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Beautiful cottage in the village of Southwest Harbor

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Exterior
Living area
Living area
Private kitchen
Room

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 4

Popular amenities

  • Onsite parking available
  • Dog-friendly
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Barbecue grill
  • Deck or patio

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

2 Single Beds

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Dining area

About this property

Beautiful cottage in the village of Southwest Harbor

Our cottage has 2 bedrooms, 1 bath and is conveniently located just a short walk to Southwest Harbor shops and restaurants and to the Harbor. We are on the Island Explorer route and a few minutes' drive to several Acadia National Park attractions.

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About the area

Southwest Harbor

Southwest Harbor is home to this cottage. Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co is a popular attraction and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Acadia National Park and Acadia National Park's Visitors Center. Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf and George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History are also worth visiting. Kayaking and power boating offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with rock climbing and hiking nearby.
View more Cottages in Southwest HarborOpens in a new window
Map
Southwest Harbor, ME

What's nearby

  • Wendell Gilley Museum - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • Acadia National Park - 18 min walk - 1.5 km
  • Flying Mountain Trailhead - 4 min drive - 3.3 km
  • Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co - 19 min drive - 26.9 km
  • Acadia National Park's Visitors Center - 20 min drive - 24.7 km

Getting around

  • Bar Harbor, ME (BHB-Hancock County - Bar Harbor) - 20 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Shell - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Archie’s Lobster - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Milagro's - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Circle K - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Little Notch Bakery - ‬2 min drive

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 92 out of 95 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 95 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 95 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 95 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 95 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Matthew R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Loved this place! Very close to everything there is to do in Bar Harbor. Would stay again!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Susan C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This property worked so well for my sister and I. Everything was so nice and clean. The location was handy as we explored Mt Desert Island. The deer in the yard added to the charm.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Todd R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great home base from which to explore the Acadia area

This roomy home had everything we needed to serve as our launch point into this beautiful part of Maine.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Susan W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
No complaints! Convenient location.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sean W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful place in a great location

The hosts were wonderful, the space was nice, and it's a great jumping off point for exploring MDI. Would stay here again.
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2020
Verified

10/10 Excellent

nichole p.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We enjoyed our stay at Louise’s cabin in Southwest harbor. The location was excellent! The house was clean and provided everything we needed for our stay. Louise was very easy to communicate with. I would book this cottage again in the future.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Loved everything about our stay!

Cottage as described, but even better! Perfect location for our Acadia 4 day adventures. Comfortable home and beds to recharge in after long wonderful day hiking and exploring. Loved the location because it was close to everything in quieter SW harbor, and easy drive to the rest of MDI and Acadia.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jonathan M S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Place

Super clean and well appointed.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jill C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This place was great! We loved being on island but not in the heart of the Bar Harbor bustle. Everything was still only 20-30 minutes away. Well-equipped, super clean.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Beth R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wonderful stay! The house was in excellent condition, kitchen was nicely stocked, lots of extra towels, blankets, pillows to make sure we were comfortable, and games, puzzles, movies kept everyone busy. Location is very convenient for "quiet side" activities. Host was very responsive when we thought we locked ourselves out.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Comfortable and Cozy

Close to town, coffee shop, supermarket and very quiet location.
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2019
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful getaway during the spring

We had a fantastic time staying at the Shell cottage in Southwest Harbor. The cottage felt like home away from home during our week away in April. This is our second time in 4 years renting this cottage.
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Garry S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

First Vrbo stay

We loved our week here! Very comfortable for the three of us. Convenient to Acadia National Park which is why we came to Maine. The hosts were very responsive. Would definitely stay here again if the opportunity arises.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Cecilia M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A wonderful stay

Louise and Jim were the ideal hosts - friendly, communicative and helpful. Their place is perfect for a small family or couple. We came with our toddler and had the best time. Clean, well equipped, perfectly located in Southwest Harbor and close to all things Acadia. Would definitely come back!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Darren S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Warm comfortable cottage

Very clean warm cottage. Allowed us the option of spending all day at Acadia National Park and come home for the evening to a clean comfortable enjoyable space for the evening. Exceeded my expectations and would highly recommend this property to anyone else. If we go back to the area again will definitely look into staying here again!!
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mark M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect for us

Convenient location with everything we needed to have a comfortable trip exploring Mount Desert Island. Would definitely return
Stayed 8 nights in Oct 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Laurie M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Welcome to MDI

Shell Cottage was cozy, comfortable, and conveniently located near many Acadia and Southwest Harbor vistas, trails, and lobster pounds.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

JOE E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay

This cottage is as good as it gets for vacation rental at a reasonable price. It is super clean, very bright and has everything you need for your stay. Close to everything on MDI and you feel like you are a guest in someone's home. We have stayed in many cottages and cabins in our 50+ years of travel and this is one of the best. I would recommend this to anyone.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Linda M.

A Wonderful Stay!

This lovely cottage was perfect! Love the wooden floors, big windows and cozy atmosphere. This cottage is well taken care of and it shows. We had a great week hiking all over the island and always looked forward to coming back to our home away from home. Thank you Louise and Jim! We already miss beautiful Mount Desert Island.
Response from VrboOwner on 24 Mar, 2020
Great guests! We hope you will visit with us again in the future!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Clean, comfortable home

As other posters have mentioned, the rental is bigger than it looks online. Everything was very clean and comfortable (beds and furniture in the living room). It is located in the quieter part of MDI, but we preferred that. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place to friends or family.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023
Archival

10/10 Excellent

KATHI G.

Beautifully renovated cozy cottage

My husband,dog and I enjoyed our stay very much. The location is excellent, and the cottage is far enough away from homes on the side and the street, to have enough privacy. The owners are most helpful and not a bit intrusive. The interior is brand new with soothing wall colors and lovely wood floors. We recommend it for couples, couples with one or two children or singles.
Response from VrboOwner on 24 Mar, 2020
So glad you enjoyed your stay. See you next year!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Gary L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Acadia Getaway

This cottage is located in the best area for sight seeing in Acadia National Park! Just a few minutes away from park as well as shopping and restaurants! Cottage is everything we hoped for! Quiet area/ charming decor/ fully stocked kitchen plus a side porch with grill and front porch as well! The hosts were amazing! Very kind and easy to talk too! We are looking forward to another visit soon! Thank you Louise!
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Brenda K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Super Clean, Reasonable Price, Great Location

Family of 4 - 2 adults and 2 teenagers. Perfect fit for our family. The cottage is super clean from floor to ceiling. Well maintained. Minimal check out chores. Comfy beds. VERY much appreciated that many household essentials were provided (dish soap, hand soap, TP, papertowels, foil and most importantly... coffee.. a pound of a local roast was provided that was excellent). Quick and easy communication with owners. Great location for exploring Mount Desert Island and Acadia. Close to all attractions. Would definitely return! Thank you Louise for letting us stay in your cottage and providing so many little extras. Very much appreciated.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 13 Jun, 2024
Thank you for the lovely review! We aim to provide an affordable clean place where visitors can settle in for the week as they head out on their adventures!
Archival

10/10 Excellent

William H.

fantastic base for a winter escape

My wife and I enjoyed a wonderful winter get-away to MDI and the Acadia region in February, 2016. This lovely cottage is warm, well-appointed and quite comfortable. Clearly, Louise and Jim have put thought and care into the home. It has a great kitchen and is a modern facility. We loved our visit and plan on returning! It made a great home base to explore Acadia in winter. Our hosts, Louise and Jim, couldn't have been more accommodating. The weather even cooperated nicely, dropping more than a foot of snow on us just in time to enable our cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The cottage was plowed as clean as a whistle bright and early the next morning! Southwest harbor and Bar Harbor do have wonderful restaurants that remain open all winter, if one wants a change of pace from cooking your own. The park is beautiful in winter!
Response from VrboOwner on 24 Mar, 2020
Thank you! Our cottage is available year-round. The winter is quiet - very different from the hustle and bustle of the summer!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jeff J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
it was as advertised
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025
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