Waterville Hotels: Where to Stay in Maine

Waterville hotels fall into two groups. A cluster of chain properties sits along Main Street and Kennedy Memorial Drive near Interstate 95. One newer boutique hotel stands downtown. This guide covers every Waterville, Maine lodging option we could confirm, flags the gaps, and drops properties we could not verify. The old version of this page listed a historic Elmwood hotel and a Maine Museum of Art. Neither belongs in a current guide. Addresses and phone numbers come from the properties and from travel directories. Rates change daily, so we do not quote them.

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Hotels in Waterville, Maine: What Is Open Now

The Lockwood Hotel Downtown

The Lockwood is the one hotel in the heart of downtown Waterville. Colby College developed the property on Main Street, on the site of the former Levine’s clothing store. Charlestowne Hotels manages the building.

The hotel has 53 rooms and suites. Colby describes suite, double queen, and king options. The four-story building has a limestone facade, meeting rooms, a fitness room, a seasonal patio, and a lawn with entrances on both Main Street and Front Street. Lodging Magazine reports a Howard Miller Room for groups of up to 32 people.

Front and Main is the on-site restaurant. Executive Chef Jesse Souza leads the kitchen and cooks with Maine ingredients. Lodging Magazine lists brunch, lunch, and dinner, plus a private dining room for up to 14 guests.

Dogs are welcome. The hotel offers a doggie amenity package with treats from Loyal Biscuit. A Basecamp Lending Program also loans outdoor gear such as rain gear and backpacks to guests.

Sources differ on the opening date, so we do not state one. We could not confirm the street number, the phone number, or check-in and check-out times. Call the hotel or check the official site before you book. Choose the Lockwood if you want a walkable downtown base, local art, and a restaurant downstairs.

Best Western Plus Waterville Grand Hotel

This hotel stands at 375 Main Street, Waterville, ME 04901. The Visit Maine listing gives the phone number as 207-873-0111.

Visit Maine lists an indoor heated salt-water pool, a hot tub, an exercise facility, a 24-hour front desk, a 24-hour business center, free parking, and meeting space for up to 350 guests. Guest rooms include a desk, a microwave, and a refrigerator, according to the same listing.

O’Brien’s Restaurant serves as the on-site Irish restaurant and pub. Visit Maine says the breakfast is complimentary and served there. The listing also calls the hotel pet friendly. Ask about pet rules and fees when you call.

A hotel directory lists check-in at 3:00 PM and check-out at 12:00 PM. We found those times on one directory only, so confirm both with the front desk.

Pick this hotel if you want a pool, a restaurant, and a pub under one roof. Business travelers and event groups also fit well here.

Holiday Inn Express and Suites Waterville-North

Holiday Inn Express and Suites stands at 332 Main Street, Waterville, ME 04901. The Maine.com listing gives the phone number as 207-873-2777. The hotel sits off Interstate 95 and lies roughly 18 miles from Augusta, according to the same listing.

The property offers suites with one or two bedrooms, full kitchens, and sofa sleepers. Every room includes a coffee maker, a hair dryer, an iron, and a 40-inch flat-screen television. Select rooms have fireplaces.

Breakfast is free and hot. Maine.com mentions eggs, meat, yogurt, fresh fruit, cereal, and waffles. The hotel also has an indoor heated pool, a fitness center, and free Wi-Fi.

The hotel does not allow pets. A hotel directory lists check-in at 3:00 PM and check-out at 11:00 AM. Confirm both times when you book.

Pick this hotel if you want a kitchen, a hot breakfast, and quick highway access. Families and longer stays suit the suite layouts.

Hampton Inn Waterville

Hampton Inn stands at 425 Kennedy Memorial Drive, Waterville, ME 04901. A meetings directory lists the phone as 207-873-0400 and the toll-free line as 800-426-7866.

The directory lists 81 rooms across four floors. The hotel was built in 2001 and updated in 2013. Rooms include a refrigerator, a microwave, and high-speed internet. The property has an indoor pool, a fitness center, a business center, and free parking. Two meeting rooms offer a combined 925 square feet.

A hotel directory lists a free continental breakfast, check-in at 3:00 PM, and check-out at 12:00 PM. The same directory says the hotel accepts up to two pets for a fee. We confirmed these points on one directory, so ask the front desk to verify them.

Pick Hampton Inn if you want a dependable chain room and a pool near Kennedy Memorial Drive.

Fireside Inn and Suites Waterville

One hotel directory lists Fireside Inn and Suites at 356 Main Street, Waterville, ME 04901. The listing mentions an outdoor summer pool, an exercise room, a restaurant, a microwave and refrigerator in rooms, a free continental breakfast, free parking, and a pet fee.

We found this property in one source only. We could not confirm the phone number, the current brand, or whether the inn still operates. Treat the details as unconfirmed. Search the address on a booking site and call before you plan around this inn.

Motels in Waterville and Other Lodging Types

Travelers who search for motels in Waterville will find mostly branded hotels. We could not confirm any independent motel or bed and breakfast in the city from two sources. The Maine.com guide says accommodations include hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and local rentals, but the page names no specific motel.

If you want a motel or an inn, search the address of any listing you find. Read the current brand on the booking page. Then call the property to confirm the name, the room type, and the cancellation policy.

Short-term rentals also exist. Maine.com mentions a private lakefront rental on Messalonskee Lake in nearby Oakland. We did not verify the listing, so check the host details before you pay.

The Old Elmwood Hotel Is Gone

The previous version of this page listed The Elmwood as a restored 1850s mansion with gardens. We could not verify such a property. The Elmwood we found in the record is a historic hotel from Waterville’s grand hotel era. A Maine Memory Network brochure dates the Elmwood Hotel to about 1900.

A Hotel Online article about Colby’s downtown plans says the Elmwood Hotel once drew events to its ballroom. The same article says the site is now a Rite Aid. A booking site may still show a listing under the name The Elmwood, but we could not tie the listing to a working hotel in Waterville. We dropped the property.

The lesson applies to old guides in general. Hotels close, rebrand, and change owners. Confirm any name you see against two sources.

Where to Stay Near Colby College

Colby College anchors Waterville. Wikipedia says the college has invested more than 70 million dollars in downtown development since 2015. The Colby College Museum of Art holds more than ten thousand artworks, including works by Edmonia Lewis, Norman Lewis, Faith Ringgold, and James McNeill Whistler. The museum site says admission is always free.

The Lockwood offers the closest stay to downtown and the Colby art scene. The Main Street hotels sit a short drive to the north. We did not source exact distances, so check a map for walking and driving times.

Parents of students and campus visitors can book any of the hotels above. Graduation, move-in, and parents weekends fill rooms quickly in college towns. Book early and ask each property about its policies for event weekends.

Things to Do Near Your Waterville Hotel

Waterville has a compact set of sights. The Waterville Opera House is a 1902 Beaux-Arts building, according to Wikipedia. The Two Cent Bridge is a historic iron footbridge from 1903. The Redington Museum covers local history. The Maine International Film Festival brings film fans to the city.

Wikipedia also lists the Paul J. Schupf Art Center among the recent downtown projects. Check each venue for current hours and ticket rules before you go. We did not confirm 2026 schedules.

Day trips start from the same highway. Visit Maine lists Belgrade Lakes, Boothbay Harbor, and the state capitol in Augusta as easy trips from Interstate 95. Maine.com puts Acadia National Park about 100 miles from the Holiday Inn Express.

Getting to Waterville and Where Else to Stay

Waterville sits in Kennebec County on the west bank of the Kennebec River. Interstate 95, US Route 201, and Maine Routes 137 and 104 serve the city. Amtrak Downeaster service reaches Waterville. The nearest major airports are in Portland and Bangor. Visit Maine puts Bangor International Airport about 55 miles away.

Most visitors drive. Hotel guides place the Main Street properties a few miles north and west of downtown near the interstate. Plan on a short drive to downtown from those hotels.

If Waterville fills up, Augusta lies 16 to 19 miles away according to a hotel directory. The directory lists Fairfield Inn and Suites, Comfort Inn Civic Center, Best Western Plus Augusta Civic Center Inn, Homewood Suites, Super 8, Days Inn, and Maine Evergreen Hotel there. We did not verify each Augusta property, so confirm before you book.

How to Choose Among Waterville Hotels

Visitors who want downtown should choose the Lockwood. You can walk to the museum area and dine in the hotel restaurant.

Families and long stays should look at Holiday Inn Express and Suites. The kitchens, the hot breakfast, and the pool give a family room to spread out.

Pet owners have two confirmed paths. The Lockwood welcomes dogs and offers an amenity package. Best Western Plus and Hampton Inn also list pet policies. Holiday Inn Express does not allow pets. Always ask about fees and weight limits.

Groups and event planners should call Best Western Plus first. Visit Maine lists meeting space for up to 350 guests.

Business travelers can compare Hampton Inn and Best Western Plus. Both list a business center and free parking.

Before you pay, confirm the property name on the building, the cancellation policy, parking, breakfast hours, and front desk hours for late arrivals. Ask for the total with taxes and fees. Prices shift by date, so compare the total on two booking sites and by phone.

What We Checked and What We Could Not

We checked the Lockwood against Colby College news, Mainebiz, and Lodging Magazine. We checked Best Western Plus against Visit Maine and a hotel directory. We checked Holiday Inn Express against Maine.com and a hotel directory. We checked Hampton Inn against a meetings directory and the same hotel directory. We took the Fireside Inn details from one directory only.

We could not confirm current rates, the Lockwood phone number and policies, or the operating status of Fireside Inn and Suites. Check-in and check-out times for three hotels come from one directory. Phone numbers and policies change. Confirm each detail with the property before you travel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Waterville hotels offer a short, honest list. The Lockwood gives you a downtown stay with a restaurant and local art. Best Western Plus, Holiday Inn Express and Suites, and Hampton Inn give you familiar chain rooms near Interstate 95. Fireside Inn and Suites needs a phone call before you rely on the inn. The old Elmwood listing no longer belongs on any shortlist. Confirm the details with each property and book early for college weekends in Waterville.

Still comparing? More hotel guides for Maine.