West Elm to open boutique Portland, Maine, hotel by 2020

Furniture and home decor designer West Elm announced Portland, Maine, as the newest location for its West Elm Hotels brand, with the new property expected to open in 2020. The 150-room, full-service boutique hotel will be developed on Portland’s waterfront by Portland Foreside Development Company, and operated by hotel development and management company DDK, West Elm Hotels’ exclusive operator.

The property will be located in Portland Foreside, a new neighborhood development in the area formerly known as the Portland Company Complex. The Foreside neighborhood will be a mix of retail, food and beverage, residential, office, hospitality and a deep-water marina, all designed to encourage year-round enjoyment and community engagement. Portland Foreside is positioned to become the city’s destination for locals and tourists to appreciate Portland’s history, engage in the harbor activities, celebrate special events, visit retail and entertainment offerings and indulge in local food.

"Portland Foreside Development Company is excited about West Elm’s commitment to the City of Portland. We share the vision of connecting travelers to the daily life of Portland by focusing on a unique experience, highlighting the city’s local character, and delivering one-of-a-kind amenities and services modern travelers crave most,” Casey Prentice, manager of Portland Foreside Development Company, said in a statement.

The hotel will be situated overlooking Portland's waterfront, directly east of the Ocean Gateway Terminal and the waterfront public open space known as Portland Landing, and will offer vistas of Casco Bay, Fort Gorges and neighboring island communities. West Elm will design a unique hospitality experience that pays homage to the coastal city’s history and burgeoning waterfront community.

Plans for the hotel and surrounding development include 150 guestrooms; a lobby bar and restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating; an outdoor pool, including views of the harbor; and retail spaces curated in the historic core of the development and next to the hotel.

West Elm Hotels was announced in September 2016, with properties scheduled to open in Detroit; Indianapolis; Minneapolis; Oakland, Calif.; and Savannah, Ga., beginning in early 2019. Each West Elm Hotel, including the Portland location, will include local design elements that celebrate the community and reflect traditional décor, handicraft, cuisine and culture from the region. As West Elm Hotels’ exclusive operator, DDK will lead property development with local partners.