2 BR Home w/ Pondside View

Tucked off Old Bar Harbor Road, this two-bedroom house sits in that sweet spot between seclusion and convenience - a working property in rural Mount Desert Island, not a boutique hotel. It's built for groups and families who want space to spread out, a real kitchen instead of a kitchenette, and the ability to let the dog roam a fenced yard. Most guests are repeat visitors or multi-night planners. The trade-off is clear: you're renting a house, not checking into a hotel, which means some charming rough edges and the kind of honest maintenance you'd expect from a weekend cabin owner who genuinely cares.

What draws people back is the location - eight to twelve minutes from Bar Harbor Village Center and just outside the Acadia National Park boundary - and the practical setup. No front desk, no lobby, no small talk. Just a fireplace, a deck with a fire pit, a kitchen stocked with coffee and firewood, and the kind of quiet that makes you hear the pines.

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Steps away from Acadia National Park without the Bar Harbor bustle. The property sits just 3.7 miles from the Acadia Visitor Center at Hulls Cove. You can be on a mountain trail or at Jordan Pond within 15 minutes. Bar Harbor's shops and restaurants are close enough for dinner but far enough that you don't hear the summer crowds. Fall foliage season and winter holidays are peak times here because families want privacy and space in the shoulder months.

A fully equipped kitchen for groups who want to cook. Unlike most vacation rentals, this one comes with a full stove, oven, refrigerator, microwave, and a coffee maker already stocked. Multiple reviewers mention arriving to find coffee and firewood provided. If you're traveling with kids or want to avoid nightly restaurant bills, the kitchen isn't an afterthought - it's why you book here.

Pet-friendly with genuine outdoor space. The property welcomes dogs and has a backyard to let them roam. One honest caveat: the wooden stairs leading to the house have gaps between the treads, which can be tricky for small dogs or pets nervous on stairs. Reviewers with larger dogs noted this was manageable; with anxious small breeds, it's worth considering. There's also no lock on the sliding door during occupancy - it's secured with a wooden bar at night and a combo lock when you leave - a rustic but slightly exposed arrangement some find charming, others find fussy.

Two separate houses on the property, but privacy is real. You're not isolated; there are two other homes sharing the land. But parking is abundant, and people report that it doesn't feel crowded. The Maine Escape is its own unit with a private entrance, so you're not shuffling past neighbors.

Comfortable beds and genuinely clean spaces. Several couples flagged "comfortable beds" and "very clean." One visitor from Australia called it "very spacious and comfy." The vibe is well-maintained vacation home, not luxury suite.

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The property is a single two-bedroom house, not a hotel with multiple room types. Both bedrooms feature standard linens and furnishings. The main living area is open and bright with large windows for natural light, a flat-screen TV, board games, and a work desk - useful if you're working remotely.

The main bedroom: Larger bed, presumably a queen, with comfortable sleeping. One group mentioned the main bed felt slightly small for their group and dinged the property for it; most couples and families found it adequate.

The second bedroom: Suitable for kids or a second couple.

Honest caveats: One reviewer flagged the main bed as smaller than expected for a group of four. Another noted that if you're arriving in winter or early spring with heavy luggage, the stairs up to the house are steep and grated - manageable but not ideal for people with mobility concerns or large suitcases.

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Outdoors & Recreation Garden · Outdoor furniture and seating area · Fire pit on the deck · Barbecue facilities · Bicycle parking (the area is excellent for cycling) · Private driveway with free parking

In the Home Full kitchen with oven, stovetop, refrigerator, microwave, and dishwashing · Washing machine and dryer (laundry included) · Air conditioning and heating · Free WiFi (noted as fast by remote workers) · Work desk · Flat-screen TV with streaming services and movie nights · Board games and puzzles · Iron and ironing board

Family & Pet Friendly Pet-friendly (dogs welcome) · Private entrance and private bathroom · Tea and coffee maker · Non-smoking property

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No restaurant or bar on-site, but the kitchen is the real amenity here. Unlike most rental properties, the host leaves basics: coffee, tea maker, and firewood for the fire pit. You'll cook breakfast in the kitchen or grab it in Bar Harbor proper. The nearby towns offer everything from casual lobster rolls at Jordan Pond House within the park to the full dining scene in Bar Harbor's downtown.

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Summer (June–August) Peak season for Acadia and Bar Harbor. Expect warm weather, open hiking trails, and full restaurants and shops downtown. The property is busier, and rates are highest. Good for families; the ocean is swimmable by late July.

Fall (September–Mid-October) Leaf-peeping peak, especially late September through early October. Cooler nights perfect for the fire pit. Less crowded than summer but still busy on weekends. This is when repeat guests book - they know the sweet spot of foliage and fewer day-trippers.

Winter & Early Spring (November–April) Quietest season. Acadia is beautiful and mostly snow-free in early November and late April, though January–March can be icy. The property is less crowded, and rates drop. Ideal for couples and remote workers. One reviewer raved about a December stay; another noted the property path can be snow-covered and the stairs tricky in winter conditions.

Shoulder Season (May & Late October) Comfortable temperatures, fewer crowds, and moderate pricing. Great for hiking without summer heat.

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"Clean and spacious property, lovely quiet location near the national park. Well stocked and has pretty much everything you would need."

• Julia, United Kingdom · Couple · 9/10

"The location is perfect if you want to be near Bar Harbor and Arcadia - 8 minutes away is hard to beat! The space is nice and cozy."

• Vladimir, United States · Group · 9/10

"Beautiful views. Spacious. Comfortable. Not far from town. Nice deck and fire pit."

• Caroline, United States · Solo traveler · 10/10

"Very spacious and comfy. Good kitchen facilities."

• Stephen, Australia · Family · 9/10

"The property was in a very good location, close to Bar Harbor town. The host sent plenty of useful information, and we had a great time."

• Maria, United States · Family · 9/10

Most guests praise the location, cleanliness, and kitchen setup. The main criticisms center on practical quirks: the wooden stairs with gaps (problematic for small or anxious dogs and heavy luggage), the unsecured sliding door, and pricing relative to size - one group felt the main bed was too small for the nightly rate. No deal-breakers, but these are fair considerations if you're traveling with nervous pets or need accessibility features.

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• Acadia National Park: 3.7 mi (Visitor Center at Hulls Cove); 8–12 min drive. Jordan Pond, Carriage Roads, and Cadillac Mountain are the prime destinations.
• Bar Harbor Village Center: 8–12 min. Shops, galleries, restaurants, and the pier.
• Frenchman Bay: 4.3 mi. Kayaking, boat tours, and coastal views.
• The Abbe Museum (Native American history): 6.2 mi; Bar Harbor location downtown.
• Agamont Park (waterfront green space): 6.2 mi; great for picnics before or after exploring Mount Desert Island.
• Beatrix Farrand Gardens & Newlin Gardens: 5 mi each; two garden spots for a quieter half-day.
• Park Loop Road: 15 min to entry; the scenic drive is a must during leaf-peeping season (late September–mid-October).

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Is this property good for dogs? Yes, it's pet-friendly and has a backyard. However, the wooden stairs have gaps between treads that can trap small dogs' paws or unsettle anxious pets. Larger dogs handle it fine. The combo lock on the sliding door is secure for leaving the property with a pet.

Is the internet fast enough for remote work? Yes. Multiple reviewers, including a remote worker staying a week, confirmed WiFi is reliable and fast. There's a work desk in the living area.

How far is it to Bar Harbor restaurants and shops? Eight to twelve minutes by car. Not walkable, so you'll need a car or bike to get downtown.

Is the kitchen fully equipped? Yes. Full stove, oven, microwave, refrigerator, washing machine, dryer, and a coffee maker. The host often leaves coffee and firewood.

Are there issues with the stairs or security I should know about? The stairs up to the house are wooden with gaps, steep, and grated - difficult with heavy luggage or for people with mobility concerns. The sliding door doesn't have a traditional lock; you secure it at night with a wooden bar and use a combo lock when leaving. It's rustic but not unsafe, though some find it less convenient than a standard lock.

What's included: linens, cleaning, heat? Linens, air conditioning, heating, and a full kitchen are included. Bring your own toiletries; the property provides towels and basic bathroom items. There's no checkout cleaning fee mentioned; check with the host.

Is the property in a noisy area? No. It's quiet and rural, which is the whole appeal. You're on a property with two other homes, but it doesn't feel crowded.

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