With some of our favorite restaurants in the state located in and around the Midcoast towns of Rockland and Camden, we’re always looking for an excuse to head north for a meal, but until recently, the inconvenience of either making the trip up and back in a single day or finding someone to look after Orvis so that we could stay the evening, made these tasty getaways pretty infrequent. After a recent overnight stay at 250 Main Hotel, however, we now have the perfect dog-friendly (and impeccably designed) place to stay when escaping to the Midcoast region.

This charming boutique property, located in the heart of downtown Rockland, opened its doors in the spring of 2016 under the ownership of local boatbuilders, Lyman Morse, and has since been managed by the team at Migis Hotel Group. The five-story building was constructed by Scattergood Design to maximize every inch of the corner lot, while the twenty-six individually appointed rooms were designed by Miami-based Thirlwall Design.

Art is one of the many draws to 250 Main. Each floor is considered its own gallery, featuring works on display from several of Rockland’s esteemed galleries. We thought it very fortuitous that the painting just outside our door was by our very favorite Maine artist, Henry Isaacs, on loan from the Caldbeck Gallery. Where whimsical wallpaper by UK-based artist Abigail Edwards might be the focal point in some of the guest rooms, prints by local artist, Greta Van Campen, might anchor others (including our own).

The rooftop – the only one like it in all of Rockland – and its beautiful views simply must not be missed. We snagged a pair of Adirondack chairs with Orvis to watch the evening sky change colors against Rockland Harbor just before our dinner reservations. Guests are even encouraged to take their wine and snacks from the lobby’s nightly complimentary happy hour up to the roof for an even tastier rooftop experience.

As is often the case with our more memorable hotel experiences, one of our very favorite qualities of the 250 Main was its dog-friendliness. Orvis was treated like a king during our stay. Not only was he allowed in all of the common areas of the hotel, the staff seemed to genuinely enjoy greeting him in the lobby, in the elevator, and even on the rooftop deck. Rockland is an extremely walkable town with a shop and gallery-lined Main Street, a waterfront boardwalk, and a number of public green spaces, so having the chance to experience those with our pup removed any of the traditional stress we have had about trying to grab a meal in Midcoast Maine. Now, with the quieter fall and early winter upon us, we’re already planning our next excursion up to Rockland for a good meal and a great night’s sleep (with Orvis in tow, of course).

This post is in collaboration with 250 Main Hotel. All photos taken by Meredith Perdue for 250 Main Hotel.