The building is located on the south side of downtown Bangor, at the southeast corner of Main and Union Streets.

The U-shaped building occupies a slightly irregular city block, and is bounded on its southern sides by May Street and Gallagher Place.

A small balcony with large Italianate brackets stands above the Main Street entrance on the third floor.

[2] The hotel was built in 1833-34 by group of Bangor businessmen, seeking to create a public accommodation similar to that of the Tremont House in Boston, an 1829 hotel that was then regarded as one of the pinnacles of luxury accommodation.

The main building has retained its exterior despite a significant number of later alterations and enlargements.