Entire home

Booking for 2024. Lakefront, private, dog-friendly, canoe, 2 kayaks, pedal boat.

Photo gallery for Booking for 2024. Lakefront, private, dog-friendly, canoe, 2 kayaks, pedal boat.

Picture of the cove taken from my boat--not a neighbor in sight
view from second story landing
Front of cottage facing Sand Pond, 2015
Balcony
Property grounds
Reviews
10 out of 10 Exceptional
3 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 670 sq m

Popular amenities

  • FireplaceFireplaceFireplace
  • Pet-friendlyPet-friendlyPet-friendly
  • Free WiFiFree WiFiFree WiFi
  • Air conditioningAir conditioningAir conditioning
  • WasherWasherWasher
  • DryerDryerDryer

Enjoy the area

Map
Chesterville, ME
  • Popular LocationUniversity of Maine - Farmington20 min drive
  • Popular LocationWilson Lake21 min drive
  • Popular LocationParker Pond35 min drive
  • AirportAugusta, ME (AUG-Augusta State)65 min drive

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

2 Single Beds

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Garden
Dining Area

About this property

Booking for 2024. Lakefront, private, dog-friendly, canoe, 2 kayaks, pedal boat.

Loon-serenaded, waterfront cottage on Sand Pond in the beautiful western Maine mountains, rustic but modernized, fully furnished kitchen, blankets and pillows provided. Cozy and welcoming. Hammock, fire pit, screened-in porch. One step up to cottage, bathroom (shower has a grab bar) and double bedroom on first floor, gentle slope and a few stairs (railing added 2021) to lakefront and dock make it feasible for elder guests or those with limited mobility. It is small (756 square feet) but sleeps 3-6 adults comfortably. Cathedral ceiling and new ceiling fan in living room make it feel spacious and airy. Porch, kitchen, downstairs bedroom and queen room upstairs have ceiling fans; twin-bedded room has a floor fan and cross-ventilation. This is a quiet (except during snowmobile season) winterized camp with a shallow (average depth 13 feet, 23 feet at its deepest point), warm, sandy pond, 40' dock with octagon, separate diving dock, across a dead-end dirt road (and snowmobile trail, fun for mountain biking and hiking), so it may not be suitable for toddlers as other camps' residents do use the road. State certified as a Lake Smart house in August 2009, use of eco-friendly products required. Upgraded to on-demand generator June 2022. The firepit and charcoal grill are right on the water, across the dirt road from the cottage. Gas grill too.

BOATING AND FISHING: the pond is known to be full of large-mouth bass and white and yellow perch, and loons serenade each summer evening. 2-person canoe, 4-person pedal boat, 2 newer kayaks, 7 life vests provided. No large motorboats, pontoon party boats, or jet skis are present on the pond, but guests are welcome to bring a kayak, rowboat, or canoe, or a fishing boat with up to a 10 horsepower motor.

PLEASURES AT THE CAMP:
This is a very rural area, not for those who want constant entertainment, but great for reading on the front porch (completely screened in during April 2009, only first two photos reflect this) overlooking the pond or on the large octagonal dock or sitting in front of the wood stove. There is also a propane heater for the colder months, insulated cottage. Air conditioner available for living room, used once in 2013 and once in 2019, breezes from the pond usually keep it comfortable. Tankless, on-demand hot water heater installed 2019 ensures your whole family constant hot water for showers.
Fire pit and picnic table at the water's edge. Most popular activities: listening for the loons, sunset watching, swimming, boating, and hiking, berry picking, chilling in a porch rocking chair, lobster grilling, gathering with friends around the fire pit after sunset, board games. Dew Haven wildlife refuge is 20 minutes away, movie theater is 10 miles away. Cell phone reception is good. HDTV Satellite TV, slow internet/WiFi; reception cannot be guaranteed during cloudy weather. Guests report exceptionally clear sky from this spot for stargazing.

THINGS TO ENJOY NEARBY:
You can quickly find small town life 10 miles away in Farmington and at the University of Maine, shopping, a movie theatre and bowling alley for rainy days. summer concerts and summer theatre nearby, a couple of interesting restaurants, two independent bookstores, an ice cream stand, antique stores in nearby towns, and a summer farmer's market. 15 minutes to pick strawberries and blueberries in season and buy freshly caught lobster. Half an hour to Mt. Blue State Park, 45 minutes north to scenic Rangeley with brilliant fall foliage and dramatic mountain views (and you may see moose), skiing locally at Titcomb Mountain and it's equidistant from Saddleback, Sugarloaf, and Sunday River. Sand Pond is about 3 1/2 hours from Boston and 90-+20 minutes from the coast.

PRIVATE BUT NOT 'OFF THE GRID':
While you cannot see a neighboring camp, noise is amplified over water, so if someone nearby puts 20 people around their fire pit and has a party, you are going to hear it. This does not happen often, it's not a frat party area, mostly owner occupied, but absolute quiet cannot be guaranteed. Also, this is not the last camp on this dead-end road: 7 neighbors farther down the road use it, so cars, trucks, ATVs, bicycles, people walking or running with their dogs do come right in front of the cottage.

LONG WEEKEND/PARTIAL WEEK RENTALS CONSIDERED DURING THE SPRING AND FALL SEASONS

Keywords: waterfront, lakefront, cottage, private, pet-friendly, 3-season, family-oriented, 4 boats.

Property manager

Carol Anderson owner

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Air conditioning

House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
Road runs between cottage and pond.

Events

No events allowed

Pets

Pets allowed: dogs (limit 2 total)
$100 pet deposit + proof of rabies vaccine.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
$100 fee if smoke/damage detected.

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

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 indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Farmington

Located in Farmington, this cottage is in a rural area and on the waterfront. Lower Fox and Titcomb Mountain Ski Area are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Richardson Tract and Wilson Lake. Be sure to check out the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Chesterville, ME

What's nearby

  • University of Maine - Farmington - 20 min drive
  • Wilson Lake - 21 min drive
  • Titcomb Mountain Ski Area - 29 min drive
  • Parker Pond - 35 min drive
  • Colby College - 57 min drive

Getting around

  • Waterville, ME (WVL-Robert Lafleur) - 62 min drive

Restaurants

  • The Farmhouse Beer Garden - 15 min drive
  • Arkay Pizza & Variety Store - 20 min drive
  • Taco Bell - 20 min drive
  • Salt & Pepper and Sugar Too - 20 min drive
  • Burger King - 19 min drive

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 58 out of 60 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 60 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 60 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 60 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 60 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

9.6/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Sara D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Cozy Maine Camp
Great location, beautiful view, had a great time on the pond and hiking locally. Well appointed kitchen.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Peaceful cabin vacation
We had a wonderful time at this quaint little cabin! It was so peaceful and quiet. Everything about our trip to Maine was lovely! We are from Dallas and wanted to get away from the hustle bustle and heat!!! The owner, Carol, was so responsive to our needs and questions. I would highly recommend this Vrbo!!!!!!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Roy H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Peace and quiet in rural Maine.
I grew up near this area, so I was familiar with the area and what this part of Maine has to offer. I chose this property for my out-of-state family’s visit because of the water access and the quiet, wooded nature of the surrounding. My family had a quiet, enjoyable stay. We were all surprised at some of the modern features that you don’t find at a “camp” on a small pond. The dish washer was an unexpected plus and the large capacity washer and dryer were very handy. If I had advice for people looking at this listing who are addicted to their electronic devices, rural Maine is not up to speed with the rest of the country. There is WiFi available at this camp, but data speed is very slow and it was prone to periodic disruptions. I highly recommend this listing for people who want to disconnect from the electronic world and just enjoy the nature.
Stayed 10 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

dana r.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Relaxing lake house
The location is great, located close to Farmington Maine. We were able to get live lobsters and clams at Moshers not to far away as well as a Walmart and grocery store near by. The home is camp like, comfortable & well equipped with what we needed. Mike the contact person was attentive and helpful with any needs. Mike even directed us to come watch his fire work display that he orchestrated & was great. We were able to bring our dogs here which was a nice addition. The lake was warm and we loved watching the loons & baby. One couple walking one day offered us a lot of education on the loons. We had access to 2 kayaks, 1 canoe, and a peddle boat which was a nice addition. Carolyn Anderson the host was good at communicating with us and made an extended effort to get us directions to the camp because 48 hours before our stay a storm washed out a few roads that we needed to avoid. The only word of advice and this was no reflection on the home or owner is don’t count on cell or internet being reliable. Due to recent storms internet was unavailable. Carolyn made an effort to resolve this for us but due to a holiday week was not successful. We had 2 people that were intending on working remotely. 1 person was able to adjust but a 2nd guest had to come late and leave early due to this unfortunate circumstance. Carolyn did offer us a hot spot which was appreciated. I would 100 % recommend this location for a relaxing step away from hustle and bustle of life. Perfect family trip!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Janet N., Natick, usa

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Refresh vacation
We enjoyed our stay and being able to enjoy nature and decompressing from the busy every day routine.. The cottage was nuce and we enjoyed the screened in porch and watching the lake and sunset. Beds were very comfortable. Loons were great and came close to be able to really see them. Fishing was good we did catch some Bass. Restaraunts were good but a distance to get to. Great place to relax and get away. Was a little.too cool to seim but woukd have enjoyed that water was clear but you may want water shoes. Nice vacation spot. Owner was great and anytbing we needed we just reached out to property manager who was one road over. Everyone there was friendly but overall you felt like you had the place to yourslef.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

About the host

Hosted by Carol Anderson owner

Host profile image
I'm a quasi-retired university administrator and ESL teacher in NJ; theatergoer in New York City but need peace and quiet to balance that life. My great-grandfather bought a lakefront cottage in western Maine in the 1890s and I spent part of every summer of my childhood falling in love with this part of Maine and learning why generations of my family, mostly born in Jersey City, kept coming back to this very special place. Of course I brought my daughter here as a child to make sure she fell in love with it too! I like that my guests really enjoy this getaway and appreciate the unusually well equipped kitchen, the boats, and the hammock.

Why they chose this property

Sand Pond is 10 miles from a university town with some intellectual life, two good bookstores, a few good places to eat including a memorable ice-cream stand, a fresh-from-the-ocean lobster store, shopping for all the essentials, but not a mall in sight. It's too small for big noisy boats. There are only 30-odd camps on the pond and a similar number on Locke Pond right behind it off the same private road. I like the curvy country roads (in summer anyway), the mountain vistas driving anywhere, the warm shallow pond for swimming, the fact that I can't see or hear a neighbor but know several friendly folks are a phone call or a 2-minute drive away.

What makes this property unique

Compared to the last rental I took before buying, where a neighboring camp sounded like a remake of Animal House every weekend, this place is pristine and quiet. Loons serenade their partners every night and in 2022, a pair of owls. I like being able to build a fire in the wood stove, cook for my friends, sit on the porch with a glass of wine and a book, or on the dock with one hand in the pond. Guests comment on the exceptionally well furnished kitchen. You can boat around the pond and never see another human, or wave to children on a floating dock. Most of these cottages have not been gentrified or razed and replaced by McMansions, so it feels like a step back to a saner time and simpler pleasures--board games, jigsaw puzzles provided. If this scene makes you smile like it does me, you'll enjoy a stay here.
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