Testimonies

Review Submitted January 9, 2008 Date of Stay July 2007

I intend to give Chateau Mer an honest review. And to be honest, it is an absolutely wonderful light-filled house and setting. It has been modernized with every convenience; plenty of kitchen supplies, great laundry, etc. Huge picture windows open up the glorious view and sunrises. Yet the feel of an old Maine cottage is maintained. The owner wants nothing more than to make your stay a great one. Ours was a first time adult family reunion complete with grandchildren. That table is worth the rental alone. It sat our entire family + guests. . So often one rents a large capacity house and there is nowhere to enjoy a family dinner together, which should be the civil end of your exciting day. And your day will be exciting even if you don’t visit the many great nearby venues. (Don’t miss Acadia on a clear day – start early). Down a long stairway though the hemlocks, you come upon a long sandy beach and a spot for fires and s’mores at night and kayaking (do bring) on the gentle ocean of this inlet. The beach has a wonderfully private feel. The huge deck above is perfect for deck activities, and has a beautiful new gas grill. Also a perfect spot for the grandparents to enjoy the family below. Rainy days were no problem. A wonderful fireplace, lots of wood, tons of games, lots of places to sit all over the house. There’s a room for any mood, as it were. Need a crowd? Huge living room. Need to be alone? Lots of quiet places. The cousins loved their own sleeping “attic” which is so filled with things to play with, we were amazed. Even a costume box for putting on plays! So many owners put things away. Barbara fills her lovely, creative, fun and funky home with things to see and enjoy. (Even be amazed at!) If you’re thinking of renting Chateau Mer, be honest with yourselves; if you are not willing to respect, enjoy and maintain what’s here, go to a cheap motel. We want it to be just as special when we return. ! We had such a memorable time. Thank you, Barbara P.S. Would be a terrific spot for a group of adults,too.

Rejuvenating spot on the water!
Rating:

5 out of 5
Mary Hepburn      Vermont
Review Submitted September 2, 2010 Date of Stay August 2010
We spent a week with family and friends at Chateau Mer at the beginning of August and found it to be a perfect place. The house is well laid out for a large group, and the deck and long table in the great room made wonderful spots for entertaining. There is a large wooden platform (could be a stage, but we didn’t have time to put on a show…) down at the shore that held everything needed for a sumptuous feast, and we had several big dinners down there. I was surprised at the quality of kitchen ware (although I wish I had taken sharp knives) and the copious amount of plates and glasses (very little plastic!). Sara was very helpful in telling us about the area and offering her assistance if we needed anything. The price of lobsters was very low (poor lobstermen!) and we ate our fill, a rare luxury for us since leaving Maine 40 years ago. Acadia, only an hour away, provided us with wonderful day hikes and bike rides as well as a day at the beach with big surf. Barbara’s adirondack chairs on the hill across the street were a favorite coffee spot-for-two in the morning where we could enjoy the beauty of Maine in quiet serenity. It was hard to leave!

Recommended for: ELDERLY ,  PETS ,  ADVENTURE ,  GIRLFRIENDS ,  TOURISTS ,  FAMILIES_TEENS ,  FAMILIES_YOUNG_CHILDREN ,  ROMANTIC

Awesome
Rating:

5 out of 5
John Seright      South Carolina
Review Submitted October 28, 2009 Date of Stay October 2009
My wife and I stayed in this house from October 14, 2009 thru October 21, 2009. It would be difficult to improve upon the location of this property if you are looking for a very comfortable & private home, equidistance between Camden and Bar Harbor. The amenities abound…excellent working fireplace, private beach, great kitchen, large deck with a spectacular view, etc… The owner (Barbara) was easy to work with and the local care taker (Sarah) was very pleasant and helpful. What a great way to experience Maine. Thank you Barbara and Sarah!

Recommended for: ELDERLY ,  PETS ,  ADVENTURE ,  GIRLFRIENDS ,  NOCAR ,  TOURISTS ,  FAMILIES_TEENS ,  FAMILIES_YOUNG_CHILDREN ,  DISABLED ,  ROMANTIC

Owner Response: I am very excited to be sharing Chateau Mer in the off season. Thanks for helping me keep the heat on!
Awesome Family Reunion, 4 – 8 June 2009
Rating:

5 out of 5
Richard Palmer      Grovetown, Ga
Review Submitted July 30, 2009 Date of Stay June 2009
Our family had a wonderful time at Chateau Mer in early June. My Brother and 2 sisters and parts of their families were able to all stay together in Chateau Mer, which made this trip very special. The trip was arranged to bring our mothers remains home to Maine. Our parents were originally from Maine and spent many of their last years in the Searsport area which they loved. All of us have spent many summers visiting and enjoying Maine and all it has to offer. Chateau Mer gave us an extremely comfortable and enjoyable home base. It spacious area, front deck with a beautiful view of Penobscot Bay ensured this trip was truly special. We were able to gather for a family meal consisting of 15 people comfortably at the expansive dining table. We also were able to enjoy fires in the living room while playing “Catch Phrase” and reminiscing. Our day trips included, visiting the Observation Tower at the new Bucksport Bridge, which was breathtaking. We enjoyed Lobsters at Youngs Lobster Pound in Belfast, both within 15 minutes of Chateau Mer. We also went to Bar Harbor and Camden which were within 45 minutes to and hour in either direction. We were all extremely happy with the accomodations and the caretakers were not only helpful, but very friendly and intesting. Given the opportunity to return, we would certainly make sure to stay at Chateau Mer again and again.

Recommended for: ELDERLY ,  ADVENTURE ,  GIRLFRIENDS ,  TOURISTS ,  FAMILIES_TEENS ,  FAMILIES_YOUNG_CHILDREN ,  ROMANTIC

A Piece of Paradise!
Rating:

5 out of 5
LeBlanc / Drolet      Blackstone, MA USA
Review Submitted August 25, 2008 Date of Stay August 2008
We just wanted to drop a quick note to let you know how wonderful our week was at Chateau Mer. Even the rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of our family as we enjoyed your beautiful home. My family has vacationed in Maine for over forty years, we owned a summer home on Islesboro for many, many years. In all my experience of renting, yours was the home that received rave reviews from everyone in the family, not an easy accomplishment in a group whose ages range from 52 to 2! We are spread out along the eastern seaboard for fifty-one weeks a year, we count on our week in Maine to catch up and reconnect, your home provided the perfect backdrop for our reunion. The memories we created last week will live a lifetime for all of us, the highlight was perhaps the bonfire on the beach with smores, something we’ve never done before. Thank you so much for sharing your piece of paradise.

Recommended for: ELDERLY ,  ADVENTURE ,  GIRLFRIENDS ,  TOURISTS ,  FAMILIES_TEENS ,  FAMILIES_YOUNG_CHILDREN ,  ROMANTIC

Young family reunion
Rating:

5 out of 5
N/A      Minneapolis, Minnesota
Review Submitted January 8, 2008 Date of Stay July 2007
My family had a week get together at Chateau Mer. We had plenty of room and private space for six adults and three young children. The kids loved the beach and stoller rides in the neighborhood. We visited Fort Knox and went for a Lobster Boat ride in Camden. Absolutely delightful. This house is also quite accessible for people with disabilities.

Recommended for: ELDERLY ,  PETS ,  ADVENTURE ,  GIRLFRIENDS ,  TOURISTS ,  FAMILIES_TEENS ,  FAMILIES_YOUNG_CHILDREN ,  DISABLED ,  ROMANTIC

Christmas at Chateau Mer
Rating:

5 out of 5
N/A      Sandy Point, ME
Review Submitted January 7, 2008 Date of Stay December 2007
We are fortunate enough to live in Sandy Point, the most beautiful spot in the world, year ’round. However, we have only one guest room, and this year (”07) we had Christmas week guests from Austin, TX, East Hampton, NY, Charlottesville, VA, Portland and Western Maine–a dozen too many for our little cape. We put our guests up at Chateau Mer, and they were all blown away by the beauty of the snowy woods and the sparkling water, the deer in the meadow across the way, the wild tutkeys foraging in the snow. Truly a picture-postcard winter wonderland, but warm and cozy inside Chateau Mer, in front of a roaring fire. And it’s even better in the summer! Highly recommended.

Recommended for: ELDERLY ,  PETS ,  ADVENTURE ,  GIRLFRIENDS ,  TOURISTS ,  FAMILIES_TEENS ,  FAMILIES_YOUNG_CHILDREN ,  ROMANTIC

Chateau Mer is perfect for large groups.
Rating:

5 out of 5
N/A      McCalla, AL/Southeastern US
Review Submitted January 4, 2008 Date of Stay July 2007
I stayed at Chateau Mer with a wedding party. Since it will accommodate so many, I have to say that it represents an excellent value, especially with larger groups. Because of the nature of our visit, it was very convenient to have everyone together in one place. I only wish that we’d had more time there. My husband and I stayed in the downstairs bedroom with the “tiled grotto” bathroom. It was beautifully done. The decorative touches throughout the house are terrific, and the kitchen is fully stocked with pots, pans, and so forth. It really does have all the conveniences of home, and is very clean. Everything was in excellent repair. The surrounding area is breathtaking. I filled up an entire memory card with pictures of the bay and the beach. My husband enjoyed fishing from the rocks on the beach, and many of us took advantage of the fire pit to roast marshmallows and enjoy the night air. There are neighbors nearby, but they are very nice and quiet. The area is very rural, and there are many wonderful sights to see in the area, so I would recommend having a car. I would definitely suggest this property to friends, and hope to someday return for a regular vacation, so that I can take it slow and really enjoy the atmosphere of the house.

Recommended for: ELDERLY ,  ADVENTURE ,  GIRLFRIENDS ,  TOURISTS ,  FAMILIES_TEENS ,  FAMILIES_YOUNG_CHILDREN

A Perfect Getaway
Rating:

5 out of 5
N/A      Alabama
Review Submitted January 4, 2008 Date of Stay July 2007
I held my wedding here in July of 2004, and we tested out the “Sleeps 24” claim. I would say that if you want a quiet vacation you might want to bring a few fewer people, but we had a lot of fun all being in the same place. There were, indeed, more than 20 of us. The beach is beautiful and several people decided to camp down there. We held our ceremony at the Sandy Point Congregational Church. A local caterer took care of our food and cake, and we held the reception right in the front yard of the house. It was a very satisfying experience.

Recommended for: ADVENTURE ,  GIRLFRIENDS ,  FAMILIES_TEENS ,  FAMILIES_YOUNG_CHILDREN ,  ROMANTIC

Owner Response: It really warms my heart to see people married at my cottage. This year I will have the grape arbour finished in the field across the street. We have 1/2 an ace of wild flowers planted and it should create lovely ambience.
Chateau Mer
Rating:

5 out of 5
N/A      Hurricane UT
Review Submitted September 26, 2007 Date of Stay May 2007
What an absolutely perfect family retreat! Even though it rained most of the time we were there (mid May), we still had a GREAT time. The house was roomy enough that even with 10 people, we didn’t get on each others nerves. There are several cozy places inside for some quiet time. The pictures don’t tell the whole story of what an awesome place this is. The home is very warm and inviting, plus has lots of interesting art and objects to view. Chateau Mer inspired me to dabble with some beach art, using snail and mussel shells. The only thing that wasn’t as we thought it would be, was the privacy. Prior to our arrival, we did not realize that there were neighbors nearby. Turned out that it really didn’t matter, as the neighbors were friendly, but not nosy. Our gang was a little noisy at times, but no one complained. I’d recommend to anyone staying here, to be sure to go visit nearby historic FT Knox. Quite an interesting experience. We really enjoyed our forays onto the beach everyday….new discoveries wash up every day! I definitely recommend Chateau Mer to anyone looking for a rental in Maine.