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Private lakefront retreat. 10 minutes to Mahone Bay

Photo gallery for Private lakefront retreat. 10 minutes to Mahone Bay

morning coffee out here is sublime
shaded deck view, covered by trees great when it's 30 degrees!
crystal clear Big Lake Mushamush 7 km long
your 'own' sandy beach
Property grounds

Reviews

8.4 out of 10
Very good

Highlights

  • Discover nearby landmarks
    Close to Big Mushamush Lake
3 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 5

Popular amenities

  • Porch or veranda
  • On-site fitness centre
  • Barbecue
  • Kitchen
  • Pet-friendly
  • Refrigerator

Explore the area

View map
Mahone Bay, NS
  • Place, Big Mushamush Lake
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Oak Island
    ‪39 min drive‬
  • Place, Shore Club Dance Hall
    ‪56 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 5)

Bedroom 1

1 Single Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Outdoor shower

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Outdoor shower
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden

About this property

Private lakefront retreat. 10 minutes to Mahone Bay

Privacy and comfort, a nice deck and screened in porch both with a grand view of Big Lake Mushamush. Shaded by mature oak trees and giant pines. Swimmable, crystal clear water where the sandy bottom gets deeper gradually. No drop off.
Giant loons call at night, when moon is full, casts its light down the 8km long lake. Magical!

Only 10-15 minutes from Mahone Bay/Lunenburg heritage towns. Lots to see and do. You wont find a more private spot on this highly prized lake.

There is a dock to tie up your boat. There is a pedal boat, paddle boat, and a small kayak for your use. Outdoor firepit when Govt allows it to be used. Picnic table.

Comfortable beds. Suitable for a family of 4-5, ideal for a romantic week for a couple.

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed: dogs and cats less than 23 kg per pet (limit 2 pets total)
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Property Registration Number STR2526B1720
Property # 2909316vb
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
Long-term renters welcome
Host has indicated that there is no carbon monoxide detector on the property, but there are gas appliances; 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 and a first aid kit

About the area

Middle New Cornwall

Located in Middle New Cornwall, this cottage is in a rural area and on the waterfront. Northern Sun Gallery & Gifts and Mahone Bay Settlers Museum are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Lunenburg County Winery and Cocoa Organic Spa & Boutique. Have A Yarn and For The Birds Nature Shop are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with scuba diving and snorkelling nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with cycling and mountain biking.
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Map
Mahone Bay, NS

What's nearby

  • Big Mushamush Lake - 1 min walk - 0.0 km
  • Bluenose II - 38 min drive - 36.3 km
  • Oak Island - 39 min drive - 36.8 km
  • Shore Club Dance Hall - 56 min drive - 71.9 km
  • Queensland Beach Provincial Park - 57 min drive - 76.1 km

Restaurants

  • ‪Charlie's Burger and Pizza - ‬22 min drive
  • ‪Turkeyburger - ‬26 min drive
  • ‪Brenda's Baked Goods - ‬15 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Private lakefront retreat. 10 minutes to Mahone Bay pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows cats and dogs (limit 2 total) with a maximum weight of up to 23 kg per pet.

How much is parking at Private lakefront retreat. 10 minutes to Mahone Bay?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Private lakefront retreat. 10 minutes to Mahone Bay?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Private lakefront retreat. 10 minutes to Mahone Bay?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Private lakefront retreat. 10 minutes to Mahone Bay located?

Situated on the waterfront, this cottage is within a 10-minute walk of Big Mushamush Lake, Flat Island and Silver Island. Cornwall Lake and Little Mushamush Lake are also within 3 miles (5 km).

Reviews

8.4

Very good

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. 10 out of 15 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 15 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 15 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 3 out of 15 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 15 reviews

6.8/10

Cleanliness

5.4/10

Amenities

6.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

9.4/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

8.4/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ebonie L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Excellent communication with the host.If you are looking for more of the off grid hideaway to unwind this is the place for you.Great place to recharge and disconnect.The lake is beautiful day and night.Great little fire pit area to gather around.
Stayed 9 nights in May 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 1 June 2026
So glad you and your family had a nice time - even during the worst May weather with bugs imaginable! Please come back when you can, it is our little piece of heaven on the most beautiful lake on the South Shore.
Verified

6/10 Okay

Sandra C.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location

Country life close to Lunenburg

Beautiful lake and location.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Peter S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great spot right on the lake.Quiet and private.Great swimming and fishing.
Stayed 8 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Susan C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful view of the lake. If you are looking for peace & quiet this is the perfect secluded spot to relax.Private sandy beach & private paths on the property, as in a provincial park.
Stayed 11 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Miranda R.

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

Cottage Getaway

This was such a peaceful, secluded place. Loved the lake views and quietness! Allen, the host, was very easy to communicate with and helpful with any questions we had!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 9 August 2025
I was so happy to meet you and learn that the cottage experience met your expectations! Please come back!
Verified

8/10 Good

Jens K.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Remote Stay at the Lake

Beautiful quiet place in beautiful nature
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 3 August 2024
We're so happy you had a nice time and hope you'll include us in any plans to return to the area. Thanks.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ethan Y.

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

Wonderful family vacation spot!

I highly recommend this property for family vacations. Cozy cottage with all necessary amenities. Amazing lake location with swimming and boating on site. Pet friendly. Host was proactively communicative and genuinely cared that we had a good time. We hope to be back... thanks Allen!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Birgit H.

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

Peaceful retreat

We had 8 fantastic days. Allen is a perfect host. All our questions or problems were answered immediately. The beaches were great especially our dog loved it. The boats and the SUP were great, we would be happy to come again.
Stayed 8 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Laurie F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location
This lake getaway was amazing! Water was crystal clear and Loons on the lake were a surprising bonus. If you want a place to be away from it all, this is ideal. Charming cabin, delightful host, amazing views. To be noted: the water/toilet/electricity is all on a generator and pump. We weren’t expecting that, but the host was very kind and showed up to walk us through how it all works. No issues after that. Also noted: the driveway is very long winding that is not ideal in the dark. The host talked us through this as well so we were able to find it. Plan ahead and arrive during the daylight. An hour and a half away from Halifax (also wish we had know that). Still, 10/10 would visit this place again.
Stayed 8 nights in Sep 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 21 September 2025
Laurie and family, you are always welcome! You were kind and a pleasure to host.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Erin C.

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

Lovely secluded cottage

Me and my family had a great and relaxing time at this charming and secluded cottage. We made good use of the kayak, paddle boat, and the beaches and loved spending time on the deck overlooking the water. Even with some rainy weather, we found plenty to do in nearby towns and made use of the board games and puzzles. The cottage is off the grid and powered by generator/solar but it is easy to manage. The host was very friendly and helpful.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kelly D.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness

Beautiful private retreat

We loved our stay at Allen’s cottage! It was extremely peaceful, relaxing and VERY private. We arrived the night of the historic rains and floods for Nova Scotia (July 2023) but we were safe and secure in the cottage. Being off grid using a generator and solar was a new experience for us and it worked out perfectly. It was disappointing that the beaches on the property were flooded for most of it but we made the most of it by sitting up higher on a small hill. We used the kayak and paddleboard provided and brought our kayaks and canoe so we could all enjoy the lake together. It was a special and memorable trip that my family and I will remember for years to come. I hope we can come back again next year!!
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

4/10 Poor

Manfred

Liked: Communication
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Upon booking we did not realize the cottage was off grid. However, the host was good about explaining how to manage the solar power and generator. We arrived at dusk and found it hard to navigate our way through the trees and multiple turns to get to the cottage. It is a unique location on a beautiful lake. Unfortunately we were there during a heatwave, the lack of fans or AC made it unbearable and we left after one night. Another deciding factor of our early departure were a multitude of spiders, mosquitoes and cobwebs that were even more evident in the morning light. So many cobwebs under the beds made it impossible to relax. Our 4 year old granddaughter would not last another night there with the spiders/crawling bugs that kept coming to her bed. Also when we tried to close blinds to keep the sunlight out, the blinds were covered in dust/webs and spotted with mould. We informed the host of our early departure due to the heat and he was sympathetic and kindly offered to return some of the rental fee. We stripped the beds, removed garbage, swept the floors and left the property as directed. It has been two weeks since we left and we sent them a message but did not receive a response. We recognize the host offered to return some funds out of kindness but as of yet has not followed through. Our advice to the host is to provide fans, update generator instructions, do a more thorough cleaning. Offgrid does not have to be uncomfortable but should more obvious in the listing
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
Verified

4/10 Poor

Melissa

Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We definitely would have prepared differently if we were made aware of the lack of options that were available to us. When we booked this cottage, we thought we were getting a beautiful lakefront vacation for 4 days. The cottage itself was nice; the pictures were accurate, although the rooms were a bit small. BUT…..there was definitely false advertisement and lack of information provided upon booking and prior to arrival. On the day of arrival, we received an email explaining check-in instructions. It was at that time that we learned we would be living on solar power for electricity and generator for water. Although a bit annoyed to just learn about this, we thought we’d make the best of it regardless. The system didn’t seem like a super big deal, at least we would have running water, sewer, and electricity. Entering the property was simple; the address was easy to find. When we arrived on the property, we noticed that while the outside had so much beautiful potential, it was not well kept up. The firepit was overflowing and quite disgusting. The outside of the house had cobwebs, and there were some large junk items lying around, what appeared to be an old generator, panel, windows, etc. As we entered the house with our belongings, we noticed that the inside was not very clean. The ad said that high top surfaces would be cleaned. We certainly didn’t understand that to mean that the floor would only be cleaned in the middle and the doormat wouldn’t even have been swept. When
Verified

4/10 Poor

ELIZABETH C.

Liked: Check-in
Disliked: Cleanliness, communication, listing accuracy

Not what we expected...

My husband and I booked this cabin for a stay from August 4 to August 20. Unfortunately, there were a few things that we did not expect, based on the pictures and the description. First, this is an off-grid cabin … not an on-grid cottage. For power, there was an unreliable generator that was difficult to start, difficult to keep running and (sometimes) difficult to turn off. It was so unreliable that it had to be serviced while we were there and even then it was still unreliable. The cabin also had a solar power system but that had been powered off when we arrived - unknown to us. In addition, the solar system would not run the water pump. So anytime water was required we had to switch the power system back and forth between the generator and the solar system. That was a manual multistep process of toggling fuses at the power panel. If you’re into that kind of thing, OK. Not enough gas was provided for the generator for our stay and we had to lug a large can of gas from a nearby property - per the host’s instructions. Our son-in-law was the only person who had enough strength to get the top off the generator’s gas tank. To keep things running, we had propane available for the stove, fridge, and hot water, which was a welcome comfort. However, the water supply was tied to the generator, and it was rather limited. There seemed to be an issue with the water tank, as every time we needed water (flush toilet, wash hands, shower, dishes) we had to pump up the water tank.
Stayed 16 nights in Aug 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 27 August 2023
We sent a technician as soon as it was realized there was any issue with the generator. Solar and propane run everything except the water pump which runs through the generator. This is explained in the manual. It's a remote start generator that you can turn on and off from inside the cottage. It's disappointing that their long stay was marred by their particular experience with the power supplied by the generator. Most guests relish this set up and have called it seamless. These guests declined my personal visit to see how they were doing. We will try harder to ensure satisfaction as the case with most of our guests who find pleasure in the location of this cottage.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

stephane

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Très beau petit chalet, localisé dans un endroit paisible, en pleine nature et bordé d'un magnifique lac et à seulement une quarantaine de minutes de Lunenburg. Lac parfait pour la baignade! Planche à pagaie et kayak disponibles. Le chalet est opéré grâce à l'energie solaire et une génératrice et tout fonctionne parfaitement. L'hôte est très aimable et répond rapidement aux questions.
Stayed 11 nights in Aug 2025

About the host

Hosted by Jon Bernardo

Host profile image
I enjoy living near the water, we divide our time between the city and the South Shore. Big Mushamush was an important part of our summers and love everything about it.

Why they chose this property

This property was built by our family about 50 years ago on one of the most private, beautiful parts of the lake. We are now sharing it with select guests who will make treasured memories here. There is no other place quite like it on this beautiful busy lake.

What makes this property unique

The cottage is 'just right' in terms of size and amenities - no hot tub, but the nicest lake swimming you will ever enjoy - two sandy beaches, crystal clear water, gradual with no dropoff - we have a dock with kayak, paddleboard, and paddle boat with a bimini to spend a glorious afternoon exploring the private shoreline. There is a boatlaunch at Northfield abot 2 km away by boat if you would like to bring your own. The shade of giant oaks and pines keeps you comfortable in the warmest part of Nova Scotia.

The cabin has reclaimed Doug Fir floors, pine shiplap walls and an open cathedral ceiling with ceiling fan. Breezes off the lake and the shade of the huge oaks over the deck keep it nice, without the buzz of an AC.

The view down the lake is spectacular - three islands are just offshore - you can paddle to them easily. We have a dock for your boat if you want to bring one,

Languages:

English

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