RITIRATA FRONTE MARE PRIVATA - goditi la pace e la tranquillità di una dimora storica del Maine

It was great having you stay at THE GILLS and Gus also. September can be the most relaxing and beautiful time to vacation. Thank you!

I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed the peace and quiet of your time at The Gills. I hope you get the chance to return to the island at some point in the future. The Gills will be there when you're ready :)

So happy to hear you enjoyed the location and view! The Gills was built over 100 years ago, and like with most old homes, it requires a constant series of repairs and fixes. The board on the front porch you mentioned is set to be replaced in the fall when the house is empty. The Gills is situated on granite ledge - which means that when there are torrential rains (like there were in the days before your visit) the water takes longer to drain as there is no soil or earth for it to drain into. Hopefully, a post-rainstorm puddle didn't keep you from enjoying your time on the island.

I’m so sorry to hear that The Gills wasn’t everything you hoped it would be. After speaking with my property manager Dave, I understand that he spent several hours with you on multiple occasions listening to your concerns, and even offered to move you to The Red House if you thought you’d be more comfortable there. I know from Dave that your main issue was that the cottage was “spooky”. The Gills is an original island cottage, and over 100 years old. It’s got narrow creaky stairs. Imperfect original horsehair plaster walls. Howling coastal winds and old house sounds in the middle of the night. It’s not a cottage for everyone, and I can understand how it could be “spooky” to a traveller staying there alone. But those who love the cottage - REALLY love it. I’ve tried to be clear about all of this in the property description and the decor and furnishings in the cottage are exactly as pictured in the listing. I myself, spoke to you for over an hour on the phone when you first inquired, and was very clear about the age and character of the house. I remember that price was your main concern, and though The Gills IS the least expensive of The Gills Group cottages, unfortunately, it’s clear that it wasn’t the cottage for you. I hope you were able to enjoy at least some of your time in Maine - even if it wasn’t what you expected. Carter Smith OWNER The Gills

I'm so happy that you enjoyed your week at The Gills. After reading your review I decided to stock the cottage with more traditional plush towels in addition to the Turkish cotton towels provided (I'm partial to the Turkish kind - but I understand that towel taste is personal!) So if you make it back to Bailey Island, there's a stack of luxurious towels with your name on it! I prefer to let the grasses and wildflowers grow wild at the cottage rather than keep things clipped and manicured - it feels more in keeping with the rugged windswept feel of the place. I'll be replacing all of the windows in the bedrooms during the off season this year, and I guarantee you that dust will never again be an issue. We take great pride in keeping The Gills spotless! Finally, I'm curious what types of films you would like to see in the dvd library? I'm always adding more, so send Dave an email with any suggestions! I hope to have you back at The Gills again in the future.

I'm so happy you enjoyed your time at The Gills. The fishing was great this year and the porch is pretty tough to beat! I'm sorry to hear that the fridge couldn't keep up with your "needs"! It's new as of last year so we will check on it for sure. The dishwasher (or lack thereof) --- you are sooooo right that no one wants to do dishes on vacation -- but on a tiny island like Bailey Island, there is no "town water" and each house is on its own privately dug well. This means that unfortunately there literally isn't enough water to support a dishwasher at The Gills. Glad to hear it wasn't a deal breaker for you and hope to have you back next year!

I'm so happy you enjoyed your time at The Gills. The power of having the ocean so close is truly magical and restorative. Yes, it's great to have so many "things to do" so close by - but when I'm at The Gills I find what I enjoy most is doing nothing at all! I hope to have you back again soon.

Every guest that stays at one of The Gills Group cottages is important to me. I strive to consistently create a 5 star experience in both service and setting. When a guests expectations aren’t met, I’m always up for the challenge of meeting and exceeding those expectations in the future........................ I’m glad that you found the cottage peaceful with a wonderful view, and hope that you were able to enjoy your time on the island. I know my property manager Dave checked in with you several times during your stay and he was not made aware of any issues you had. I agree that a shower curtain showing signs of mildew is completely unacceptable - and apparently my cleaners missed this. If I’d known I would have had someone there to change it immediately. We rely on guests to wash pots and pans after they’ve used them, and unfortunately sometimes they do a less than perfect job. After reading your review I’ve built in extra time for the cleaners to inspect the cookware and re-wash it when necessary. We could have easily brought in more lamps or brighter bulbs if we’d known you needed them. Same goes for Tupperware and tinfoil. Whenever there is an issue, we will do everything possible to make sure it’s resolved. But we can only do that if we’re made aware of the issue...................... I’ve tried to present descriptions and photos that accurately describe the cottage with all of it’s “quirks”. Many of the things you point out have to do with the age of the house. Yes, the 100 year old front door is only equipped with a sliding lock on the inside. There are indeed slight changes in the level of the floors between some of the rooms. The interior doors may swell and be stubborn with the humidity in the air so close to the ocean. There is a single step up from the main living area to the staircase which does not have a handrail. The television is located in the largest bedroom - with both a leather Chesterfield couch and an upholstered armchair - so I’m a bit confused by your reference to a single wooden chair - but at the end of the day the cottage didn’t meet your expectations and for that I am truly sorry............................. Guests who choose The Gills usually do so for both the privacy and the peaceful ocean views. They are primarily people who love historic homes, and appreciate all of the quirks and oddities that come with that. Thank you for visiting and taking the time to share your feedback. . Carter Smith Owner THE GILLS GROUP