Stylish Home on a Lovely Maine Salt Water Cove

The other reviews were spot on with their descriptions. The house and property are perfectly situated and well-maintained. The home was thoughtfully designed and appointed, spacious and cozy at the same time. My family with two young kids enjoyed our week in this secluded spot tremendously. We especially enjoyed hiking on the nearby trails and kayaking from the property in the calm cove water around high tide. It was so nice that boats and oars could be provided! Stan is a warm and responsive owner. He met all of our needs, providing a great deal of useful info ahead of time, and welcoming all questions during our stay. I do agree with another reviewer that I felt the dogs across the cove did put a damper on the peace in the cove. It occurred at varying times of the day, and sometimes for extended periods of time.

From the moment we pulled up to the house we knew this was going to be a great stay. Great location, very clean and taken care of. The owner

Stan answered all our questions via text and email right away. Found some new restaurants in the area that had just opened up and some we

had never been too. The Farmhouse Inn is well worth the trip to Blue Hill, go early or make reservations. They have a MiFi setup that worked very

well, had some business to take care of. Looking forward to coming back next year.

My husband and I have been to Maine at least 12 times over the years, and we were lucky enough to stay at this house, along with another couple, on our most recent visit. What a perfect setting! It's tucked into the pine-scented woods, yet footsteps from the rocky coast. The house itself is bright, clean, uncluttered and well equipped. Soft sheets and fluffy towels, as well as all kitchen necessities, are supplied.

Highlights of our visit include sitting on the deck, sipping coffee at sunrise and wine at sunset; watching bald eagles and ospreys circle above throughout the day; spotting a seal swimming in the cove at high tide, coming up for air and then going back down again; sitting on a rock at the water's edge at low tide, reading a book and blissing out; buying soft-shell lobsters in Stonington and steamers up the road, cooking them up and feasting at the dining room table, with a backdrop of woods and water out the windows.

We were lucky enough to be visiting on a couple of clear, moonless nights. The view of the star-filled sky through the skylight right above our bed (in the upstairs room) was amazing; one night we saw three meteors before we finally fell asleep. Also, the upstairs bathroom has some beautiful, very happy houseplants, and the shower is wonderful--roomy, with big windows (don't worry, no one can see inside).

Be sure to drive slowly on the unpaved road leading to the house. On our second day, a neighbor called because she feared we were exceeding the 10 mph speed limit. Also, the wi-fi is so slow that we called in "no-fi" and cell reception is only slightly better. But that's okay, as long as you realize you're here to relax and unplug, not to work remotely. There's satellite TV, but it had few offerings and was difficult to figure out (maybe that's just us?). No premium channels, difficult to even find any national news. But there are plenty of excellent books on the shelves, board games to play, naps to take...

The only thing that spoiled our tranquility, I'm sorry to say, were the neighborhood dogs. They barked pretty consistently and their voices echoed from around 5:30 a.m. to late at night. We tried to tune them out, but...

I would definitely recommend this house to anyone looking for a wicked good time in Maine!

The location is ideal for a quiet, relaxing getaway on a beautiful and not-too-developed island. Almost any outdoor activity is available. Kayaking from the tidal cove is excellent, although you must be cognizant of the tide cycle unless you want to explore clam flats on your return. There are both close-by and distant paddling destinations, and Bald Eagles,Osprey and seals are frequently seen. It's also a good spot for bicycling, although the unpaved access road is not ideal for narrow-tire bikes, once the paved road is reached, the island offers many good cycling loops, as long as you avoid the most heavily used main road. Hiking trails on the island are available, but the most impressive hiking or mountain biking is on Isle au Haut, a 45 minute boat trip away. The description of other activities is accurate and this a great place for families, especially those with older kids. The cottage itself is very comfortable, beautifully designed and its a real pleasure just to relax there. The kitchen is efficient, well equipped and it's convenient to have a dishwasher and a clothes washer/dryer. There are a handful of restaurants on the island, but our favorites are on the mainland, a bit of a drive, but the wonderfully quirky El El Frijoles in Sargentville (not far from the suspension bridge) is fairly close and worth checking out. There is a good grocery store in Stonington, and wonderful farmer's markets on Weds and Friday mornings. The property is beautifully maintained, and the owners are helpful and responsive. This is about as good as the Maine coast gets.

The owner's description and prior guests comments are very accurate. We wanted peace and quiet in a class act vacation home -- and that's exactly what we got. I recommend Whale's Rib restaurant as well as the internet connections at the delightful little golf course or the Stonington library (when was the last time you the Hardy Boys series in mint condition?) when you're not eating dirt cheap pirced lobsters from the local co-ops or super friendly Donna at her upholstery shop just up the main road (her hubby is a fisherman). The clammers who worked the cove in front of the house one morning were very friendly. Did I mention that the local pharmacist called every drug store between Stonington and Bar Harbor to find my persription in stock? Sandy Beach is gorgeous; renting a bicycle to circle around Isle au Haut on a beautiful day (decide that morning) is a great idea (I'm 63 -- bring your point and shoot camera in your day pack). In short, we had a memorable, restful time. .