Wonderful getaway!

Thank you for everything. This cottage was welcome hideaway - - a perfect combination of rustic simplicity and nice to have amenities. We had a family get together and was loved by all, really nice communal space, the 2 and 4 year old had plenty of run around safe lawn space, do need to watch the little ones down to the dock etc. Caught fish off the dock, braved chilly morning dips, coffee on the porch in the am. Marshmallows in the fire pit in the evening. Great star gazing too. Ospreys and even eagles were regular neighbors every day. Beautifully outfitted simple kitchen was much appreciated when we cooked. Workaholics beware, no Iphone reception.

Would recommend it highly. We had understanding grandparents etc, but our rambunctious kids did need to prowl outside early am so as not to wake the rest because of the cottage open panel acoustics.

Nearby stores and lobster access made day to day very easy, and Pemaquid beach was so close and great calm water for the kids.

All in all it was a really wonderful time. I grew up vacationing in Maine cottages in the summer, and it was great to pass on to our kids, what I grew up loving.

Thanks for everything.

Our extended family has had several reunions at Maine cottages over the last 10 years and this was by far the best spot. The house accommodated 10 of us easily and would take 12 if 4 were couples. The living/dining room is huge. Kitchen unusually well equipped with large new fridge and range, and big enough for several people to work at once. Things were spotless.
One of the best and most unusual things was the high quality new beds with queen mattresses; nothing was musty or sagging as in most rental cottages. I actually checked the mattress info to upgrade to one like this at home.
We kayaked every day and swam from the dock. The view from the big porch was stunning. The owner was helpful with arranging for baby gates and a brand new portacrib. The only real disadvantage of this house was that, like all older Maine cottages, there is no interior soundproofing, so with a toddler and a snorer, some people did end up using earplugs.
I would recommend this cottage to any similar large groups. It was terrific.
Other activities we did in the area were biking, walking in local land trusts, rented sailboat at Linekin Bay, swam at Pemaquid beach, and ordered many lobsters from local pound, where they will cook the lobsters for you.

We had a wonderful week at this cottage. Alot of breaktaking veiws and photo moments. Loved the rustic look of the cottage, especially the inside of the house. Chipmunks come right up on the porch. The kids loved this!! Plenty of room where you aren't on top of each other.
We had 4 different families staying there. The property was well taken care of. They kept it stocked with all the neccessities. The train ride into Rockland was awesome. As was the shopping in all the surrounding towns. The weather was wonderful. The Lighthouses are beautiful. The Lobster was a little overrated. But all the Chowder we had was excellent. We left our home in Georgia on Friday with temperatures of 105. Got to Maine that Saturday to tempertures of 58. It was great! We are thinking about returning next year. I would definitely recommend this to everyone.

Filled with our children and grandchildren this cottage never felt crowded, and remained warm and comfortable despite some spells of wet Maine weather. There is plenty of room for adults and kids to find their own spaces inside and out. Our sailboat spent the week on the very secure mooring and was always available for a day sail on John's Bay. The beds provided a luxurious night’s sleep and, the comfy chairs and most furnishings were not only new but top-of- the line. A large flat screen TV was there if you wanted it, or you could enjoy spectacular views across to Pemaquid. Boothbay and Camden are easy day trips by car. There is plenty of local charm at nearby Christmas Cove, the Pemaquid peninsula, or right out the front door. Shopping is about 12 miles away in Damariscotta. Our thanks to the owners who have certainly put extra thought and effort into making sure our vacation was relaxed and pleasant. Thanks also to Emma and Don.

This was our second 2-week summer stay in South Bristol (first was summer 2008) and our first at this McFarland Cove cottage.

The cottage is a classic summer cottage. Plenty of open space in the living/dining area and the porch overlooking McFarland Cove and Johns Bay is stunning. I don't thing there could be a better view. Great fun to watch the lobstermen at work and the osprey diving repeatedly for mackerel and other small fish. Even had a bald eagle one evening just outside the cottage, being bothered repeatedly by the gulls.

We were there for two weeks. There were 9 of us for the first 9 days (my wife and I, two sons, two daughers-in-law, and three grandchildren, aged 5, 2.5 and 1.5). Plenty of room inside. Outside, you need to watch children carefully because there is a steep trail to the water and dock and the porch is such that little children could fall off. But, we always seemed to have plenty of people to watch the children.

It was fun to fish from the dock. The fishing this summer in July was not real good anywhere in the South Bristol area, with locals blaming the heavy June rains. Anyway, the stripers and blues had not yet shown up and so we satisfied ourselves catching mackerel. Lots of fun.

The furnishings are excellent inside. The upstairs gets a bit warm during the day, given no insulation, but by evening it cools down nicely. And, every room has a standing fan that circulates air.

Only one negative: The "instruction" book waiting at the cottage tells you that water is limited and that showers should be limited to 3 minutes. That was no problem. But, the book also urges in no uncertain terms that the owners recommend that the clothes washer not be used and that dirty clothes be taken to the laudromat in Damariscotta. Not wanting to risk running out of water for showers and baths, we followed the instruction (until our children left), resulting in two lengthy trips up to Damariscotta and a bit of an expense. This would not stop us from renting again but it is less than perfect. Note: once it was only two of us, we used the clothes washer and had plenty of water for that and for showers.

We had a couple minor issues (like the gas barbeque would not get sufficiently hot). A quick call and Don, the caretaker, was there very fast and things were fixed. So, this is a well cared for cottage and you can count on support.

What a lovely "Maine Cottage" experience!! The house was well furnished with charming furniture, wonderful bedding, and a well equiped kitchen. The views from the porch beckoned you to stay with your coffee or your wine. Easily assesable to Camden or Booth Bay Harbor for sightseeing/shopping(though you may choose just to stay on the porch reading a book)...

We had a perfect holiday. The house perched high on a hill with a view of the cove, the islands beyond, and thousands of Lobster buoys is the perfect spot to just hang out. We enjoyed the luxury of the cozy well appointed house, the cool nights and the very generous cooking facilities. On a day when we thought we should explore, we went to Booth Bay Harbor, but all agreed that the places to shop right in the vicinity as far as Daramascotta are more than satisfactory with charm to burn. Plenty cute and well stocked with all one would need. Hannaford’s is like a whole foods, and we went there almost every day!
One can bask in the sun on all sides during the day, as the back lawn takes over as a sunny spot when the front porch cools. The wild life around the cabin includes chipmunks, ground hogs, and squirrels, all kinds of birds, and Osprey that catch fish with ease right in front of the house. We caught enough mackerel to eat fresh fish for lunch right off the dock, and the local fishermen are right, they are easy to catch without bait! We found them tasty, scale less and meaty. . In the morning with a cup of coffee in hand one can watch the lobster men pull up the traps, band the bigger ones, feed the rest and throw them back. We ate $42 worth of lobsters almost every night for 8 of us!
The bedding is luxurious, but does not spoil the rustic quality of the charming house, that has no dry wall, only the creaking floors and plenty of windows to protect you in the heart of Maine.

What a wonderful vacation home. The incredible views and delightful combination of rustic refinement make this a great place to stay. We loved having coffee on the porch overlooking the cove. The house was furnished with everything needed and was located centrally to many vacation activities. The owner was professional, courteous and very easy to communicate with. We look forward to returning to this truly wonderful getaway. Thank you.