Bypassed by tourists bound for Camden, Boothbay Harbor and other coastal Maine towns, Brunswick doesn’t get the attention it deserves. A new hotel and the relocation there of a popular Portland restaurant may change all that.

The Federal merges a restored 19th-century home with an adjacent modern hotel building, giving guests the choice of chic contemporary rooms or more traditional rooms with fireplaces, but stylishly decorated in contemporary furnishings.

Rooms in the newer East Wing also play on the hotel’s history, mixing the occasional vintage pieces with the contemporary furnishings. Queen-sized beds with custom-made Serta mattresses and Cuddledown duvets may have elaborately carved Victorian headboards, for example.

Our room was bright, with windows overlooking the river, and a sunset view in the evening that was spectacular. (Ask for an even-numbered room on the third floor for the best views.)

The long desk was well equipped with outlets and charging ports, as were both bedside stands; the desk light was very good, but bedside lamps were not well-suited to bedtime reading. The upholstered wing chair, however, had its own reading lamp.

Amenities included a mini-frig, bathrobes, removable hangers, ironing board and iron. The bathroom had a tub with shower and a large marble vanity.

The lobby can’t fail to impress arriving guests, with its soaring ceiling, cushy seating area and wall of box-shelves stylishly decorated in objets d’art and neat stacks of books with black and gold spines. Reception was welcoming and helpful, as was the entire staff throughout our stay.

The lobby lounge, backed by a two-story window, was an inviting place to relax with a book or to plan the next day’s travels. Large, comfortable chairs and sofas are set in groups for easy conversation. More seating is in the balcony that surrounds the lobby’s atrium, arranged with café tables overlooking the lobby.

These tables would be a good place to eat breakfast for guests who chose the boxed option. While the hotel offers a breakfast-to-go box, we found the Federal’s location made it easy to find cafes or a full breakfast within walking distance.

The restaurant that’s bringing devotes of award-winning Chef Steve Corry from Portland to Brunswick has retained the former Portland restaurant’s name, 555 North. The dining room has the same WOW factor as the soaring hotel lobby, just steps away. An outstanding dining experience, 555 North deserves its own review.

Brunswick has more than a fine hotel and a destination restaurant to deserve a stop-over. The Bowdoin campus and its art museum are a 20-minute walk from The Federal, along a street lined by fine 18th-century homes, gardens and stately trees. Maine Street (that’s not a misspelling) shops and restaurants are only five minutes from the front door.