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HARBORS END COTTAGE - CHARMING SOUTHWEST HARBOR COTTAGE

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Harbors End Cottage
Exterior detail
Kitchen
Kitchen
Kitchen

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional
2 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 484 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen
  • Parking available
  • Outdoor space

Explore the area

Map
Southwest Harbor, ME
  • Acadia National Park
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Acadia National Park's Visitors Center
    ‪23 min drive‬
  • Asticou Azalea Garden
    ‪26 min drive‬
  • Bar Harbor, ME (BHB-Hancock County - Bar Harbor)
    ‪29 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Double Bed

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Bathtub · Toilet

Spaces

Kitchen
Garden
Dining area

About this property

HARBORS END COTTAGE - CHARMING SOUTHWEST HARBOR COTTAGE

We welcome you to the beauty and splendor of Mt. Desert Island at Harbors End Cottage. The cottage is located in scenic Southwest Harbor on the 'Quiet Side' of the Island directly across the street from the harbor. This delightful, sunny 900 sq. feet, spotless 2 story, 2 bedroom, 2 bath house was renovated in 2006 while retaining it's original cottage charm. The cottage is 3/10th of a mile from town and within walking distance of restaurants, shops, art galleries, bicycle and kayak rentals. It is a short drive to many of the local sites and activities - Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Bass Harbor Lighthouse, Seal Cove, Pretty Marsh, Tremont and the Swan's Island Ferry. Please note that we only rent the cottage from Saturday to Saturday.

Harbors End Cottage is equipped with all the amenities you need: queen size bed in master br, full size bed in guest room, a twin aerobed for the extra guest, pillows, premium linens, towels, washer/dryer, iron, large bath downstairs with shower, small bathroom upstairs with tub. The fully working kitchen includes a microwave, electric stove and oven, full size refrigerator, toaster, coffee maker, and all the cooking accessories needed for any meal.


Payment: 'BOOK IT NOW' on the website. After deposit received, dates are automatically blocked. Rentals are Saturday to Saturday. Check in 4:00 pm Saturday, Check out 10:00 a.m. Saturday.

Regular rules of the house: All linens and towels are provided and they are of good quality. Please ensure that the cottage is left in the same condition you found it or a $50 additional fee will be paid out of your deposit. Deposits will be returned as soon as we are advised by the local manager that the cottage is in good shape. Please, accidents happen and if something is broken, please let us know immediately. Upon departure of the cottage, please leave linens and towels in the laundry room. This is included in your rental.

Additionally: No one under the age of 21 is allowed to rent without a parent on the premises. Although we want everyone to enjoy themselves, everyone sleeps with windows open in the summer and loud music or parties after a sensible time are not appreciated. We have a local manager who will be stopping by as well as kind and helpful neighbors who we respect and vice versa.

We hope you enjoy yourselves and come back again.

Property manager

Judy or Keith Briggs

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Outdoor space
Parking available
Mountain view

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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
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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
Please leave house as you found it. Put bed linens and towels in basket near washer/dryer. Laundry service for bed linens/towels inc in rental fee.

Important information

You need to know

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 not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Southwest Harbor

Southwest Harbor is home to this cottage. Bar Harbor Whale Watching is a popular attraction and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Acadia National Park and Acadia National Park's Visitors Center. Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf and George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History are also worth visiting. Windsurfing and rafting offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with cycling and horse riding nearby.
Map
Southwest Harbor, ME

What's nearby

  • Acadia National Park - 4 min drive - 3.6 km
  • Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse - 10 min drive - 7.9 km
  • Acadia National Park's Visitors Center - 23 min drive - 21.8 km
  • Asticou Azalea Garden - 26 min drive - 24.2 km
  • Cadillac Mountain - 33 min drive - 28.6 km

Getting around

  • Bar Harbor, ME (BHB-Hancock County - Bar Harbor) - 27 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Jordan Pond House Restaurant - ‬30 min drive
  • ‪Hansen's Outpost - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Beal's Lobster Pier - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Gott's Store - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Tan Turtle Tavern - ‬21 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is HARBORS END COTTAGE - CHARMING SOUTHWEST HARBOR COTTAGE pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at HARBORS END COTTAGE - CHARMING SOUTHWEST HARBOR COTTAGE ?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at HARBORS END COTTAGE - CHARMING SOUTHWEST HARBOR COTTAGE ?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is HARBORS END COTTAGE - CHARMING SOUTHWEST HARBOR COTTAGE located?

Situated in Southwest Harbor, this cottage is 0.9 mi (1.4 km) from Wendell Gilley Museum and 2.1 mi (3.5 km) from Acadia National Park. Flying Mountain Trailhead and Long Pond are also within 3 miles (5 km).

Reviews

9.6

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. 28 out of 36 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 7 out of 36 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 36 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 36 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 36 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.0/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Dana S., Boulder, Colorado

The most perfect little cottage near town!

Our family of four had an amazing week at this sweet little cottage in southwest harbor. Sea kayaking, paddle boarding, canoeing, hiking, biking, reading, resting, EATING!! So well appointed with everything we needed. We highly recommend this place!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2017

10/10 Excellent

Marie W.

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

Cozy cottage close to everything

We enjoyed our stay in Southwest Harbor, away from the crowds of Bar Harbor but still close to lots of things to do. The accommodations were perfect for our family of three and even though we were in a neighborhood we had lots of privacy. The only negative was the proximity to the road, but traffic was light at night so it didn't interfere with sleeping.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Everything and more!

This is just the rental you hope to walk into. We were so happy to see that what was represented in the pictures on Cyber Rentals was true. We have rented many houses over the years and this one stands out. This house is well equipped with just what one needs to cook a great meal, to relax with a good book on the couch, to reinvigorate in a nice hot shower after a hike or to wash away the sand from the surf, and to get a good nights sleep in a comfortable bed with wonderful linens. We also took an evening stroll into town for an ice cream cone or a look at the harbor. The house is extremely well appointed, cared for and clean -- it must have been recented renovated because it feels brand new. The location of the cottage was perfect for us. The house was equipped with a book of suggestions that was very useful - where to eat, what to see and do, Very thoughtful recommendations. We felt at home there and we thought it was the perfect spot for us in Maine. Thanks. We will be back.

10/10 Excellent

David W.

close to town

neat and clean
Stayed 12 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer P.

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

Quaint cottage on quiet side

Harbors End Cottage was a great jumping point for our family's trip to Acadia & MDI and is full of character. The location in SW Harbor is close enough to walk into town. The kitchen is very well stocked with just about anything you would need to cook. The second bedroom is small (as described) but was more than adequate for our girls (10 & 12) to share. It was great to have a washer & dryer available & the second bathroom upstairs was convenient at night as long as you watched your head. The cottage is on the main road, so their was some road noise at night, but with fans going it didn't bother us. The beds were very comfortable and we all slept well. All in all we had a wonderful time during our stay at Harbor End Cottage.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Nicole S.

Great time!

Cozy. Everything needed for our week of outdoor adventures. Having the kitchen and laundry was great. Owners are very nice to work with
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Barbara and Neil D., Ledyard

A lovely cottage in a great location

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Harbors End Cottage. The cottage has been well updated, is well appointed and is very comfortable to stay in. Its in a great location in Southwest Harbor and is within easy walking distance of the restaurants and shops.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

Kevin R.

Great cozy cottage with all the amenities and convenient to Acadia and surrounding towns!

We had an incredible week to relax and unwind at Judy and Keith’s cottage! As 2 practicing architects with a busy lifestyle that travel the country on a weekly basis, we found this small simple cottage the perfect place to hang out for a week and explore Acadia National Park, many of the small towns and harbors in the area, and enjoy great meals at the local restaurants. We spent every day hiking, kayaking, or sightseeing and the cottage was our resting place in the evening. It is very clean and contains all of the basic necessities to prepare meals at any level, relax and read, or connect to the WiFi if you want to plug in. The recommended restaurants were worth the visit but we found the best times were exploring the area and hiking through the National Park and taking in the incredible views. The only thing we wished we had was a better view of the harbor but we spent such little time hanging out in the cottage it wasn’t that big of deal. The cottage was easy to find and a short drive from the top places to visit within the area. We loved our week in Maine and look forward to another visit next year.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

Deborah F.

Lovely landscaping.

Beautiful cottage. Close to many amenities. Very caring owners.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Pamela D.

Don’t hesitate to book this home! Perfect cottage experience!

We loved Harbors End! It was a great home base for our family of 4 during a recent trip to Acadia. It’s in close proximity to everything we wanted to do and see. It’s stocked with everything you need for a relaxing getaway. The walk to town is short but we only did it once. Traffic was heavy over the holiday and we didn’t feel comfortable walking along the road with our very young children (1 and 2 yo). Don’t let that hinder your decision, though!! I would have been fine if it were just me and my husband, or if our kids were older. I read others’ comments about the upstairs bathroom before booking. Our kids LOVED that space! It was the perfect, fun place for them to get cleaned up at night. We hope to visit again in the future!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2018
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Randy P.

Perfect spot for a couples getaway

We just spent the past week at Harbors End Cottage and loved every minute of it. This was our first time on Mt Desert Island and we packed a lot of activity in, including tours of Acadia National Park, ferry to Crandberry Islands, kayaking Somes Pond (a little gem) and Long Pond, hiking up Beech Mountain, devouring lobster rolls at Beals, and lots of other great times. Weather was perfect....mid 60s and sunny all but the last day of our week. The location of the cottage meant we could easily walk into town each afternoon or evening and the location of the IGA made it easy for us to stock up for meals at the cottage and lunches for hiking and kayaking. Very comfortable bed and furniture. Fully equipped kitchen made life easy. Some traffic noise from Route 102 just below the front yard but we conked out from our adventures each evening pretty early so it never bothered us. The Briggs got in touch via email on a couple of occasions when he had questions. Very pleasant all around. This place will be in our memory for out next time "Down East".
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2017
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

6/10 Okay

Donna C.

Great location

I'll share the positive aspects first. It is perfectly located to explore the island. The kitchen has everything you need to prepare meals. The bed was very comfortable. Here's the things that bothered us. We are both tall, 5'7" and 6'3" so we were always bumping our heads on ceilings and lights upstairs. Hubby couldn't even get into upstairs bathroom. The house felt unsafe to leave our belongings in and with us in it at night because there is no secondary lock or deadbolt from the inside. Everyone who has ever rented it could make a key. Every place we have rented before has electronic locks which get a new code for each guest. The furniture is very shabby and old in the living room, the rug was very stained, we put a blanket on the couch before sitting on it. The thing that really irritated us was finding out after we got there that we had to wash all the towels and bedding before we left. Bad deal if you have an early flight to get in Portland 3 hours away. Never in my life have I rented a cabin or house where we had to do the linens and towels. The cottage could be really cute with an infusion of new furniture, grip tape or carpet on the steep steps upstairs and a better system of locking it. Plus get a housekeeping service to do the linens. If you want to watch any tv be advised it is the size of a computer monitor and on the other side of the room.
Stayed 8 nights in Aug 2017
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Lisa S., Decatur , GA

Cute cozy cottage in a great location

Loved being close to SWH and Acadia. Cottage is clean, beds are comfy, photos are accurate, and it is a pretty place to unwind after a long day in the park. Tip: be sure to go out the back door and look up at all the beautiful stars at night! The host was great throughout the process and we highly recommend staying here! We hope to be back for the stunning hiking, views and delicious lobster soon!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2017
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Charming cottage in perfect location

We found the cottage to be very comfortable and welcoming after a long day of hiking and exploring. It was neat and clean and had everything we needed. The location was perfect for what we had on our agenda as far as proximity to Acadia and Bar Harbor. The booking process was easy and we had great communication with Keith and Judith as far as suggestions for places to eat and visit during our stay. We had a wonderful time and would not hesitate to return and book the cottage again.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2017
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Patricia M.

Lovely Quietside Cottage

We thoroughly enjoyed staying at this cozy, well-equipped cottage on Mount Desert Island's "Quietside." The cottage is perfect for a couple or small family, and is located within easy walking distance to downtown Southwest Harbor. It contains everything you need for a relaxing, low-key stay, including a well-stocked kitchen and thoughtful touches throughout.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2016
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Patricia M.

Charming Cottage, Convenient Location

This neat, tiny cottage lived up to its description, and was a charming and convenient place to stay during our trip to Southwest Harbor and Acadia National Park. Beds and linens were top-notch, the kitchen was well stocked with cookware, dishes, flatware and utensils, and the washer and dryer came in handy after days spent hiking, kayaking, swimming and exploring. Also, the owners' tips and recommendations were spot-on, and very helpful. We had a very relaxing stay at this very charming cottage!
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Jim O.

clean and cozy

We loved this cottage for its location, cleanliness, charm, and feeling-like-home. The beds were super comfortable. The feature of having two bathrooms appealed to us. The owners offered everything someone might need for a stay, including helpful ideas about the area. It was a short walk to town and close to several good restaurants. Although we prepared most of our own meals at the cottage, one evening we dodged raindrops to run across the street to The Upper Deck for a lovely meal, and one morning we enjoyed walking to an early breakfast with some local color at Grumpy's. We look forward to going back to Harbor Cottage.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Brian H.

Nice clean cottage, good location walking distanc

Nice clean bright cottage, simply decorated which helped us forget the list of chores back home and the complications of regular life. Easy walk to several resturants in SW Harbor. We had dinner at Red Sky which was excellent and a great dinner with music at Sips, also make sure you eat or get take out sandwiches from Eat-A-Pita. Located on the "quiet" side of Acadia Park away from the crowds around Bar Harbor though we did spend a morning in BH to enjoy the shore walk and do some shopping. I would highly recommend biking some of the Carrage trails and hike some trails though you will need to go into the park to enjoy those but it is totally worth it. We will return an would recommend to friends. Best suited for 1 or 2 couples or a couple with some drop in visitors, but not to many.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Kathleen H.

Simply perfect!

The cottage was exactly as pictured. It had everything we needed. We especially loved the sweet half bath on the upper level. The home is an easy walk to the downtown area and two marinas. And a short car ride to great hiking and yoga. The bonus was being there for the annual Flamingo festival which my daughter and granddaughter participated in. Everyone we met was super friendly. The only downside was being right on the main road through town.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

sandrine o., Montreal

A wonderful week!

We stay one week in Harbors End Cottage. The house is clean, well equiped.Just a little point, the road is very close and sometimes, it is a bit noisy. This cottage is like the description, the localization is good, easy to walk to Southwest Harbor and not so far from Bar Harbor. We like our stay and recommend this property.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Leslie C., Where do you live?

Perfect for us

We have already recommended this cottage to several of our friends. We had a wonderful stay here.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Ben P.

Exactly what we were looking for

When my wife and I arrived at the cottage, she took a quick walk around the place, circled back to me, pointed her finger at my chest, and said "This is perfect". And she was right. The cottage was well maintained and clean, and within a short walk of downtown Southwest Harbor. It's not fancy, but it's a comfortable, homey place to relax and recover between trips around the island. Due to road construction in SW Harbor, the power was out for a few minutes when we first arrived. I only mention this to point out that, even after we learned it was a neighborhood-wide outage, Judy (owner) was available, attentive, and helpful. The power was back on right away, and nothing else went wrong the entire week, but it was nice to know she could be reached if necessary.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

paul r.

Cozy Cottage walking distance to downtown

The house comes as billed in the description; clean, well stocked, and walking distance to stores and restaurants. It's sits above the main road so there is some traffic, but noise was not a distraction. The yard is small, but that did not matter as we were not home that often. Though we did not need to contact the owners for anything, it was quite clear they were available for anything...no matter how small the request. Overall the house was a good deal compared to others we considered. This was our first time to Acadia and with our children ages 11 and 9. We had a jam-packed week and could spend many more summers here without repeating our itinerary highlights: climbing Acadia and Cadillac Mts, carriage roads, and Diver Ed! The kayak tour out of Southwest Harbor was also fun and well done and the Wendell Gilley Museum was a great find and good activity to do on a rainy day (who would have thought bird carvings could be so interesting?). The house worked out for us, but unfortunately I think this is the last year we'll be able to get the kids to share a bed.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Abigail D.

Lovely!

The house is absolutely lovely - perfect for a week away for a couple. Everything was clean and comfortable, and Judith had great recommendations. Southwest Harbor is also a great location for exploring.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

AmberJean H., Seymour, CT

Cute, Cozy, and Close

The property was cute, cozy, and close to key locations of Arcadia National Park and Bar Harbor. Had everything we needed, great place to wrap up a long day of hiking. Downtown was very cute and a short walking distance away, owners helpful with recommendations.

About the host

Hosted by Judy or Keith Briggs

Host profile image
We came to Southwest Harbor on vacation in 1992 for the first time. Both of us have family originally from Maine so we had the state in our blood. We started coming back again and again and 2 years later, we saw this cottage for sale. No one was around to show it to us, so we just looked in the windows, poked around and shrugged our shoulders and flew back home. A friend of ours went to look at it for us and took some photos and we bought it, sight unseen. It was a very humble house and needed much TLC. Keith is an interior designer and cabinetmaker and I am a good apprentice, but we had our work cut out. In a matter of a few weeks, we turned Harbors End Cottage into a rental and it was rented for a few years full time. In 2006, we went back again, tools in hand and paintbrushes, purchased furniture and turned Harbors End into this perfect destination that our guests call home away from home. New beds were purchased in 2019. The kitchen was completely refurbished in 2017.

What makes this property unique

Located in Southwest Harbor and just a few minutes walk into town. It is ideally located on the best part of the Island, in our opinion. It's a much more quiet are but with lots of amenities at your fingertips yet a few minutes drive into the park. We love being able to take a walk for dinner and walk back, no parking problems, no worries about driving. The restaurants and shops in town keep getting better and better. The hiking is superb and the lakes and ponds that are close by have great kayaking and swimming. We have an excellent supermarket, gourmet shop and wine shop, all located in town.

Languages:

English
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