Unexpectedly, the Beach House sits perched on the side of the road overlooking Kennebunk Beach. This historic seaside inn offers a truly panoramic view of the rugged Maine Coast line with its sprawling beaches and deep blue waters. Just steps away from the family friendly beaches known as Mother’s Beach and Gooch’s Beach, the Beach House is a popular vacation destination for families with children of all ages.

The expansive beaches with a moderate surf are a rare find and perfect for enjoying a game of frisbee or baseball, building a sand castle, body surfing or walking along the ocean’s edge. The gentler surf is welcomed by families and offers superior conditions for young children to play in the ocean waters and for older children to try surfing for the first time.

Attractive and welcoming, the Beach House is a perfect blend of old and new and is known for its exceptional personalized service. With its casual elegance, inviting sitting room and ocean breeze, you will relax from the moment you set foot on the property. The rooms offer exceptional luxury with fine bed linens, complimentary robes and Molton Brown toiletries, while still comfortably accommodating families with well-behaved children.

The property is a modest size with 34 rooms and one newly constructed two-bedroom beach cottage. Up to four individuals may stay together in some of the rooms and for larger families, adjoining rooms are available and may be confirmed at the time of reservation. Many of the traditionally decorated rooms in the main property offer beautiful ocean views. The garden view rooms on the lower floor have been recently renovated with modern traditional decor in crisp neutrals, all opening onto a small garden area where there are two Adirondack chairs. You will particularly enjoy sitting on the wrap around porch overlooking the ocean and your children can play supervised on the lawn area in the front of the property. The hotel is extremely well maintained and renovations are performed on an on-going basis.

There are several options for room accommodations. All rooms have one queen or king bed but many can accommodate up to four individuals with the addition of Pack 'N Plays, Aerobeds and rollaway beds. Several rooms have adjoining doors and these rooms may be confirmed when you make your reservation. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout the resort.

Many of the traditionally decorated rooms on the main and upper floors of the hotel offer magnificent ocean views. The lower floor offers garden view rooms and has been recently renovated with fresh modern decor in crisp neutrals. The garden rooms all have a door that open onto the garden, which has two Adirondack chairs but not a sizeable area for play. Only six of the 34 rooms do not have a tub, so be sure to request a room with a tub if it is desired for bathing children.

Junior Suites
Excellent for families, Junior Suites are on the 4th floor and offer stunning ocean views. They are a king bedded room and have a Jacuzzi tub and a sitting room with a dining table.

Atlantic Room
The Atlantic Room is a one of a kind. It is a smaller Junior Suite and does not include the dining table and has a smaller sitting area.

Deluxe Rooms
Deluxe Rooms are king- or queen-bedded rooms and enjoy ocean views.

Superior Rooms
Superior Rooms are located on the upper floor and are king or queen bedded rooms. Although they are not booked as an ocean view room, they may have a partial ocean view.

Traditional Rooms
Traditional Rooms are located on the first floor and are queen- or twin-bedded rooms. They are modest rooms offering residential views.

Garden Rooms
Garden Rooms are located on the lower floor and are queen bedded. The fresh decor is an attractive update and the renovated bathrooms are spa worthy. All rooms have a door that opens to the garden area, which has two Adirondack chairs.

Beach House Cottage
Offering spectacular ocean views, the new beach cottage on the property is a fabulous option for families who are not limited by price and would like more privacy. It has three bedrooms including one with a king bed, one with a queen bed and a smaller one with a twin layaway bed. There is also a kitchenette, dining room and living room. It includes premium amenities and daily maid service in the daily rate.

Dubbed "The Magical Place by The Sea," Kennebunkport is a special find for families who especially enjoy ocean beaches and water activities, but what truly makes Kennebunkport unique is the wide variety of activities it offers especially in the summer for children of all ages. From the history buff to the nature oriented to the adventurous, Kennebunkport truly offers something for everyone.

Beaches & Recreation
One of the most appealing aspects of the Beach House is that it is located in such close proximity to family-friendly beaches. The Kennebunk beaches are a very popular attraction for summer vacationers and at the Beach House, you will find complimentary beach chairs, towels, umbrellas, and beach toys. Canoes for paddling the Kennebunk River are available at no extra charge at their partner property, Yachtsman Lodge and Marina. Kayaks may be rented from nearby Aquaholics or Coastal Maine Kayak, where guided canoeing and kayaking tours may be arranged. Surfboards and lessons may be purchased through Aquatonics right on Gooch's Beach, and a limited number of bicycles are available at the hotel on a first come first served basis.

Families with young children will love the short walk to Mother's Beach. The children will enjoy the fine white sand, protected waters, fenced in area with a playground and lifeguards on duty every day of the summer from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Portable facilities are available during the summer months.

For families with older children, Gooch's Beach, also known as "work out beach" is just beyond Mother's Beach along Beach Avenue and offers a beach as big as a playing field. It is not uncommon to see frisbee, baseball and volleyball games being played on the beach and moms in particular enjoying exercise classes. Lifeguards watch over the beach during the summer months from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and there are portable facilities available. There are no snack bars, but food and drink are allowed on the beach, so families wishing to spend a full day in the sun may enjoy a picnic lunch.

River Tree Arts
An nice alternative to hiring a babysitter in the daytime is to take advantage of the special events partnership the Beach House has with River Tree Arts in town. As guests of the Beach House, parents may arrange for their kids to drop in on the camp, where they will enjoy art and music lessons for a half day (9 a.m. to noon) or longer.

Breakfast
A generous country continental breakfast is included each morning. You will really enjoy the picturesque views of the ocean while seated at the bistro style tables in the pretty front dining room. If your children get restless, they can easily cross the hallway and play in the sitting room.

The breakfast is delicious and fresh and includes a bit more than you would expect of a true continental breakfast. We particularly enjoyed the freshly made quiche and there are also sliced meats and cheeses, homemade granola, yogurts, fresh fruit, pastries, bagels, and boxed cereals. There is a bar with self-serve coffee, tea, and juices and the coffee, which is very good, is available throughout the day and into the evening. You are almost certain to find something your child will want to eat.

High chairs and booster seats are provided through their sister hotels, so it is best to request them ahead of your stay. If you do make your request on the day of your stay, it make take 15 minutes or so for delivery. Crayons and paper are available in the common area and may be brought to the dining area for entertainment.

Afternoon Tea
Afternoon tea is served in the common area at 3 p.m. and includes, snacks, cookies and sweet tea breads. At 5 p.m., crackers and cheese may be enjoyed by all along with aperitifs for the adults. Pleasantly surprising large chocolate chip cookies await families in their room at check-in, too. This welcome treat is frequently the case when the staff is aware that a family is arriving!

Neighboring Properties
The Beach House belongs to a group of properties including the White Barn Inn, The Breakwaters and The Yachtsman Lodge and Marine. At these hotels, guests may dine at their restaurants and charge their expenses back to their hotel room at the Beach House.

All About the Extras
Children can play on a grassy area outside and are welcome in the relaxed sitting room where there are games, playing cards and movies that may be borrowed.

Wi-Fi
Complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout the resort.

Babysitting
Babysitters may be arranged for a fee through the Beach House staff. The babysitters are both members of the hotel team and individuals from families they know well in the area community.

The Art of Smart Timing
The Beach House is open all year round with its high season in July and August. The 4th of July weekend is a highlight with a special BBQ offered, where children may eat at a slightly reduced rate to be determined at the time. Guests may enjoy a favorable view of the fireworks from the hotel property as well. Although July can be lovely, August is the choicest time to visit, as you are almost guaranteed sunny weather. Since August is the absolute peak season, you can expect crowds and should make your reservations for August dates early in the spring. By early June, the Beach House may be booked solid for the summer months.

For those with young children not restricted by a school schedule, June and September offer a close to summer experience at a bit of a reduced rate. October is high foliage season and prices will rise again, but the crowds will dwindle in November and December and prices will be the lowest during the winter months. Christmas can be a fun time to enjoy Kennebunkport as in early December there are all kinds of holiday festivities and decorations to be enjoyed by families. HGTV rated Kennebunkport as No. 2 of the top 10 Christmas towns in the country.

Getting There
If you are within a day's travel by car, you may enjoy the easy and scenic drive to Kennebunkport. Traffic can be congested during the summer months, so traveling at non-peak hours and on weekdays if possible can be helpful. Take the Maine Turnpike, I-95, to exit 25, Kennebunk, and then a 10-minute drive to the Beach House.

By plane, travel to the Portland airport and preferably rent a car to head approximately 30 minutes South to Kennebunk.

Getting Around
Cab service is also available.

For Mom and Dad
Another perk at the Beach House is that Mom and Dad may enjoy the spa at the White Barn Inn, an exclusive sister property, and there is one spa treatment room on the Beach House property if you prefer to stay onsite. The White Barn Inn Spa offers a variety of personalized treatments and features treatment suites with en-suite bathrooms and rain showers. There is also a "soaker" tub available in the treatment area.