Vacation Rentals by Owner

Beautiful, Comfortable Family Friendly Waterfront Retreat

Guest: love2getawayFLL (Fort Lauderdale, FL )
Date of Stay: 10/19/11 Review Submitted: 01/05/12

We stayed at the Seachimes property in Friendship, ME in mid-October 2011. It was a wonderful trip to Maine to see the leaves change and breath the cool, crisp air of fall. We have a 1 year old daughter who of course traveled with us. The home is very large and would be quite comfortable for a large family get together. It is nicely decorated and you can tell the family that owns it takes good care of the property and has made it a very comfortable home they have fortunately chosen to share. We only had three in our party, much of the property remained untouched. The view of the waterway is spectacular. The yard is large and allowed plenty of room for our little toddler to explore without the fear of impromptu swimming. The home is nicely appointed to include a pack n play, highchair, baby gate and other child proofing efforts already taken care of. There were even toys, games and books for all ages. There wasn’t anything we needed that was not available in the home. We were able to relax in comfort. We loved the location! We live in South Florida so we were very happy to drive a little further, down the dirt road to a nice, private getaway. We couldn’t be happier with our choice. We took day trips to Boothbay, Camden and Rockport and we were glad to drive the countryside and enjoy the scenery. After taking the day trips into the towns, it confirmed for us that we had made the right decision in selecting Seachimes and the small lobster town of Friendship over staying in one of the more populated areas. Staying here does require a little planning as you will want to shop for groceries and supplies before heading to Friendship. If you forget anything, there is a small store with the basics in Friendship. I hope we will be able to stay at Seachimes again in the future and bring some of our friends and family, perhaps in the spring or summer to really take advantage of all the home has to offer.

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

Great house to rent.

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 10/07/11 Review Submitted: 11/01/11

This house was absolutely wonderful! It has everything you need and the location is perfect. We rented it with another family and the kids were down by the dock the whole time. We kayaked and the kids even went swimming in the water. I highly recommend it to rent for a nice vacation. Very private too.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Peace and Tranquility at its best!

Guest: Dan and Diane (Natick, MA)
Date of Stay: 08/27/11 Review Submitted: 10/25/11

Our family stayed at Sea Chimes for 9 days at the end of August. It was a perfect fit for what we were looking for in a vacation. We will reaffirm previous comments of ample space, abundance of amenities, parking, a beautiful wrap around deck, spacious dock/access to the water. Like others, we took advantage of having lobster 6 out of 9 nights and having the use of 3 outdoor grills/cookers eliminated the need to spend time in the kitchen. The beds were extremely comfortable and the furnishings were "home like" not "rental" staged. We were pleasantly surprised with the number/availability of electrical outlets, both in the home and on the deck/dock. We spent the majority of our time on the dock and found the water temperature in the cove warmer than other areas. Having the tide chart available allowed us to plan our time on the water using the furnished canoe and our own kayak. With the exception of one day of sightseeing we were happy to stay right in Friendship were all of our needs were met.

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

Totally recommend this place

Guest: Home A.
Date of Stay: 07/23/11 Review Submitted: 08/15/11

We had a wonderful stay in the Friendship house this July 2011. It was a refreshing break from the heat of the South where we live. The wrap-around deck and sliding doors were so great, and allowed the breeze and the ocean view to come "inside". Loved watching the tides, seeing the little crabs, walking in the squishy mud, and taking the canoe out at sunset. Our family group needs lots of bedrooms, and this house fit us perfectly. Everyone had their own place. The kids loved the loft, and the adults even climbed up to check it out. We played board games at night, but spent most of the day enjoying the property or the surrounding area. It was peaceful and beautiful. We walked up to Wallace's Market and to the cemetery one night - very interesting! Drove down to the village pier and found lots of sea glass underneath while the tide was out. Totally recommend this place. Well maintained and well worth the drive!

Recommended for:Families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Secluded and relaxing. Outside deck excellent.

Guest: rick b.
Date of Stay: 07/16/11 Review Submitted: 08/11/11

Interesting house with all the things you need to feel at home yet know you are away. Very secluded and has a great deck attached plus a big floating deck to sit and relax or go fishing for crabs, shrimp etc. Did miss sound of crashing waves. But enjoyed canoeing. Excellent for kyakers. Local residents are very friendly and the lobsters were great.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children.

Group from Georgia-Awesome Rental

Guest: Melinda J.
Date of Stay: 07/02/11 Review Submitted: 08/02/11

Wow what a great home to spend vacation. We came to Maine for a family reunion and rented this house. There was 9 of us and we could have slept more, the loft was not even used. Could not bellieve our eyes when I saw the place, pictures do not do it justice. One brother and his wife went out in the canoe had a great time. I think at least once a day someone went to Wallace Market to pick up something and they always had it. The house had everything you would need. And the view was awesome with a great dock over the water. Also I can not leave out saying something about the hammock, it was fantastic. When we return to Maine we will surely rent this house again. Thank you so much for sharing your home with us.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Maine At It's Best

Guest: Carol B. (Wrentham, MA USA)
Date of Stay: 09/04/10 Review Submitted: 12/12/10

If you want the perfect home base for a Maine seacoast vacation, look no further. Sea Chimes is a beautiful house in a secluded location right on an ocean inlet, yet you’re really close to Friendship village center and the local lobster docks. We mention the lobster docks because we went right to the lobstermen and bought fresh, just caught lobsters from them on four of the seven days we were there. The great part about this is that Sea Chimes is equipped with an outdoor cooker and huge pot that we boiled the lobster in. Oh man, that was good! Sea Chimes is also nicely equipped with all the kitchen gadgets and most of the spices and herbs you’ll need for cooking. The also are very nicely equipped with pots, pans, utensils, glassware, coffee cups and the like. I don’t recall any vacation house that I have rented being so completely equipped. The home and yard are so nice that you may not feel like venturing out, but this is a perfect central location to visit some of the most beautiful and interesting places, not only in Maine, but in the United States. It was just my wife and I on this trip, but we want to come back with friends and family. I’m sure Sea Chimes could comfortably handle 8 to 10 people. Sea Chimes, in a word is “awesome”.

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

Maine Hideaway

Guest: Jeff (Erie, Pa.)
Date of Stay: 08/21/10 Review Submitted: 09/15/10

We have rented various properties up and down the coast of Maine for the past six years. This was by far the nicest home we have had the priviledge of staying in. While it is on an inlet, rather than on the ocean, it is still a beautiful setting. The week we were there, the leaves were starting to change, and the summer weather was on the way out. We enjoyed the fireplace one rainy day as we played games and hung around the house. Lobster and seafood stores are everywhere. Camden and Rockland are nearby, and worth the drive. The restuarants are all very good, and there was not a chain rest. to be seen. Wonderful!!!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Perfect vacation

Guest: Connie (Winslow, ME)
Date of Stay: 08/14/10 Review Submitted: 10/27/10

Sea Chimes is private, peaceful and beautiful. This lovely home allowed five couples do what they wanted to do and still not intrude on anyone else's space. Views from the deck, dock and grounds are priceless. There was always someone either on the deck or outside sipping coffee or wine and enjoying the beautiful view. Since the grounds are spacious, It was not unusual for one of us to seek solitude with a book on the dock, or in the hammock, lawn chair or somewhere on the deck. We especially enjoyed our cocktail hour at the large table on the deck with plenty of seating for all. Seating in the living room, dining room and TV room is very comfortable. The dining table provides plenty of room for meals as well as for games and we were happy to be able to use our laptops where ever and whenever we wanted. The kitchen allowed five cooks to work quite well, with all the gadgets and items we could possibly need and more besides. We picked sweet blackberries from the bushes behind the house and made a blackberry and peach crisp. We had delicious lobsters twice while we were there making good use of the large pot and gas burner provided. We enjoyed walking from the house to town and poking around in the shops, and when the tide was in the kayaks went out. Kudos to Peggy MacDonald and her family for making Sea Chimes available.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Beautiful setting

Guest: Terry (Athens,Pa)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 07/27/10

What a wonderful home! Spacious, clean, and extremely comfortable. We slept 10 ppl very comfortably. Plenty of games and movies to keep everyone occupied. Well equipped kitchen with everything you could need. The views are beautiful. We clammed when the tide was low, kayaked and canoed when high, and swam off the docks. We spotted a fox off the dock one night, and the kids had a horseshoe crab for a pet one day. Friendship is a friendly little town with not much more than a village grocery (with great ice cream- try the tiramisu!), a couple shops, and a kayak rental, and the wharf. Lobsters are just $4.00 each off the docks, and we hiked down every day to get ours. It is just 30 minutes to Pemaquid Lighthouse, beach, and the Fort, an hour to Boothbay Harbor, and 2 hrs to Popham State Park- (well worth the day trip!! Gorgeous beach!!) We loved the place, and hope to return next summer.

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

Seachimes

Guest: Rob (New York, New York)
Date of Stay: 08/15/09 Review Submitted: 09/11/09

We spent two wonderful weeks at Seachimes. The cottage is beautifully situated and the town of Friendship is perfect for sightseeing both north and south. The owners have provided all the equipment you might need for cooking, relaxing, and enjoying the waterfront. In addition, if problems or questions arise, they are readily available to provide information. The cottage works well for families or couples. We would enjoy returning to the area and to Seachimes.

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

Guest: readytogoMike (Seattle, WA, USA)
Date of Stay: 10/19/08 Review Submitted: 10/19/08

Our 4 nights at Seachimes in early October was fantastic. Great house, perfect for our two-couple party. Lots of space, beautiful site right on the water. Quiet quiet quiet, yet well-located for day trips to many great places. Or just hang out. Highly recommended!

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September family getaway

Guest: September visitor (Ohio)
Date of Stay: 08/30/08 Review Submitted: 09/08/08

This is a great secluded house! My family visited the Maine coastline the first week in September and stayed in this house. We booked just a couple weeks before coming, but Peggy was very responsive on any concerns we had and made the booking process very easy. The house looked great and slept 7 of us with room to spare. It was apparent that the owners had taken care to kid-proof the house which was greatly appreciated. I think that the house, land and views were even better than the pictures and video. We had a great time in Maine and the house was a significant part of that!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children.

Guestbook Comment

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

Sea Chimes was a great place for us to meet with friends from Germany and their children. The location was great to see northeastern points like Rockland and Camden, and western points like Damariscotta and Wiscasset. We even day-tripped to Acadia. Everyday was either hiking, kayaking, "lighthousing," or "small-towning." If we had bikes, we would have done that too! Friendship itself was a pleasant surprise. We rented a fleet of kayaks for one week from Bill, who operates the Inn in Friendship. We got to know many other residents, and they live up to the town's name. One couple at the end of town invited us to their deck to see the great view of the harbor. Another man gave the children eggs from the chickens kept in town. A lobsterman shown us how the nets work. The lady in Wallace's Market promised to reserve some doughnuts for my wife each morning. I can't believe I have to go back to work! jd

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Guestbook Comment

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

Our families had a lovely stay at 'Seachimes" The house was everything we expected and a bit more. Great amount of space for kids to run and play badminton. The setting was lovely even though we probably picked the "rainiest" week to visit! Funny, but we had no problem with mosquitos when we were there!!!!! Friendship is a quaint little town and a good pace to stay and also discover Rockland, Camden etc......

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/01/08 Review Submitted: 07/18/08

My husband and stayed at Seachimes with another couple and their daughter fourth of July week. We were happily surprised when we arrived at the house. It was just as it appeaars in the video. The grounds were lovely. There is all you need for a pleasant stay, from lobster cookers to kids games even birthday candles! (my husbands birthday). The only suggestion would be is to bring bug spray. With all the vegetation, the mosquitos were abundant. If you're looking for a quiet out of the mainstream area this is it, yet you're still close enough to get out and sightsee.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Diane Woods_HAC117842 (Hampstead, NH)
Date of Stay: 12/01/07 Review Submitted: 12/25/07

We stayed at this beautiful home for a family reunion. My husband and myself and three sisters and their families. We had so much fun being able to visit and have enough room for everyone. The kids had a great time down by the water and we enjoyed the numerous games for adults and children. We all had our own bedrooms and enough bathroom space to share the two bathrooms. The yard was big and the kids enjoyed running around outside. The deck was perfect for cocktail hour and great conversation overlooking the water. In the morning we enjoyed watching the seals right off the dock and the many different birds. Thanks to Peggy and her family for letting us enjoy their home and for answering my never ending questions. Thanks from the whole gang of us.

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