The Longfellow Hotel in Maine Celebrates Local Ties with Sustainable Design

The independently owned hotel in Portland embraces the region's history and culture while prioritizing environmental responsibility.

Published on Feb. 3, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Longfellow Hotel in Portland, Maine, was designed by Uncommon Hospitality to feel like a welcoming home away from home, with carefully curated sustainable details at every turn. The 48-room hotel celebrates the region's literary and cultural heritage while operating with a strong sense of social and environmental responsibility.

Why it matters

As an independent luxury hotel, The Longfellow stands out in a market dominated by corporate chains. Its commitment to sustainability, local partnerships, and community engagement demonstrates how mission-driven hospitality can thrive by prioritizing values over excess.

The details

The Longfellow Hotel eliminated single-use plastics, sourced decor and furnishings from local makers and secondhand shops, and invested in behind-the-scenes sustainable features like all-electric appliances and high-performance insulation. The hotel also offers amenities like complimentary EV charging and an in-town car service to reduce guests' carbon footprint.

  • The Longfellow Hotel opened in 2024.
  • In fall 2025, the hotel arranged training with Equality Maine to emphasize creating safe spaces.

The players

Uncommon Hospitality

The family-run hospitality firm that owns and operates The Longfellow Hotel.

Tony DeLois

The cofounder of Uncommon Hospitality who says the hotel was designed to be a place where guests can experience exceptional hospitality without compromising environmental or social values.

Jackie Sabol

The sales and events manager at The Longfellow Hotel.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The famous Portland-born poet whose name inspired the hotel's moniker, representing values of reflection, creativity, and a slower, more intentional way of experiencing a place.

Post Company

The Portland-based design firm that helped source decor from consignment and thrift stores to achieve the hotel's classic Maine vibe with a modern update.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“From the beginning we wanted The Longfellow to be a place where guests could experience exceptional hospitality without compromising environmental or social values.”

— Tony DeLois, Cofounder, Uncommon Hospitality (gbdmagazine.com)

“To me it represents reflection, creativity, and a slower, more intentional way of experiencing a place. These are all values embedded throughout the hotel. Longfellow is Portland.”

— Tony DeLois, Cofounder, Uncommon Hospitality (gbdmagazine.com)

“We really wanted this to feel less like a hotel and more like you were going home.”

— Jackie Sabol, Sales and Events Manager, The Longfellow Hotel (gbdmagazine.com)

What’s next

The Longfellow Hotel is pursuing the Oceanic Global's Blue Standard certification, which would make it the first hotel in the Northeast to achieve the sustainability designation.

The takeaway

The Longfellow Hotel demonstrates how independent, mission-driven hospitality can thrive by prioritizing environmental and social responsibility, local partnerships, and a genuine sense of community engagement - proving that luxury can be achieved through thoughtfulness, not excess.