Vacation Rentals by Owner

Pristine Lakehouse

Guest: S&V (New York)
Date of Stay: 08/20/11 Review Submitted: 09/13/11

This lakehouse is set on a beautiful site high amidst the trees. The windows open out as if in a treehouse and down below is a beautiful dock to enjoy the lake. Eagles fly above and loons call at night...The house is a wonderful space to share with family & friends. We felt instantly at home. The open kitchen and living area made for great conversations while the meal was being prepared. The property is private. I would recommend this cottage for family and friends! Both the owner and the caretakers were very helpful. Thank you for a splendid vacation!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Everything we were looking for

Guest: Kevin (Warsaw, NY)
Date of Stay: 08/13/11 Review Submitted: 02/10/12

Outstanding! This was everything we were looking for. We spent one week in August here and it was one of the most enjoyable, peaceful and relaxing vacations I can remember. The house was very clean, open and roomy, modern and nestled amongst pines close to the lake. It was perfect for our family of five. There are three bedrooms, one of which has two beds. The lake is crystal clear and great for swimming. We rented kayaks which were delivered before our arrival and explored coves around the lake. Acadia National Park is less than an hour away and has beautiful scenery. The Town of Ellsworth is about 15-20 minutes from the lake and has everything you need. There are many small towns in the area with great restaurants. I highly recommend this location for a family. Such a good time and wonderful memories. The kids loved it.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, sightseeing.

that's it, we're moving to maine!

Guest: hhom (gaithersburg, md)
Date of Stay: 08/28/10 Review Submitted: 10/03/10

my boyfriend and i had a wonderful time at this rental - clean, modern, accomodating, well-stocked, and comfortable. the lake was huge, clean, and quiet - lots of swimming! (also, a lot of cannonballs off the dock; don't remember the last time i did one.) jonathan was responsive and professional. candice was sweet, generous, and very helpful. thanks so much for making this such a wonderful stay!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Don and Cheryl Lynam
Date of Stay: 10/28/09 Review Submitted: 10/27/09

"We truly enjoyed our stay at your home. It is very spacious and light. We loved going down to the lake and taking pictures of the sunrise. It must be hard for you not to want to live there year round. Since it is very private, it was perfect for our getaway. It helped that it was almost peak fall colors for us. We would be happy to come back with our family. Thanks for sharing."

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Guest: John POWERS1 (Maine)
Date of Stay: 09/02/09 Review Submitted: 09/02/09

Great property on an amazing deep water lake. This house is a welcome change to the typical lake house. The design is very welcoming and the layout is both convenient and comfortable. The linens are like those found at a 5 star hotel. The lake will provide you with hours of clean swimming with fish kissing your feet. There is a nice rock that you can canoe to if you want a higher jump than the dock provides. The house is convenient to Acadia which offers great hiking and dining options are endless. We went to Bar Harbor and went on a whale watch and had two humpbacks play with the boat for over an hour. Thanks for everything.

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Terrific House

Guest: olechka1 (new york)
Date of Stay: 08/29/09 Review Submitted: 09/14/09

We had a fantastic time. The house is beautiful, full of light, clean, well located and the owner/caretakers very helpful. We rented cayaks for a week per recommendations from the owner and really enjoyed the lake. We also spent quite some time in Acadia and ejoyed that too. Would definitely stay again.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Guest: Karen Tierney (New York State)
Date of Stay: 08/21/09 Review Submitted: 08/21/09

Beautiful home on a beautiful lake in a beautiful area...from seeing an eagle with outstretched talons grabbing a fish to seeing loons stare at you then take their deep dives all while kayaking peaceful branch lake to purchasing lobsters and preparing them at home... fine dining on the beautiful outdoor deck after a day's biking J.D.Rockefeller's carriage roads and hiking in Acadia to boating on Bar Harbor...thank you for the memories....from Ellsworth to Mt. Desert Island..Best to whoever follows...you will not be disappointed

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Perfect place for a relaxing vacation

Guest: TASK (DeLand, Florida)
Date of Stay: 07/25/09 Review Submitted: 08/02/09

We stayed the last week of July 09' and had a wonderful vacation. This home is a perfect spot to take day trips to Acadia, Bar Harbor, Blue Hill, Castine, Stonington, Belfast, Camden, Searsport, Bucksport and so many other quaint harbors and towns. We hiked Bald Mountain which is only a few minutes away and toured the area. The kids enjoyed seal watching on Acadia and hiking it's many ocean cliffs and trails. The amenties and the house layout was very nice with beautiful views of the lake and property. The house is located in a very private setting with a buffer of trees between you and the neighbors. The owners description and pictures are exactly what you should expect. The home is well maintained in new condition and very clean. The house provides all the amenties listed. We brought our boat and were able to enjoy skiing and tubing almost everyday on this beatiful clear lake. If you bring a boat the launch is located off of Red Bridge Road and you will need a permit. The permit is given at the boat launch after you complete a questionaire and boat inspection. The permit is free of charge. The launch is several miles away, but once you put in you can tie up to the dock at the house. I would very much recommend this property to a friend or relative. Another recommendation is to purchase a Maine Atlas at one of the local shops. This publication gives a complete view of the areas hiking trails, water falls, and routes to get around quickly. Better than any GPS.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/01/09 Review Submitted: 02/01/09

We stayed here in July and can't stop thinking about this amazing house! The house is well designed and well furnished. Exactly as described. We rented kayaks and a canoe from a local outfitter which allowed us to really explore the lake. Everything was perfect!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/08 Review Submitted: 11/22/08

We were fortunate to stay in this house from October 12 through October 18, 2008. The leaves were at peak color, and we enjoyed numerous walks through the woods and to the water. The house looks exactly as it does in the photos, and has a really nice, comfortable, generous floor plan. All the amenities you could ask for are there, so cooking a great meal or doing your laundry is easy! The many windows provide great light and views of the beautiful woods and lake. The house has nice hardwood floors and tile bathroom floors. It's proximity to Acadia National Park, Ellsworth, Blue Hill and Bar Harbor make it fast and easy to go off on an adventure. We loved bringing home lobster for dinner! We also rented canoes and enjoyed Branch Lake so much--and my granddaughter and I had tea early every morning on the nice boat dock. There were also games available to play with family, and we even did a Hula-Hoop show in the basement! This is a great place to enjoy in the fall, and I bet it would be fantastic in the summer also! Thanks for sharing it with us.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 10/01/08 Review Submitted: 10/14/08

My husband and I stayed at the house for a week in early fall and it was amazing. The house is so comfortable and the location is perfect -- far enough away from the real world for total relaxation -- and close enough to restaurants, coffee shops and grocery stores. We also spent several days hiking in Acadia. We couldn't have found a better place to enjoy our 10th anniversary and can't wait to come back.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 09/01/08 Review Submitted: 09/01/08

my husband and i stayed in this house with two other couples in august 2008. we loved the property and had a great time! branch lake is beautiful - very peaceful, and it's the perfect spot to swim, fish and kayak. we had great weather and sat out on the dock every day. the house itself is fabulous. it's the perfect size for 6 people, it's extremely clean, and the amenities are superb. the layout is great (loved the central location of the kitchen) and we had almost all of our meals out on the porch. it looks exactly as it does in the pictures. the owner was very helpful and made the entire process effortless for us. i would highly recommend this property - you will love it! and don't forget to check out acadia!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/01/08 Review Submitted: 07/23/08

We had such an amazing time! The house is gorgeous and so comfortable. Beautiful trees and clear clean water, amazing sunrises. I wish I was still there, thanks!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/01/08 Review Submitted: 07/03/08

To quote our three children, "It was AWESOME." The kids loved the dock and lake. They swam, fished and explored for hours. It was hard to drag them away to site see. This house was perfect for enjoying the true Maine experience; outdoors, water and relaxation. The kitchen was perfect for cooking a wonderful lobster dinner. There was lots of room in the house even when all six of us were in there together. The caretakers were very responsive and friendly. They met all our needs. Thank you for sharing this beautiful home with us. We would recommend it to all friends and family and hope to return again.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/01/08 Review Submitted: 06/21/08

Crisp,clean lines help define this lovely modern home. An abundance of windows allows the beauty of trees, sky, light, and lake to grace the home's interior. My family of five loved our stay. The home afforded a close proximity to our favorite destinations throughout DownEast Maine and Acadia. Very responsive owner and caretaker. We would definitely recommend this "best house on the lake."

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/01/08 Review Submitted: 04/29/08

Great house, beautiful aspect. The house is very well equipped and the amenities superb. Really was like staying home from home. My son loved the place and we also went swimming in the lake despite it only having melted 4 days beforehand - very invigorating. I can only imagine that the property is even more desirable in the peak seasons, but even in Spring it was stunning. Caretakers were excellent and very responsive when asked. Will be staying again.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: PamTraveler (Atlanta)
Date of Stay: 10/01/07 Review Submitted: 10/27/07

What You See, Is What You Get. Searching for a place in Maine that met our criteria: * Waterfront view/dock/privacy in the woods. * Close to Acadia * Easy distance to restaurants * Fireplace / Family room (for rainy days) ... the Lake House on Branch Lake was just the ticket. Also, from the websites, know that what you see is exactly what you get. All the conveniences you hope for, set deep in the woods about 15 minutes from Ellsworth on Branch Lake. The owner made thoughtful decisions about the house and it's amenities that you will appreciate once on site. Caretakers are a delight and also very attuned to your privacy. You won't find a better situation in this location, so stop searching, pack a few things and go. Everything you need is there.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/01/07 Review Submitted: 08/22/07

August 23, 2007 Thank you so much for the nice house and beautiful environment. We had a great time in Maine. As you know, it is our first vacation renting a house instead of staying in a hotel. My kids had a lot of fun running around, and playing in front of the big sliding doors. My parents was enjoying their morning exercise at the lake front. And I do love having a very convenient kitchen during vacation. Your house is such a well designed piece of art that brings all the nice environment in, yet includes a lot of detailed life consideration. It made us love the contempory houses even more (but hard to find in Boston area). It feels so good to be able to feel like at home during vacation... We will probably say byebye to hotels in the future. :)

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/01/07 Review Submitted: 08/22/07

Lovely house on Branch Lake near a small beach...we went swimming almost every day. Great location for exploring Belfast to Bar Harbor.If you have modern tastes (as opposed to Country with a K)then this is the house for you.

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