Frequently Asked Questions

Is there air conditioning?

There is no air conditioning, but there are fans, and heat is generally not an issue. The house is quite far north. It is a cement stucco house, which is by nature somewhat cool, with shade trees around it and the sea breeze coming through.

Occasional heat waves do come through, of course. Closing the shades against the sun in the morning, and then on the other side of the house in the afternoon, helps mitigate that minor discomfort. We keep plenty of fans around as well.

Is there heat?

Yes. During the late May to early or mid October season in which the house is rented, it usually is not necessary. It is a large and old house, though, so if you do need the heat, it may not reach every area completely. We recommend bringing extra layers as needed.

Is there a TV?

Yes. We installed a large new TV in the living room in 2023. Please sign in to your own streaming services, and remember to sign out again before you leave.

What types of beds are in the bedrooms?

There are two rooms with king beds, two rooms with queens, two rooms with doubles, one room with two twin beds, and four rooms with a single twin bed each. There is also one roll-away bed and one foldable memory foam mattress that can be placed wherever you like, and two cribs.

Where is the Game House in relation to the main house, and what is access like?

The Game House is very close to the main house. The driveway forms a circle as you come up to the house; the main house is the point of that circle closest to the coast, and the Game House sits a quarter to a third of the way around it — roughly 50 to 100 feet from the nearest entrance to the house.

That stretch is driveway rather than paved path, so it is not perfectly smooth, but it is cleared. It is very easy to navigate during the day and perfectly doable at night, though it does get dark out there — a flashlight makes it much easier and reduces the risk of tripping.

Is the cliff dangerous?

The cliff does not get steep immediately off the backyard, so it is not a danger to anyone playing in the yard. There are trees, bushes, rocks and other obstacles in the way before the ground begins to fall away. A fit adult could bushwhack their way to the edge, but it would take some legitimate effort, and the house has been in our family since 1913 — to our knowledge, nobody has ever fallen off the cliff.

That said, it is not fenced off, so you will not want very small children playing back there entirely unsupervised.

How is the wifi?

We have been steadily upgrading the wifi coverage with additional Google Nest wifi points. During the pandemic, groups worked remotely from the house multiple times and did not have any significant issues with the internet.

The router is in the kitchen, so the wifi is generally best there, where you can reliably get 50 Mbps even with several people online at the same time. It is also good in the dining room and the den off the kitchen, as well as the laundry room and the library. Those last two have doors you can close, so they work well for anyone who needs a quiet place to take a video call.

Is the cell reception good?

Cell phone reception is reasonable in and right around the house. As you start moving away from the house, particularly into the park and so away from downtown Bar Harbor, it can sometimes get a little spotty.

Is there water access from the property?

There is no direct shoreline access from the property, but there is a beautiful, somewhat rocky “beach” a ten-minute walk from the end of the driveway. It is just off Old Farm Road, before you get out to Main Street. Parts of this coastline and the nearby trails are within Acadia National Park, so it is fun to explore. The Oldfarm site (search for Oldfarm on Google Maps) is worth visiting on your way down to the coastline.

Sand Beach is — shockingly — a sandy beach, and a five to ten minute drive away, into Acadia National Park.

Are there tennis courts?

There are public tennis courts approximately one mile from the house. They are part of a park off Main Street, between Old Farm Road and the downtown portion of Bar Harbor.

What is the closest airport?

Bangor airport is about 75 minutes away by car.

Are pets allowed?

We allow dogs, for a small fee: $200 for a large dog, $100 for a small dog.

Can we use the outdoor grill?

Yes, please do. Propane should be included, as well as grill utensils.

Can we use the campfire and fire pit in the backyard?

Yes, but please clean up afterwards. We do not supply firewood, and please do not chop down trees for it.

Can we use the fireplaces?

No.

Are fireworks allowed?

No.

Is there an outdoor electrical outlet near the parking areas for charging an electric vehicle?

No.

Can we hold a wedding or elopement at the house?

Yes, on a small scale. We host elopements and small ceremonies for the people staying in the house that week, but not large receptions. Everything is arranged case by case. See Small Weddings & Elopements.

Can our entire group fit around the dining room table?

Yes. The dining room table comfortably fits 22 people.

Is the house set up well for a large group?

The house is set up well for large parties. In addition to the large dining room table and all the kitchen supplies listed below, we have an outdoor grill, two refrigerators, and two tables seating about eight each right by the kitchen and dining room.

What kitchen supplies are there?

Glasses and place settings:

Other kitchen items:

• Chopping boards (multiple)
• Ceramic teapot for brewing tea, and a Crate & Barrel grey steel enamel kettle
• Kitchen knives
• Grill tongs and grill spatula
• Lobster forks and crackers
• Colander
• Cookie sheets and trays — at least a few
• Measuring cups and measuring spoons
• Saucepans, spaghetti pots, pans, skillets and the like
• Large steamer basket
• Glass pie plates
• Meat thermometer
• Oven mitts
• Dish towels
• Ice trays

Why is the cancellation policy so strict?

The policy is that there are no refunds after booking unless we are able to secure a new renter. If we are able to re-rent the week, you will receive all or a portion of your money back.

We have to use this strict policy because, for parties of this size, renters are often reserving far in advance — many of our bookings come a year or more before the date of the rental. That said, as long as you give us a heads up about a cancellation with enough time before the rental, it is likely we will be able to find someone else to fill the slot and return at least a portion of your money. In cases where this has started to look problematic in the past, we have reduced the price as the date approached, to try to recoup as much of the renter’s money as possible.

Can I mail something to the house?

You can, but the timing is unreliable. We recommend mailing to the FedEx location in downtown Bar Harbor and picking it up there.

Still have a question? Get in touch — we are happy to answer anything that is not covered here.