You don\u2019t have to cross the Atlantic to experience European charm. Transport yourself to the continent at these hotels and inns.<\/h3>\n
By Benjamin Goodridge<\/p>\n
Bienvenue dans le Maine!<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cStaying here,\u201d says Beth Clark, innkeeper of Le Domaine, \u201cis like walking into France.\u201d Kick back Proven\u00e7al-style while enjoying a chilled glass of 2006 La Marouette Viognier from the award-winning wine cellar and absorb \u201cthe atmosphere, smell of good food, and decor\u201d that give this Hancock inn its piquant flavor. The ornate rooms are \u201call named for towns in Provence, and each one is done in fabrics to match its respective town.\u201d<\/p>\n If 1920s Paris is more your style, stay in the sensual \u201cMoulin Rouge\u201d grand king suite (with velvet sofa and fireplace) at the Ivy Manor Inn in Bar Harbor. \u201cWe consistently attract European visitors,\u201d says innkeeper Judith Stanley, and \u201cthe sumptuous French fare at our Fleur de Lis Tavern is one reason why. The tavern walls are French-European mahogany, and the d\u00e9cor is done in color tones of a French chateau. Its unique ambiance is enchanting and romantic\u2026. We are the only inn that does original souffl\u00e9, and all of our chocolate is imported from France.\u201d<\/p>\n More the Beefeater Gin type? Stand fast in Bar Harbor and keep your eyes peeled for the tower and turret of the Black Friar Inn. After one quick knock, jolly \u201cFriar\u201d Tom will greet you at the door of this \u201ctraditional, small English inn.\u201d Relax at the pub with a thick, dark Black Fly Stout while noshing on traditional English fare like bangers \u2018n\u2019 mash and fish \u2018n\u2019 chips. \u201cOur inn has British flavor inside and out,\u201d says the friar. \u201cWe try to stay true to the friars\u2019 traditions of the past, mainly by inspiring joyful conversation and happiness.\u201d<\/p>\n Other options from Albion include Ogunquit\u2019s Beauport Inn. Although built recently, its handcrafted stonework and stained-glass doors are reminiscent of a 19th-century, English country manor. Wake up to\u00a0 an authentic English country breakfast including fresh fruit over waffles with potatoes, tea, and homemade bread. Later, stroll the pastel gardens or hit the hammam, a Turkish steam room.<\/p>\n Willkommen auf Maine!<\/strong><\/p>\n If it\u2019s more The Sound of Music<\/em> than Robin Hood<\/em> you\u2019re after, head to the The Lucerne Inn. Built in 1812 in Dedham on the road between Bangor and Bar Harbor, this alpine retreat earned its name from a group of guests from Lucerne, Switzerland, struck by its resemblance to their own hamlet. The resort and restaurant overlook Phillips Lake, a lovely sight to take in while savoring the hearty German dishes of chef Patrick Friel. \u201c[Patrick\u2019s] very old school,\u201d says innkeeper Steve Jones. \u201cHe cooks up the best j\u00e4gerschnitzel you\u2019ll find in Maine, and the mushroom strudel ain\u2019t too bad, either!\u201d It must be pretty good, for the inn has attracted high-flying guests from Amelia Earhart to an entire U.S. national tennis team. \u201cOprah almost stayed here once,\u201d quips Jones, \u201cbut\u2013no joke\u2013the rooms wouldn\u2019t fit all of her luggage.\u201d She\u2019ll probably leave that little story out of her book club.<\/p>\n For air so crisp you can hear it crack, slip across the state line into Glen, New Hampshire, and put your feet up at Bernerhof Inn. \u201cI had an innate love of the place when I first visited 50 years ago,\u201d says Dick Badger, who bought and renovated the inn in the summer of 2010. \u201cI was extra careful to keep its Swiss heritage in place. People used to travel to this inn on horse and buggy, on their way to Mount Washington. The Bernerhof was an ideal place to stay for the weary traveler then, and it holds that same warmth today.\u201d<\/p>\n The foundation hasn\u2019t changed since the inn was built in 1880 by Swiss immigrants, and the menu is true to traditional heritage. \u201cVeal is what the restaurant was always known for, and you can find multiple veal dishes on our menu today. Also try the cheese fondue, a personal favorite of mine.\u201d<\/p>\n More Swiss charm awaits at The Balsams\u00a0 in Dixville, New Hampshire. While dining table d\u2019hote<\/em> with \u201cmultiple courses offered at a fixed price\u201d\u2013you can gaze out at the rugged landscape of Northern New Hampshire and imagine yourself immersed in the Swiss Alps. \u201cWe\u2019re surrounded by 800-foot sheer cliffs, we\u2019re in a remote setting, and there\u2019s a sense of escapism here,\u201d says David Donohue. Who knew the Alps were so close to Portland?<\/p>\n Benvenuti in Maine!<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n Sunday River\u2019s most luxurious hotel, the Grand Summit, is also a paeon to the alpine. \u201cWe\u2019ve based the hotel on a mountain-like feel,\u201d says Darcy Morse, director of marketing. \u201cRooms similar to ours could be found in the Alps.\u201d While they maintain the essence of a log cabin, \u201call the rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art Boyne mattresses, and our steak dinners are to die for.\u201d<\/p>\n We\u2019ve covered a lot of ground, fellow travelers, but there is one, last inn that deserves our attention: The Pentag\u00f6et in the picturesque harbor town of Castine. \u201cWe\u2019re not country specific,\u201d says innkeeper Jack Burke. \u201cRather, we reflect the Victorian tradition, and the embodiment of the people who first settled here: the Dutch, French, and English.\u201d Burke, a connoisseur of world history, has created an inn that oozes diplomatic intrigue out of every pore. After a long day kayaking or biking, hit Passports pub and refresh with an \u201cAmbassador\u201d\u2013the Pentag\u00f6et\u2019s take on a gin and tonic\u2013while sitting beneath the watchful eyes of world leaders like Gandhi, Lenin, and Queen Victoria. \u201cCastine was once Maine\u2019s most populous town and linchpin in the East India trade route,\u201d says Burke. \u201cYour stay here will evoke a sense of world diplomacy.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/euromaine.jpg\" "\\"euromaine\\"")
<\/a>In this neck of the woods, a number of inns are designed to transport you to the other side of the Pond. So grab your L.L. Bean rucksack or Louis Vuitton overnight bag and prepare for adventure\u2013sans passport.<\/p>\n
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