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The Thistle Inn

2.0 star property
The cozy bar invites travelers to unwind with a drink, while the restaurant offers a homey atmosphere perfect for enjoying a satisfying dinner

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Photo gallery for The Thistle Inn

A hotel room with a bed, a desk, a chair, a television, and a picture on the wall. - The Thistle Inn (Boothbay Harbor)
A room with a grey wall, wooden floor, a grey sofa, a wooden dresser, and white-framed windows with blinds. - The Thistle Inn (Boothbay Harbor)
A bathroom with a sink, mirror, towel rack, and a coffee machine. - The Thistle Inn (Boothbay Harbor)
A compact kitchenette with a microwave, coffee maker, and a small trash bin. - The Thistle Inn (Boothbay Harbor)
A two-level bunk bed with purple bedding, white headboard, and a white radiator on the wall. - The Thistle Inn (Boothbay Harbor)
The Thistle Inn sits near the city center, welcoming visitors with its charming bar and restaurant. Travelers can connect to WiFi throughout their stay, appreciate the smoke-free premises, and take advantage of the free self parking when exploring the area.

Reviews

7.6 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
  • Air conditioning
  • Bar

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 6 of 6 rooms

View all photos for American Eagle

A hotel room with a bed, a desk, a chair, a television, and a picture on the wall.

American Eagle

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Appledore

A bedroom with a bed, a dresser, a television on a cabinet, and a window with sheer curtains.

Appledore

8.8 out of 10
Excellent
(5 reviews)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Victory Chimes

A bedroom with a bed, two bedside tables, a nightstand, a wall-mounted lamp, and a framed picture.

Victory Chimes

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Heritage

A bedroom with a bed, a nightstand, a lamp, and a window with blinds.

Heritage

7.0 out of 10
Good
(4 reviews)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Sherman Zwicker

A four-poster bed with a headboard, a bedside table, a chair, and a desk with a lamp.

Sherman Zwicker

8.4 out of 10
Very good
(6 reviews)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free WiFi

Crows Nest

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)
  • 2 bedrooms
  • Sleeps 6
  • 1 King Bed, 2 Twin Beds and 1 Queen Sofa Bed
  • Free WiFi

About the neighborhood

Boothbay Harbor is home to The Thistle Inn. Opera House at Boothbay Harbor and Boothbay Region Historical Society Museum are cultural highlights, and some of the area's landmarks include Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library and Burnt Island Living Lighthouse. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and Maine State Aquarium are also worth visiting. Visit our Boothbay Harbor travel guide
Map
55 Oak St, Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04538

What's nearby

  • A harbor with boats, a dock, and a rocky shoreline with a lobster trap.
    Boothbay Harbor Marina
    6 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • Opera House at Boothbay Harbor
    2 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • Boothbay Region Historical Society Museum
    2 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • Boothbay Region Land Trust
    3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library
    6 min walk - 0.4 miles

Getting around

  • Brunswick Station
    46 min drive
  • Wiscasset, ME (ISS)
    27 min drive

Restaurants

  • Circle K
    11 min walk
  • Pinkham’s Gourmet Market
    20 min walk
  • Tugboat Inn
    10 min walk
  • Footbridge Brewery
    5 min walk
  • The Thistle Inn
    1 min walk

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  • Parking included
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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • In-room WiFi speed: 100+ Mbps (good for 1–2 people or up to 6 devices)

Parking and transportation

  • Free offsite parking
  • Free self parking on site

Food and drink

  • A bar/lounge
  • A restaurant

Family friendly

  • In-room microwave
  • Mini-fridge

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only

More

  • Smoking not allowed

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Bathtub or shower
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer

Entertainment

  • Flat-screen TV with cable channels

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Microwave
  • Mini-fridge

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Desk
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Mobile key entry

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

There is no front desk at this property
Guests will receive an email within 72 hours before arrival with check-in instructions and smart lock details; access will be through a private entrance
Prior to arrival, you must complete online registration via a secure link
Guests are recommended to download the property's ResNexus mobile app before check-in
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Private entrance, smart lock

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards and debit cards; cash is not accepted
Cashless transactions are available
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector

We should mention

This property does not have elevators

Frequently asked questions

Is The Thistle Inn pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking?

Self parking is free at this property; nearby parking is also free.

What time is check-in at The Thistle Inn?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime.

What time is check-out at The Thistle Inn?

Check-out is at 10:00 AM.

Where is The Thistle Inn located?

Situated in Boothbay Harbor, this hotel is steps from Boothbay Region Historical Society Museum and Opera House at Boothbay Harbor. Boothbay Region Land Trust and Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library are also within 10 minutes.

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Reviews

The Thistle Inn Reviews

7.6

Good

8.4

Cleanliness

6.8

Amenities

6.4

Staff & service

7.4

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 28 out of 94 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 30 out of 94 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 22 out of 94 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 9 out of 94 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 5 out of 94 reviews

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Cathy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great stay

The bed and pillows were so comfy. Great location too
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

6/10 Okay

Rick-Linda

Historic building connected to 5 star restaurant and charming tavern. Fantastic location to all attractions in the village of Boothbay harbor.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Glenn A Anderson

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property was excellent and the restaurant at the property was the best in the area.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Cristaliz

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great little area, felt safe and relaxed in the property.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kelli

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This place was amazing! Great location. I definitely recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

Warren

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Love that it is close to downtown area. Attached restaurant is very good. It is directly on the main street into town, but not too loud.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

DANA

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
The inn is conveniently located near restaurants and shops. There is a restaurant on the property as well serving seafood meals and pub food. The only thing we didn’t realize is we had to park across the street down a small incline. We parked there after unloading the car but when we went to park there a 2nd time someone asked us to move. Overall, the inn is clean, quiet and fairly priced for its location.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Michelle

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is our 2nd trip to Boothbay, first time at The Thistle Inn, we stayed in the Crows Nest, as a family of 4. The room was beautiful, clean, spacious. We loved having a full kitchen and room to spread out. This would even make a great weekend getaway for 2 during the off season. The fireplace makes a nice cozy touch.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Hilda

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Thistle Inn was absolutely beautiful very clean spacious. The owner worked with me and gave me a bigger room and I screwed up and thought I had a king size bed which I thought I read on Expedia unbelievable gorgeous will be back for sure. Definitely won’t disappoint. Thank you again for a wonderful stay. The restaurant downstairs was delish.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

Oscar

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Amenities
Super easy check in with lock codes No staff on premise Be aware of high floor rooms super steep stairs
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Elena

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Max from Thistle Inn was especially helpful in quelling my nervousness around getting in to the room, super easy in the end. Just know that he sends the email morning of with info, not 72 hours prior like it says on the hotels.com info page. Had a great stay after a gardens aglow excursion!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

ELLEN LUCIA

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
This trip would have been perfect with the following: 1. lighting at the parking across the street, especially for late arrivals 2. Bottled water 3. Napkins or paper towels 4. Plasticware 5. Cookware for microwave - I left a dish for heating there for the next guest 6. Better bandwidth- the TV did not really work when other guest were there or the restaurant was in operation. No one likes to watch TV the is constantly spinning 7. A WiFi connection Other than these things it was nice, comfortable and quaint.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

4/10 Poor

Troy

Liked: Cleanliness
Love Boothbay Harbor and all it has to offer. Great location and unique place. The bed was TERRIBLE! I don't expect to get the mattress I have at home but this one was like sleeping on a piece of plywood. For what it is all you need is a good mattress!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Marni

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Adorable, clean, well-located Inn with parking

Walkable, great location. Easy self-check in and and very clean, comfortable stay. The room was spacious for my teen sons and myself to relax. Guests should know that there are potentially two flights of stairs to climb to the room that are steeper and shorter than some may be used to. Hold the railings when traversing. Pretty restaurant on the patio - but not affiliated with the Inn
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Colleen

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Comfy bed, took me a while to figure out Keurig, heater noisy, overall Comfy bed overrides noisy heater
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Carol

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The house was built in 1861 with original flooring and lovingly refurbished. The sleeping accommodations are tastefully furnished. Being a short walk away from the hubbub of the shopping doesn't mean that your peace and quiet is disturbed. The restaurant, which is located on the first floor of the Inn serves delicious food and staffed by competent and polite people. The only suggestion that we could make is a full length mirror in the room. Looking forward to returning in the future.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Dana

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This place is unique in that u do not have a front desk to check in. The key is in a lock box and then u r kinda on ur own. The room was great! Large, clean, comfortable bed. Small fridge, Keriig coffeemaker, microwave The only complaint I would have is that there are very few electrical outlets. It’s a historical building so that’s kinda expected. We had to be creative to plug in the CPap machine and charge our electronics. No big deal though.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

4/10 Poor

Craig

Disliked: Amenities
It was very noisy when the restaurant was open. There was no staff or security present. We were the only ones in the entire complex which was disconcerting . The bathroom was tiny with a tiny shower. The bed was fine and the floors were clean. Some of the outside siding was rotted. We would not recommend this establishment to anyone. Sorry
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Howard

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort

Unique Property

I would say this property is Unique!!! There is no Front Desk;; check in is a code for the main door and coded key lock box with a key to your room. Checkout is the same. Everything is done via email and phone. What makes this place Great is the Restaurant attached to the Inn. Food is Amazing and the service is Awesome as well!!! The are owned by separate entities. There are only 6 rooms which makes it nice as well and located walking distance to downtown Boothbay Harbor. The only downfall is the narrow stairs going up to the second and third floors, I have bad knees so the stairs were a little rough but still didn't take away from a Great Stay!!! Next time I will try to get the room on the first floor lol. I would definitely stay there again!!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

6/10 Okay

Cheryl

Disliked: Staff & service, amenities
This is not an Inn. There is noone to greet you and check you in. There was no communication in advance to inform you that there was noone to greet you and to look for a same-day e-mail communication about an entry code to get to the room. It is an old building (once a working inn)...so the steps to get to the rooms are narrow and have a small width. We had a 3 floor walk-up with luggage. No assistance (no elevator). Absolutely anyone with a walking disability or a breathing and/or heart condition should not elect to stay here. There is a restaurant, but it has nothing to do with the stay and the staff there cannot help you with any questions. The room was clean, air was fine, bed was fine. There's a refrigerator. The futon couch was cheap and uncomfortable.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Verified

6/10 Okay

Richard

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service
Overall, clean. Pictures on Expedia don’t perfectly reflect the property. Cover picture shows a full refrigerator and kitchen with huge counter & barstool chairs. Did not see anything like that. The room (which I thought was a 2nd floor room because of the ceiling shape in pics) was actually a 3rd floor (which was not very easy for us older folk to climb) & stairs were very narrow. No elevator. No breakfast, lunch amenities. Keurig in room was great (if you’re a fan of Keurig) I guess this was an average like a AirB&B type situation. If you’re looking for that, it is fine. Anything more is not there. Although it looks like they’re trying to update each room individually. Ours was newly painted & clean. Small refrigerator, no freezer. It’s out of the busy/touristy sections & outstanding restaurant below the rooms (not associated with the rentals.) Open 4pm-9pm. The food, staff, ambiance was phenomenal. All n all, the experience was ok, just lacking any personal touch/service.moo
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

6/10 Okay

Susan

Liked: Cleanliness
The room was basic and clean. Noisy during the night but we did have the windows open. The check in information and codes were never sent. I had to reach out to them so check in was delayed 20 minutes.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2026
Verified

4/10 Poor

Jeffrey

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
t
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2026
Verified

8/10 Good

Charles

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities
Beautiful Boothbay Harbor!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Brian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Was a nice place and convenient to the water, shops and restaurants
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025