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Custom-Built Aquinnah Escape—Walk to Menemsha Pond. Private Ocean Access. Kayaks

Photo gallery for Custom-Built Aquinnah Escape—Walk to Menemsha Pond. Private Ocean Access. Kayaks

A two-story house with a gabled roof, a front porch, and a brick chimney.
A kitchen with wooden cabinets, a black refrigerator, a microwave, and a large window with a view of trees.
A wooden dining table with chairs, a kitchen with wooden cabinets, a refrigerator, and a window with a view of greenery.
A dining area with a wooden table and chairs, a kitchen with wooden cabinets, a living area with a sofa and a bookshelf, and a fireplace.
A cozy living room with a fireplace, bookshelves, a sofa, and a TV.

Reviews

10 out of 10, Loved by Guests
Top 10% of guest reviews in this area

Highlights

  • The great outdoors
    Guests love the outdoor space here.
  • Ping pong on-site
    A rare find — challenge friends and family to endless matches.
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 8

Popular amenities

  • Onsite parking available
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Air-conditioning
  • Barbecue grill
  • Balcony

Explore the area

View in a map
Aquinnah, MA
  • Place, Squibnocket Pond
    ‪2 min drive‬
  • Place, Gay Head Lighthouse
    ‪7 min drive‬
  • Place, Aquinnah Cliffs
    ‪7 min drive‬
  • Airport, Vineyard Haven, MA (MVY-Martha's Vineyard)
    ‪32 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 1 (primary)

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

Living room

1 Double Sofa Bed

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 2

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Custom-Built Aquinnah Escape—Walk to Menemsha Pond. Private Ocean Access. Kayaks

Welcoming Hillside Cottage is a delightfully comfortable, custom-built, 3 bedroom family home in a serene, private, country setting in Aquinnah. This sun-drenched house has panoramic views of the surrounding area, as well as enticing glimpses of Menemsha & Squibnocket ponds and the ocean.

Enjoy a stroll to a shared private Menemsha Pond beach as well as a new and secluded Land Bank pond access path (both 5-7 minutes by foot) or use your own key to a shared private beach on the south shore (5 minute drive & no Philbin town beach parking hassle or expense). Use of 4 kayaks (2 double & 2 singles) from 'Red Beach' on Menemsha Pond included in rental.

The open concept living area has a wood-burning fireplace. The kitchen is ample, well-equipped and a pleasure to work in.

Two full bathrooms.

Three Bedrooms
•Upstairs Bedroom: The primary bedroom has its own full bath and private balcony with views. Sleeps 2.

•Lower Bedroom: Furnished with lovely antique Danish beds that can be set up as two twins or a queen, depending on your needs. Sleeps 2.

•Main-floor Bedroom: This space has a new queen bed and is conveniently located next to second bathroom. Sleeps 2.

•The living room has a sleeper sofa that can fold out into a bed for 2.

Ample storage throughout the house

Added features include: gas grill, a large screened porch with eating and lounging areas, a spacious upper deck with views, and a great outdoor shower.

Keywords: light & airy house; private (shared) access to ocean beach with a parking spot & walking access to Menemsha Pond beach; kayaks included in rental; water views; quiet & serenity.

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
Some toys. A couple of young kids' bikes.
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Check-out instructions

The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Load and start the dishwasher
Strip any used beds and gather used towels
Remove personal items
Turn off the lights and return the keys
It helps a great deal if you can start one load of laundry, so that the cleaner has time to get everything ready for the next travelers.
The sliding door to the screen porch should be left unlocked.
Please be sure to leave Key Beach key and Resident's Parking Permit on the desk in the living room.
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
Please do not take bathroom towels to beach. Beach towels are provided for that purpose.
On departure, be sure to leave keys and Resident's Parking Permit on glass dish on the living room desk. The town charges $100 to replace Permit.
PLEASE open the damper in the fireplace if you ever make a fire in it. No other fires allowed anywhere on the property, inside or out.

Important information

You need to know

Property Registration Number C0369251040
Property # 174495vb
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit

About the area

Aquinnah

Located in Aquinnah, this holiday home is in a rural area and by the sea. Gay Head Lighthouse and Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust Historic Buildings are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Middle Road Sanctuary and Wades Field. Travelling with kids? Consider Chilmark Chocolates and Fulling Mill Brook Preserve. Kayaking and waterskiing offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with cycling and hiking/biking trails nearby.
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Map
Aquinnah, MA

What's nearby

  • Squibnocket Pond - 2 min drive - 1.8 km
  • Gay Head Lighthouse - 7 min drive - 5.7 km
  • Aquinnah Cliffs - 7 min drive - 5.7 km
  • Menemsha Beach - 10 min drive - 5.6 km
  • Lucy Vincent Beach - 12 min drive - 10.3 km

Getting around

  • Vineyard Haven, MA (MVY-Martha's Vineyard) - 23 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Menemsha Galley - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Aquinnah Shop - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Chilmark Tavern - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Orange Peel Cafe - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪The Menemsha Deli - ‬11 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Custom-Built Aquinnah Escape—Walk to Menemsha Pond. Private Ocean Access. Kayaks pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Custom-Built Aquinnah Escape—Walk to Menemsha Pond. Private Ocean Access. Kayaks?

As of 2 Jul, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Custom-Built Aquinnah Escape—Walk to Menemsha Pond. Private Ocean Access. Kayaks on 10 Jul, 2026 start from S$1,158, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking at Custom-Built Aquinnah Escape—Walk to Menemsha Pond. Private Ocean Access. Kayaks?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Custom-Built Aquinnah Escape—Walk to Menemsha Pond. Private Ocean Access. Kayaks?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Custom-Built Aquinnah Escape—Walk to Menemsha Pond. Private Ocean Access. Kayaks?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Custom-Built Aquinnah Escape—Walk to Menemsha Pond. Private Ocean Access. Kayaks located?

This family-friendly Aquinnah holiday home is located by the sea, within 3 mi (5 km) of Squibnocket Pond, Long Beach and Gay Head Lighthouse. Aquinnah Cliffs and Stonewall Beach are also within 3 miles (5 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 57 out of 62 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 62 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 62 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 62 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 62 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

About the host

Hosted by Victoria Brown

Host profile image
I am a writer of fiction and blogger for Whim W'Him contemporary dance company in Seattle, where I live when not in Martha's Vineyard.

My husband Gardner, who passed away in August 2021, came to the island all his life, as have our sons. I first visited Martha's Vineyard in 1964. While in Aquinnah in the summer, I stay in our old cottage or 'camp,' built in 1954, which is 60 yards away from the Hillside Cottage (built in 2007) and well-screened by trees and shrubs.

In other seasons, when I visit the island, I stay in Hillside Cottage. Other family members use the new house in summer too, so rental dates need to work around their schedules. That is why summer dates are blocked until mid-January or so each year, when they are opened in time for summer ferry reservations.

Why they chose this property

We built Hillside Cottage because our family was growing, we wanted to be able to visit Aquinnah off-season when our old summer cottage is not habitable, and we had always wanted to participate in the design of a house, as well as to sample life on the island year-round.

What makes this property unique

Quiet, seclusion and natural beauty.
Swimming, surfing, and body surfing, in the ocean and Menemsha pond.
Great area for biking and kayaking—use of 3 kayaks comes with rental.
Eating fresh seafood and farm produce.
Enjoying the joys, amenities and quirks of island life.
Being part of the unique community life of Aquinnah.

Languages:

English, French, Romanian

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
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