Vacation Rentals by Owner

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 teenagers, families with young children.

Family Reunion

Guest: Jim and Muriel
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.

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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:Families with teenagers, families with young children, pet owners, sightseeing.

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:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway.

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:Families with teenagers, families with young children, pet owners, sightseeing.

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!

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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:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, pet owners.

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

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Meg Brennan (Not Specified)
Date of Stay: 11/01/07 Review Submitted: 11/04/07

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

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Shirley Van (Pompano Beach, FL)
Date of Stay: 08/01/07 Review Submitted: 08/20/07

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

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Tom Morton (Not Specified)
Date of Stay: 06/01/07 Review Submitted: 06/26/07

Susan Just wanted to give you a quick note that we all enjoyed the house very much. It is certainly a very unique place with amenities to entertain everyone, perfect for a family party. The view is fantastic. I hope your house keepers found the house in good shape after our departure. Hope to come and stay again. Thanks, Tom

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Guest: Dave Laferniere (Not Specified)
Date of Stay: 02/13/07 Review Submitted: 02/13/07

Susan and Arthur,I wanted to send you a quick email to let you know how much we enjoyed our stay at your home! We had great skiing with a dusting of new snow each evening and the new Home Theatre was a big hit with the group. I think that you’ve covered every detail from the welcome gift basket to extra large washers and dryers to facilitate doing the towels upon departure. We’re already looking forward to next year’s trip.Warm regards,Dave Lafreniere

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Dave Laferniere (Not Specified)
Date of Stay: 02/01/07 Review Submitted: 02/12/07

Susan and Arthur, I wanted to send you a quick email to let you know how much we enjoyed our stay at your home! We had great skiing with a dusting of new snow each evening and the new Home Theatre was a big hit with the group. I think that you’ve covered every detail from the welcome gift basket to extra large washers and dryers to facilitate doing the towels upon departure. We’re already looking forward to next year’s trip. Warm regards, Dave Lafreniere

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Erinne Meenaghan (Somerville MA)
Date of Stay: 12/01/06 Review Submitted: 12/28/06

Hello Susan, I just wanted to follow-up and let you know that we all had an amazing time up in Maine this past weekend! Although there was not a lot of snow on the ground, the mountain conditions were actually pretty good for skiing....and it snowed at the mountain on Saturday! We all agreed that you have a very special home (we LOVED the new theatre) with incredible views and we feel so fortunate that you share it with perfect strangers!! As a close group of friends for 10 years now we really cherish the time when we can get together and catch up, eat good food, play games, and create new memories...your home lets us do just that. Thank you for sharing your home with all of us....we will definitely be back...if you will have us again! We all started talking about renting it again for this Summer and realized there's only 2 weeks in August still open! Everyone is checking their calendars! Warmest regards, Erinne

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Rosanne Palombi (Greenland, NH)
Date of Stay: 09/01/06 Review Submitted: 09/27/06

The Heights was the perfect location for our 2007 Planning Meeting Retreat! 12 un-related folks were well accommodated! Loved the decks, loved the view, and the pool house served as a great meeting room! Susan & Arthur were available to ensure our stay was everything we hoped it would be!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: michele pressey (dumont nj)
Date of Stay: 09/01/06 Review Submitted: 09/04/06

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Murphy, Just one last thank you- your home is so perfect, you were a pleasure to meet,and our vacation was a wonderful success. Thank you for giving us such a magnificent place to reunite our family. The memories are precious. I can not put into words what seeing people you haven't seen in 10+ years feels like. And also getting to know a whole new generation of family! I can't begin to thank you both for all you have given us.I will be in touch again if I can get some of our friends interested. I can't imagine staying anywhere else!! -Michele Pressey and all my family

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Susan Hawkins (Walled Lake, MI)
Date of Stay: 08/01/06 Review Submitted: 08/10/06

The Heights at Sunday River houses are absolutely amazing. You really have everything a large family could want (and much more - who can watch that much TV?)! We were extremely comfortable and often quite jealous of what a great home you have for groups. The poolhouse is simply amazing - what a great addition! We went hiking, canoeing (thanks for the canoes and kayaks!), swimming, motorboating, sightseeing, golfing, etc. The view is outstanding, and the weather was great too! Thanks for a wonderful place for our family reunion - we will definitely return to Maine!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Fran Lifson (Eastchester, NY)
Date of Stay: 07/01/06 Review Submitted: 07/19/06

WE HAD A SUPER FANTASTIC WEEK AT THE HEIGHTS It was a perfect family vacation..... the house is magnificent! Everyone had something to do... Six played tennis everyday (you were right..... no one else was ever on the court) A few got their fishing license and went fishing .......(the kids liked that a lot) My sons and spouses did some great hiking (we joined them one day... went to the falls and to MooseCave) The caterers, Heather and Dave were terrific! They did five dinners for us... served and cleaned up and there was always stuff left over for the next day. The lobster meal (clams, mussels too) was the best! We were fine in the small bedroom.... (hey... we vacationed in the Amazon with no electricity and no inside plumbing) We all visited the local supermarket to buy way too much stuff. We made good use of the martini glasses The weather was great and several of us used the pool everyday (we left a nice blow up raft for future guests. Every nite some of us played games and others watched movies on the big screen. There were plenty of DVDs and we put them all back in place. We enjoyed the music around the pool and brought some good CDs. I thank you and Arthur... the house is so well equipped..... I know I had a good time... I cried when I left.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: JDR (Boston, MA)
Date of Stay: 02/01/06 Review Submitted: 02/12/06

Hello, I wanted to let you know that our group had a wonderful time at your house this weekend. Even though the weather didn't really cooperate, everyone had an enjoyable time. The gift baskets were awesome, we enjoyed everything in them. The fresh flowers were a very nice addition. Please thank your husband for getting the HDTV for Eagle's nest there in time for Sunday. The super bowl was spectacular in high definition. We couldn't watch it off the satellite because of issues that DirectTV has with sending all the high-def local channels up to the satellite, but the other HD channels were just fine.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Michelle Reid (Norton, MA)
Date of Stay: 02/01/05 Review Submitted: 02/11/05

Thank you for the use of your fabulous vacation home at Sunday River, it was perfect for our group. The house is impeccably decorated with fine furnishings that you rarely see in a rental property. Everything we needed was right at our fingertips and the welcome basket was a very unexpected and appreciated touch. Thank you again!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Marge Creaser (Boothbay Harbor ME)
Date of Stay: 08/01/04 Review Submitted: 08/10/04

The house at Sunday River is just perfect for our family reunion. It is thoughtfully arranged to accommodate both the "early to bed, early to rise" crowd and the late, younger group. The owners have tastefully furnished it with nice furniture and all the equipment needed to be comfortable away from home. Our family had a wonderful time.

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Guest: Ryan Bollman
Date of Stay: 05/17/04 Review Submitted: 05/16/04

My dad, mom and brother are here! but my dog is not here. My friend Megin is here, too, and Hellen too and Alex and me and Nattly played pool. Alex age 6

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Guest: Emily Voll
Date of Stay: 05/17/04 Review Submitted: 05/16/04

This is the best place ever! And the biggest place I've been to ever! I am happy here! It's great here! We ski at Sunday River! We saw a movie! It was great! The name of it was "Finding Nemo!" My favorite characters are Dory and Squirt! We have a hot tub. We have 2 of them! I have fun here!

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Guest: Helen Webb
Date of Stay: 03/18/04 Review Submitted: 03/17/04

We had such a great time in this wonderful house! This is probably the biggest house I've ever stayed in. There was so much else to do besides skiing. My friends and I also had a fooseball tournament, and we went in the hot tubs a lot. They're great after a long day of rigorous skiing. There was plenty of space for everyone and it was located near the great Sunday River. We had great fun skiing and I even tried grinding a rail! We were all playing pool on the first night we got here! We all are thinking about coming back here sometimes because we definitely fully enjoyed our stay! Love From, Helen Webb, family and friends.

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Guest: Kathryn Olivier
Date of Stay: 03/18/04 Review Submitted: 03/17/04

This condo is the biggest and coolest place I've ever been to. It's great conditions for skiing. We were in the hot tub a lot! Right now we are watching "Finding Nemo!" We LOVE to play pool. Jessica Webb is the Champ! Hope to come back soon!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Linda Darveau (Tewksbury, MA)
Date of Stay: 09/01/03 Review Submitted: 09/01/03

Wow! The amenities and the views from every window make this the best ski house we have ever found in twenty years of skiing in New England! Sitting in the hot tub watching the fireworks after a great day of skiing, it doesn't get any better than that! We can't wait to go back!

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Guest: The Cooney Family
Date of Stay: 08/06/03 Review Submitted: 08/05/03

The Cooney Family appreciated the spacious accommodations, beautiful furnishings, and fabulous views of the Bobcat's Den and Eagle's Nest. We had a lot of clouds and rain, but we enjoyed ourselves in spite of the weather. Thanks for making the Cooney reunion a great success! Being trapped in the rain with 19 was made pleasant by all of the games, pool tables, and DVDs and all of the moose that kept walking around right outside of your windows.

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Guest: Carl Homer
Date of Stay: 07/30/03 Review Submitted: 07/29/03

Our family has finally found a place which answers all our needs and wants for an ideal spot for our annual family reunion. Thanks for making it possible!

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Guest: Glenn Clinton
Date of Stay: 02/20/03 Review Submitted: 02/19/03

Dear Arthur and Susan, I'm the 'pain in the butt' who interrupted your Friday night to chase down the Dish Network folks for the football game I wanted in Maine. I sincerely appreciate your efforts in setting it up. It came in perfectly!! It was a huge game that meant a great deal to me. Thank you very, very much!!! (Can you tell my team won?!) The house was magical. We loved it. I go to Sunday River every Spring with my family and would love to rent it one year. I'm all booked in for this year, but would like to try for next year. I'll get details from George and will e-mail you. Hope it works, It is a billion times better than a 2 bed condo!! Thanks again. Best wishes to you both.

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Guest: George Dragonetti
Date of Stay: 02/15/03 Review Submitted: 02/14/03

Ten of us here from Bermuda. Such a nice place to call home for a few days - this place has everything! The weather was brutal! And it wasn't just because our blood is thinner ... -21 was the low Friday night. We will be back!! Thank you! Susan, thanks for all your hospitality. And Glenn was very excited to see the Arsenal/United Game.

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