See all properties
Entire home

Spectacular Views, 4 min to Acadia, Walk to Town, Gas Fire Pit, Quietside

Photo gallery for Spectacular Views, 4 min to Acadia, Walk to Town, Gas Fire Pit, Quietside

Looking down from upper lounge to the great room
Dining
Great Room
The upper deck for stargazing - now with gas fire pit - see next photo
Gas fire pit on upper deck

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
5 bedrooms4+ bathroomsSleeps 12385.5 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Dryer
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Outdoor space

Explore the area

View map
Southwest Harbor, ME
  • Place, Wendell Gilley Museum
    ‪11 min walk‬
  • Place, Acadia National Park
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Place, Acadia National Park's Visitors Center
    ‪25 min drive‬
  • Airport, Bar Harbor, ME (BHB-Hancock County - Bar Harbor)
    ‪23 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

5 bedrooms (sleeps 12)

Lower Level King

1 King Bed

Lower Level Twin Room

2 Single Beds

Master Suite

1 Queen Bed

Master Suite 2

1 Queen Bed

Twin Room

2 Single Beds

4 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Guest Bathroom

Toilet

Lower Level Bathroom

Toilet · Shower only

Main Level Master

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Upper Level Master

Toilet · Shower only

Upper Level Spa Bathroom

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Dining area

About this property

Spectacular Views, 4 min to Acadia, Walk to Town, Gas Fire Pit, Quietside

This gorgeous, spacious, and comfortable family-owned home is just a 4 minute drive from Acadia National Park, and just a 5-10 minute walk to the town of Southwest Harbor. Enjoy magnificent harbor and mountain views, and stargaze from the upper deck while warming up by the gas fire pit.

There are a total of five bedrooms. Two of the bedrooms feature queen size beds, two of them have two twin beds each, and there is one king room on the lower level. There is also a TV room on the main floor with a sofa bed that may be used to extend occupancy from 10 to 12, but no more than 12 people strict max! YES, THIS GUEST LIMIT INCLUDES INFANTS!

MORE INFO IS BELOW - BUT FIRST, PLEASE NOTE: if you put in a reservation request, please tell us about yourself and your group. We will require some back and forth communication with you. Please do not ignore those messages that come through VRBO! If we do not hear back from you, we may have to decline your reservation request.

(cont'd)
There are four full bathrooms and one half bath. The house has three levels. There are both indoor and outdoor dining areas, as well as some counter seating. In addition to a double height space living room, the upper level also features a lounge area with stunning views. There are also three different decks from which to enjoy the view of the water and mountains, maybe best of all, stargazing from the upper deck with sofa and gas fire pit. The house features game tables and a workout room.

The house does NOT have air conditioning. 5 ceiling fans in the main areas, 1 in upper level master bedroom, 1 in main level master, and the other bedrooms have Vornado room fans. It can sometimes feel hot in the summer afternoons - generally this will happen a few spells each year. It is almost always quite cool at night.

Entry to the house in on the main level. There is a queen bedroom and a twin room (two singles) on the main level. On the upper level there is a queen room. On the lower level, there is a king room and another twin room.

There is a security camera at the driveway, pointing toward the road. There are no pets allowed.

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Free WiFi
Gym
Outdoor space

Have a question?

AI iconBeta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Similar properties

Room
Stunning Waterfront, Acadia National Park as your Backyard.
  • Ocean view
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Dryer
10.0 out of 10, Exceptional, (41 reviews)
Stunning Waterfront, Acadia National Park as your Backyard.

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:00 AM
default

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
All infants count toward the maximum.
default

Events

No events allowed
default

Pets

No pets allowed
default

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
No campfires No more than 12 souls on premises including infants
We require some back and forth communication before your reservation request can be accepted. Please review all messages and respond accordingly.
Renter acknowledges existence of an outdoor security camera at the driveway.

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 deadlock
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
Property Registration Number B7191P878

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts
A car is recommended for transport to and from this property

About the area

Southwest Harbor

Located in Southwest Harbor, this holiday home is in a rural area and on a lake. 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. Travelling with kids? Consider Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf and College of the Atlantic Natural History Museum. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
View more Holiday homes in Southwest HarborOpens in a new window
Map
Southwest Harbor, ME

What's nearby

  • Wendell Gilley Museum - 11 min walk - 1.0 km
  • Acadia National Park - 3 min drive - 2.9 km
  • Bar Harbor Whale Watching - 24 min drive - 27.6 km
  • Acadia National Park's Visitors Center - 25 min drive - 24.3 km
  • Cadillac Mountain - 28 min drive - 28.2 km

Getting around

  • Bar Harbor, ME (BHB-Hancock County - Bar Harbor) - 22 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Jordan Pond House - ‬32 min drive
  • ‪Beal's Lobster Pier - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Archie’s Lobster - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Circle K - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪The Upper Deck - ‬5 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Spectacular Views, 4 min to Acadia, Walk to Town, Gas Fire Pit, Quietside pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Spectacular Views, 4 min to Acadia, Walk to Town, Gas Fire Pit, Quietside?

As of 26 March 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Spectacular Views, 4 min to Acadia, Walk to Town, Gas Fire Pit, Quietside on 30 May 2026 start from NZ$1,677, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking at Spectacular Views, 4 min to Acadia, Walk to Town, Gas Fire Pit, Quietside?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Spectacular Views, 4 min to Acadia, Walk to Town, Gas Fire Pit, Quietside?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Spectacular Views, 4 min to Acadia, Walk to Town, Gas Fire Pit, Quietside?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Spectacular Views, 4 min to Acadia, Walk to Town, Gas Fire Pit, Quietside located?

This family-friendly Southwest Harbor holiday home is located on a lake, within 3 mi (5 km) of Wendell Gilley Museum and Acadia National Park. Long Pond and Flying Mountain Trailhead are also within 3 miles (5 km).

Reviews

10

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. 115 out of 118 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 118 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 118 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 118 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 118 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Alice A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a wonderful stay and highly recommend this property.
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Meredith M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing sunrise views and perfect location. After traveling and hiking all over the past five days, this is absolutely the best location with unbeatable surroundings. Highly recommend.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ed W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great view of SW harbor. Great community space for family to connect. Smores on the gas firepit upstairs with a great view. My family had a great time. Acadia has something for everyone.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Doug M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
I've stayed at a lot of vrbo properties and this one may be my favorite. It really is a perfect location -- a private lot in the woods with a great harbor view AND also a short walk into the town of Southwest Harbor. Best of both worlds. It's a 30 minute scenic drive across MDI to Bar Harbor and Acadia NP. The house is even better than the pictures and would work for couples as well as a fairly large family. Would love to come back at some point.
View from the upper balcony.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Anna K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
I really cannot speak highly enough about our stay at Rachel and Jonathan’s place. It is an absolutely gorgeous home, in a fantastic location, and as hosts, Rachel and Jonathan are incredibly communicative, friendly, and understanding. Their place hosted our family of 10 very comfortably, for a weekend of wedding celebrations! We are so happy to have chosen such a wonderful place to make some pretty special memories. Thanks, Rachel and Jonathan!
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Anna S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The amenities were plentiful. The location was wonderful. It was nice to have a separate bed for seven woman on a friends trip. The twin beds in the bottom floor had some hard mattresses and the bedding wasn’t as nice as the bedding in the other bedrooms. The other rooms were perfect.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Cecilia C.

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

Spectacular stay in Southwest Harbor

Our group had a great stay at this property! It has spectacular views, great access to Acadia NP, and a quick walk into Southwest Harbor. The place itself was very spacious, and we really enjoyed the group games available. We'd love to stay here again in the future!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Justin P.

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

Beautiful views!

Very nice house! Great views and a lot of room to spread out. Pretty short drive to Acadia park.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

Annie C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The property was well located, only a short walk to the Main Street of Southwest Harbor. It was large and accommodating for our family of 10. The screened dining area was lovely for evening dinners. Unfortunately, the lack of air conditioning meant the house was quite hot during the day, despite the ceiling fans. Overall, we enjoyed our stay at Rachel and Jonathan’s place.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Stephanie R.

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

Beautiful property, perfect for large family vacation to Acadia

Amazing views, lots of stargazing spots. Close to Acadia and Bar Harbor, with easy walk into cute downtown of Southwest Harbor. Our large group had plenty of room to spread out! Highly recommend!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Nadine H.

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

Just lovely

This house is such perfection for our family. Second time staying here, location is perfect, view is stunning, there is space for everyone to both gather and to retreat. We loved our week here and would 100% stay again.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Howard H.

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

Wonderful stay

We had stayed last year with friends and at a wonderful time. It's a lovely house with owners and a property manager who were very responsive. Based on our experience last year we again stayed for almost a week with friends and again had a wonderful time. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Crysta F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
One of the best vacation homes I’ve ever stayed in. I visited with a few other young families (3 babies around 1), and we had an amazing experience! The fall colors were near peak, and the views of the trees were exactly how I pictured they would be from the photos—both from the numerous balconies or the expansive great room with huge mid century windows. (I cannot put into words how beautiful the sunrises were.) Multiple people from our party lucked out and got to see shooting stars at night! The location (a short walk) near Southwest Harbor was great if you’re looking for a more quiet area than Bar Harbor, and it was a quick 30 min drive to the more common Acadia NP spots. Highly, highly recommend.
Sunrise
Sunset
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Emily P.

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

Acadia house

It was a beautiful house! Close to Acadia and lots of activities within mount desert island. Very clean and a beautiful place to stay. I highly recommend!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Susan M.

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

Great house for a larger group of family or friends

We couldn’t have picked a better house for our first trip to Maine. This house was perfect…beautiful, well-maintained, and spacious. And, the views were amazing! We loved being on the quiet side, but still close enough to enjoy everything that Maine had to offer. We would definitely stay here again!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sue S.

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

Wonderful stay!

We had a wonderful stay at this property for a week. The home was wonderful for our family of 9 with both adults and children staying. We had a warm week but there were good breezes through the house. It is close to many of the must see sites in the area. Communication with the owners was rapid and helpful. I highly recommend this home for a family stay!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kathy Y.

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

The View

Acadia View House is a terrific property! The views were amazing. Everyone in our group loved the house. It is very spacious and well equipped. We would rent this house again.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Pam H.

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

Wonderful Views

The house is very roomy, and had lots of places to hang out and relax. Very private, but close to trails and amenities. We enjoyed sitting around the fire-pit in the evenings and morning coffee in the great room. Communication was quick and easy. A great place for a large family gathering.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Carol H.

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

Beautiful

Home was amazing! Beautiful view. Very spacious and perfect for our family. Thanks so much!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Trent E.

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

Fourth of July Week 2025

Absolutely, beautiful and gorgeous home overlooking Southwest Harbor and the town below. This home is within a four minute walk to downtown southwest Harbor, Maine and very close to amazing restaurants and ice cream shops. In addition, the home is very clean and has an open floor plan with three levels, including a top floor outside deck with fire pit for watching the Fourth of July fireworks (Just a spectacular fireworks show over the water). We would come back and stay at this home again in the future.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Andrew G.

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

Spacious, comfortable home with great views

We had a great stay in this wonderful home on the quiet side of MDI. Views were amazing from throughout. Kitchen was well-appointed and the game room downstairs was really fun. We spent most of our days out and about, but even if rain had forced us to stay in, we would've had a great time.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Hunter B.

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

Beautiful House

We really enjoyed our stay in Southwest Harbor. The house is beautiful with excellent views and is very peaceful. Our only complaint was how hot the house got even with every window open and every fan running, it reached 85 degrees on the main floor during the day - I’m sure that’s not normally the case as there were record highs for our stay. Nonetheless, a portable A/C would’ve been nice to knock the edge off.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Scott E.

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

Beautiful and comfortable place

This a fantastic place to stay. Great location, quiet neighborhood, and a picturesque view. We had two families together with 5 teen girls. The girls loved the basement for entertainment and the amazing front room for puzzles and reading. Absolutely worth the money.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jo Ann W.

Beautiful property with stunning views. Great house for a family.

Loved the house for our visit to Mt Desert Island. Conveniently located near Southwest Harbor and enjoyed being on the quiet side of the island. The house had views from every window. Our grandson enjoyed the outside play structure and the upstairs loft area. We are ready to return!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jackson Christopher E.

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

Fun stay in SW Harbor!

Our stay was great! We had an awesome time exploring MDI and hanging out in Southwest Harbor. Staying in SWH was nice because it felt a bit more remote than some parts of the island closer to Bar Harbor but still close enough to all the hikes that we wanted to do. The house itself is great! Plenty of space for the 7 of us and easily could have fit 2-3 more. The house has space to work and is well equipped to be able to host a nice meal. One of the highlights of SWH was Harbor Table (a restaurant in town), we highly suggest going for dinner.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

About the host

Hosted by Rachel Goldstein & Jonathan Hefter

Host profile image
We are three generations, living in the Washington DC and New York areas. We have been spending summers in Maine together for the past two decades. This house was completed in 2006, and is where we all come together every year to hike, eat lobster, enjoy gorgeous views and each other's company.

Why they chose this property

Larry and Susie, the grandparents, were avid hikers of Acadia National Park for several decades. After staying in rented cottages on Mount Desert Island for over a decade, they finally bought property in 2001, and completed construction of this house in 2006. Their son and daughter now have families of their own, and everyone comes together to enjoy their time in Maine each summer.

What makes this property unique

This house was designed by Larry & Susie's son-in-law, architect Josh Goldstein. It is specially designed to make the most of the amazing harbor view, while comfortably accommodating our big family and all of our various schedules and interests. Whether we are enjoying a lobster dinner together outside on the screened in porch, grilling on the grill deck, enjoying blueberry crisp, or stargazing from the upper deck, we always come together every night for big family dinners. Afterwards, we like to gather around the indoor dining area to work on a 1000-piece puzzle together or play cards.

Languages:

English
Tell us how we can improve our siteShare feedback