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Hollywood meets seaside charm in the former cottage of famed director, John Ford

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The Ford House | Front gardens
Front gardens | Back deck overlooks gardens and ocean
Mediation garden | Front of property | Ocean views
From sleeper porch, enter living room w' queen sofa sleeper, propane fireplace.
Another view of LR w' Ford movie collection, new bathrm, pull out couch & stove.

Reviews

10 out of 10, Loved by Guests
Top 10% of guest reviews in this area
3 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 6

Popular amenities

  • Onsite parking available
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Barbecue grill
  • Deck or patio
  • Free Wi-Fi

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

Living Room 1

1 Single Futon

Living Room 2

1 Single Futon

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Bathtub · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Separate dining area
Garden

About this property

Hollywood meets seaside charm in the former cottage of famed director, John Ford

You'll feel you've got one foot in the present and the other in the past when you step over the threshold of this sweet, sunny island retreat! Minutes away, guests can find themselves in the middle of a quiet forest with ponds, streams, and hiking trails or at the ocean's edge on Seashore Avenue.
Floor # two: 3 bedrooms (1 queen, 2 full beds);
Floor # one: 2 sitting/sleeping areas with futon and queen sofa. Easily sleeps 6.
Includes: TV/DVD/Internet; fully equipped eat-in kitchen w' DW; main FL washer/drier; dining room; outdoor deck with chairs large; sunny backyard; EZ walk to village, beach, & ferry.

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9.6 out of 10, Exceptional, (62 reviews)
Peaks Cottage: Modern amenities, island charm, steps to shore

About the area

Peaks Island

Located in Peaks Island, this cottage is in the city centre and by the ocean. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Thompson's Point and Old Orchard Beach, while Fifth Maine Museum and Umbrella Cover Museum are cultural highlights. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Merrill Auditorium or Cross Insurance Arena. Take in the nearby slopes with cross-country skiing, or try out other outdoor activities such as sledging and ice skating.
View more Cottages in Peaks IslandOpens in a new window
Map
Peaks Island, ME

What's nearby

  • Fifth Maine Museum - 5 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Richard Boyd Art Gallery - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • Umbrella Cover Museum - 11 min walk - 1.0 km
  • Battery Steele - 15 min walk - 1.3 km
  • Battery Steele - 15 min walk - 1.3 km

Getting around

  • Portland Transportation Center - 40 min drive
  • Portland, ME (PWM-Portland Intl. Jetport) - 48 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Second Rodeo Coffee - ‬33 min drive
  • ‪North43Bistro - ‬34 min drive
  • ‪Cumberland Farms - ‬33 min drive
  • ‪Scratch Baking Co. - ‬34 min drive
  • ‪Cookie Jar Pastry Shop - ‬34 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. 58 out of 61 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 61 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 61 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 61 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 61 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Michele M.

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

Amazing sweet place

Lovely home and gardensKitchen and bathrooms were well provisioned Easy walk to tiny town
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Christina B.

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

Great property!

Thank you for a wonderful stay! We loved the house.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Laurie P.

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

Perfect Location

We had a fabulous week at the Ford House. The location is ideal if you want to be close to everything, but not in the thick of it all. The house is charming and the views are lovely. The house has everything you need and more. Highly recommend!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth-Ann R.

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

Perfect Peak’s Getaway

We spent a lovely week on Peak’s, and the house was just what we needed! A nice walk into town, cozy and clean, quick walk to the water or wooded trails. Deck and outdoor space was also great.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth S.

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

Peak’s Island Gem

We loved our time at the cottage! The house is very comfortable with space for everyone, comfortable beds, a well equipped kitchen, beautiful gardens and beautiful views. I loved having my morning coffee with my book in the Meditation garden or walking down the road to the water. The location was wonderful and an easy walk into town for food, ice cream or to catch the ferry to Portland. We miss Peaks Island already and would definitely rent this house again.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mary Z.

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

Lovely

We had a great time at the Ford House. Everything was lovely!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Paula T.

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

Peaks Island Gem

The Ford cottage is in a great location on Peaks Island just a 5 minute drive from the ferry. It has serene views of Casco Bay and was also larger than we had expected. We enjoyed everything about our stay and absolutely play to come back again in the future.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

michelle w.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had so much fun at the cottage these past couple of weeks. The grand kids played in the yard and had a scavenger hunt with all the cool little hidden treasures located in all the gardens. We loved all the flowers and bird activity everywhere. The walk to "our bench" on the water is a nice way to wake up every morning. We could hear the waves from the front porch and were able to relax and read. Thanks so much
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Samantha B.

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

Perfect Island Bungalow

We had a great stay at The Ford House for our wedding weekend! The location was perfect and the house was adorable. It met all of our needs and then some. Mona & Daniel left some thoughtful details (the pound cake was delicious!) and were very accommodating. I would be happy to stay there again!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

William K.

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

Peaks Perfect

Charming property in a perfect spot! We loved having morning coffee on the porch and an evening glass of wine on the deck. In between we walked to the beach and to restaurants, or the ferry. We couldn’t be happier with this rental and are already planning a return!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Evangeline E.

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

Great Location and Great Space

The location was fantastic! We were on the backshore yet very close to town. The house had a great layout and fit our family of six adults very comfortably. We also enjoyed the lovely gardens and spacious lawn which were very well-maintained. The hosts were very accessible and pleasant and we loved the personalized touches like fresh flowers and home-baked crumb cake. Ford House is a great rental!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Cassidy L.

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

Great for a group, beautiful views

A group of 5 stayed at this house for a wedding on Peaks island, and we had a lovely time. House is about 15 minute walk from the ferry and was very easy to access. Great views. The kitchen was well stocked with utensils and cooking ware so we were able to cook for a group. It was very cold the nights we were there, but the propane heater kept us toasty and there were plenty of extra blankets provided.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2019
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tim and Rainy Y.

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

adorable

the John Ford house was so cute and extremely clean. the owners could not be any more accommodating. The house had anything you would have needed. Would for sure rent this house again. my first time on Peaks Island such a cute place to see.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Catherine O.

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

Heavenly!

This lovely cottage was perfect! Extremely clean, with plenty of room for gathering or finding a quiet place to read, and well appointed. We appreciated the little signs throughout with instructions. Very helpful! Waking up with a view of the ocean from the master bedroom was delightful! Had a wonderful time and look forward to staying again!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

cheri K.

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

A gem of a location

This was the perfect location for us and we enjoyed the historic nature of the place; we watched a couple of John Ford films and found the movie posters interesting. Host, Dan, had multiple fresh flower bouquets in each room. He was easy to reach when needed for information and we loved the early morning coffee locations around the property and at the stone beach at the end of the lane. We will plan to stay there again next year! Thanks Dan!!!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Elaine B.

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

Wonderful cottage on Peaks Island!

We had the pleasure of staying in this wonderful cottage on Peaks Island. We've been going to Peaks for forty years and this was absolutely the cleanest cottage we've ever been to! I do a lot of cooking for my family and the kitchen was stocked so well which I really appreciated. The owners obviously care that their guests have a wonderful stay from all the little touches of flowers and soaps and linens. The location was amazing and we had a wonderful two weeks! Thank you for sharing this lovely cottage with our family.
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Andrea L.

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

Summer of 24

Lovely home, enjoyed the bedroom facing the ocean and the sounds of same.. It got a bit too warm at times but that is unfortunately the state of the planet, not the fault of this property or my beloved Peaks Island.
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

Cynthia N.

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

Peaceful Location

This was a second time staying at the Ford house. There were six of us and we all had enough space to spread out and enjoy the house. We did a lot of cooking and felt the kitchen could be better stocked with newer pans and serving dishes but made due with what was on hand. We enjoyed the large yard for games and the deck for quiet times sitting and looking at the water.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 8 Jul, 2023
Thanks for staying a second time, Cynthia. We did replace the worn frying pans and added some new prep knives based on your suggestions.
Verified

6/10 Okay

Dianne N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Perfect Peaks Location

Location was perfect! Hosts very easy to communicate with. Full size bed mattresses were very poor and very uncomfortable. Some items were missing in the description- chiminea, sleeper sofa in LR, (just a couch)cutting board in kitchen. Would stay again if there was more updating to the home.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 8 Jul, 2023
Thanks for the feedback Diane. A quick call to the number provided would have resolved a few of the issues: 1) Cutting boards were tucked in the back drawer and are now displayed on the counter to the left of the stove and to the right of the sink, 2) The green couch does fold down to a double futon (the backs click down), 3) Due to the dry summer last year we did remove the chiminea to protect from fire hazard to the island. However, guests can now get a permit to burn in the fire pit located at the end of Great Pond Road and Shore Road.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Michael R.

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

Amazing

I didn’t want to leave. The home was great and welcoming Very clean. We rented golf cart and enjoyed. You don’t need to rent to enjoy everything. Market,cafe and restaurant we visited were good and the people on the island were kind. The views were amazing. I loved waking up and having the view from bed along with hearing the sounds of the water crashing on the rocks. I would come back
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Liliana P.

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

Family home with a view

The rental was great for a family weekend for a destination wedding. The home had great green space for the kids to explore and they loved the walking all around. The weather, night sounds, and air was so pleasant with the windows open (May weather). The extra details like welcome notes, easy guidebook, and beauty items (hairspray and blow dryer) were fantastic. Communication was easy before arrival and I didn't have any other messages.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Liisa p.

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

Happiness on Peaks

This house is a lovely home away from home! Beautiful touches of fresh flowers from their garden, towels laid out, everything clearly explained. The house has many areas which can be used as conversation/ reading spots. Plenty of room for a little privacy when you want some. Dishes, utensils, baking and cooking supplies are all available. You can see and hear the ocean right from the house! Beautiful huge lawn with gorgeous flower beds . Chairs are available again to facilitate chats or quiet reading. A terrific deck with a dining table and plenty of chairs with cushions. Worth every penny
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Celine W.

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

Peaceful and Enjiyable Stat

We really enjoyed our week at this beautiful home! The location was, in our opinion, the best on Peaks Island. At night, we could hear the gentle ocean waves and woke up to incredibly nice views from the Master bedroom. Morning coffee in the front porch room was a great way to start the day- taking in the beautiful water views. We did a daily 4 mile walk around the island, which was a very good workout! We ate our dinners at the table on the side deck, which was really enjoyable. The perennial flowers on the property are absolutely gorgeous. I like to cook and found there to be a good amount of dishes, cookware, utensils, and even a hand mixer to use when I made a cake. The owners are very kind and left a plate of delicious homemade cookies for us. We loved eating at the Island Lobster Company for the best lobster rolls.There is a food market on the island with reasonable prices, but we did our major shopping at Whole Foods right before we went on the Casco Bay ferry. We had a wonderful and relaxing week!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sharon L.

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

I had a wonderful time at the John Ford House

The John Ford House is a wonderful bungalow just a block from the Casco Bay. Every morning I sat on the deck and watched the water, breathed in the clear air and enjoyed the cool breeze. The house is lovely - beautiful wood floors, antique furniture, a wonderful yard, and a great view of the water from the Master Bedroom. If you're a fan of old movies - which I am - then this is the place for you. There are framed posters from John Ford's movies, a DVD collection of his works (and other movies too) and books about him and his career. The house is an easy walk into "town" or to the 2 public beaches. Dan and Mona were great and answered all of my questions. I'd return to Peak's Island just to stay there again!
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

BillieJo B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Everything was wonderful. A lot of thought went into both the inside and outside decor. Loved all the cozy, comfortable rooms and nooks, deck, and especially the raised meditation garden with the wicker chair facing the water. The various little gardens were beautifully landscaped and it was like a treasure hunt finding all of the little extra touches (painted stones with fish and little sayings, driftwood, rocks, shells, the grotto, the different seating arrangements. The house itself was the same: so cozy and quintessential with many touches from the era of John Ford and invited conversation or relaxing and reading a book. watching a John Ford movie or playing a game with the family. Watching sunrises and sunsets just a short walk from the house was memorable! I do wish bikes were included (just some old ones, nothing fancy, maybe with a basket so we could run to the grocery store or just take a leisurely ride. We met many wonderful folks who lived on the island (including the drivers of the one and only Taxi on the island. To sum it up, if and most likely when I return to Peaks Island, if available, I would choose the John Ford House.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025
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