Ogunquit, Maine -- This great dame, The Cliff House Resort and Spa, has earned her title by, among other things, opening its doors to guests since 1872. The premier season fetched $6.00 per week, per person, which included three meals a day! Although the rates have changed and major expansions and updates have transformed the Cliff House over the years, the sleek, modern resort continues to occupy the original hotel site.

“It’s been owned and operated for 135 years by the Weare family and has always been known for its up-to-the-minute amenities,” explains Joan Dow, the former advertising director, who has been a frequent guest at the Cliff House since 1987. “It is the only property on the south coast of Maine with sweeping views of the vast Atlantic. It is very high on 70 plus acres, so there’s nothing in your way. You can see the cargo ships that anchor way out at sea. It's an incomparable romantic experience,” she continues.

Blueberries. Maine wild roses. Juniper. Sea salts. Seashells. Guests not only discover these native accents outdoors, but find them as ingredients in the body wraps, exfoliations and massages offered among the more traditional treatments at the new 20,000 square-foot oceanfront spa building. Here guests will find face care, nail services, massage and body treatments, a 75-foot lap pool, whirlpool, sauna, steam room, fitness center, conference and private dining areas.

In the 20,000 square-foot oceanfront spa building, the 32 oversized guest rooms feature a king bed, sitting area, gas-fired woodstove, wet bar, and the option of spa treatments in your guestroom. Outside, terraces extend to the labyrinth, swimming pool with vanishing edge and a spectacular whirlpool — all with remarkable ocean views.

The Boston Globe further illustrates this experience when they said, "You can’t beat the view. From our room at the Cliff House (and from every other room in this 133-year-old seaside icon) blue ocean stretched to infinity."

Chic furnishings throughout the premises, including the 194 guestrooms and the superior amenities, have sprung from the unrivaled dedication of the owner and staff. Each of the resort's 194 guestrooms features picture windows and decks or balconies in which the ocean views further inspire grand passions.

“I think the fact that there are balconies in every room adds a lot of romance. You look at this vast, vast view. It’s a knockout. It’s really incomparable,” Joan says.

Wedding proposals are nothing new at the Cliff House. For instance, one Easter weekend a young dating couple invited their two sets of parents together. Coincidentally, both families had vacationed at the Cliff House over the years. During the stay, at the couple’s request, everyone met on the cliff. To share the news of their engagement, the couple opened a plastic Easter egg and inside was a diamond ring.

Undoubtedly, the Cliff House has encountered its share of ebbs and flows over time, and guests can learn the family’s history in the many displays of old photographs and in the common area. When innkeeper Kathryn Weare, fourth generation family member, took over the hotel in 1976, she was a model of sagacity and commitment. It is entirely apparent why this extraordinary establishment inspires extraordinary devotion from returning guests like Joan. Family devotion is contagious—Joan’s grandson ended up proposing to his future bride at the Cliff House.

Expertly prepared packages like spa romance packages help augment the already superb getaway. Along with lodging, the Yankee Catch, for instance, includes a welcome cocktail in the Ocean Terrace, full breakfast each morning and choice of entrée for one night during the three-night time period.