Vanessa Santarelli at Your Maine Concierge
There are plenty of people who say they love Maine, but Vanessa Santarelli might love it most. The founder of Your Maine Concierge, Vanessa has built a one-of-a-kind business around helping travelers experience the state the way locals do: authentically, memorably, and with an insider's edge.
Born and raised in Augusta, Vanessa spent twenty years working in public policy before launching her concierge business in 2018. The pivot was sparked by years of helping visiting colleagues plan their trips to Maine—recommendations that spanned restaurants, hikes, lobster boat tours, and remote cabins. It wasn’t long before she realized she had the kind of statewide knowledge, passion, and network to turn those informal itineraries into something more. "Every dollar I earned went to experiencing more of Maine," she says. "I wanted to share that love with others."
Today, Your Maine Concierge serves everyone from international travelers to lifelong Mainers. Some clients want two weeks of wall-to-wall itinerary planning, while others book a last-minute phone call when they’re already on I-95. No matter the approach, Vanessa listens closely to her clients’ interests and goals, then curates the lodging, dining, activities, and local flavor that will bring the trip to life. It’s not just a Google list of top ten attractions. It’s a deeply personalized, relationship-driven experience.
What makes Vanessa so beloved by clients isn’t just her warmth or attention to detail. It’s the access she offers. Her long standing relationships with chefs, innkeepers, guides, and makers across the state mean that when her clients show up, they’re treated like VIPs. One couple she sent on an oyster farm tour in Sullivan said it was their favorite experience anywhere in the world—and the reason they’ll return to Maine.
Vanessa also has a well-earned reputation as a foodie, with a Rolodex of recommendations for every craving and price point. One minute she’s sending a client to Primo for squash blossoms and housemade pasta, the next she’s pointing them to Dorman's for a cone or Wasses for a $4 hot dog. That balance of high-low, lobster roll-deep cut, is what makes her itineraries feel not just fun, but real.
She hopes people use Your Maine Concierge not just to explore famous places like Camden or Bar Harbor, but to branch out into the lesser-known corners of the state. "You don’t have to be affluent to have an enriching experience here," she says. "And you don’t have to stick to the list of places everyone already knows."
FAMOUS FOR:
Creating authentic, hyper-personalized itineraries that help clients feel like VIPs across all corners of Maine.
WEBSITE:
yourmaineconcierge.com
photos by Peter Logue
