“To the conventional hotel guest, The Docent's Collection may initially seem a bundle of contradictions. It does, for example, offer plenty of grandeur—witness the three 19th-century buildings spectacularly restored in painstaking detail, decorated in original local art and lavish modern finishes. Yet don’t expect the hand-holding of a grand hotel. Instead, there’s mobile check-in with an on-call staff. And while the fully stocked kitchens and plentiful bathroom amenities—as high-end as they are high-tech—abound, there’s no restaurant, room-service, spa, or fitness center on-site. All that said, consider the meaning of the property’s name: a “docent” is an educator and guide. And with its multi-bedroom suites, perfectly situated within Old Port next to shops, sites, partner gyms, spas, and restaurants, the staff here aims to guide guests in experiencing the best of the city as they might in an extraordinary residence.”

For a broader look at Portland’s boutique hotel scene, read Alexandra Hall’s The Best Boutique Hotels in Portland, Maine, for an Independent Stay in the Charming Waterfront City, which features The Docent’s Collection among the city’s top historic stays.