Checking into the Cambria Portland Downtown

After welcoming a baby at the beginning of the summer it feels like the season has just flown by! While we’ve done a lot to enjoy whatever warm weather we actually got in New England, we hadn’t gotten the chance to get away from the day-to-day routine as a family of four.

So on one of the last weekends of summer, we piled into the car and headed north to Portland, Maine where we were welcomed at the Cambria Portland Downtown – Old Port.

I will not lie, I was nervous about this trip as it was our first with Aurora who was not yet 3 months. But when I got off the elevator on the fourth floor, where the lobby of the Cambria is located, to check in and smelled the seductive scent of chocolate chip cookies, I quickly felt at ease.

I’ll give you my first piece of advice when it comes to visiting the Cambria: if you can’t check in around 4 p.m., try to make it to the lobby at least once during your stay around that time for the cookies. You will not regret it!

After we checked in and had our car valeted in the garage below the building, we loaded up our belongings onto a cart and headed up to our room.

Accommodations

And what a room it was!

We walked into a spacious living room with a desk and comfy leather chair, a plush pull-out couch, a small table, and a large flat-screen TV.

At the back of the room was a small kitchen area with a concealed mini fridge, microwave, Keurig, and sink. Next to that was a large bathroom with top-of-the-line toiletries, a hairdryer, soft luxe towels and Bluetooth mirror.

That first night, Arielle invited us to curl up on her pull-out bed for a movie night. Though there were not a ton of channels to watch, we did catch some fun films that the whole family could enjoy after a day of shopping and sightseeing in Portland.

Our private bedroom also had a TV and a roomy wardrobe. And since the Cambria Portland Downtown is so close to the water, we had an amazing view from our full-length windows.

Other helpful in-room features included lamps with wireless charging pads for our devices, USB ports throughout, and motorized black-out shades which really spoiled me since it seemed to keep both Arielle and Aurora asleep for just a bit longer than usual.

Around the Hotel and Amenities

Rarely do I find hotel lobby furniture to be comfortable, but the seating in the Cambria lobby was very cozy. The large screens throughout always focused on the local weather – helpful when it came to planning our day.

We didn’t take advantage of the hotel bar, but it was fully stocked and the stools were also comfortable. There were outlets and USB ports at each spot, making it very friendly to those traveling for work and needing to plug in. And did I mention complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel? So important these days!

I know it was a late summer trip, but I loved sitting by the fire in the lobby.

Even though I consider myself to be an expert packer, inevitably with two kids I end up forgetting something. I always love it when a hotel has a small store that is stocked with toiletries and other necessary suitcase items. The store at the Cambia also had a ton of snacks and treats and Arielle really loved grabbing ice cream for our movie night.

Before we would leave the hotel for the day we stopped at the lobby coffee and tea station to bring a little caffeine on our adventures.

Just a note: not only is this hotel kid-friendly, it is also pet-friendly meaning you can bring your four-legged pals along for the ride! They even have dog treats at the reception desk.

Location

Since the Cambria Portland Downtown – Old Port is about a 10-minute walk to the Casco Bay Ferry Terminal, nine minutes to Exchange Street, and down the way from Commercial Street (where much of the great shopping is) and Wharf Street (where some of the best restaurants are found), it is in the perfect location to enjoy much of what Portland has to offer.

We took a 20-minute drive out to Portland Head Light because we had two tired little girls who refused to relax. The ride put them right to sleep and their nap ended with a visit to one of the East Coast’s most iconic lighthouses.

Portland is less than two hours from Boston, making it the perfect weekend getaway destination. It’s just far enough away to really feel like a vacation, but close enough that the kids won’t be asking, “Are we there yet?” over and over again.

The Restaurant

Until I had children I never realized how convenient it was to have a restaurant in our hotel. Every morning it was just so easy for us to roll out of bed and head down to ALTO Terrace Bar + Kitchen, right in the hotel lobby.

The food, sourced from local ingredients (like fresh Maine blueberries), was superb. The ambience was stylish, but not stuffy. And the cocktails were inventive without going over the top. You could even get a flight of locally made beers – for the discerning fan of good brews.

I decided to indulge in the Belgian Waffle with the aforementioned blueberries for our first morning, then switched it up with the Eggs Benedict the next. As a big breakfast and brunch fan, I usually find that restaurants either do sweet OR savory well, not both. I have to say that even though I err on the side of sweet, both the waffle and the Benedict were equally delicious.

Arielle had the pancakes and as a big pancake fan, she said that they were also really good. The fact that they had kid cups with lids and straws was a huge bonus.

For our final evening, I enjoyed the Frutti de Mare with Bangs Island Mussels (again, Alto really focuses on the local ingredients). The restaurant has a pub menu that is served at dinner which is more kid-friendly. But Arielle really doesn’t eat meat and had just had pizza the night before, so she asked if she could have a simple pasta dish with butter. Our server, Emily, was absolutely the best with Arielle and made it happen. Arielle gave it two thumbs up.

While it wasn’t warm enough for us to eat out on the terrace during our stay, we did check out the view as well as the outdoor bar, and both were stunning. Definitely something to look forward to enjoying when we return.

Why the Cambria Portland Downtown is the perfect hotel for kids

I know I mentioned the freshly baked cookies in the lobby (with cucumber water for those who may prefer something a little healthier), as well as the option for kids cups at ALTO Terrace Bar + Kitchen on top of the convenience of having a gourmet restaurant willing to cater to kids right in the building, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how accommodating and welcoming the staff at the Cambria was to both our girls.

This hotel may be super sleek and chic, but unlike most sophisticated establishments, there is an undeniable warmth throughout the Cambria, and the guests, even the littlest ones, feel it from the moment they check-in. It’s like home, only with less clutter and there is someone else to clean up after you too – not just you picking up after your kids!

I know that next time we’re in the area, we will make sure to check into the Cambria Portland Downtown – Old Port!

For more tips on travel, including how to stay healthy while jetsetting during the upcoming flu season, check out my travel archives.

A huge thank you to the Cambria Portland Downtown – Old Port for welcoming me to the hotel for the purposes of sharing my stay. As always all opinions and photos are my own and I can’t recommend this hotel and location in Portland, ME enough!