Inn by the Sea

A few minutes from Portland in Cape Elizabeth, this coastal resort sits close enough to the water that the sea breeze does real work, even in summer when the air conditioning is technically doing its job. Rooms and suites run to gas fireplaces and heated floors, which sounds like a sales pitch until January arrives. The style is contemporary-classic without the stiffness that phrase usually implies, and the Michelin Guide has it among their selected hotels.