AWOL Kennebunkport has debuted in Maine as the latest addition to the Lark Hotels portfolio. Nestled into a historic pocket of the bucolic setting, the hotel was designed by Massachusetts-based firm Elder & Ash to reinforce both the splendor of nature and the vernacular of the local community.

“Because of our exceptional location, guests at AWOL Kennebunkport can be in the middle of the action but feel like they’re in the middle of nowhere,” says Lark Hotels president and Elder & Ash partner Rob Blood. “We carefully designed this retreat to offer many private spaces but also opportunities to enjoy the company of other travelers. Like our sister hotel in Provincetown, AWOL KPT invites guests to come as they are and to escape the ordinary.”

The new property features the historic Captain Walker house, which comprises six suites, in addition 11 cabin suites. Rustic cabin façades are complemented by interiors that showcase a natural palette of sandy neutral hues, grassy earth tones, and white and gray accents. Custom white oak beds and built-in sectionals are installed against a cement backdrop punctuated by gas fireplaces and artwork by Brooklyn, New York-based painter Alex Soffer. Japanese soaking tubs also anchor the newly built cabins, while the historic main house includes porch suites, fireplace suites, and a deluxe cupola suite attached to a sundrenched lounge housed inside the site’s original observatory.