Location: Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada (2 1/2 Hrs. to Halifax, 25 Min. to Antigonish, 10/Cape Breton)
Accommodations: Villa, 3 Bedrooms + Other (See Description), 2 Baths (Sleeps 6-8)
Nestled on a beautiful 18-acre peninsula with spectacular views of Breen's Pond, St. George's Bay, and the Cape George lighthouse, this classy new three-story shingled cottage is an idyllic Nova Scotia getaway.
Outdoors, you’ll be welcomed by an extraordinary array of birds and wildlife that share this serene and unspoiled place–-bald eagle, arctic tern, marsh hawk, kingfisher, blue heron, rabbit, and deer, just to name a few.
Indoors you’ll be welcomed by warm birch floors, elegant furnishings, and original art, including the stunning Nova Scotia sea-blue concrete countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms and the slate-blue hearth and Celtic mural wall in the living room. The high-end kitchen has everything you'll need for entertaining–-even a wine cooler. The dining room seats 8 around the antique round pine table and lazy susan. The living room has comfortable overstuffed sectional couches where you can relax and gaze at the water or watch the fire in the glass-front Jøtul woodburning stove. Interior glass French doors lead to the den/optional sleeping area with its sunny window seat, comfy queen-size futon, leather club chair and ottoman, 32-inch flat-screen TV (with high def), and a private screened porch/solarium where you can kick back on the porch swing or play games at the table for four.
Down the gallery-lit art-filled staircase you’ll find a striking turquoise concrete floor in the second den/optional sleeping area with its L.L. Bean queen-size sleeper sofa and Vermont Casting glass-front woodburning stove. The turquoise floor flows into the second full bedroom with its early 20th Century mahogany sleigh bed and dresser--and walk-out water view. You’ll also find a fully-equipped laundry room on this lower level.
Up the stairs (from the main level) to the spacious upper level, you’ll find the sky-lit master bedroom with its carved Caribbean four-poster bed and its own private deck. A two-person whirlpool bathtub with amazing water views is the centerpiece of the master bathroom. And there's a cozy corner office and a large upper deck with Adirondacks and rattan chaises--the perfect spot to bird watch or count shooting stars.
Inside or out, it’s a wonderful place to enjoy the surrounding natural beauty, entertain your family and friends, or just relax. In the morning you can sip your tea or coffee on the decks and watch the lobster boats come and go on St. George's Bay or watch the mist rise on Breen's Pond. In the afternoon, you can walk down the path to the water's edge where kayaks are waiting, or you can walk to Cape Jack Beach where the swimming is excellent. In the evening you can sink into the couches and read a good book or watch the sunset. And at night you can you lie in bed and watch the Cape George lighthouse, the Celtic twilight, and the constellations overhead.
As our guests have said, it truly is a magical place.
And you’re only ten minutes from Cape Breton with its famed Cabot Trail, Celtic music, whale watching, and Gampo Abbey; twenty-five minutes from the university town of Antigonish; and just a few miles away from the village of Havre Boucher where you can buy fresh lobster (in season) right off the boat.
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer: Private laundry room.
- Dryer: Private laundry room.
- Off Street Parking
- Parking for RV/Boat/Trailer
- Wood Stove: Two beautiful glass-front woodburning stoves -- a Jotul stove in the living room & a Vermont Casting stove in the downstairs den/family room.
- Beds
- Queen Bed: Carved Caribbean four-poster bed in master bedroom.
- Double Bed: Antique mahogany sleigh bed in walk-out bedroom.
- Convertible Bed: Comfy futon in the den/family room on the main level & an L.L. Bean sleeper-sofa in the den/family room on the lower level.
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV
- DVD
- VCR
- Video Library
- CD Player
- Stereo System
- Jetted Tub in Bath: Two person whirlpool tub with amazing views of Breen's Pond & St. George's Bay.
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen: High-end kitchen complete with wine cooler.
- Refrigerator
- Dishwasher: Jenn-Air.
- Microwave
- Ice Maker
- Outdoor Features
- Gas/Electric BBQ Grill: Nice big gas BBQ Grill.
- Deck/Patio: The Villa has five decks, all with beautiful views.
- Balcony
- Communications
- Telephone
- Free Long Distance: Free long distance to the U.S. and Canada.
- Other Amenities
- Wine cooler, kayaks, canoe, hiking trails
- Activities (on site and nearby)
- Shopping
- Sightseeing
- Restaurants
- Kayaking
- Sailing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Biking
- Cross Country Skiing
- Sledding/Tubing
- Wildlife Viewing
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Hunting
- Antiquing
- Other Activities
- Buying fresh lobster off the boat, whale watching, Celtic music and driving or biking the legendary Cabot Trail on Cape Breton.
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
.......... $1475-$2275/week
April 01-Jun 15 .. $1475/week
Jun 16-Sep 15 .. $2275/week
Sep 16-Dec 31 .. $1475/week
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Owner's Profile
Owner Description
Year Purchased: 2006
Claudia Johnson is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir STIFLED LAUGHTER: ONE WOMAN'S STORY ABOUT FIGHTING CENSORSHIP, nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and winner of the inaugural PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award, presented by the late great Paul Newman. Her text CRAFTING SHORT SCREENPLAYS THAT CONNECT is now in its 3rd edition, and her new novella A CHRISTMAS BELLE (written with Matt Stevens) is a sequel to Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL. She was a member of the founding faculty of the Florida State University Film School where she teaches one semester a year as Distinguished Writer in Residence. Her husband Ormond Loomis is a nationally recognized folklorist and English professor at Florida State, and is now becoming a viticulturalist in Nova Scotia where he and Claudia are creating a vineyard on their property overlooking Breen's Pond and St. George's Bay.
Why the Owner Chose Antigonish
We bought our 18-acre peninsula and built our Villa because we fell in love with the serenity, beauty, astonishing views, sunsets, and long Celtic twilights. The starry nights aren't bad, either. We love the eagles, arctic terns, bobolinks, kingfishers, herons, ducks, deer and other wildlife that share this peaceable kingdom. We also love the convenience of hiking our trails and kayaking right off our backyard on Breen's Pond. But most of all, we chose to settle in Nova Scotia because the people in the Province are uncommonly kind, creative, authentic, and just plain wonderful to be around.
The Unique Benefits of this Villa
Staying at the Villa is like living in a bright, cheerful art gallery. In the morning it's such a pleasure to walk down the stairs and see the Nova Scotia sea-blue concrete counter tops in the kitchen and living room harmonizing with the Nova Scotia sea-blue water outside. The skies are spectacular, too -- like living in a watercolor! We love the wildness of Eagle Island and the traditional houses and barns on Cape Jack. And we love entertaining, so the open-floor-plan kitchen/living room, dining room, and barbeque deck are terrific. We enjoy all five decks, but at night our favorite is the upper deck where we can watch the sunset and Celtic twilight and count shooting stars (there are plenty). Ormond loves building fires in the glass-front wood burning stoves that make the place especially cozy on cool days and nights. We feel incredibly lucky to be able to buy fresh lobster off the boat for roughly $5.00 a pound at nearby Havre Boucher during the season (May and June) or go whale watching in St. George's Bay. We're passionate, too, about Celtic music, so it's a privilege to be so close to Cape Breton with its world-famous musicians like Natalie MacMaster and the new Celtic Music Interpretive Center with its frequent ceilidhs, fantastic music, and great lobster rolls. We also love the excellent theatre and restaurants in nearby Antigonish, or toodling to Halifax for a day in that sparkling city.
Property Photos
- Kayaking on Breen's Pond with the Villa in the background - Antigonish Villa with Screened Porch, Wood Stove, Deck, and BBQ Grill
- The view from the main deck - Antigonish Villa with Screened Porch, Wood Stove, Deck, and BBQ Grill
- Celtic mural and Nova Scotia sea-blue kitchen counters - Antigonish Villa with Screened Porch, Wood Stove, Deck, and BBQ Grill
- Putting the finishing touches on the antique pine table for a dinner party
- Comfy sectional, Naguchi coffee table, Jotul stove and water views
- The view from the four-poster bed in the master bedroom
- Enjoy the spectacular water views from the two-person whirlpool master bath
- Walking the beach trail
- The villa at sunset
- Relaxing with friends on the main deck at sunset
- Another spectacular sunset and Celtic twilight
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #267724
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Date last modified - October 16, 2009
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