The Boathouse Waterfront Hotel & David's KPT Restaurant: Two More Reasons To Visit Kennebunkport, Maine

Recently, we told you why your next travel destination needs to be Kennebunkport, Maine, while praising the classy and classic Kennebunkport Inn. However, this isn't the only place in town to spend a night — and according to some folks, it might not be the best either.

Channeling a bit of sibling rivalry, we're going to tell you why the Kennebunkport Inn's sister property, The Boathouse Waterfront Hotel, deserves just as much consideration when booking your next trip, and why, even if you don't stay there, you should still visit the in-house restaurant, David's KPT.

While you can expect the same level of quality, care, and hospitality at either of these Kennebunkport Resort Collection hotels (which are only separated by a short, three-minute walk), there are a few reasons why you might prefer a stay at The Boathouse. The most obvious is the view — mostly because you can't escape it. As soon as you walk in the front door, you'll see the glistening water through the enormous windows that create a backdrop to the main bar (immediately to your left) and the 200-seat David's KPT (straight ahead).

If you're lucky enough to stay in one of the 12 rooms that wrap around The Boathouse's second floor — rather than one of the 13 recently renovated rooms in the Wharfhouse building and Wharfhouse Suite, all equally nice — there's a good chance you'll get another great view of the water. Even if you don't, there are still plenty of amenities to distract you, such as the luxurious Maine-made Cuddledown bedding, Frette linens, comfy robes, complimentary Wi-Fi, AppleTV, Keurig coffee machines, and iPod docking stations. Unlike the Kennebunkport Inn, all of the Boathouse's rooms are decorated and furnished in a modern style that features black, white, and cool blue color schemes, and some even include balconies. If your room doesn't have one, don't fret; there's also a cozy roof deck accessible only to guests.

For libations, there are actually three bars to choose from. The one immediately inside the door with the wonderful view, and two more inside David's KPT, one of which is also a raw bar. David's offers an extensive list of wines, spirits (with an emphasis on scotch and bourbon), and both draft and bottled beers. If you're a wine lover, by all means explore the selection, but since New England arguably makes the best beer in the country (sorry, rest of America), I opted to try a Jack's Abby IPL, which, at around 7 percent ABV, was both tasty and potent.

Speaking of David's, you simply must find time to dine at this restaurant. The menu is enormous and features everything from pizza and pasta to pub fare to gourmet fine dining and seafood. Seafood is an obvious emphasis at David's, since it is located in Maine, after all. For our meal, we began by ordering the roasted beet and arugula salad — which pairs both red and golden beets with candied pecans, whipped honey goat cheese, and a white balsamic vinaigrette — as well as the tuna tartare with truffle oil, both of which we cannot recommend enough.

Moving on to the main course, my guest and I had to convince ourselves not to order the same thing — the grass-fed blackened filet mignon over blue cheese mashed cauliflower with bacon Brussels sprouts — despite how delicious it sounded. She acquiesced and instead ordered the open-faced lobster ravioli — thankfully, because I can't imagine anything being as perfectly prepared as my steak dinner. (Although, in fairness, the ravioli was also fantastic and surprisingly filling, and she was more than satisfied with the decision).

After those meals, we thought we couldn't possibly eat another bite. But just to be sure, we ordered the house-made carrot cake. Despite the restaurant needing to call a forklift to remove us from our seats, dessert was absolutely a good call.

Whether you stop in for a drink or a bite, be sure to add David's KPT to your list of restaurants in Kennebunkport, Maine. If you find that you can't pull yourself away from the view, do yourself a favor and book a comfy room at The Boathouse Waterfront Hotel to make your trip even more perfect. The only reason to pass on the wonderful accommodations at The Boathouse is if you already have a room at the Kennebunkport Inn.