stands tall on the top of the hotel!
I really enjoyed visiting Portland, Maine, and had a lot of fun strolling across the city, and loved my meal at Fore Street. While the property is not in the heart of the Old Port, it’s only about a 10-15 minute walk, and the immediate area still has restaurants, and the Portland Museum of Art is just across the street. Some parts immediately surrounding the hotel can feel a bit empty, which is where the complimentary shuttle comes in handy! It’s a sprinter van, and whenever it’s out front at the entrance, you can utilize it, and you can also call to inquire about a pickup later. The shuttle operates from 6 am to 11 pm, within a three-mile radius of the hotel. We used the complimentary shuttle service twice, and it was nice to have!
Rates at the Westin Portland Harborview can vary by season, with low season starting at about $150 a night and high season at $500 a night.
Takeoff Points
Pros: Comfortable rooms, complimentary shuttle service, and friendly staff.
Cons: Depending on your preference, not in the “heart” of Old Port, and housekeeping was interesting.
Takeoff Point: Overall, the Westin Portland Harborview was a solid home base to explore the city.
Check-In and Arrival
The front desk offers some board games to play and borrow, and all the front desk associates I interacted with were quite friendly. I was happy to hear that I was upgraded to a Junior Suite, as part of my Marriott Bonvoy Platinum membership.
The Room: Junior Suite
Our room was located on the 6th floor. As you enter, there is a small foyer, and in the living room, there is a large sofabed that converts into a double-sized sofa. There is also a very large TV and an armchair. It’s listed as 614 square feet, and it felt quite spacious.
A small wet bar housed a sink, microwave, and a mini fridge (but for some reason, it was outside the designated area). A coffee maker was provided as well.
Bathroom
From the living room, you could access the large bathroom, which featured a sizable double vanity.
Amenities provided included cotton swabs, a sewing kit, and makeup remover wipes. There was bar soap in the nice Westin White Tea Aloe scent at each sink as well as body lotion, and mouthwash.
Then, there was a toilet and a stand-up shower. Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash were provided in the signature Westin scent in the refillable bottles.
Bedroom
There were nightstands on each side, the signature king-sized Westin Heavenly Bed, and an armchair.
The bedroom featured a closet with iron/board, two robes, and slippers. There was a desk and an office chair next to the TV.
Overall, the Junior Suite was a great size, and was very much a 1 Bedroom style suite.
Service-wise, the staff was good at responding to questions/requests via the chat system in the Marriott Bonvoy app, though housekeeping didn’t come one day to refresh the room, and when they did come at night, it was a very odd service where they emptied trash and replaced towels but did not really tidy up the room or beds. That was just a bit interesting.
Amenities
There is a pretty sizable Westin Workout Fitness Center that also includes a Peloton bike. Also, the Adeline Wellness Spa is located here as well, providing massages, facials, and more.
Behind the front desk is a self-service sundries store if you need any essentials.
Dining
Room service is available daily for breakfast and lunch, and Wed-Sat for dinner.
The main restaurant is called Congress Squared, and it serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This is where we had breakfast in the morning, and the Bonvoy Platinum breakfast was for 2 and included a beverage (coffee, tea, or juice) and an entree (excluding lobster dishes). The breakfast was pretty solid, and the service was friendly.
On the rooftop (15th floor) is Top of the East, which is a rooftop bar featuring bites as well.
Lastly, there is a small coffee shop called Eastland Grind, which is located near the lobby.
The Verdict
Overall, the Westin Portland Harborview was a solid home base to explore the city. I found our Junior Suite to be quite comfortable, and the complimentary shuttle service was a nice touch.
Have you visited Portland, Maine, before? Or stayed at the Westin Portland Harborview? How was your visit?
Cheers,
Ty
Have any questions? I’ve also started working with a travel agency, Fora Travel, and can assist in booking hotel stays or planning trips. Comment below or email me at takeofftotravel@gmail.com. You can also view all my other posts here! Thanks for stopping by!
