The über dog-friendly Inn by the Sea makes it easy to travel with your pooch. This luxury inn edging Crescent Beach State Park in Cape Elizabeth regularly notches top marks in the nation for luxury, experience, being green, and yes, dog-friendliness. Never content to rest on its many laurels, the inn regularly updates the property. And, it’s always looking or more ways to support not only the environment, but also the community.
I’ve visited this inn regularly since it opened on the site of the old Crescent Beach Inn decades ago. This time, I arrived with a few gal-pals with dogs in my Covid-19 bubble for a two-night stay. Our getaway coincided with the inn’s annual end-of-pool-season Pool Pawty.
Pool pawty!
What’s that, you ask? Every year, when the inn closes the pool to humans for the season, it opens it for the final week to dogs. And as Bo, our 1 3/4-year-old chocolate lab, discovered, it’s a blast. He and pals Lincoln (his brother, a black lab) and Wellie (a woodle a.k.a. silky haired wheaten/poodle) played hard.
Joining them was day-pal Charlie (a shelter special) as well as other dogs who came to play and swim. I think at one point, there were eight dogs chasing each other around the pool, with a few of them actually going in for a swim.
Despite being Labrador retrievers, neither Bo nor Lincoln actually swim or retrieve. Only Bo made it as far as the first step in the pool.
Dog-friendly Inn by the Sea
Now, just ’cause the pool’s closed doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a dog-daze getaway at the Inn by the Sea. Many of the perks continue year round. For starters, dogs are pampered and loved by the staff. If you make a return visit, don’t be surprised to have staff welcome your dog first, and then you.
Dog-friendly rooms come with an L.L. Bean dog mat, a dog bowl, a dog towel, and a supply of clean-up bags. And, a special menu for dogs accompanies the set-up. Bo recommends the meat roaff, while Linc gives two paws up to the bird dog. When I asked Wellie for his opinion, he belched; another satisfied customer.
Dogs are welcome to dine with their humans on the outdoor deck with heat lamps, in the pub, and for this winter, due to Covid-19 social distancing, in another room set up for the purpose. All dining is by reservation due to Covid, too. Of course, room service is available. Due to Covid, the tray will be left outside of your door.
The beach and beyond: walks & play
A boardwalk and path connect the inn to Crescent Beach, which is open to leashed dogs through the winter season. Dogs can be off leash during the off season on nearby Higgins Beach.
While none of the dogs swam, all loved splashing in the surf. The labs again demonstrated that all hope of retrieving was futile, although they shared playing with a stick.
When it’s time for walkies, options include the beach, a maintenance road that parallels the beach, trails in the woods edging the park’s southern border, and the Great Pond trail. Don’t forget to bring the bags supplied in the room for cleaning up after your dog.
When I asked Bo what he thought of the Inn by the Sea, he replied: bark, awf, grrrrr, woof woof, bow Wow, grrr, woof woof. Let me help you with the translation: “YES! awesome, great, woot woot, Wow, great, woot woot!”
People pampered, too
The Inn by the Sea caters to those seeking a luxury lodging experience: Think beach chic with an unpretentious fun and casual vibe. Our designated dog-friendly, two-bedroom Cove Suite had front and back entries. The front door opened to a private, sheltered patio edging the lawn. It would have been easy to spend hours relaxing here enjoying the dreamy ocean views.
The living area comprised an open kitchen (with everything but an oven), a dining area, and a seating area facing the gas fireplace. We made good use of the latter on the cool autumn evenings.
One bedroom had a king-size bed with seating area, the other two queens; both had large flat-screen TVs. At home, Bo sleeps in his crate. I wasn’t sure how he’d react to not being contained, so I brought extra sheets from home to protect the inn’s bedding, which proved to be a smart decision. We both slept well.
The bathroom offered a dual-sink marble vanity, a humongous soaking tub, and an oversized shower. I loved the environmentally Bee Kind toiletries and appreciated the comfy robes and slippers.
Other accommodations include traditional rooms, loft suites, and garden suites in the main inn as well as one- and two-bedroom beach suites; some of the latter have indoor-outdoor fireplaces.
Sea Glass restaurant & health facilities
In the inn’s Sea Glass restaurant, Chef Andrew Chadwick’s menus offers something for every appetite as well as options for those with dietary restrictions.
We bundled up and dined outside for breakfast daily and for dinner one night. If the weather hadn’t cooperated, we could have dined inside with dogs, either in the pub or in a conference room repurposed for dog-friendly, socially distanced dining. Do to limited tables, it’s wise to make advance reservations.
Breakfast might be my favorite meal, and I’m not sure which I enjoyed more, the decadent almond-stuffed French toast served with warm maple syrup or the frittata, made with roasted mushrooms, sausage, mozzarella cheese, and pesto.
For dinner, I opted for the fish of the day, a delicious halibut. My table mates raved about the chicken saltimbocca, the burger, and the confit lamb shoulder. We chased it with a shared apple crisp — with raspberries, strawberries, and ice cream, it was a unique twist on the classic, and we loved it.
The inn’s fitness center is open, but due to Covid, it’s limited it a max of four people at a time, so advance reservations are required. Likewise, the Spa is open by appointment Wednesday through Sunday, but the steam room and experience showers are closed.
If you’re looking for more info on why the Inn by the Sea makes an excellent escape in any season for those craving a safe getaway, check out my article on GettingOnTravel.
