With a stay at The McKernan Inn in South Portland, you'll be on the beach, within a 15-minute drive of Maine Mall and Casco Bay. .This beach inn is 0.1 mi (0.1 km) from Southern Maine Community College and 0.1 mi (0.1 km) from Fort Preble.
Southern Maine Community College - 1 min walk - 0.0 miles
Fort Preble - 1 min walk - 0.0 miles
Willard Beach - 5 min walk - 0.3 miles
Bug Light - 14 min walk - 0.8 miles
Casco Bay Lines Ferry Terminal - 10 min drive - 3.6 miles
Getting around
Portland Transportation Center - 19 min drive
Portland Intl. Jetport Airport (PWM) - 28 min drive
Restaurants
Luke’s Lobster - 7 min drive
Twelve - 8 min drive
North43Bistro - 9 min walk
The Porthole - 7 min drive
DiMillo's On the Water - 7 min drive
About this property
The McKernan Inn
Beachfront inn for sun and fun
The McKernan Inn offers 8 accommodations with irons/ironing boards and complimentary toiletries. Each accommodation is individually furnished and decorated. Plasma televisions come with cable channels.
Bathrooms include shower/tub combinations. Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Housekeeping is provided daily.
Stay in one of 8 guestrooms featuring plasma televisions. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment. Bathrooms have shower/tub combinations and complimentary toiletries. Conveniences include portable fans and irons/ironing boards, and housekeeping is provided daily.
Take in the views from a garden and make use of amenities such as complimentary wireless internet access and concierge services.
A complimentary continental breakfast is served daily from 7:00 AM to 9:30 AM.
Featured amenities include luggage storage and an elevator. Planning an event in South Portland? This inn has 700 square feet (65 square meters) of space consisting of conference space and meeting rooms. Free self parking is available onsite.
A complimentary continental breakfast is served each morning between 7:00 AM and 9:30 AM.
Property amenities
Internet
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Parking and transportation
Free uncovered self parking on site
Food and drink
Free continental breakfast available daily 7:00 AM to 9:30 AM
Private picnics
Conveniences
Guidebooks
Limited-hour front desk
Luggage storage
Guest services
Concierge services
Housekeeping (daily)
Tour and ticket assistance
Business services
700 square feet of conference space
Coworking space
Meeting rooms
Outdoors
Dock
Garden
On the beach
Outdoor furniture
Picnic area
Accessibility
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
Elevator (35 inch wide door)
Handrails in stairways (36 inches high)
Lever door handles
Thin carpet in room
Well-lit path to entrance
More
Smoking not allowed
Room amenities
Bedroom
Bedsheets provided
Bathroom
Free toiletries
Private bathroom
Shampoo
Shower/bathtub combination
Soap
Toilet paper
Towels provided
Entertainment
Plasma TV with cable channels
Food and drink
Restaurant dining guides
More
Individual decor
Individual furnishings
Iron/ironing board
Portable fan
Window screens
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 7:00 PM
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 21
Check-out
Check-out before 11:00 AM
Late check-out subject to availability
Special check-in instructions
The front desk is open daily from 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Guests will receive an email within 24 hours before arrival with check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Renovations and closures
The following facilities or services will be unavailable from November 26 2025 to November 30 2025 (dates subject to change):
Beach
Breakfast
Daily housekeeping
Meeting facilities
The following facilities are closed seasonally each year. They will be closed from November 26 to November 30:
Beach
Meeting facilities
Parking area
Access methods
Front desk (limited hours)
Pets
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Property payment types
Important information
Fees
You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:
Deposit: USD 25.00 per accommodation, per stay
We have included all charges provided to us by the property.
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
Property is also known as
The McKernan Inn Inn
The McKernan Inn South Portland
The McKernan Inn Inn South Portland
The McKernan Inn Reviews
Reviews
9.0
Wonderful
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Excellent place to stay. Old historic property, spacious and clean rooms, fabulous staff, and steps away from the beach and lighthouse. And on another note, AC in the rooms and really good water pressure in the showers :) We really had a great trip here.
A rare gem. On the Southern Maine Community College Campus. Steps away from water. A well restored former military residence, likely for officers. A true Maine experience. The inn is staffed by students. With few exceptions, all are genuinely eager to service well, learn, and support a satisfying guest experience.
The reviews here are limited as there are only 8 rooms in this inn. We selected this based on the purpose and how it is managed by college undergrads. As we expected, the service was great as everyone is there because they want to! The grounds are well kept and we love the fact that this is nice and quiet. If there’s one thing to improve on, it would be the internet. But again, if you are going for a nice and quiet stay then the iffy wifi is ideal😉
Lovely venue that sits by the water. The continental breakfast is delicious and set on a glass porch overlooking the bay. Close to the beach for walking, a perfect location.
The place was fabulous and we plan on going back! Awesome staff, clean rooms, good location and overall excellent! Breakfast was very delightful and so yummy! My experience was wonderful!
Mark
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025
8/10 Good
Sharon
Jul 21, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The light switch at the door turns the TV on and off, which isn’t very convenient. The shower knob that changes the water from the spout to the showerhead kept falling out. The drop ceilings are gross and have black mold on them. The view is lovely from the windows.
The location is perfect close to the beach.
The staff at the desk was helpful but the hotel offers no services and the breakfast buffet was very basic. From 9-10 a la carte breakfast was supposedly a choice but at 9:40 I was told that it was over. The rooms are not made daily so to my surprise I walked back at night to an unmade bed and bathroom. I wanted to support the hospitality students but the school needs to go deeper in their training.
Staff were very kind and attentive. Building had been upgraded and well maintained. It felt a little odd being on campus and being away from the trendy areas but loved the view of the harbor and supporting the hospitality students.
The property was located on the Casco Bay/beach which was very convenient. It was easily accessible to all major highways. The students were excellent hosts.