Our family bi-annual vacation in Maine

Guest: wine guy (Alpharetta, GA)
Date of Stay: 07/19/08 Review Submitted: 08/13/08

In July, our family had our bi-annual vacation in the "Heights".  We're a large family, normally 23 people, missing 2 this year because of summer school.  We had just a fantastic time at the "Heights".  Unfortunately, we had a lot of rain during our week, but everyone still had a great time. There were a lot of games played, movies watched, hiking, golfing at the Sunday River Golf Course, some canoeing on the last day (which was glorious weatherwise), and shopping by the gals in Bethel and also in North Conway; in the town and at the outlet stores.Dinners enjoyed in the Pool House were awesome!  The home is very well supplied and the sleeping worked out great for all of us.  We even got to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary in the Pool House.  Food was catered by the "Good Cook", I believe is the name.We would highly recommend this home for your vacation!  We came back with many wonderful memories!

Owner response:Hello Wine Guy, And thank you for your review... so happy that you all enjoyed your trip. Even in spite of the sometimes-inclement weather, Sunday River is always a wonderful choice for vacation because it is in the glorious State of Maine. Looking at the sweeping vistas from the one of the decks at the house allows you to feel at one with nature. Every season has its draw to us as a family.... winter and summer are the high seasons, however Fall and Spring should not be overlooked. The foliage and the golf of Fall are spectacular.... and Spring - what about White water rafting?! I grew up in Maine and I am so happy to have a vacation home there now!

Recommended for:

Perfect house for a group ski trip

Guest: Ringleader (cambridge, ma)
Date of Stay: 02/02/12 Review Submitted: 02/06/12

I plan a ski trip for a rather large group of friends every year. This is the second year we've stayed in the house - after a wonderful year last year, we definitely wanted to come back! The house is great for skiiers and boarders because it's close to Sunday River (the resort is reliably good, even this year when there hasn't been any real snow) and offers VIP parking passes. We've found the house is also perfect for all our friends and the little kids who don't like to ski/board because there's so much to do at the house and different areas to spread out in - the movie theatre, the pool/foosball table, 2 hot tubs, sleds, etc. With excellent cooks (and young families) in our group, we particularly love having two kitchens. In fact, we've even thought about planning a summer trip up here just so we can take advantage of the other parts of the house not available in the winter (i.e., pool and pool house and other outdoor actvities). The owners, Susan and Arthur, are friendly and very responsive. They clearly take pride in their home and seem to enjoy sharing their home with others! Thanks for letting my group of friends stay at the Heights!

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

Family Reunion

Guest: Jim and Muriel (Boston)
Date of Stay: 08/31/10 Review Submitted: 09/18/10

A short note that thanks to you we were able to have a "Family Reunion" at your home in Bethel, Maine at the end of August. It was a beautiful and memorable occasion and definitely a reunion bringing the families together.

Recommended for:

A great week in Maine

Guest: Carol (Katonah, NY/USA)
Date of Stay: 08/31/10 Review Submitted: 09/15/10

This house was amazing! We enjoyed every aspect this house had to offer. We dined in the pool house, late night talks on the deck, movies in the theater room, endless foosball matches, basketball outside and swimming. The area had so much to offer we didn't want to leave the house. We had a great week and hope to come back. Carol C

Owner response:Hi Carol, We hope you come back too! This house was designed specifically for a group such as yours.... families with young children who vacation together and enjoy each other's company. We are so happy that you had a great time. Maine is a beautiful place every season of the year! Best regards, Susan

Recommended for:Sightseeing, pet owners, families with young children, families with teenagers.

What a week

Guest: Oldtimer (Farmingdale, New York, USA)
Date of Stay: 08/14/10 Review Submitted: 08/30/10

We spent the week of 8/14-8/21 in this beautiful house. It was a 60th birthday celebration that we made into a family reunion. The Friday before we left, the weather outlook did not bode well for next 7-10 days. However, we all prepared to enjoy the week together regardless, as we packed many games and toys, that would keep 20 some odd people, ranging in age from 9 months to 60 years, busy. Well, the weather turned out just fine. Sunday night into Monday morning and Wednesday night for 1/2 an hour was the only rain we got. The rest of the stay was pure beautiful sunshine. The house was magnificent, the views were breathtaking and there was so much to do, we ran out of time in the day. Boating on Lake Kezar, shopping on the coast, Santas' Village for the kids, kayaking, antique stores in town, the chondola ride to the mountain, and for all the golfers, Sunday River Golf Club was a bear. One of the hardest courses I've played, and I've played Bethpage Black. It is right up with that for difficulty.....but what a beautiful course. To unwind the hot tubs and pool can't be beat. Use Gourmet in a Pinch. Their Lobster dinners were out of this world, as was the breakfast. Thank you Sue and Arthur for opening up your home to us. It was one of the best birthdays, reunions and vacations I have ever had.

Owner response:Dear Oldtimer and family! Thank you for all your kind words... we appreciate the time you have taken to share your vacation experience with others. We are so pleased that you loved Maine and all it has to offer and hope that your travels bring you back here again someday. We are Mainers through and through and love to get up there as much as we can. Best regards, Susan and Arthur

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, pet owners, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Wonderful Vacation

Guest: Lynda (USA)
Date of Stay: 07/31/10 Review Submitted: 08/19/10

Susan and Arthur - I am sorry I have not sent this earlier, it has taken a few days to settle down from returning from our vacation. On behalf of my entire family, we want to say thanks. The Heights was perfect for our large family and had everything we needed. The scenery was magnificent, I personally couldn't get enough of it. The movie room was a big hit with all of the kids and provided great entertainment at night. We had this vacation for my mother's 80th birthday and it was everything she had hoped for. All of her 5 children, their spouses, 10 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren were all together for her, and she couldn't get enough of it. Great memories for all of us. We used Paul and his wife's sevices from Gourmet in a Pinch. They provided some trays of food one night for dinner. They are very nice people, my husband and I stopped and spoke with them a few times thoroughout the week and enjoyed hearing about how they moved here. We would love to move here, but my husband's children live 3/4 of a mile from us right now and we need to wait until they are older. We appreciate you calling and being accessible when there were questions and a few minor problems to resolve. Again, this did not affect our vacation it was wonderful. My husband an I truly love Maine, we go to a magnificent B & B in Ogunquit several times a year (Gazebo Inn). I would highly recommend it. --- We were married in Maine last year so it is a special state for us. We have already looked at your other home on Douglas and will probably contact you about renting that in the near future. Thanks again for everything. Hope you enjoyed your vacation in NJ. Lynda P and the entire family.

Owner response:Dear Lynda and family, Thank you so much for your lovely letter. We love Maine too and try to get up there as much as possible. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with others. Best regards, Susan and Arthur

Recommended for:Sightseeing, pet owners, families with young children, families with teenagers.

The Heights of Sunday River, Newry, Maine

Guest: cjh (Pegram, Tn)
Date of Stay: 05/26/08 Review Submitted: 08/14/08

My family's stay at The Heights, Sunday River, was all we had hoped for and more. The spacious house was beautiful and w/nine people sharing both units, there was plenty of space to have our own private areas. The seclusion of the location provided us w/the opportunity to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Motoring around the countryside, viewing the wildlife and spectacular surroundings; and then being able to come 'home' afforded us an enjoyable vacation in the spectacular White Mountains. Thanks to the owners, we were well taken care of and would readily recommend this locality to anyone desiring comfortable accommodations and the luxury of a homey atmosphere w/ the best in amenities.

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

Great Vacation Home

Guest: SAZ (Massachusetts)
Date of Stay: 06/28/08 Review Submitted: 08/06/08

We had 5 families vacation at this house in June and every family has been raving about it ever since. We loved that it could accommodate our large group comfortably. The house is exactly how you see it on the website. The movie theater was a big hit with the kids. The pool house was a perfect place for everyone to eat lunch and dinner without having to leave the pool area. The owners called twice to make sure everything was satisfactory. We enjoyed the hiking in Grafton Notch State Park and took a canoe and kayak trip down the river. The view from the house was beautiful! I would definitely recommend this house to friends.

Owner response:We have so many appreciative guests - and we thank you all for the wonderful care you give our home. Summer is a wonderful time to experience the Maine vacationland, and Winter is just as rejuvenating. I hope that if you have visited during the summer, that you will attempt to travel here during a different season to see that Maine is truly a year-round vacation state.

Recommended for:Pet owners, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Meg Brennan (Not Specified)
Date of Stay: 11/01/07 Review Submitted: 11/05/07

Hi Susan, Just wanted to email on behalf of our group who stayed at your place over the weekend. We had a fabulous time. It is breathtakingly beautiful and was just the spot we needed for our purposes. Trina picked a fantastic place for us. Warmly, Meg Brennan

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Shirley Van (Pompano Beach, FL)
Date of Stay: 08/01/07 Review Submitted: 08/21/07

Susan, We had a fabulous time at the Heights...(all 19 of us) Everyone loved the pool, poolhouse, & movie room. It was a perfect spot for our family reunion. Thanks Again, Shirley

Recommended for: