On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Loading...
I'm reviewing for the lounge--I didn't stay here.
Being a New Yorker by way of Boston, I know I can't have quite the same expectations of a place like this as I would for the bigger cities. The drink menu was very standard for a lounge- the requisite house cosmo, some type of chocolate-espresso thing, maybe something pomegranate, etc. I ordered a lemon drop martini, and it was perfectly made--not too sweet; not too tart, with a sugared rim.
They also have a short appetizer menu, from which we ordered the grilled steak quesadilla. It was very good--cheesy but not too greasy filling inside a crispy tortilla, with fresh guacamole on the side. Tastey, but unoriginal, and kind of out of place for what is trying to be a swanky lounge.
The view of downtown Portland was nice. The only thing that prevents me from truly liking this place is the decor, which calls to mind the bar area on one of those dinner cruise ships. It feels very heavy and old. With some updating and some touches of originality, this lounge has a lot of potential.
Ok hotel. Great location. Friendly Staff. Room ok (although the bathroom was TINY). Absolutely not worth the $234 price tag per night that we paid for October 2nd & 3rd (we were there for our wedding anniversary). That's the most I've ever paid for a hotel other than Foxwoods in CT, which was a massive suite. I don't understand how it's "peak" season because of foliage. If you looked out our window, all you saw was old buildings and some water. No foliage in sight.
We did get a "package" which included breakfast and drinks at their "rooftop bar". The service at both was impeccable. The $9 lunch was massive and delicious, and the service was very good. the service was also good at the rooftop bar, even if I received the completely wrong drink. I would stop in at this hotel again if I am in Portland, but would not spend the night.
I should also mention there is a 7% sales tax- that equates to an extra $15 per night for the hotel room. And, we had to pay for parking which was "discounted" at $16.60 per night.
My brother went to California for this price, for a week, minus the airfare.
Eastland Park Hotel is good but not great in almost all categories. But put it all together with the great town of Portland, ME and it delivers a 4 Star experience.
We spent a night at the Eastland Park on First Friday of May 2009. We chose the Eastland because it was really close to everything Portland has to offer and also reminded us of The Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, WI. Both hotels are refurb'd old construction hotels with a lounge bar on top.
Pros: Location, Location, LOCATION! Within walking distance of everything in Portland. Very comfy bed. Friendly staff. Free WiFi. Easy to find.
Cons: The top floor lounge isn't all that. They need to turn down the lights in there to give it some ambiance. $15 for parking? In Portland, ME? In the offseason? Come on, now!
Another con is that their rooftop pool is closed. But in a way, it's a pro because of the story behind the closing. Apparently, back in the day (and by "day" I mean back in the 70s or 80s), Ozzy Osbourne stayed here and was partying hard up at the rooftop pool. Rocking hardcore as only Ozzy could, he and his entourage eventually started tossing pool furniture off the roof and into the street. Not that I condone his actions, but what a great story as to why they no longer open the pool for guest use.
Next time we are in Portland, ME, we'll be staying at the Eastland.
People thought this was:
On the surface, this place looked reasonable enough. I was in Portland for a conference and needed to be close to downtown. I had read a few reviews that were mildly positive and a couple that mentioned what seemed to be rather improbable fire evacuations that occurred here before, but for the most part nothing too remarkable.
Unfortunate for me that I dismissed the negative reviews. On Oct 16, 2009 we had TWO evacuations the same night- one for an overheated water pipe at 2am and another for an actual fire at 8:30. The alarms were followed by a recorded voice stating that there was a report of an emergency. Each time we had to rush down 8+ flights of stairs, walk 3 blocks around to the front of the building, and wait outside for nearly 30 min on a very cold night before we were re-admitted to the building. The readmissions came with no explanation from the hotel staff. The remuneration was a measly 20%. All-in-all near the worst experience I've had at a hotel. Given the age of the building (the oldest hotel in Portland), I would venture to guess that my experience was actually unremarkable...all the more reason to think twice before booking a room here.
The final night of the conference I moved to the St. John's Inn on Congress St., paid half the price, and had a very pleasant and comfortable experience.
The first time I stayed here 2 years ago I loved it. I got a sweet room with a view of Portland to the water. The room was clean, straight and more than adequate. There was even a bag full of candy and other odd things like a raspberry Emergen-C packet. It came in handy for the hangover I woke up naked to immediately before Check Out the next morning.
This last time I was there wasn't as glamorous. I ended up stuck with a room in the extension that looks like it was built by someone who designed prisons and middle schools in the late 60's. Such modern design concepts as angled walls, wire impregnated glass and narrow windows floor to ceiling so the guy in the back parking lot can see your hangdown bits if you miss a curtain. I was not impressed. The room was full of wasted space, lacked adequate storage and had a shitty TV (which I did use between long expeditions into the city).
The staff however remained unchanged in their helpful nature and bright smiles. I can not complain about them for sure! I also discovered the magic of their Sausage Biscuits & Gravy Room Service! The lounge on the roof is cool too (mostly for the view).
Overall it's still my favorite place to stay in Portland but the old girl could use an update to stay competitive with a chain hotel. The parking situation is pretty bad too. They are next to a garage but the parking is NOT free. That garage just upped their rates too to pay for automated systems supposedly. It was $16 a day WITH the hotel's discount. I call shenanigans on that. Beware that hidden cost.
People thought this was:
I'm willing to give it another try because P* has talked highly of a previous stay, but otherwise I felt that it was just okay. And reading the other reviews, I feel kinda gyped on my stay!
First was that since we booked online, it didn't give a room preference. So we ended up stuck in a 2 double beds room in what was some kind of odd addition. There apparently were absolutely no other rooms we could have which was quite a damper.
But, the hotel's location was nice, and everything was in walking distance which was great. The room service breakfast was quite affordable, and I very much enjoyed it. Our coffee maker was broken, which really sucked come breakfast time Sunday. The voucher for a percent off lunch or dinner at the hotel restaurant was pretty sweet, and we had a tasty lunch overlooking Portland in their rooftop lounge.
I'm surely hoping the next stay will be better.
People thought this was:
I was a bit hesitant to stay here after reading some of the reviews, but it was such a reasonable price for the location that I couldn't afford not to. I thought the hotel was fantastic!! The location was perfect and the staff were very friendly. They've also got a great roof top lounge which is perfect after a day of touring the town to just sit and relax and enjoy the view with a great cocktail. I would recommend this hotel to anyone.
reasons why I liked this place:
Super close to everything; 5 min walk to the old port, shops, pharmacy, starbucks, interstate. It was very easy to find.
You get free drinks! $12 each when you check in. $12 will only get you one double but hey...its free.
you get free breakfast. $9 worth each morning. The eggs benny was good but my home fried were a little raw :/
We stayed on the 11th floor which is apparently a 'preferred' floor. I am not sure what that means, but upon exploring a few other lower floors it certainly seemed much nicer, cleaner, better kept.
Our room was huge. The bed was comfy and the sheets were terrifically soft!
The staff is friendly and helpful.
Things I didn't love so much:
The parking is next door but EXPENSIVE. they give you a discount at the check in but it is still about $16 a night.
The 'top of the east' or whatever the bar on the top floor is called is not that great. the service was VERY slow and its a little drab in there even though the views are terrific.
the 'business center' consists of two ancient and slow computers but again, its free to use so how much can you really complain about it.
Make sure you use your discount if you have AAA. with the free drinks and breakfast it turns out to be a great deal. The location certainly trumps any of the less than terrific things about this place.
The Eastland Park Hotel is hardly a luxury hotel. Then again, what hotel built around the turn of the century in the Northeast, seemingly without any sort of reconstruction would seem "luxurious" when compared to today's standards?
Either way, it's close to the Portland Airport and close to lots of shops and restaurants as well so it fits the bill quite nicely when you are only here for a day or so.
If you ask for the preferred floors you'll be on the top 2 which offer a great view of the port alongside free breakfast and $12 worth of cocktail monopoly money for the rooftop bar. Quite a deal if you ask me, even with the $30 or so extra we paid. Trust me, the comfortableness of the bed is worth it, throw in bacon and cocktails and I'm sold.
Staff is okay, not overly friendly, but entirely competent. The strange thing is our first room was HUGE. Our second was strangely small with weird angles. (We stayed here the first night after flying in, before driving to Bar Harbor, and again the night before we flew home.)
Also strange is that the cheapest parking you can get away with is $11. You'd think in a place this small parking would be included or at least a little less expensive. But, it's not and it's cash only so be prepared for that upon your departure or they won't let you out.
People thought this was:
We had a great weekend at the Eastland Park Hotel. I'm not sure if it was the hotel itself or the great deal we found by looking at their online specials (which might be an ongoing special). For his birthday weekend, I surprised M with a Portland getaway. He prefers independent hotels, so the Eastland was a good match.
The weekend package gave us an upgrade to the 12th floor, which was nice and quiet. We also got free breakfast in the cafe each morning, which was a full breakfast of eggs/toast/potatoes/bacon or up to $9. AND we got free cocktails each night in the rooftop lounge.
The rooms was simple, with a comfy king bed with nice sheets and pillows. It wasn't garishly decorated like some hotels. The bathroom was small, but all fixtures seemed new and quite clean, and that's all I need. We got comfy robes, which was a nice extra. There were free newspapers in the lobby (very nice that they don't waste papers by putting them at every door). We didn't bother with the coffee since there are great local roasters to visit in Portland.
We didn't spend much time in the room, as we prefer to get out and see the town when we travel. But we did watch some SportsCenter on the TV (it was the bf's birthday, after all).
The cafe is rather stark and uninteresting, but the food was fine. I liked my blueberry pancakes (and could barely finish them). I opted for yogurt, fruit, and granola the next morning. The cafe is not a destination, but for free it was much more than we expected.
The rooftop lounge is casual and nice. Decent wine list, good cocktails. Again, we stopped in at the beginning of each evening for our free cocktail and admired the view of the city.
We also got free overnight parking and free wifi. I brought my laptop so we could get directions and find local attractions from our room. We had no problems with check-in/check-out; it was quick and the staff were friendly.
Overall, the hotel was better than fine. For the price and with all the extras, it was an excellent deal. I'd stay again.
People thought this was:
You know...it's an old hotel. It's not super fancy and it's showing some age, but it was clean and you can't beat the location.
My bed was really comfortable. The bathroom was an odd set up with the toilet and tub in the bathroom and the sink/vanity in the room. I was on the top floor with a nice view of the water.
For the location alone, I'll stay here again.
This is a solidly 3.5 Star hotel and our experience was more like a 4 star. First we got this 12th floor king room with an amazing view of bays. The bed was so comfortable, the desk and split bathroom was great. The rooftop bar offers tasty drinks and ports and the view was very pretty and the staff up there were very nice. Everyone we met at the hotel was pleasant and for the most part attentive.
I bet this place was once a 4 or 4.5 star hotel. All of the furniture is in good to great shape and old though the beds may have been newer. Our room was huge so yoga is easy. The in room coffee was also tasty.
This is not your honey room or wedding hotel - unless it is but it is certainly great for business trips or for people on a small budget who also want great value and to be in a great location.
Free Wifi, great location, easy street parking or parking for $11.00 next door. Lots of shops nearby.
I really wanted to like this place.
The building looks great on the outside. The big eastland sign at the top is great. Free drinks in the lounge and free breakfast when staying on the preferred level was a nice bonus. The location is great and seems to be within walking distance of all spots in the city.
But there are tons of problems. Upon checking in I had to wait around 7 minutes and the line behind me was still substantial. Get more front desk staff.
The service is very spotty. In the lounge and the restaurant i had good service, and pretty terrible service.
The rooms are clean, but small and dated. The style of the room and hotel overall could use some work.
Room service food was awful. The $26 sirloin steak was pretty terrible. They didn't bring my glass of ice water. They didn't bring a steak knife.
This hotel was great. Huge rooms, great service, great clam chowder, free coffee!
Minus 1 star cuz there was some weird black hair on blanket under comforter and on pillows...maybe from some pets that they let in?
Ewww.
They were doing some construction at the hotel, so we got a great deal. Then, because our room had a window we couldn't open or close (think taped closed) we were upgraded to a very elegant room. We thought the 20 minutes of dealing with the issue was quite worth it.
The hotel is attractive, comfortable, and clean. The staff was very accommodating, but we never should have been put in the first room. It was actually a dangerous situation.
The location is amazing, and there is parking available adjacent to the hotel.
The best part of the hotel is the bar upstairs. It has a great view, comfortable seating, and an impressive selection of cocktails and drinks. Go for a drink, if nothing else.
People thought this was:
When I travel, I like to spend my money and time at independent hotels. Sometimes funky, sometimes charming, sometimes downright awful/wonderful, they provide a unique place to stay.
We were in Portland for some R and R over President's Day weekend and chose the Eastland Park for its location, in the heart of downtown, and its competitive rates. The room was small but on the top floor. the bed was comfortable and the room clean. The bed was a bit too soft for my liking and the pillows were too poofy. Still, the robes in the closet were thick and warm and we were nice and toasty on a cold winter night. The valet parking was competitive fora city but the parking garage was half the price (right next door).
Some of the public spaces, elevators and hallways were looking a bit on the shabby side but not too bad. As part of our rate we were provided drink coupons for the rood top lounge (great view, so so mixed drinks) and coupons for breakfast is their sterile cafe.
The most unfortunate part of the stay was being awakened to the sound of power tools at 7:00 am! Complained to the front desk upon check out but they offered nothing other than a weak 'sorry.'
The Eastland benefits from a great location and decent rates for a downtown hotel. As an older hotel, they have a wider variety of rooms with unique shapes and sizes than the cookie cutter corporates that litter the landscape.
Comfortable Hotel in downtown Portland, walking distance to the ice cream shops, wharf, and lobster/seafood restaurants. The best thing.... You can take your dog! When you check in, they give you a doggy welcome basket, with a toy and some treats.
They have doggy roomservice, local vets, dog walkers, and groomers.
Buster loves snoozing in the room. Portland, Maine is remarkably dog friendly.
People thought this was:
I thought this hotel just alright. The hotel is a little bit on the older side which is great because of the really spacious rooms. However, there's a weird smell throughout the hotel and I think they know it. You can find air fresheners working at the top of some of the ceiling beams. Also although the rooms are very spacious, there's just too much room. I'd say there was a good 8 -9 feet between the foot of the bed to the television. I like room, but there was nothing to fill the space... so it was a bit weird.
Parking was alright too... we got hooked up and got a free over night pass. There isn't unlimited in and outs because they don't own the lot. Normally an over night stay in the lot would be $15.
All in all it was a good deal, but I wasn't impressed enough to give it a 4 or 5
People thought this was:
Dog friendliness has got to be the best thing that this hotel has going for it. Don't get me wrong, it features spacious rooms. For $139, you can get a suite. Bear in mind, that there is a $25/day surcharge if you do bring your pet. A nearby park - stocked with local denizens - provides a convenient dog relief area. It's a safe area and just under a mile from the touristy waterfront. The staff was very accommodating about cleaning our room when when we were out of the hotel with our dog. The room was nice and clean, plenty of room for the crate.
This was my first time staying in downtown Portland. I travel a lot and I was looking for something different than usual chains. I was very impressed with the Eastland. My room was very spacious and nicely decorated. The staff was very courteous and helpful! I wish I could travel with my pooch and would defnitely bring him here!
Supposedly some of the rooms in the Eastland have been recently remodeled -- not the one we were staying in. The room itself was huge, with lots of windows. But the bathroom had an old rusty no-tank toilet you'd see at a gas station, and part of the molding in the bathroom was rotting. The carpets were pretty worn as well. We also ended up in a smoking room, which may have been ok if you are a heavy smoker, but for me the smell was overwhelming -- I could barely sleep. The staff was helpful even though they didn't have any open rooms for us; they offered to ionize the room and gave us some free drink tickets. But for the price we paid, it was definitely not worth it.
Portland, ME
Category: Hotels
Portland, ME
Category: Hotels
Portland, ME
Category: Hotels
Portland, ME
Category: Bed & Breakfast
Portland, ME
Category: Bakeries
I was invited to a wedding in Bar Harbor, Maine.…
Buster loves to frequent dog friendly places, if…
