Amazing Maine Get-Away - Maine's Western Mountains
| Sleeps | 32 |
| Bedrooms | 16 |
| Bathrooms | 5 |
| Half Baths | 1 |
| Space | 9,000 sq ft |
| Property type | lodge |
| Minimum Stay | 2 - 5 nights |
Overview
Lodge, 15 Bedrooms, 5.5 Baths, Sleeps 25+ warm weather, 14+ cold.
Historic country lodge in Maine's beautiful western mountains with private swimming pond and beach on property, close to lakes, streams and mountains. Nearby world-class fishing (Rapid River, Magalloway, Kennebago, Androscoggin & Swift Rivers, Rangeley & Richardson Lakes), golfing (Bethel Inn & Sunday River), and ski areas (Sunday River, Saddleback, Mt. Abram, Black Mountain).
Magnificent setting with broad lawns and pastures overlooking mountain valley in the northern end of the Mahoosuc range. Pond & river on property. Trails on property and access to 4000 footers. Plentiful outdoor activities: swim, boat, fish (stocked pond, great fishing throughout the area including some of the nation's most pristine wild trout waters), hike, bike, ride, berry pick, you name it. Nearby Bethel Recreation Area & Sunday River golf and ski resorts. 3 hours from Boston.
This is a truly unique vacation and recreation spot - comfortable and gorgeous with deep history in a friendly old-New England town. Built in 1792 by the first homesteading settler in the valley; renovated in the late 1800s at the peak of the railroad era into a private summer retreat with design contributions by Stanford White and Frederick Law Olmsted. Wonderful interiors including breathtaking Great Hall, several salons, Grand Dining Room. Long views that defy words.
Rates quoted are for family vacation rentals with the indicated seasonal overnight guest maximums. Event and other rental rates quoted upon request.
References required.
Keywords: Sleeps 25+ in warm weather, 14+ in cold weather. Summer and winter rentals available. 2 kitchens, 2 dining rooms. Catering & event services available. 15 fireplaces. Contemporary utilities & amenities including wireless internet. Elegantly furnished.
Weddings, reunions, special events, family vacations, corporate and group retreats. Destination Weddings. Ceremony and reception site. Trophy trout, salmon & bass fishing. Two golf courses nearby. Amazing for leaf peeping weekends. Downhill and XC Ski. Snow-mobile. Hunt. Hike the Appalachian Trail. Relax.
What makes this lodge unique
Merrill House (c.1792, on the National Historic Register) looks across “Snow Valley” onto the tail end of the White Mountains in western Maine. Located in Andover, under ½ hour from Bethel and Sunday River Ski area, and surrounded by fields, forest and trails, Merrill House is immersed in natural beauty. The Appalachian Trail passes through Andover, and there are excellent X-country trails and sled runs just outside the door.
The home has been in the family for over two hundred years, since its original construction eight generations ago. The homestead was the first colonial settlement of the valley.
Ezekiel Merrill, Revolutionary War veteran, and his wife Sarah and their young children first trekked in by canoe and foot over 50 miles to spend the winter in a one-room hut that the local Pequaket Indians helped them make. They were under-provisioned and had to trade for food and furs with the native Americans, living largely on potatoes that first winter. The family survived and stayed to establish their farm.
Generations passed and the homestead grew into a working farm with barns and pastures. At the end of the 1800’s Ezekiel’s great grandson Henry Varnum Poor and his son Henry William – made wealthy by the railroads – renovated the farmhouse into the lodge we have today, and the pastures into botanical gardens, with walk-paths and many other features.
Today the Merrill House is available for rent for weddings, retreats, reunions, and seasonal parties. We hope you will enjoy its comfort, charm and its unique piece of American history as much as we do!
Guestbook comments from the owner
5 stars! We rented the house for a week for my parent's 50th anniversary. The setting is every bit as beautiful as it looks in these pictures. The setting is private and scenic with mountain views. It had plenty of room, and as there were 20 of us, we really appreciated the space. The dining room was elegant for a sit-down dinner and the caretaker baked a beautiful cake for us. Both the owner and the caretakers were very accomodating and helpful. We kayaked on the nearby river and enjoyed the wildlife, including the moose that visited the property. Highly recommended.
Amenities
Andover Lodge Accommodation and Amenities
- lodge
- Catering available
- Breakfast - Booking Possible
- Lunch - Booking Possible
- Dinner - Booking Possible
- 9000 sq ft
- Check-in: 2:00 PM /
- Check-out: 12:00 PM
- Max. occupancy: 32
- Children welcome
- Parties/events allowed ...
- Pets not allowed
- Non smoking only
- Beachfront ...
- Downtown ...
- Lakefront ...
- Mountain View ...
- Waterfront ...
- Adventure
- Away From It All
- Family
- Historic
- Romantic
- Sports & Activities
- Tourist Attractions
- Broadband Access
- Clothes Dryer
- Fireplace ...
- Hair Dryer
- Heating
- Internet
- Iron & Board
- Linens Provided
- Living Room ...
- Mobile Phone
- Parking
- Parking for RV/Boat/Trailer
- Telephone
- Towels Provided
- Washing Machine
- Wireless Internet
- Wood Fireplace
- Wood Stove ...
- Catering Available
- Coffee Maker
- Cooking Utensils
- Dishes & Utensils
- Kitchen ...
- Microwave
- Oven ...
- Pantry Items
- Refrigerator ...
- Stove ...
- Toaster
- Dining ...
- Dining Area
- seating for 30 people
- 5 Bathrooms,
- 1 Half Bath
-
Bathroom 1 -
Bathroom 2 -
Bathroom 3 -
Bathroom 4 -
Bathroom 5 -
Bathroom 7 - shower
- 16 Bedrooms, Sleeps 32
-
#1 Master Bedroom -
1 queen
,
Private Bath
#2 Moose Room - 2 twin/ single
#3 Great Hall Suite - twins - 2 twin/ single
#4 Great Hall Suite - Queen - 1 queen , Attached Bath (shared)
#5 The Den - 1 sleep sofa /futon , Can be configured w/ Queen or Twins
#6 The Loft - 1 queen
#7 The Metalluk Room - 1 twin/ single
#8 The MollyOckett Room - 1 twin/ single
#9 Merrill Suite - Twins - 2 twin/ single
#12 Aunt Grace's Room - 1 queen
#13 Richardson Room - 2 twin/ single
#14 Rangeley Room - 3 twin/ single
#15 Bald Pate Room - 1 queen , 1 twin/ single
#16 Flat Rocks Room - 2 twin/ single
#10 Merrill Suite - Queen - 1 queen
#11 The Poor Room - 2 double
- Queen size Beds (5), Full Beds (2), Twin or Single Beds (13), Sleep Sofa or Futons (3)
- CD Player
- DVD Player
- Ping Pong Table
- Stereo
- Television
- VCR
- Balcony
- Deck / Patio ...
- Lawn / Garden
- Outdoor Grill ...
- Private Pool ...
- churches
- cinemas
- festivals
- library
- restaurants
- antiquing
- bird watching
- boating
- horseback riding
- horseshoes
- photography
- scenic drives
- sight seeing
- sledding
- walking
- wildlife viewing
- ATM/bank
- Babysitter
- groceries
- hospital
- laundromat
- massage therapist
- medical services
- cross country skiing
- cycling
- equestrian events
- fishing
- fly fishing
- freshwater fishing
- golf
- hiking
- hunting
- ice skating
- kayaking
- mountain biking
- mountain climbing
- mountaineering
- rafting
- rock climbing
- sailing
- skiing
- snowboarding
- snowmobiling
- swimming
- tennis
- water skiing
- water tubing
- whitewater rafting
- wind-surfing
Reviews
5/5 -
(3 traveler reviews)
What a special retreat!
Our family had an amazing week at Merrill House. We found the house incredibly inviting and quite spacious for our group. We enjoyed cooking amazing meals in the old kitchen and savoring them in the Dining Hall, which seated all of us. Our evenings were spent in the Great Hall, with games, puzzles and dancing. The children had an amazing time in the swimming pond, particularly jumping in from the rope swing. We bought kites and spent a wonderful afternoon flying kites. The grounds allowed us to set up various games, such as a volleyball/badminton net and relay races. One of us is a painter who found numerous spots to set up and spend the afternoon painting. The drive to nearby parks for hikes were worth the trip, but we certainly enjoyed 'staying home' relaxing at the Merrill House's porch. It was an absolutely wonderful experience for all. Thank you!
Amazing house and grounds
Just wanted to thank you again for the opportunity to spend a week at the Merrill House. The place was amazing (I especially loved the door to the great room - if I could have gotten it into my carry-on bag, you might be missing it now) with tons of room for everyone and several natural gathering spaces (the "new" kitchen and great room were the two most popular, although there was always a crowd on the front porch, too). My dad used to be a mover (drove a moving van for 10-15 years) and has seen a LOT of houses - he had to admit he'd never seen anything like the Merrill House (he even dragged my younger brother back the next day so he could see it). The grounds were beautiful and our nerdy group was out each night, enjoying the clear sky and tracking the International Space Station. Becky and Bert (the caretakers) were super nice and helped us out in large ways and small (from setting up the new grill, to lending us life jackets for a canoe, to giving directions to the nearest redemption center). All in all, it was a great week and the house met with universal acclaim.
Our two-week stay at the Merrill House
Our family of sixteen stayed at the Merrill House in Andover, Maine, for two weeks earlier this year and loved it! We have always appreciated the beautiful Maine homes we have seen all over the state, but the Merrill House is definitely the most fantastic home we have yet seen. Our family is involved in several television projects and did some filming at the home and the surrounding region, and it made for a wonderful setting. We especially enjoyed the spacious Great Hall - it was the perfect meeting place for our crowd. Back home, many of our sons have a wedding photography and videography business, and they recognized this home as a perfect spot for a destination wedding. In fact, we are advertising it to our local folks who are looking for a unique place for their special celebration, as this home can accommodate such a large amount of guests. Also, the caretakers, Becky and Bert, are very helpful and considerate in keeping the home looking fresh and clean.
Map
Magnificent setting with broad lawns and pastures overlooking mountain valley in the northern end of the Mahoosuc range. Pond & river on property. Trails on property and access to 4000 footers. Plentiful outdoor activities: swim, boat, fish (stocked pond, great fishing throughout the area including some of the nation's most pristine wild trout waters), hike, bike, ride, berry pick, you name it. Nearby Bethel Recreation Area & Sunday River golf and ski resorts. 3 hours from Boston.
Photos
Rates & Availability
- Available
- Unavailable
Additional information about rental rates
| Refundable damage deposit | $1,000 |
| Property Damage Protection | $59 |
| Cleaning | $400 + Tax |
Cleaning fee from $300; $500 for weddings (subject to event details.) Grounds fees may apply. Pets, if permitted, will incur surcharge.
Security deposit $1000, $2500 weddings (subject to event details.)
Owner's Cancellation Policy
- 50% refund if canceled at least 14 days before arrival date.
- 100% refund if canceled at least 30 days before arrival date.
- Service Fee fully refunded on cancellations that qualify for 100% refund.
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