Wild Iris Inn

Breakfasts are great (another vote for the Greek yogurt with maple syrup and the local baked goods); the kitchen area on the third floor is large and airy and has a good view of the tree-lined street, with a full-size "Smeg" refrigerator that has a dedicated shelf for each Suite. PB&J fixings are provided at breakfast, should you want to make something to take with you. Check-in and check-out are easy and contactless. Location is sufficiently convenient to Congress and Commercial (we walked the approximately 13 blocks down to the Old Port with no problem in the August heat). Access from and to 295 is super easy; on-street parking was never difficult (we parked in the nearby park on a Friday night without issue and there were tons of spaces--otherwise, we parked in front or around the corner). Getting down to Cape Elizabeth was simple, too, as State street leads right down to the bridge to South Portland. The building has lots of funky charm. Yes, Suite 4 has a smallish bedroom with only about a foot of space on the left side of the bed (watch the toes and shins), but the queen was fine for this couple in their 50's, and the "living room" is large, albeit with a sloping ceiling on one side (3rd floor...which means stairs, of course). The bathroom is large as well, although the hot water can take a bit to get started. Rooms are only made up on request--which we didn't ask for--and you bus your own kitchen items. The A/C worked well in 90F weather. The only "view" is the small backyard--the other windows face out on the roof of the house next door--but that didn't matter to us. The front door, the door to the hallway on each floor, and each room all have keycode locks, so security is good. We had no issues with noise--Suite 3 kept to themselves and were quiet, and street noise was minor. The hosts are friendly and were quick to respond to our calls and texts. Most importantly, they had an available room at the last minute for a reasonable price relative to the sky-high prices of 2022. A pleasurable stay with definite value!

The Mercury was within walking distance of everything I came to Portland to do and see, and my suite was beautifully renovated and comfortable and cozy on a chilly rainy weekend. It was immaculate, and I was surprised by how spacious it was, too. The COVID measures in place made everything contact-free but the proprietors were always a text message away, which I really appreciated. The coffee was plentiful and the yogurt was excellent and the local doughnuts were a delightful surprise in the morning! It felt like a perfect home away from home, and I only wish I could have stayed longer. I would definitely stay here again, and hope to before too long!