White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts Collection

In Kennebunkport’s lower village, the Auberge Resorts Collection’s White Barn Inn provides the ultimate charming getaway—a boutique retreat with an understated elegance, warm hospitality and tranquil surroundings. The property’s renovation in 2020 by New York–based designer Jenny Wolf breathed new life into the hotel, while managing to retain its 150-year legacy. Rooms, which are spread throughout several buildings, have rich fabrics and antiques, and the décor ranges from traditional to rustic to more contemporary. Guests spend their days relaxing by the infinity pool and treating themselves to time at the spa or explorations of the surrounding area. And foodies, take note: Little Barn, the restaurant in a renovated barn, is not to be missed and serves up seasonal New England classics such as lobster Cobb salad, crab cakes and chicken pot pie with wild mushrooms and root vegetables, all prepared with ingredients sourced from local purveyors—a true taste of the Maine coast.

The Standout: The atmospheric, critically acclaimed restaurant located in a two-story barn, complete with original wooden floors and massive windows

Don't Miss: The 66-acre St. Anthony Franciscan Monastery across the street

• Original clapboard buildings surrounded by flower-lined walkways and gardens
• Six renovated junior suites in May’s Annex that feature gas fireplaces and large bathrooms with soaking tubs
• The restaurant’s farm-to- table menu that changes weekly

New to the Auberge Collection's New England portfolio (which includes the Mayflower Inn & Spa in Connecticut and the Vanderbilt in Newport), this elegant boutique retreat is set right outside the charming center of Kennebunkport.

The inn’s 26 rooms and suites are spread throughout several buildings: the blue-painted May’s Annex (a former carriage house); the yellow-painted Garden Cottages; and the Wharf Cottages, which are a five-minute drive down a gravel road on the wharf.

Room décor ranges from traditional (in the Main House and Garden Cottages) to rustic (in the Wharf Cottages) to more contemporary (in May’s Annex), and all accommodations boast rich fabrics and antiques. The renovated junior suites in May’s Annex have the freshest design, with soft pastels accented by pops of bright color, overstuffed chairs and cozy fireplaces. These suites also feature large granite and Carrara marble bathrooms with double walk-in rain showers and large soaking tubs.

While the hotel is small, it offers a number of amenities including the recently renovated infinity pool surrounded by landscaping. The atmospheric, critically acclaimed restaurant is located in a two-story barn complete with original wooden floors and floor-to-ceiling windows. For wellness seekers, there is a four-room spa that offers signature treatments such as the Kennebunk River Stone Massage. The property’s white beach bicycles are perfect for exploring the inn’s beautiful surroundings, including the 66-acre St. Anthony Franciscan monastery across the street.

Couples in search of a relaxing, romantic getaway who appreciate history and a sense of place