The Francis Hotel

Very Pet Friendly! The most comfortable I've ever seen my dog, we all loved our stay here (so sad it was only for one night, but will definitely be coming back in the future). They were so welcoming, our room came with a personalized note, welcome tags for each of our dogs, pet beds, a toy, treats and bowls for each dog! It was the most anyone has ever done for my dog! The staff were so welcoming and so friendly and it was a super quick check in. It was very convenient to have a door to outside right near our room. The room itself was super spacious and lots of natural light coming in. The bathroom was spectacular, with lots of space as well as being aesthetically pleasing to look at. I loved the scents of the shampoo, conditioner and body wash! I will say, for the future, I will ask if there is a dog friendly room that isn't too close to the exit (as the dogs kept barking every time they heard someone open and close the door), but that was my own fault as I wasn't aware (and not all dogs bark/react). The one downside, which I never asked the staff, is there wasn't a lot of green space close by for the dogs to do their business (I think the closest was about a 5-7 min walk away?). They do have great recommendations for pet friendly places to eat/grab a coffee!

Very nice boutique hotel. Hospitality was wonderful. Ellie was very attentive, friendly, caring. The bed was comfortable, shower had good pressure and water was scalding hot. The area is not the best and it's a pretty long walk to the waterfront & Old Port area. Enjoyed our stay!

loved our stay at the Francis. only one night but I was thrilled to book a hotel that wasn't a big chain hotel. the staff seemed a bit confused by my family and I at first when we were checking in but I'm a lot sometimes so maybe it was me. the hotel had lots of great amenities, all local brands for the snacks and drinks in each room, fantastic scented shampoo and body wash, and the temperature was easily controlled in my room. I hate a cold room so this was great. my only real complaint was how loud the halls and rooms around us were. we didn't sleep much because people were so loud in the halls and stomping around in the rooms above us well after midnight. not really the hotels fault since there wasn't staff on premises to quiet the guests and not much you can do about thin walls and floors. we also got a nice breakfast at the cafe across the street that we each had vouchers for, given to us at checkin. loved how personal the notes on the beds were and the texts ahead of our arrival following up with us and asking when to expect us. would probably stay again but I'd try to get a room on the top floor rather than the bottom.

I had a wonderful stay at The Francis Hotel recently and can't wait to visit again. The gentleman who checked me in was extremely friendly, patient and helpful. It had recently snowed and the primary parking lot was full, so he navigated me to another lot nearby and walked me back to the hotel. The next morning, the lovely lady who checked me out also went above and beyond, answering my questions and giving me info about the decor. I highly recommend this charming, historic hotel!

My husband and I stayed at The Francis Hotel for five nights and absolutely fell in love—with both the property and its ideal location. We typically avoid B&Bs and lean toward larger hotel chains for consistency. While The Francis isn’t a B&B, its small size and intimate vibe give it that cozy feel—without sacrificing privacy or amenities. It caught our eye during a last-minute trip planning session, and now we’re not sure we can ever go back to standard hotels! We even asked about fall availability at checkout—we’re already planning our return. Of course, everyone has their own preferences when it comes to lodging. As someone who grew up with a parent in the hotel industry—and who now works in hospitality myself—I’m especially particular about cleanliness, service, and overall experience. Here’s a breakdown that may help others decide: Pros: -Immaculate, spacious rooms – We had a corner terrace room, and it was wonderful. -Complimentary coffee, tea, and water daily – The coffee was especially good, and having access anytime was a lovely touch. Also, a lovely welcome drink - which was so needed after our long drive up. -Exclusive use of common areas – Comfortable, quiet, and never crowded. - $15 breakfast vouchers for Twinflower Café (their sister property)– Delicious food and a great value. -Excellent location – Right on Congress Street, close to Old Port, great restaurants, and nightlife. Easy to walk to places and it felt safe. -Free parking – A huge perk in an area where parking can get pricey. No major cons, just a few things that left us scratching our heads: -We interacted with three front desk staff members throughout our stay. While all were friendly, a few situations left us feeling confused or brushed off. 1. Upon arrival (late in the evening), we weren’t informed that the main wall switches controlled most of the lighting in the room—including the bedside sconces. Naturally, we turned off the sconces at the switch near the bed when we were ready to sleep. The next morning, we couldn’t get any of the lights to turn back on except in the bathroom and foyer. When we approached the front desk for help, the staff member seemed surprised we didn’t know about the wall switch setup and only offered assistance after we asked multiple times. A quick explanation at check-in could have saved us the confusion and inconvenience. 2. On day three, the glass-door mini fridge in our room began blinking like a strobe light at 5am. When we told the front desk, there was confusion about the issue. After explaining it a few times and confirming that yes, flashing lights in the dark early morning hours are indeed a problem, we were told someone would look at it. When we returned late that night, the fridge had been moved out of its built-in space and left in the middle of the foyer—without any note or explanation. When we brought it up to the night staff, he also seemed unsure why it was left like that and suggested we move it ourselves if it was in the way. The following morning, the same staff member told us she had left it out intentionally so it could "cool off," and again said we could just move it if needed. While it may seem minor, this kind of casual handling of guest issues doesn’t align with the standard of service we expected—especially given the otherwise high quality of the hotel. On our final day, the fridge started flashing again—indicating that the issue hadn’t actually been resolved. We let the front desk know before checking out so that it could hopefully be addressed more fully before the next guest arrived. Bottom line: Despite a few bumps in communication, The Francis is a gem—beautiful, well-located, and thoughtfully designed. The staff means well, they just have a different approach that maybe aligns better with others. The atmosphere, comfort, and amenities won us over, and we’re already looking forward to our next stay. Oh, and make sure you bring umbrellas as they don't have any on site to offer guests.