City: Portland, ME

Category: Accommodations

Telephone: (207) 775-1910, (800) 639-1779

Address: 46 Carleton Street

Description: Owned by southern natives Sue and Phil Cox, this impeccably preserved town house dates back to 1869, when it was owned by merchant and shopkeeper Gilbert Bailey. The Coxes have owned this six-room inn for 12 years and have outfitted the entire interior with ornate Victorian-era furniture—and we’re not talking about just a few vases and a chair or two. Either Sue or Phil has carefully selected each piece—from the dewdrop crystal chandelier in the sitting room to the antique wooden birdhouse in the dining room—to recreate the Victorian elegance enjoyed by Bailey. And luckily for weary travelers, the most memorable antiques are the beds. The Inn on Carleton is famous among travelers for its beds. Each room in this inn features an elegant, Victorian-era bed that will take your breath away. Nearly all of the beds are tester beds, meaning four-posters capped with a velvet or satin-lined wooden canopy. The oldest bed in the inn is located in the Lord Brian Room. According to the Coxes, this queen-size half-tester bed decorated with hand-carved cherubs dates back to the royal court of France circa 1830. A fax machine is available for guests, and some rooms have phone jacks for modem hookups. Each room has a private bath. Both pets and smoking are prohibited at the inn, although Ben and Jerry, the Coxes’ two Maine coon cats, lounge in the inn’s common areas. Accordingly, those with severe fur allergies might want to stay elsewhere. The Coxes accommodate families with children age nine and older. Full breakfasts are served family-style in the dining room. Parking is available.